When I am not gigging with my band I do the sound for my fathers outfit, being a named band they play at a lot of big venues up & down the country, if it is Butlins no gear to take apart from guitars, cymbals etc. Any other job I sort it out.
My father owns the van which has been kitted out to seat everyone, the PA system and also provides the rhythm guitarists amp and all SM58 mics, it is run as a business so everything is done properly. All good gear.
In my band though, everything is split between the 3 of us, we don't include the lead guitarist when new gear is being bought because he is a tight arse who winges at anything to do with spending brass, doesn't mind spending £40 in the pub but ask for £40 towards some extra gear that will earn money and you would think the world was about to end. So this reason we keep it bewteen just the 3 of us.
The deal is that if any of us leave, we get a percentage back, this arrangement is ok if money is tight. If I was financially flying I would buy it all, then there is only me to worry about.
Bands are never straight forward, a bit like a marriage...........