I've always paid 2/3 of the gross. It's a fair pay scale.
I agree that 2/3rds is fair. However, pertaining to myself...it depends the quality of the events.
If another DJ says they have a wedding they would like to book me on, and they are only charging their customer $600, and wants to pay me a lousy $400...I am going to tell them to go kick rocks! If I wanted to work $600 weddings I would drop my own prices, and advertise all over the place that I only charge $600, and go after that clientele, and work for myself.
BUT...If another DJ company works with high caliber clients, and is throwing $1,800 weddings my way, but says hi I take 33% off the top, I have no problem with that. I am still earning $1,200 and working with good quality clientele. They get to earn $600 - any CC fees, so it's great money for booking a single event on their end. Also, for me...I didn't have to pay any money in advertising up front to obtain that nice paying client, or do the legwork to get the referral that led to that client coming their way, and booking. All I have to do is talk with the client for 20 minutes or so, answer any questions they have, and sell myself to finish getting the job. And sometimes, the job is already booked, they just need to put a DJ on it. IMO, that is totally fair to be paid 67% NET for.
Now if I were a newer DJ, I would probably accept making only $400, but at this point in my life, I'm not representing other companies, and doing most of the work for a lousy $400 or $500.
So I understand why very experienced DJs stick with a good, busy DJ company.
Some of the weddings I do are from another DJ, and I don't even earn 67% on them. He pays me less, but he books nice paying weddings, and if it's on a date that I am open on with no strong current prospects for my own booking, then I take the work he has for me.