Do You Turn Down Gigs Because Of Inadequate Equipment?

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ahoustondj

Mac Daddy DJ
Aug 13, 2007
20,235
3,465
Texas
For those who specialize in Weddings and have that kind of equipment designed for Weddings such as the Bose L1s or smaller powered speakers.

1. What do you do when you get a demand for a larger Gig that said equipment cannot handle?
2. Do you see it as making good sense to have only one kind of system designed for Weddings?
3. Would it make more sense to have a system that can be toned down for a Wedding yet is fully capable of handling much larger crowds?
4. Do you turn down the additional business?
 
For those who specialize in Weddings and have that kind of equipment designed for Weddings such as the Bose L1s or smaller powered speakers.

1. What do you do when you get a demand for a larger Gig that said equipment cannot handle?
Haven't ran into a gig that required more than I have...

2. Do you see it as making good sense to have only one kind of system designed for Weddings?
Who says that they are wedding specific systems.... I've done all kinds of events from outdoor birthday parties to large 200 plus sports parties...

3. Would it make more sense to have a system that can be toned down for a Wedding yet is fully capable of handling much larger crowds?
I have yet to be contacted for a gig where I've felt my system wasn't big enough to handle...

4. Do you turn down the additional business?
Nope

See my answers in blue above...
 
I never turn down anything. If i don't have enough gear I will borrow or rent. Last year I ran sound for 3 bands and DJ'd an outdoor event with an audience over 1000. I leard to just work it into the pricing and it all will work out. I wish I could get more big gigs.
 
I did a school dance with my L1's....the students never complained. Huh, who would have imagined??

How many were at the dance?

Quite honestly Adam if you keep pushing the L1s beyond what they are meant to do you will be replacing them in a year or less. Just because you can doesn't mean you should

I would never turn down a booking because of gear. Rentals are cheap
 
For those who specialize in Weddings and have that kind of equipment designed for Weddings such as the Bose L1s or smaller powered speakers.

1. What do you do when you get a demand for a larger Gig that said equipment cannot handle?
2. Do you see it as making good sense to have only one kind of system designed for Weddings?
3. Would it make more sense to have a system that can be toned down for a Wedding yet is fully capable of handling much larger crowds?
4. Do you turn down the additional business?

1. What do you do when you get a demand for a larger Gig that said equipment cannot handle?

A: Although not nearly as large a setup as i used to have I can still muster enough to cover most gigs, if I need more I know how to rent big sound if needed!


2. Do you see it as making good sense to have only one kind of system designed for Weddings?

I have different systems for different things some weddings simply don't require much in the way of sound and I carry a system that is more than large enough to cover those events but small enough for me to move around easily.

3. Would it make more sense to have a system that can be toned down for a Wedding yet is fully capable of handling much larger crowds?

See above post!

4. Do you turn down the additional business?

Yes I have turned down many gigs that I thought were beyond and/or beneath my abilities!
 
How many were at the dance?

Quite honestly Adam if you keep pushing the L1s beyond what they are meant to do you will be replacing them in a year or less. Just because you can doesn't mean you should

I would never turn down a booking because of gear. Rentals are cheap

Only 'round 200. More than enough.
 
I turned down down one a couple of years ago. It was for 1500 people. I told the lady that I talked with that. I felt that I did not have the equipment for that large of and event. And told her to not go by price alone but make sure that who ever she got for the event was capable. And that it was important for me to give her that advice so that she could have the right person for the job. She would have hired me on the spot. But again If you feel you should not do it then your probably right.
 
1. What do you do when you get a demand for a larger Gig that said equipment cannot handle?

We would respectfully decline for stated reasons.

2. Do you see it as making good sense to have only one kind of system designed for Weddings?

In my opinion, no. Of the weddings we've had the pleasure of working, not all were done in a church social hall with 30 guests. Some are in the B&G's back yard where they've got a rented dance floor and want to party hearty. That means a lot of booming bass.

3. Would it make more sense to have a system that can be toned down for a Wedding yet is fully capable of handling much larger crowds?

I believe so. We'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

4. Do you turn down the additional business?

If it's something we're not capable of doing, we'll decline. We don't carry mixers and mics for live sound. We don't do video.
 
Have never come across a gig we couldn't handle sound wise. If we did, and I knew what they needed, and I knew I could handle it, I'd rent it.
 
Quite honestly Adam if you keep pushing the L1s beyond what they are meant to do you will be replacing them in a year or less.

Year or less, they are covered. Year or more, $250 to fix. If someone is overdriving them(shown by "clipping"), I'd be more concerned about sound quality than damaging the system. If you are not clipping straight red, jam that mother out!
 
yes, if I'm in doubt, then I don't take the gig and refer it to a professional sound company to cover it.
 
I have the equipment to cover close to 1000 if I ever needed it. If I ever needed more, I am calling a sound company. But the times that a wedding ever gets that big are few and far between.

Now to be more realistic, I HAVE turned down events when I have had, what I consider to be, too much equipment. There are a couple of venues in the area that have no elevator. At my age, I am not carrying 750lbs worth of equipment up and down stairs.
 
I have the equipment to cover close to 1000 if I ever needed it. If I ever needed more, I am calling a sound company. But the times that a wedding ever gets that big are few and far between.

Now to be more realistic, I HAVE turned down events when I have had, what I consider to be, too much equipment. There are a couple of venues in the area that have no elevator. At my age, I am not carrying 750lbs worth of equipment up and down stairs.

Hire A Roadie for the Gig. At Least you will make some $$$ and a friend too! People will understand the extra (Reasonable) charges for difficult Load-ins