I've gotta' agree with Diki on this one. No one, in all the years I've been playing, both a guitar and keyboard, has ever come up to me and made a derogatory remark about the instrument, mic, amp, etc..--NO ONE. It just doesn't happen.

The audiences don't give a damned whether you're playing brand A, B, C, or any other brand. It makes absolutely no difference to them, and for the most part, it really doesn't make any difference to me. If it sounds good, then that's just fine. If you don't sound good, well, I guess someone will eventually tell you.

As for the pubs (corner bars), there are probably more of them in Baltimore than anyplace I've been in my life--and believe me I've been to lots of places throughout the world. At one time Baltimore was notorious for it's corner bars and there was literally one on nearly every corner in certain areas of Baltimore. Many have long since went out of business, but some areas, such as Hamden, Highlandtown, and much of East Baltimore still has hundreds of them. Most are quite small, some still have live music on weekends, most serve Italian food, and those still in operation do a thriving business.

Baltimore's Little Italy supports a fair number of OMB entertainers, many of whom play arranger keyboards every night of the week. I performed there for a while, but the pay for a 4 hour job is the same as it was 40 years ago. For the most part, I can make the same amount doing a NH job for one hour, and I don't have to put up with drunks and get home at 2 a.m..

So, we may not have as many arrangers here in the U.S. and they have in the U.K. And, those of us that use them to make a living playing an arranger hope it stays that way.

Cheers,

Gary