bonzodog Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 My covers band is doing really well now and I would be interested to know what everyone else does regarding band members individual gear. By this I mean do you take out costs of strings, drumsticks etc out of gig fees before its divided up? If so, where do you draw the line. For instance if our drummer needed a new snare then this would come out of fees but if me or the guitarist needed a new amp then this would cost a lot more. The added problem would be if the band did decide to buy my new amp then I would not own it if the band split up which would be difficult. Weve bought a PA and lighting between us but individual stuff is a bit more involved. Would be interested to hear others opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 No. The drummer buys his own stuff, the bassist and guitarists the same. The only thing we all contribute to is things like PA stuff, lights etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 (edited) Only stuff like van and/or PA hire are paid before fees are divided. Individual gear expenses are down to individual band members. Edit: Beaten to it by Hobbayne! Edited June 24, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnDeereJack Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Any money we get paid goes one of two ways; it either goes into the band pot to cover recording costs if we have any studio time planned or gets split evenly between all four members. I've never been in a band where 'band money' was used to cover stuff like strings, amps, guitars, effects pedals, keyboards or drum gear - that has always been the responsibility of the band member playing that particular instrument to cover the upkeep of their own gear. As you pointed out a jointly owned piece of equipment is likely to cause probs in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 We pay a minimum of £270 for a gig so that means all gigs need to gross that or above otherwise we run through the kitty. Everyone has to pay for their own stuff but the bone of contention is that the bass, gtr, drums and keys might have upwards of £5k of gear each and the singer still wants to band to buy the P.A which is primarily ofr him to be able to do the gig..?? We may well put some of the band thru it which greys the area somewhat but this is our current split. 6 way split on the fee over £300, so that is 5 in the band and the same amount to go to P.A, lights and admin costs and the balance to the kitty. The maximum figure we pay out for gigs under £1k is £150 per head and therefore the kitty get a decent contribution. Max pay-out on the P.A is £100 so the guy who owns this can walk away paid £100 more. The only way to justify this is to sell the P.A back to the band over this period of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanEly Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 No way would I/the band allow a drummer to take money out of a band fund to buy [i]himself [/i]a new snare. Same goes for any gear I/they buy. You pay for it your self. Just a rule of thumb really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzodog Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 Just to clarify our drummer has not asked for money for a new snare. I was just using that as an example piece of lowish value equipment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Although we never actually went through with it when my old ska band was planning our tour we decided to take a couple hundred quid out of the band fund to get a box of breakables, strings, sticks, plectrums and a couple of drum heads together to keep in the van. Seemed like a good idea to pool the funds for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 With us, the money we get from the gig is split evenly. Every time. If the band need something (PA,lighting,van etc), then we take a percentage, say £10 or £20 from each pay, to save up for whatever needs sorting. I agree with everyone here, personal costs (strings,plectrums etc) should be paid for by the person needing them, not split between the band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 The P.A angle to this is quite interesting as I own all of the P.A that my band uses. I invest in it, buy mics, D.Is cables, upgrade speakers, mixing desks stands,monitors, amps,lights. I just bought a couple of IEM sets, that they will have free access to also. I spend a lot of time ensuring everything works as efficiently as possible as I believe sincerely that a good sound gets gigs. I'm happy to do this, because i want us to sound as good as we can, so that we can get to the better paid gigs quicker. I hire the P.A and my skills to other bands for £200 to £300 per show. At the moment we are running through the gears doing pubs and tweaking the show, but in the new year we will be hitting the agents for better paid wedding and party gigs as we did for a couple of years before our new singer arrived in march. We intend to start at £750 and will be aiming for £1000 as a usual fee. How much would it be fair to ask them to pay for the P.A per show? