Best way to rent out gear (console?)

[daniel178]

Hello Everyone

I am not a company/LLC. But, I do have a decent lighting console that I own and would like to get some return on. What is the best route to take (besides word of mouth) to get the board some days (weeks/months) on shows? Its a computer board with decent intelligent light control. I am based in NYC. I don't have any other gear to rent out.

Any input would be greatly appreciated

 

[ruinexplorer]

Your best bet would probably be to contact rental/staging companies with lighting packages and offer it for sub-rental. That way, when they get busy and use all of their own gear, they could contact you to rent yours. However, they are going to want some amount of guarantee that your equipment is fully functional. Do you have a road case for it or will you be delivering it in a cardboard box? Do you want to be rented out with it (if it isn't a console that their techs know how to operate)?

 

[Pie4Weebl]

what'dya have?

 

[daniel178]

ruinexplorer:
I don't have any other guarantee other that bringing it to them, and showing them that it works. That's what I did when I got it (second hand). I don't have any roadcase for it. Just the board, the monitors, and power cord. I won't be going out with it, I'm not a dimmer board op. I would assume that it would just be used by the client (venue/crew/production company).

Pie4Weebl:
a Strand 520i. Want to rent it?

 

[ruinexplorer]

Oh, OK. That's a fairly old console. You will probably find limited clientelle for that one. So, without having a road case, you will not want to be looking at a rental company looking to sub-rent it from you (even if it were a more modern console, not 15 years old), because they won't want it without one. So, I ammend my suggestion and say that your best bet will be to either provide more of a package for smaller shows, but you will probably need a programmer to go with it. Or, start calling churches and small theaters who are looking to move up in the world from a two-scene preset and sell it to them. There really won't be a market for that console. It runs on a Pentium 2 processor (no spare parts) and unless networked, only has 3.5" floppy to save shows (which are harder to obtain these days).

 

[Footer]

Oh, OK. That's a fairly old console. You will probably find limited clientelle for that one. So, without having a road case, you will not want to be looking at a rental company looking to sub-rent it from you (even if it were a more modern console, not 15 years old), because they won't want it without one. So, I ammend my suggestion and say that your best bet will be to either provide more of a package for smaller shows, but you will probably need a programmer to go with it. Or, start calling churches and small theaters who are looking to move up in the world from a two-scene preset and sell it to them. There really won't be a market for that console. It runs on a Pentium 2 processor (no spare parts) and unless networked, only has 3.5" floppy to save shows (which are harder to obtain these days).

The 520i does save to the hard drive of the console. However, you are right in order to get a show in/out of the console you need a disk. In our world, disks are going to be around for a decent amount of time/when the last express kicks the bucket.

Here is the thing... when renting a lighting rig the lighting console is a drop in the bucket. It is a big part of the rig, but it is the least expensive part of the entire rig maintenance wise. Therefore, shops can rent consoles cheap. Unlike a lighting fixtures, cable, dimmers, and distros lighting consoles need little work when they come back to the shop and take up little space in the shop. In reality, when renting a full rig the console is almost an afterthought as far as rental fees go. Without the rest of the rig you will have little luck renting that thing. Also, without a road case your going to get a bunch of green plastic back when it flips in the back of the truck.

If you don't find any rentals, I would just use it when you work if you are in a venue with a worse console. Otherwise, I would try to sell it now... it is just going down in value. I'll throw out my standard 250 dollar 500 series offer for starters.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

Pie4Weebl:
a Strand 520i. Want to rent it?

hahaha....hahahahahah..... hahahahahaha!

I think I'll stick with my companies MAs....

 

[ruinexplorer]

The 520i does save to the hard drive of the console. However, you are right in order to get a show in/out of the console you need a disk. In our world, disks are going to be around for a decent amount of time/when the last express kicks the bucket.

Yes, they do have an internal hard drive, I did mean for back-ups. Thanks for the clarification. I know that with our Hog IIs we already have had a couple suppliers stop carrying the disks. I know that at some point it will be difficult to find them (as with film for cameras).

 

[bishopthomas]

Sorry for a little bit of harshness, but here goes. You are an idiot if you think A. anyone will want that console, B. you will get it back in working condition from a single rental, C. anyone will call you for strictly a console rental, and D. you'll get more than $30 for it. Now, if you had a Grand MA in a road case with all the accessories it would be a different story. Stick with bringing it along with you and you alone when you do whatever work it is you do. Good luck.

