Guides

Practical, experience-first guides for gear owners and working bands. No fluff, free to read.

• How to prove you own your gear

  Serial numbers, purchase records, and photos: how to build proof of ownership for your instruments before you ever need it.

• Buying used gear without getting burned

  A practical checklist for secondhand instrument buying: serial checks, meeting safely, spotting stolen gear, and paperwork worth keeping.

• Planning a DIY tour that doesn't fall apart

  Routing, day sheets, money, and the unglamorous logistics that keep a small tour on the road: a working checklist for bands doing it themselves.

• Your gear was stolen: the first 48 hours

  A calm, ordered checklist for the hours after an instrument is stolen: reporting it, spreading the serial, watching the marketplaces, and giving yourself the best chance of getting it back.

• Getting your band booked (without knowing a promoter)

  How unsigned bands actually get shows: building a local draw, approaching promoters and venues the right way, taking support slots, and jumping on last-minute dropouts.

• Insuring your gear, and making a claim that actually pays

  What insurers really want when a valuable instrument is lost or stolen, how to value your gear honestly, and how to keep the evidence that turns a claim from a fight into a form.

• Buying a used valve amp without the nasty surprises

  Valve amps hide their problems better than guitars do. Here's exactly what to check (tubes, transformers, hum and hidden repairs) before you hand over the cash.