We all get thirsty. Playing harp seems to get you thirstiest. So there tends to be more drinks in or around the space where one is playing, not necessarily alcoholic beverages. Thus, the precious harp amp becomes a great end table.
I'm not a beer drinker, but I'm pretty careful with my electronics and liquids. Near electronics, if the surface you are putting something on is something that will shake enough if something bumps into it that the beverage will fall over (wow that's a clunky sentence) nothing in a cup or topless bottle goes on it.
I used to drink a lot of water while I played, but I stopped doing it when my harps started breaking out too soon, because of the excessive humidity in my mouth. The same with beer, whisky, unicorn blood, etc LOL.
Also I used to put thing over the amps, but one day I played on a big stage (one of the 3 biggest venues I've ever played, 3000 people app) and my harps case fell down and crashed. That happened because, as it was a big venue, the amps were all too loud, and the vibrations moved the case until it fell down.
So be careful, and NEVER put things over a bass amp. It vibrates twice.
Personally I wouldn't put any open drink container on my amp. Because I wouldn't want to risk blowing up my amp if the liquid spilt on it, or getting a possibly fatal electric shock.
Sometimes, briefly. Not as a regular resting place. One night beer was tipped all over my amp. About half an American pint. Not from a glass sitting on it; from a bottle in an inattentive hand. I'm glad the amp was sitting level. I was able to mop it before anything got inside. I've seen too many 'accidents' to set them up waiting to happen. ----------
NO!! I used to do it. Until I managed to spill my drink over my amp, and cold drink on hot tubes is not a good combo.. On another gig I had a glass of Coke on it. As I was putting it back on my amp I spilled some on it but I managed to wipe it off fairly quick. After that I made a rule for myself: No beverage on the amp ;)
I put a drink on my Kinder AFB+ and it spilled messing up the decal/sticker, looks cool now. I believe you are supposed to put drinks on amps because it adds patina and makes the amp have crunch especially after a few spills. How will anyone ever know if you have been around without drink rings, nicks, burns and some tweed fraying here and there? Think about it, Fender charges more money for ugly, battered amps than the pretty new unbattered ones. I vote for patina, drinks, bumping the thing into door jambs of clubs with tight spaces and small stages. The more, the better. To me it is like the new car syndrome, after a few scratches who cares. :-D
I never, ever, EVER put a drink of any sort on my amp--on any amp that I own. Remember what Chekhov said about guns. If there's a gun on the wall in Act One of a play, it's going to be used by somebody before the play is over. If there's a drink sitting on your amp, if that's something that you do or allow to happen, then sooner or later, at some point, now or five years from now, the drink is going to get knocked over. Period. It's going to happen. And it's probably going to f-k up your amp. So why would you deliberately create those conditions?
putting any liquid on an electrical device is a very unsafe practice....as far as Im concerned you can never be safe enough....just don't take chances...
I only put a beer on my amp after I have soaked my Greg Heuman custom wood mic in it. It helps the wood swell and play better just like the Marine bands I soak in the same glass.
I imagine if you used enough beer, the amp cabinet would swell enough to give you a super tight sound! Plus you have the benefit of washing all of that vintage dust off your tube amp. Hot glass tubes love a cool refreshing beer bath!
I admit to having put drinks on an amp on occasion. Not the best idea in the world especially as it makes the beer go warm faster. Never had any spills doing that but as Rick said it's bound to happen eventually.
My worse disaster was sitting a glass of beer next to my snakeskin briefcase that I use for my harp gear. It was fine until we went to tear down at the end of the night and a waitress knocked it over onto the case. I thought it would be okay but it stained the snakeskin and I never got it out. Would have rather not had it happen but the case is beat to crap anyway so just another road scar. The good news was the waitress was really cute, mortified about the accident, and insisted on making it up to me. Me being a gentleman, who was I to deny her a ride home to talk about it.
There is a mic stand accessory readily available made for holding drinks. ---------- LSC
I don't place any drinks on my amp but after lending an amp to a guitar player, I noticed that he had two beer bottles and a mixed drink perched on top of my amp. I was like really?? Are you serious here?? Get that freakin stuff off my amp?? He put them on the floor. Then I had to lay down the rule, no drinks on my amps please ever. ..ever...you got it.Thank you. LoL. This is the same guy that we tease saying he needs a sippy cup because he kicks his drinks over. That's the Chekhov analogy like Adam said.
no way. 'lectricity and liquid is a bad combination. i figure any open container is going to spill. the question is, where do you want it when that happens. on the floor is a perfect place.
