What Gear Should You Bring to Your First Jam Night?
The First-Time Jam Night Packing Problem
If you’re heading to your very first jam night, you might be asking: “What should I bring?”
I still remember my first time back in the 90’s—I turned up with an amp, pedalboard, and a bag full of “just in case” bits. It took longer to set up than I actually played. Lesson learned. Amps were heavy back then.
The truth is: you don’t need much. Most jam nights provide the backline—amps, drums, microphones—so all you need is the essentials.
Here’s what should (and shouldn’t) be in your bag.
✅ The Essential Jam Night Kit
Your Guitar (obviously)
Make sure it’s in good shape: strings fresh enough to hold tune, electronics working, and strap buttons tight. Nothing adds nerves like your gear failing on stage.
👉 Tip: Put on new strings a few days before the jam—not the same day. Fresh strings sound great, but they also love to slip out of tune until they settle (unless you stretch them sirst).
A Strap
You’ll almost certainly be standing. Even if you’ve practised sitting down at home, having a comfortable strap makes all the difference.
A Reliable Cable
Don’t assume there’ll be a spare lying around. Bring at least one good lead—and ideally a backup.
Tuner
Whether it’s a clip-on or a pedal, a tuner is non-negotiable. An out-of-tune guitar can spoil even the best solo.
Spare Picks & Strings
Every guitarist has a story about breaking a string in the middle of a song. Having spares ready shows you’re prepared and respectful of everyone’s time.
I recommend Rotosound British Steels.
🎛️ Optional Extras (But Keep Them Simple)
A Small Pedal or Two
If you can’t live without your overdrive or reverb, bring it—but keep it to a tiny board. Jams move quickly. No one wants to watch you tap dance through a dozen pedals while the host band waits.
👉 Personally, I recommend maybe one flavour pedal you love - but the chances are, it’s already covered in the rig.
Earplugs
This is where I’ll point you to my ear protection blog. Twenty-five years in, I can tell you: your hearing is your most important piece of gear. Protect it.
❌ What to Leave at Home
Big amps. The venue’s amp is usually miked into the PA. Bringing your half-stack will just slow things down.
Full pedalboards. Save your big rig for gigs. Jams are about quick changes and flow.
Extra gadgets. Capos, slides, E-bows—if you use them all the time, fine. But don’t turn your jam slot into a science experiment. It’s not all about you.
📝 Real-World Example
At a Sydney jam I went to recently, two guitarists turned up. One had a Strat, a strap, and a cable. He plugged in, got tuned, and within 30 seconds was part of the groove. He hit the ground running.
The other just wasn’t ready. Not only is it disrespectful to everyone’s time, but by the time he set up, the jam had already moved on. His slot got cut short, and he looked stressed the whole time. Totally avoidable.
👉 The moral? Keep it light. Keep it quick. Keep it musical.
Final Thought
Jam nights aren’t about having the fanciest gear—they’re about sharing music.
If you show up with the basics and a good attitude, you’ll fit right in. The less you worry about your setup, the more you can focus on the fun part: actually playing.
For more survival tips, check out my First-Time Jam Night Survival Guide.
