At any time at any gig, something is bound to go wrong and you may need a tool to get you back up and running. Here are a few basic tools you should bring to every gig.
A roll of gaffer tape can be invaluable for a multitude of repairs. Aside from its intended use to secure cables so nobody will trip, it can be used to fix a broken microphone clip holder, a broken microphone stand, secure your set list to the floor, or to a mic stand, and many other inventive fixes. You can roll it as a double stick piece of tape to secure your accessories, such as your tuner, guitar picks, slide, so they don’t fall off the top of your amp or accessory tray on your mic stand. There are endless uses. Always keep a role in your vehicle or your gig bag.
Keep at least one screwdriver with interchangeable tips so you have both a flat and Phillips-head screwdriver. This is invaluable when you are dealing with mic stands that have come loose and you need to tighten screws. It is also extremely useful on anything related to the feet on the bottom of a pedal board, speaker, amplifier, and mixing board. Your guitar strap buttons often need tightening and a screwdriver is always handy for this purpose as well.
You should always be prepared with the proper tools to change out a guitar string, which may include a tuner, wire cutters, and needle nose pliers. A string winder is also advisable.
A set of pliers large enough to fit around a microphone stand is also useful. Sometimes a stand adjustment is needed, and compression fittings can be hard to loosen or tighten by hand.
A good tool to carry is an electrical outlet tester. These are inexpensive devices that simply plug into an electrical outlet to test for proper wiring. It’s always good to know if the ground, hot, and neutral of an outlet are wired properly. It’s important to know that your main source of power is properly grounded for safety.
You should always carry at least one decent quality 6-foot electrical extension cable with a three-prong plug. You never know when you need to plug in additional items or simply get your power from a distant wall outlet. A good quality power strip is also advisable.
A basic flashlight, and maybe even a headband with a small light can be very advantageous when you are setting up or tearing down on a dark stage or outdoors at night. It can be easy to leave a stand, cable or other items behind on a dark stage during tear down. A light can also be very helpful in finding your tools as you may notice most soft tool bags and gig bags are black and it’s near impossible to find a small tool at the bottom of a black bag without a light to help with visibility.
And finally, a set of hex or Allen wrenches is good to keep in your gig bag. This is to cover any issues you may have with loose screws on a guitar, bass, and anything else that may use this type of screw.
Having a dedicated small tool bag at every gig can ensure preparedness when a crisis occurs.
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I once asked blues legend Walter Trout why he still plays his well-worn vintage Strat. The technology exists to digitally scan the guitar and make very accurate replicas. His response was he could leave it at home, but then it will never be played. Plus, someone could steal it from his home. At least the guitar is with him and he has the pleasure of playing it. But this may not be the same for everyone.
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