Can You Kit Out a Band for £1000?

It’s the supergroup you’ve always dreamed of. Lee, Rob, Pete and Rabea decided to chip in and form a 4-piece band, but there’s a catch: they’ve set a budget of £1000. Is it possible to start a band with £1000? That’s roughly £250 per person. We put together a few extra recommendations based on price and performance – it’s not gospel, but we think you’ll be pretty pleasantly surprised by the results!

Guitars

With both Chappers and the Captain on guitar duty, it was decided that a mixture of pickups might give them a more versatile sound. Having a combination of humbuckers and single coils (and any other pickups you fancy!) will allow your band to be more flexible in terms of sound – never a bad thing.  Check out brands like EastCoast, Squier, Epiphone and Ibanez among others; you’re bound to find an even mixture of tones and looks at amazing affordable prices.

Best Affordable Guitars for Bands

You’ll also need amps and accessories like cables and plectrums, within your approximate £250 per person budget. Check out brands like EastCoast, Roland, Marshall and Vox for great budget amp options. These will be fairly low-wattage amps that are great for practicing and home use, but can pump out a little extra volume if needed. Great for competing with drummers!

Best Affordable Guitar Amps for Bands

Rob and Lee’s choices:

Bass

Danish Pete was appointed bass player – a big responsibility in a band setting. Bass provides all the low-end, creating a bedrock alongside drums that give your music momentum and depth.

The type of bass and setup you go for depends entirely on your style. Ideally, you’ll want a bass that’s powerful enough to offer deep lows while cutting through the mix. In this case, you’ll also want to be wary of budget. As mentioned with guitars, brands like EastCoast, Squier and Ibanez have a great range of affordable basses that offer a combination of classic and modern sounds – perfect!

Best Affordable Bass Guitars for Bands

A bass amp is an extension of this approach; deep enough to lock in with the drums, but loud and punchy enough to sit nicely in a mix. When you’re on a budget like this, go for something compact and easy to use – Fender, Vox and Laney all make great entry-level options.

Best Affordable Bass Amps for Bands

Pete’s choice:

Drums

Not everyone knows this, but Rabea isn’t just an incredible guitarist – the man is a pretty darn competent drummer too! Bea opted to go for an electronic drum kit in this case. The advantage of having an electric kit in a band setting is you can turn it down and tweak its sound. We all know how loud an acoustic kit can be, so having the option of playing at a lower volume is extremely useful for practice.

Brands like TourTech and Roland make excellent electronic drum kits for competitive prices. These will provide you with great response and great sounds at a fraction of the cost that you’d expect. Going for an affordable electronic kit also means more flexibility of budget for the rest of the band – a win-win scenario!

Rabea’s choice:

Total: £886

This means £114 left for any extra accessories you might need. Success!

Bundles – a great way to save money

You may have noticed that our video guys chose a few bundles when kitting out their band. This meant that they got everything they needed to get playing right away, while saving a little bit of money.

Our bundles are package deals that include multiple items designed to make your life easier. Not only do you get recommended accessories for your gear, but you save money – perfect for getting your band up and running on a budget.

Click here to check out our full bundle selection!

Honourable mention: vocals and keys!

Our video team opted to form a 4-piece instrumental band – so what if you want to include vocals and keys? As the guys demonstrated, you can kit out your rhythm section for less than £900, which leaves a little bit of leeway. The remaining funds could go towards a microphone, keyboard and/or PA system of some kind. Here are a few recommendations:

Best Affordable Microphones for Bands

Best Affordable PA Systems for Bands

Best Affordable Keyboards for Bands

Summary

So – the short answer is yes. You can quite easily kit out a band with £1000. Thanks to the number of budget brands available on the market nowadays (EastCoast, TourTech, Squier), it’s easier than ever to get playing. So what are you waiting for?

Enjoyed your read? Why not check out the rest of our labs and learn articles while you’re here? Or if you’re looking for entry level equipment, check out our best gear for beginners for everything you need to know. Thanks for stopping by!