Who buys the new strings and drum heads?

[Harley Barley]

SOOO when your bands come in to the studio to record do you tell them to bring new strings and drum heads or do you purchase them before hand? How would this work on small budget recordings? How would this relate to studio instruments and the bands gear?

I'm interested because im recording a band soon (my real band since my studios been finished so im charging them realllllllllllllllly cheap) and i gotta get some good stuff out there as demos of what the studio can do so using old heads and strings is just a no no, but the price of them will be almost 20% of what the band is paying lol.

 

[jeid]

Regardless of what you're charging, it's up to them to take responsibility for their instruments. They pay and there's no negotiating on that.

 

[Trevoire520]

I'll make sure the studio guitar has a new set of strings on it. Other than that the band is responsible for new strings/heads. I keep the drumheads on the studio kit fresh, though bands have to pay to use the studio kit so that pays for new heads every few sessions.

 

[BLUElightCory]

I also keep supplies on hand at the studio (just in case) but in my pre-recording meetings with each band I make sure they know that it's their responsibility to have fresh heads/strings and have their instruments in good working order. Any band who is remotely serious about making a good recording will be understanding about this once you explain the importance of making sure the source sounds great.

 

[Harley Barley]

Alright sounds good guys thanks for the advice !

 

[topsoul182]

You could also buy the guitar strings in bulk and then sell them to the band at regular price so you know there's fresh strings on it and you can make a little money for the trouble

Not tryin to take over the thread but what do you guys do about buying a specific drum sample set for a band? I got a band coming in saying they want samples of a truth custom kit that I don't have.

 

[BLUElightCory]

Not tryin to take over the thread but what do you guys do about buying a specific drum sample set for a band? I got a band coming in saying they want samples of a truth custom kit that I don't have.

It doesn't really sound like they know what they're talking about....But you can buy samples of Truth drums from Joey Sturgis' site.

 

[olif8]

You could also try getting the "official" Truth samples.

Alternatively, you could tell them in the nicest possible way to shut the fuck and worry about what they hear, not what they think they want to hear. Just play them any maple kit samples and tell them it's Truth, how are they gonna know?

 

[topsoul182]

It doesn't really sound like they know what they're talking about....But you can buy samples of Truth drums from Joey Sturgis' site.

You could also try getting the "official" Truth samples.

Alternatively, you could tell them in the nicest possible way to shut the fuck and worry about what they hear, not what they think they want to hear. Just play them any maple kit samples and tell them it's Truth, how are they gonna know?

I already have the black and gold kit and I actually sent them the link to the truth sample site to see if they like any of those.

I've been kind of interested in getting some of those truth samples (I'm liking the monster kit) but never shelled out the money for it. If they like those samples would it be wrong to have them pay for em?


I've dealt with this band before and they request for a lot of stupid things that I tend to ignore, but maybe I could score off of this one

 

[Trevoire520]

If they want a specific set of drum samples for their record then they can pay for them. And afterwards you'll have some nice new drum samples

 

[006]

Tip for people that want specific drum set samples on their kit... just put whatever and TELL them it's what they requested. 9.999/10 times they won't fucking know the difference anyway.

As for OP, I keep new sets of strings for guitars here, but every client pays for a new set of drum heads on their own. I tell them at least do snare and toms, kick is usually replaced anyway... There is even a drum shop about 10 mins from here that will put them on and tune them for you if you purchase them there, they have gotten a lot of business from me Bass I ask to try to get new strings as well, if they aren't too used though it's usually fine TBH. Anyway, definitely the drum heads the band should pay for IMO, strings either way.

 

[Ionei]

It's the bands responsibility.
And if they are dropping money on recording they should damn fucking well be prepared to fork out money for skins and strings.
If they don't, they are fucking retards.

Seriously, how do you justify it?
Hmm I'm going to spend all this money going to a good studio to get a good product, should I get new skins so it can sound it's best, nah better not cause I'm a lazy cheap cunt.
Especially strings, fucking come on, it's not like they are even expensive.

 

[tenebre]

Absolutely the bands responsibility. Stock stings and heads though and offer to sell them for a jacked up price if they were incompetent enough to show up with beat heads and warped strings. ;-)

 

[Soundlurker]

I've recorded all kinds of guitars with old strings in the past and no way I'm letting that happen again, especially bass guitar or acoustic guitar. The damage old strings do is often irreparable. You can't eq in something that's not there at all - it's like recording a rubber band and trying to make it sound like a harp.

If for some reason the band refuses to buy new strings and you are forced to comply (because you're new and trying to make a name or whatever) then I'd suggest buying the strings yourself - it is worth it if you're not planning on making the bass nearly inaudible in the mix.

 

[Sloan]

You could also buy the guitar strings in bulk and then sell them to the band

stocking a few drum heads and strings to sell to bands is a KILLER idea to possibly increase profit margins (profit, lol).

 

[mva801]

stocking a few drum heads and strings to sell to bands is a KILLER idea to possibly increase profit margins (profit, lol).

I always keep a couple fresh snare heads lying around. They come in handy all the time. I usually make about $5 on them too.

 

[Jordon]

I'll usually purchase the drum heads and add it into the price of the production. Strings are their responsibility.

 

[if6was9]

I bought the skins for the studio kit, I plan on replacing them every few sessions, need new tom ones already. They need to buy their own snare skin and they need to pay for new skins themselves if using their own kit.

I get them to buy the strings but so often find they "forget" and we end up giving them a set here, that they can either pay for or replace.

Went out recording a band on location this weekend, told them several times they needed new strings. The guitarist "forgot" and I refused to record a guitar with shitty old strings. I didn't have any packs since it was out in the country and I wasn't in my place. Was also a Sunday and they left it till after 5 to go ringing around asking for someone to pick some up for them so there was no place open. Pretty funny really since we got it sorted in the end and it came out sounding great.