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Everybody buys & maintains their own kit. Nothing is shared. Gig money is split equally. Never any arguments. If something major does go wrong, for instance with the PA, we would probably all chip in to fix it. The singer/guitarist owns the PA. I own the lighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Everyone is responsible for their own equipment. The only exception in our covers band is that I own the PA/lights now - it was split between original members and I bought them out when they left. As such I charge a 10% of gig fee to 'hire' the PA to the band. In return I cart it around, set it up and maintain where necessary (I've had to buy a new desk and power amp in the last 12 months). It's not an ideal situation - I'm the only one who doesn't sing through the PA as it happens - I firmly believe that the singer should have their own PA (it is basically their amp, and they haven't had to shell out for their actual instrument either - unless you count £100 for a mic). But I understand that where there are 3 people also using it for backing vocals the PA costs should be shared in some way. It just happened that way for us where I ended up with the PA/lights. Incidentally, snare drums ain't all that cheap either. But consumables or 'gear' should be covered by the person using them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 [quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1403608060' post='2484338'] The P.A angle to this is quite interesting as I own all of the P.A that my band uses. I invest in it, buy mics, D.Is cables, upgrade speakers, mixing desks stands,monitors, amps,lights. I just bought a couple of IEM sets, that they will have free access to also. I spend a lot of time ensuring everything works as efficiently as possible as I believe sincerely that a good sound gets gigs. I'm happy to do this, because i want us to sound as good as we can, so that we can get to the better paid gigs quicker. I hire the P.A and my skills to other bands for £200 to £300 per show. At the moment we are running through the gears doing pubs and tweaking the show, but in the new year we will be hitting the agents for better paid wedding and party gigs as we did for a couple of years before our new singer arrived in march. We intend to start at £750 and will be aiming for £1000 as a usual fee. How much would it be fair to ask them to pay for the P.A per show? [/quote] Well, I assume you have to run a van and you load up the vast majority..and all they do is help at the gig..?? I think for anything between £750 and £1k, they need to think of £100...which is at least half what you'd get elsewhere..? Of course, this will be quite a bone of contention when you broach it but ask them how much they could hire it in... as that is what they will have to do if they decide they don't like your 'new way'... If a band goes into a band P.A situation then the payback is long even at £100 a time.. This is my problem at the moment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 in our band we split the cash up with a set amount to each member and then the rest goes into the kitty, but we're a group consisting of 3 very close friends (the drummer was my best man and the guitarist/vocalist is my fishing and drinking buddy) the PA is spilit between us as and when we've managed to find stuff and had a few quid in our pockets. as far as our own kit goes everone buys their own stuff, our overheads are pretty low so no-one minds, we're in it for the sheer pleasure of getting a pub full of people dancing, any money that comes our way is a bonus. the band kitty is in an account in my name but that's only because i was the one who had time to go and open an account, the cash from our last gig is going to pay for the repairs to our guitarists amp, we had to almost force him to take the money as he's a bit skint at the moment (self employed gardener so seasonal cash flow) if he pays it back then that's great, if not then we don't care, having his amp working is the main thing. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UglyDog Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 IMO when a PA-owning band member starts charging his own band to use his PA, there'll be tears before bedtime. The logical progression to this would be that the guitarist would start charging the band for the use of his kit -- after all, if he wasnt in the band he wouldnt be using it -- and the drummer would do the same, and so on. This happened in a band I was in some years ago -- the singer owned the (mainly vocal) PA and had also got us a handful of gigs at a couple of pubs, and suddenly announced to us via email one day that he would not only be charging us, his own band, for use of his PA but he would also be expecting a "finder's fee" for every gig he arranged. The band, which had been trolling along fine up until this point, broke up not long afterwards amid the exchange of some choice anglo-saxon vernacular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzodog Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 [quote name='Matt P' timestamp='1403609263' post='2484357'] in our band we split the cash up with a set amount to each member and then the rest goes into the kitty, but we're a group consisting of 3 very close friends (the drummer was my best man and the guitarist/vocalist is my fishing and drinking buddy) the PA is spilit between us as and when we've managed to find stuff and had a few quid in our pockets. as far as our own kit goes everone buys their own stuff, our overheads are pretty low so no-one minds, we're in it for the sheer pleasure of getting a pub full of people dancing, any money that comes our way is a bonus. the band kitty is in an account in my name but that's only because i was the one who had time to go and open an account, the cash from our last gig is going to pay for the repairs to our guitarists amp, we had to almost force him to take the money as he's a bit skint at the moment (self employed gardener so seasonal cash flow) if he pays it back then that's great, if not then we don't care, having his amp working is the main thing. Matt [/quote] I think this is a good point. If a guitarists amp fails and he cant afford to buy a new one or have it repaired then the band cant gig. Therefore should the band step in to pay for a new amp from gig money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 (edited) [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1403609229' post='2484356'] Well, I assume you have to run a van and you load up the vast majority..and all they do is help at the gig..?? I think for anything between £750 and £1k, they need to think of £100...which is at least half what you'd get elsewhere..? Of course, this will be quite a bone of contention when you broach it but ask them how much they could hire it in... as that is what