Dear Anklebiters,
A friend of mine asked if he could rent some equipment for a small gig at a very reduced price. The band he is mixing is very loud, and I am concerned that my monitor rig may become damaged due to excessive sound levels. How can I prevent this?
Thanks,
Vince Simmons, Phoenix, AZ
Jamie: Vince, the obvious answer is to not rent the gear to your friend. However, I am an anklebiter and sworn to give out as much information as I can on any subject that crosses my desk. So, before I take off on one of my typical tangents, I have some questions to ask you. First, how good of a friend is this friend of yours? Because nothing can ruin a friendship faster than one of your buddies blowing up your gear. Second, why a "very reduced" rate? Did you buy your gear at a "very reduced" rate? Are you renting your friend a bunch of crap? In which case, does it really matter if he blows it up? Is your pal getting paid a "very reduced" rate for his work? Third, do you know the band? Have you heard them live? Are they friends of your friend? The reason I am asking so many questions is that the answer to your question of how you can protect your gear is not about your gear. It's about whether or not you want to run a professional business. If you do, here are my suggestions.
You can rent your equipment and services at a discounted rate, but don't go nuts. I typically give my friends and frequent flyers a 25% discount. In other words, if I rent out $400 worth of gear, they get it for $300. That's a great deal! But I won't let that same gear go out for $100. I would be an idiot and a poor businessman. Another thing to keep in mind is that the engineer blows up the gear, not the band. If you really think your equipment is in jeopardy, talk to your friend about dealing with the band (his client). The band cannot make your buddy destroy your monitors. He has to be a willing accomplice. If you can, go to the gig. Maybe you can help your friend become a better engineer. Maybe even a better person.
The moral of the story is: If you want to create a real sound company, treat your business as if it is one. If you want to be considered a professional in this line of work, then treat yourself, your friends and your clients professionally. What do you think, Paul?
Paul: I have been bitten by this before, and here is my advice. Don't let anyone borrow your equipment (that's what a reduced price means). I have a rule–go with the gear.
What if I owe this friend a huge favor? That sometimes presents a problem that is very difficult to overcome. Here are a few suggestions that might help. First, go to the gig and run it. Second, take the friend to dinner. Third, pay them off with cash because it is cheaper than blowing up good equipment.
Always get a signed contract that spells out who is responsible, and get a cash deposit. You might say, "They're my friends–how can I do that?" But, like Jamie said, you are in business and need the equipment for that business. If you blow up the equipment, you are out of business. Is this really what your friendship is worth? A good friend doesn't want this type of thing to happen and is always looking out for your best interests. A cash deposit is worth much more than just the cash. It also keeps people honest and reminds everyone what is at stake–in this case, your friendship.
What does it cost to replace your equipment? I had a gig where I rented the gear out for $400, and when it came back, I had to replace two drivers at $120 each, repair a console at a cost of $500 and replace an SM58 because it was destroyed! Experience comes with a high price tag.
The other big question that remains is, how do you protect the equipment? Do you have a limiter on your amps and on your crossovers/processors? Are they set correctly? Are you willing to just put vocals in the monitors? Are you willing to turn down the guitar amps, place them in a position so it won't be too loud in FOH or cover them up, mic them and place that signal in the monitors? I have used these methods before, and they usually keep the stage volume down. These are some ideas that you can discuss with your friend to help alleviate the anxieties of renting out your gear.
