Should You Gig With Your Most Valuable Instrument?

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.

Most musicians won’t own a true vintage instrument worth $100k. Those are hard to find, and impossible for most of us to afford. Guys like Joe Bonamassa have always played vintage guitars and amps. So, his touring staff know how to deal with proper packing and safety. But for those of us who own less valuable guitars may want to play them at gigs but worry about damage and theft.

When it comes to damage control, you have some control of this. You may want to utilize a more robust padded gig bag that provides more protection than a basic gig bag or hard case. You can utilize more stable guitar stands so the chance of the guitar falling over is reduced. You may want to use strap locks to keep the guitar strap from failing. You can plan any traveling to make sure you can bring your guitar on a bus or plane, so it isn’t damaged. And be sure to insure the instrument properly. Most homeowner or renter insurance only covers the instrument when it’s in your home. You must insure your gear for travel. So, if your prized guitar is stolen or damaged outside your home at a gig, it’s likely to not be covered by homeowner or renter insurance. Even if the instrument is stolen from your vehicle parked in your driveway, insurance can deny a claim as it was not inside your home.

If you want to feel safe taking your prized guitar out to gigs, here are a few tips:

• Use a case or gig bag that protects the instrument better than the average case. This may require spending a few hundred for a case or gig bag, but it’s worth having added protection.

• Bring a “watcher” or work out a system with your bandmates when you unload and load-out at any venue. There should always be “eyes on the gear”. I’ve been to top venues where a guitar was stolen right off the stage because no one was paying attention. The thief left through a back door that was also unwatched. When unloading, we lock the vehicle in-between load in trips from vehicle to venue. We do the same on load out, all-the-while, making sure someone is watching the gear on or off the stage. We also watch during breaks and don’t allow anyone to touch the gear. If you don’t have a watcher, leave your guitar locked in your vehicle during load in. Take it out last so you are inside the venue with the guitar. Do the opposite on load out. Lock it in your vehicle first, and then load out the other gear. At a festival where we had to arrive early and store our gear backstage, we used bicycle chain locks to chain all guitars together in their cases/gig bags. This made it impossible to open or carry them all at once.

• Know your risks beforehand. If you are playing a sketchy area, you may want to use a different instrument for that gig.

It’s advantageous to know how hard it is to replace your prized instrument. Aside from its vintage, the color, model, etc. may be hard to find. Look into what is available on auction sites and what has sold previously. It gives you a good idea on replacement value and availability. Sometimes certain guitars just don’t come up for sale very often. So, use this when deciding to take your prized instrument out to a gig.

What I have done to avoid the stress, is I put a “gig” guitar together. For most songs I play, I can use one guitar. It’s a used Squire Bullet Strat I got for less than $100. I put in cheap noiseless pickups from Amazon and replaced the bridge hardware. I leveled and dressed the frets myself. The total cost is about $230 in parts. It plays and sounds great. If it gets damaged or stolen, I can get another. I will eventually get a cheap Les Paul style guitar and do the same upgrades. Hopefully I can have a cheap LP with a similar feel and tone. This way I can leave my 30^th anniversary gold top LP at home.

But what about the tone? Yes, we all have our favorite guitars because they look, feel, play and sound amazing. But if you are discovering it would be very difficult to replace that instrument, then you may be able to find a less valuable alternative and even if it isn’t the exact “tone machine” as your favorite guitar. I guarantee the audience isn’t going to be as picky about the tone as you. I discovered this while trying to juggle 4 guitars on stage. I had a big hollow body Gretsch, Acoustic, single coil Strat, and a Les Paul. I got tired of switching instruments and one gig I just didn’t bother. I played 90 percent of the set with one guitar. Nobody asked why I didn’t use the Gretsch when I played the 50s Elvis or Bill Haley songs. It would be more authentic, but the audience didn’t care or notice. So, I have reduced the number of guitars to only 2.

In conclusion, weigh the value, difficulty in replacing, and what that instrument means to you personally. The local bar, restaurant and pub gigs aren’t paying bands enough to afford to pay for replacement guitars that cost thousands. Remember when you gig, you need to consider the gear as your tools for the job. If you want to hold onto a prized guitar, you may want to use a more disposable tool.

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