Seems logical to sit it on the floor and to not sit it on your amp. But I wonder. If its on the floor, it may be more likely to get knocked over...not so visible, stuff getting dragged about, feet stepping around obvious obstacles, like amps, and kicking unexpected obstacles like beer. If its on the amp, maybe its more visible, and less likely to get knocked because you will be conscious of the danger. If it does get knocked, there's a good chance it will splash clear of your amp, maybe just shorting out a power board, maybe just a little going on the amp. If its on the floor and gets kicked it could end up in your amp... Just wondering. I usually try to find a spot for my drink completely away from my amp. ----------
We were playing a Biker Gig in their small clubrooms,guess where the biggest bad ass member(complete with a full facial tattoo) decided he was going to put his beers. Yep.
On the guitarists amp !Sweet ;-)
Last Edited by Jehosaphat on Jun 09, 2013 10:09 PM
When I was band leader, the rule was no alcohol on stage...no reason not to wait till break time. However, water is OK. We used those spill proof plastic slender containers. ---------- The Iceman
Since we have guitar players in the band, I don't set my beer down until its empty. ---------- Greg Jones 16:23 Custom Harmonicas greg@1623customharmonicas.com 1623customharmonicas.com
Part of my "rap" at the beginning of each blues jam is "Do NOT set your drink on any amp unless you OWN it!"
Once a bandmate set a full glass of beer on top of the cage of my Masco ME-18. I was livid. The beer did not spill because I saw it immediately and bitched him out.
I've always steered clear of putting any kind of contained liquid on top of my amps. I just have too much riding on them in my living to risk some stupid cockup like a spilled drink. Used to be that I used an amp stand for my Vypyr and my Zoo, so with the tilt-back positioning it was never really a hazard. But now that I stack my Zoo on top of my Alamo and use them together, I keep an eye on them throughout the show. My bandmates are pretty respectful though. The only two that place drinks on their OWN amps are our guitar and bass players. Bass is pretty safe since his head is in a waterproof rack case, and the guitarist only ever puts his drinks on one of his speaker cabs....NEVER on his '65 Bandmaster.
No...what I use is one of these nifty drink holder/trays that clamp solidly onto mic stands with a shaft of 7/8". Granted, if you don't use a vocal mic with a stand in your usual gig scene, probably not a good fit for you. But mine has served me very well, and it give me a place to rest my harp mic or a harp or two.
I certainly bristle when some inebriated guitarist puts his beer down on my amp. Generally, he doesn't notice when it's not there anymore. I'd like to see who would argue with Rick about it, though. He's got the size advantage :)
Bottle beer pretty tippy,no-no,can better or solo large cup.Worse sugary drinks especially with coke.Shot glasses usually empty fast,no worry,or water bottles capped back up.
Worse drunken band leader,pushing 300 sitting on your amp.What do you say,glad it was a 4/10 cab,53lbs,could stand some pressure.Always laughed at the chicken wire in front of the bandstand places,only been in one,great vibe to kick butt.
i highly recommend not putting your drink anywhere where it'll get knocked over. i (and my bandmates) use a SwirlyGig for this, and they're great. while made for a mic stand, i have mine attached to the music stand that my harp case sits on.
SwirlyGigs are a household name among working musicians these days, but I'm not a fan of them. Their innovative design is also a weakness IMO. They're essentially a coiled spring, and although the material they're made from IS tough, they still bounce a bit if the mic stand gets bumped or jostled. All it'd take is one wrong move by a tipsy audience member or player to bump the stand. If the SwirlyGig has an open-top glass in it, then beer, cocktail, soda, or water can wind up splashing on your pedals, setlists, cables, or worst case scenario, your harp mic if it's on the floor at the time. The last one happened to me once while I was using a SwirlyGig. My RetroRocket took a shower in Harp Lager. Luckily I was able to dry it out without incident, but I've never used a SwirlyGig again.
Well up here in no-fun Vancouver `technically` you aren`t supposed to even have beer on the stage, let alone on your amp. "Professional entertainers may consume liquor while on stage provided they do not become intoxicated; however, patrons are prohibited from consuming liquor on an unlicensed stage even when they are providing entertainment such as during an amateur or karaoke night."
bluemoose ---------- MBH Webbrain - a GUI guide to Adam's Youtube vids FerretCat Webbrain - Jason Ricci's vids (by hair colour!)
years ago a bass player put a cup of wine on my Princeton. knocked it over with his cable and my tubes hissed and turned black. amazingly, the amp still worked for years. BUT, i was lucky. i have a drink holder on my mic stand but i keep an eye out for wino bass players. ---------- MP affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name [MP] for info- repair videos on YouTube. you can reach me via Facebook. Mark Prados