 

[icewolf08]

I have a great idea, you can buy the two 500 series consoles I have and then you will really have a full system to rent, though it won't help you find clients. If you are not a programmer, why did you buy the console in the first place?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[gafftapegreenia]

A half dozen Leprecon 612 would probably see more customers.

 

[derekleffew]

Now everyone, let's not come down so hard on daniel178 that we scare him away.

Once, when discussing the topic with someone much smarter than myself, here's how the economics of the lighting rental business were explained to me.
Me: "I don't understand how anyone makes any money in the lighting rental business, when they rent a $15,000 moving light for $300 a week, or an $80,000 console for $750 a week."
Him: "You buy the hottest, trendiest, most-requested thing. You rent the heck out of it for two years. Charge whatever you can just to keep it out of the shop. Then, before it becomes totally obsolete and unwanted, sell it on the used market for as much as you can. Likely to a smaller company or end-user who will enjoy many years of the rest of its useful life. Lather, rinse, repeat. The days of buying a $200 Leko, paying it off in 20-30 weeks by charging 5% or $7, and then having it "earn" for you for the next 15 years are long gone."

Unfortunately for daniel178, the window of opportunity for his Strand 520i slammed shut about five years ago (when the Light Palette and EOS became show-worthy), and now falls squarely into the "obsolete and unwanted" category. As a rental item. But for a church or community theatre that doesn't have to have, or can't afford, the most bleeding edge, it's a fine console that should offer five or ten more years of service. Provided the manufacturer will support the console (but let's not open up that can o' worms).

FWIW, now that the grandMA II is established and is what the big boys want, right now is the time to buy a used gMA I. We saw the same thing happen with the Wholehog II once the Hog3 was released. Consoles that were going for $10-15K a few years ago are now about $3K. Supply and demand. Corporations are people my friend.

... I know that with our Hog IIs we already have had a couple suppliers stop carrying the disks. I know that at some point it will be difficult to find them (as with film for cameras).

Worst case scenario: ETC bought a couple of pallets of 3.5" floppies. Just say you need them for your Expression.

 

[daniel178]

Thanks for the very informative replies, everyone! Sorry for the delay in response, I was away for a bit and didn't have time to check the non-essentials.

I am (and always have been) aware that this is a old board, and my intention was never to have it go out to big venues. I actually got the board for free, and I am looking to gain something more from it than it just sitting in my shop collecting (even more) dust. Like you say, I'd hope to rent it to a local theater, indie/off-off broadway show, church, etc. I don't really know how to go about doing this though (I am not in those particular theater industries).

As for the roadbox, I can acquire one without much fuss.

 

[Aman121]

You would probably get more money by selling it that trying to rent. Your not going to be able to get any meaningful amount of cash renting it to anyone, not when the same amount of cash will get you a hog or slightly newer more capable console. Sell it to a church or small theater, get 100 bucks, and free up some space.
Besides even if it you had a Grand MA , I would prefer to rent from a large reputable house where I can be assured of quality and service rather than some random guy who happens to have a lighting console.

 

[MNicolai]

Besides, I would prefer to rent from a large reputable house where I can be assured of quality and service rather than some random guy who happens to have a lighting console.

Yup.

If I'm going to go rent a console, I'm probably going to be renting more than just the console, so I'd be calling up a local rental house and giving them a full order. Even if I know you've got a 520i on the market and I decide that I want a 520i (which I don't), I'd prefer renting 1) everything from the same company for ease of logistics and 2) from a company I can call up and say, "It's not working," and I know that they can either fix it or replace it in a timely manner.

If you've got friends who need a console, you can probably rent it to them or maybe put together a lease agreement for extended use, but you're not going to make much money either way. Even selling it won't get you very much.

The 520i is a decent console if it doesn't have any demons in it (faders going bad, hardware failing, etc.), but because consoles like the Element have gotten so low in price for groups on tight budgets, you'd be lucky to get a few grand selling it.

Otherwise, it makes a good backup console to keep on hand if you're not using it for anything else. These days my time is spread between three different venues. Each one has at some point replaced their sound and their lighting consoles. In every case, they've kept the old gear in case:

+ The new gear fails and they need something to get them through until repairs are made.
+ They expand their business and need another console for portable applications or an added performance space.
+ They get a call from a good friend desperately hunting for a console after theirs tanked on them and now they need a console by 6:30p that night or they have to cancel the show.