Do they worth it?

[BillCoaster]

You are right. Thank you for your help. Look. I understand that without experience I won't be able to do anything right on a professional level. I might find a company to work and have an extra income. Who knows. But still there are two questions that bugs me.

 

The first is about thomann and the fact that they are trading futurelights than it is mentioned in here that it is a second name cheap made brand and product. Is this still till this day? Is stairville a second brand name? does it worth the money?

 

That was the first bug.

 

Second is about professionalism. I have no experience. Why did people with experience fail to set up some trusses? I have heard news about stages that collapsed. This should not have happened since they are pros. What about it?

 

Sorry for short writing but I am posting from a mobile. thanks.

[paulears]

Some people take chances in ignorance. Others are convinced they know best when they don't.

 

Futurelight have been around for a long time, and like Coemar and a few others have always had their products made for them and re-branded. However, buying power means that spares availability is usually better and having a real 'name' to talk to helps. Thomann with their Stairville brand have the same benefit. They give a 3 year guarantee - so the products are not bad - they visit the factories and have independent quality systems in place. The very same product could be sold by somebody else without the guarantee and would then be a difficult thing to buy. You can buy direct, but expect to have no guarantee at all. If you have a problem, you are a long way from being able to pay them a visit!

 

You don't really have the big makes at the top, then layers below. You have the big makes with their dealer and repair infrastructure, but high prices. They're also the brands that introduce the new designs, the new features and totally new concepts, that the Chinese then copy and sell cheaper. Under them are the other brands that may well not real brands, just a product range that people like Thomann retail. Then at the bottom are the poor quality, short lifespan limited spec items that none of us like at all.

 

If you are going to hire equipment then to make a profit you need equipment people want, and are willing to pay for, that will cost you the least to operate. As a quick guide, just think about lamps. How much will replacements cost? How long will they last? Some that last very few hours could cost you more than a couple of weeks hire if the lamp goes. If it is your own equipment, you may power it down when not in use. Your hirer may power them up on monday and leave them on all week - you won't know unless you remember to keep checking the run time counter - but many cheap lights don't have a timer on the lamp.

 

You also have to build in lifespan - not just until they are unreliable, but to the time people don't want them, because they want newer and better. Lots of people try to hire out their equipment in a semi-professional way, but then worries about insurance and theft and damage worry them too much.