Get this crap off the stage -
We've got work to do!

(Another Rantatorial)

You spent hundreds, perhaps thousands of dollars on your guitars.  First, you entrust them to cheezy guitar stands that would be lucky to withstand the breeze made by a good popcorn fart.  Then, once the gig is over, do you quickly put these delicate, valuable instruments into their cases and out of harms way?  Hell no!    You go off drinking and chatting up the chicks.  Here's the straight poop:  When you are done playing, get those guitars OFF THE STAGE! It will take you a mere 30 seconds each to put them in their cases.  "But I gotta clean 'em before I do that, and I need to relax first."  Well dude, it's better to have dirty guitars in their cases than dirty guitars lying broken on the floor.  You can clean them later.  If one gets a broken neck because the crappy stand fell over while the sound crew was pulling cables, they do not share culpability.  The soundpersons most always start tearing down right away.  You should too.  Remember, they were there first, so their cables are all buried behind and under your stuff (literally - please try not to set stuff on top of the cables next time!).  Get it gone, or the PA will cost you more next time.

If your stage rig is unstable (as most any cabinet on wheels with an amp head atop it will be), it would be wise to strike this as well, or at least strike the head. Drummers of course may leave most of their kit alone until all the mics are removed.

The above are especially important if you are not the only band playing the gig. I've seen two guys set up and tear down a nice PA in the time it takes some bands to get their gear on & off. Spend a few bucks and a little time and get your gear in order. Here's an example or two:

Bad Back Line Rig:

1. Cabinet.

2. Head on top of cabinet.

3. Pocket-size tuner on top of the head.  The batteries die if you leave it connected, so you have to unplug & plug & unplug & plug every time you tune.

4. AC Power strip on floor behind cabinet.

5. Amp footswitch cord coming from front line.

6. Guitar cord coming from front line.

7. AC cord running to front line.

Bad Front Line:

1. Footswitch cord running to amp.

2. Guitar cord running to amp.

3. AC cord coming to pedals.

4. AC Power strip on floor.

5. Amp footswitch on floor.

6. Pedals on floor.

Good back line:

1. Extra-deep caster board.*

2. Cabinet.

3. Head-width rack on cabinet - contains lighted power strip (upside down to illuminate amp controls) and Korg rack-mount tuner (always connected, no batteries to run down, much easier to see).  Rack also has large swing-out hook on back (more later).*

4. Amp head.

These four pieces are lashed together with ratchet straps. You can push on it anywhere and it will roll without falling over or falling apart, and two people can grab it and get it off the stage FAST without a lot of messing about. That swing-out hook on the rack? That's so you can grab all the cords, quickly coil them, and throw them on the hook where they cannot fall off and get under foot while you are striking the rig.

Good front line:

1. Footswitch cord running to amp, guitar cord running to amp, and AC cord coming to pedals are all tied together with velcro straps.  Now there is one cable run, not three. (Use Velcro in case you have a weird hum in a venue and need to separate them in an effort to eliminate it.  That won't likely be the trouble though.)

2. AC Power strip, amp footswitch, and pedals all velcro'd to a carpeted board or factory made pedalboard (find an old SKB 125 pedalboard if you can, as it can house rack effects as well as pedals).

All guitar cords should have silent plugs on the source end, so you can unplug them without making nasty noises.

Teardown, typical old way:

1. Done playing.

2. Turn amp to standby.

3. Unplug guitar cord from guitar and put guitar on stand.

4. Get duffle bag and guitar case.

5. Unplug all front line stuff and put them into duffle bag.

6. Put guitar in case.

7. Turn amp off.

8. Unplug cords from back line and put them in duffle bag.

9. Remove head from cabinet and carry off stage.

10. Remove cabinet from stage.

11. Remove guitar and duffle bag from stage.

You are now out of the way.  Time: 10 minutes if you hurried. Usually 20.  Really  an hour, because drinking and schmoozing come first.

Teardown, New way:

1. Done playing.

2. Turn amp to standby.

3. Unplug guitar cord from guitar, take guitar to case and put it in.

4. Unplug cables from front line, coil guitar cord and put it atop pedalboard.

5. Put guitar stand atop pedalboard and take them away.

6. Turn amp off.

7. Coil cables at back line and hang them on swing-out hook.

8. Roll rig to stage egress.

9. Remove rig from stage.