they will have to do if they decide they don't like your 'new way'... If a band goes into a band P.A situation then the payback is long even at £100 a time.. This is my problem at the moment... [/quote] I do supply maintain and drive the van also. The earlier version of the band did buy some tops, some lights and a couple of cheap subs, but I supplied the desk and the rest, which has now grown to all the above. I think it will be a bone of contention, but I will suggest an alternative, either the original tops/cheap subs and they buy another desk for pubs and hire in for best gigs. I suppose either way it would cost the band a large amount of money. At the moment, I don't need the argument. Edited June 24, 2014 by Monckyman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 [quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1403609016' post='2484354'] Incidentally, snare drums ain't all that cheap either. But consumables or 'gear' should be covered by the person using them. [/quote] I took him to mean the snare itself rather than the whole drum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 [quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1403610047' post='2484375'] I think this is a good point. If a guitarists amp fails and he cant afford to buy a new one or have it repaired then the band cant gig. Therefore should the band step in to pay for a new amp from gig money? [/quote] It's sensible enough to have a kitty for repairs and maintenance, which if it's spent on personal equipment, should be paid back from personal gig fees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 (edited) [quote name='bonzodog' timestamp='1403610047' post='2484375'] I think this is a good point. If a guitarists amp fails and he cant afford to buy a new one or have it repaired then the band cant gig. Therefore should the band step in to pay for a new amp from gig money? [/quote] i'd guess that in a different band then loaning the money out of the kitty to pay for a hire amp or to fund a replacement would be a good idea, if the gigs are regular and bringing in money then it could be deducted from the guitarists cut until it was paid back, our band is a bit different because we have a running tab between us for other stuff (i think the drummer owes me for some snare wires and a couple of skins that i picked up a while ago, i can't remember if he paid me or what they cost so it's written off) Matt Edit - Monckyman got there before me! Edited June 24, 2014 by Matt P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 [quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1403609870' post='2484369'] IMO when a PA-owning band member starts charging his own band to use his PA, there'll be tears before bedtime. The logical progression to this would be that the guitarist would start charging the band for the use of his kit -- after all, if he wasnt in the band he wouldnt be using it -- and the drummer would do the same, and so on. This happened in a band I was in some years ago -- the singer owned the (mainly vocal) PA and had also got us a handful of gigs at a couple of pubs, and suddenly announced to us via email one day that he would not only be charging us, his own band, for use of his PA but he would also be expecting a "finder's fee" for every gig he arranged. The band, which had been trolling along fine up until this point, broke up not long afterwards amid the exchange of some choice anglo-saxon vernacular. [/quote] Agreed if it's a vocal P.A, after all, it's probably only worth the same as a decent kit or bass rig. But what if it's a 6k good quality compact rig with a digital desk and 5 way wedge monitoring as well as 4 stereo IEMs, and everything goes into it, the (electronic) kit, guitars x3 keys, vox x4, backing track, bass, double bass, lights and a van to shift it all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 There is really no argument if you supply over and beyond a couple of tops... It would be wonderful to have a top rig but then who is going to carry it. Can you split it between the cars travelling..?? and will they carry a bin..? It needs common sense and a dispassionate reasoning to make the case and the first response will be he is ripping us off etc ...but break down what he actually does and provides and what is would cost to replicate that.. and it isn't going to be £100. As they say...get real..!! unfortunately for the band who have had it pretty good so far.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 We pay for all of our own personal consumables (strings, leads, straps etc) and put 10% of the fees aside to pay for replacing\maintaining the rest of the gear. Once a year we sit down and take a dispassionate look at what we've got equipment wise and decide if we need to plan for an upgrade. If we do, then we do it. If we don't then we leave a suitable amount in the kitty and split the surplus out between ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 There's lots of different approaches, depending on the type of band - from a bunch of good mates who trust each other and play now and again for beer money down the pub, to a full function depping unit run by one man who calls all the shots. Within all those scenarios, though, I'd say everyone's responsible for their own kit - if you want to be in a halfway serious band, then you need the gear. Replacement and maintenance is your own look-out. As mentioned earlier, vocal PA is the responsibility of the singer, full PA can be handled a number of ways already mentioned: the owner can take a bigger cut of gig fees (the band are effectively renting it from him), or the purchase cost can be split (which I've never know turn out well in the long run). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 This is a very worthwhile topic for discussion, as I'm sure most of us will bump into the issues raised here at one point or another Thanks BC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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