If you have a retail operation I've found it really useful to have the gear on your demo "stage" for PA's or lighting equipment.
It is also really helpful for crew training or gear auditioning at your shop/warehouse to have a decent set-up. That " oh-by-the-way" need-now can be quite profitable if you suddenly pull a Fender twin or a drum rug and throne out of the back of your truck. Once it gets out that you have the gear and it is of better-than-normal quality it doesn't matter what it's specifics are when last-minute "emergencies" (or bad planning) happen to the artists. However I have (and also witnessed others) had much success at having a good solid "backup" set of band gear.
Backline rig 2 professional#
I never went after backline rentals ever and generally couldn't stand dealing with that side of the industry, choosing instead to always use a professional backline vender as either a sub-rent or have my client rent it directly. I don't think I answered the OP's question other than just muddying the water more with things to think about. And does that work in your favor or is it a case of once you are renting and paying for that backline company's tech and transport then does that negate what you saved by investing money in your own backline that is sitting in the warehouse as 'unacceptable' on a particular gig. And is that 50% of all shows, or 50% of EACH show that needs backline (IOW, you have the amps they want but not the drums). How close you can get to even cover 50% might be the question. You're probably not going to be able to create an inventory that covers every call very easily. Also, they need to be able to have some redundancy because if a guitar amp goes down that CAN be a show stopper. So my point is, Backline providers aren't typically competing against DJ's and band PA's out on the open market. So you have to price high in order to maintain a significant ROI. Then the other thing is, to play in that market you have some high initial costs, maintenance, storage, cases, transportation, techs, and churn (keeping a working inventory or the popular models of equip that can change next year. Less competition means it's a seller's market. Add in a combination of flavor of the month guitar amps and 1 tried and true classic Rendef that "must not be a reissue" and the list of places that can serve those needs gets fewer and fewer.
So while finding a set of drums might be easy enough finding a set of Whizbang 2000's (10 pc) (No SPARKLE COLORS!!!!, with Mata Hardware, 2 high hats each w 14" Rude cymbals, new drum heads, 22 cymbals (see attached list for size and type), a gong, and a DW kick pedal and spare (NO EXCEPTIONS!!) is entirely another. And the whole thing is confusing enough to buyers that they are way more likely to try and follow the rider here. Meanwhile, for the most part, someone looking for backline is way more likely to be very specific. Even if there is a rider it's not necessarily taken the same as a backline rider at certain levels. It doesn't mean he'll do it well though but his goals (and expenses) might be different than an established production who just got under bid by a substantial amount. And he might do it for next to nothing too. If that bass player can show up and get sound out of the rig he might get the job over a more established and better equipped provider. So at a certain level, the buy just wants 'PA and lights'. Sound providers, especially smaller sound providers, have to compete with the bass player whose band broke up a month ago and now he has some 1980's PA gear leftover from the band. Backline rentals are expensive because it's specific.
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