Everybody’s gig checklist is personal; however there are a few things you don’t want to leave behind. I’ve compiled a list of the essential items that you should always have when playing guitar live. I’ve left out the obvious stuff, and only listed the minimum requirements.
If you’re prone to forgetting things behind, you may want to compile your own personal checklist that you can run through before every gig. I’ve never had a physical checklist, and surprisingly I can’t recall ever leaving something behind. Here’s an article I wrote on how I prepare for gigs. It also contains my personal checklist of essential items that I have memorized.
Your Guitar
It’s always a good idea to make sure that your guitar is in the best possible condition before you use it for live performances.
Here are some resources to help you:
How to Restring Your Guitar with Francis Steuber
How to Setup Your Guitar with Joe Walsh
Amplification
Your guitar amp is your personal stage monitor, and is one of the fundamental aspects for determining your tone and playability. There are a large number of amplifiers on the market today, but they mainly fall into two categories: valve and solid state.
For the best experience when playing live, you’re going to require a valve amp of your choice. Solid-state amplification have their uses, however they are incomparable to tube amps for stage monitoring purposes.
For more info regarding amp size, type and wattage, refer to this article:
Choosing the Right Amp Size for the Gig
Other Essential Items
Hard case – Unless you want to risk damage to your guitar, you should always transport it in a hard case.
Guitar strap – Your strap is something you never want to forget. I make it a habit to store my strap in my guitar case each time I put my guitar away.
Spare strings – If you don’t have a spare guitar that you can change to if you break a string during a performance, remember to carry a set of extra strings. Try to have an old pair of strings on hand that’s already been stretched out.
Guitar stand – During the gig you’re going to need a place to put your guitar. A guitar stand will make your life a lot easier. Don’t forget this one.
Spare cables – The last thing you want is to discover your cable has a loose connection before a gig. A spare cable or 2 is a must.
Microphone – This is usually provided by the sound engineer, however I like to take my own just in case. A mic is used to send your signal to the front-of-house PA system. You’re going to need a mic stand too. See: How to Mic Your Amp for the Gig
Spare picks – If you drop your pick at a gig, chances are you may never find it again. Remember to take a few spares along and place them in an easy-to-grab location during the gig.
Extension plugs – Some venues don’t provide for the power requirements of a band. Make sure you have your own extension plugs and leads.
Further Reading
How to Get Killer Live Guitar Tone – Part 1
6 Tips for Your First Guitar Gig
Why You Should Avoid Expensive Gear
Insuring Your Guitar and Gear
How to Set the Height of a Guitar Strap
Using Amp Simulation Live On Stage
