Kemper stage durability

  • Sorry if there is another thread about this topic.


    Just wondering about people’s experiences with the stage version. I’m seriously concerning selling my rack and buying it to get a lighter gig rig. The gigs I do vary a lot from proper stages to smaller clubs where the audience is pretty much right in your face, drunk and disorderly.

    I am currently using the kemper rack with a behringer 1010 foot switch (I previously used a POD) and have had plenty of people step or fall on my gear and spill drinks and beer on it. An occupational hazard I guess. If a 100$ piece of gear breaks, not great, not terrible. If a 1700$ kemper breaks because of some drunk it would hurt considerably more.

    So, what are people’s experiences with the kemper stage? Any accidents and if so how did it fare?

  • I play mostly larger gigs, but occasionally will do the club, bar, dive or whatever.


    I won’t carry the Kemper in places like that because of dirty power or the stupid drunk who wants to spill his guts on my gear. I actually had a friend on a gig with me blow his Furman due to nasty power. The Kemper didn’t come out.


    I bought a Headrush Gigboard to accompany me in those situations. It does quite well.


    To get back to your post, I have considered the Stage. In addition to the concern of someone messing it up, I’m concerned about the rotary encoders and push buttons getting dust - grime in them from all that constant foot work and having a failure mid performance.


    I don’t think I could handle $1700 going down. $550 for the Gigboard is much more comfortable to lose, if there is a way to be comfortable losing $550.


    By the way, the Headrush goes as a backup to every gig.


    Just my 2 pennies.

  • I also have a Gigboard for rehearsals. I used it live in a wedding in a little island. It sounds very good. And I'll use it again in that kind of gigs. For all other gigs I'm still using my Fractal AX8. I'll use it until I feel the Stage works correctly (my issue with the Tap switch).


    The possibility of an accident is always there, so I've learnt to live with it. I always carry one of those plastic rolls used for packing food. It's great to protect from humidity (I play close to the sea very often, and that salt loaded humidity is not good for electronics), rain, dust, drunk people...


    And I also always carry a Tech 21 Fly Rig 5, as a spare, just in case...

  • Thanks for the input. So I’m not the only one who’s a bit skittish with expensive equipment in the presence of drunks.

    I guess there is always the option of using the 1010 with the kemper stage when the stage is too small, even if I’d feel pretty stupid using a control pedal with a floor board.