— Guide
Hiring a guitarist done right
What bands, labels and agencies should know before hiring a session or touring guitarist — from someone who does this job every week.
— When it makes sense
A hired guitarist is not a weakness — it's a tool.
Bands hire session and touring guitarists when a member drops out, when the live show needs a second guitar the record already has, or when the studio deadline is closer than the band's own schedule allows. Deputising for injured or unavailable members on short notice is a established part of the job.
The earlier you involve the guitarist, the cheaper and safer it gets. A full European tour cycle learned from scratch takes weeks; a single show with good material can be ready in days.
— What to prepare
Setlist & material
Send the full setlist with reference recordings, stems or isolated guitar tracks if you have them. The more precise the material, the faster the guitarist is stage-ready.
Click & backing tracks
Say whether the show runs on click and backing tracks — and who runs them. A pro touring guitarist is used to In-Ear monitoring and playing to click.
Dates & logistics
Tour dates, rehearsal days, travel and backline: the earlier these are fixed, the cleaner the quote. Fly-in dates are possible on short notice.
Tone & gear expectations
Share the sound you're after — reference tones, amp modelers in use (Quad Cortex, Kemper, Neural DSP) or whether the guitarist brings their own rig.
— What it costs
Transparent numbers, no surprises.
Every engagement starts with a written quote. Half deposit to lock the dates, half on delivery. You get a reply within 24 hours.
- Live shows: from €250 per show, plus travel and expenses.
- Tour cycles and session recording: custom quote based on scope, preparation time and deliverables.
- Songwriting and arrangements: custom quote per song or project.
— Red flags
No reference material
A professional can show live videos, recordings or names of bands they have worked with.
Vague on money
Expect a clean written quote: fee, expenses, deposit. 'We'll sort it out later' is how tours fall apart.
No click experience
Modern productions run on click and tracks. Ask directly — a wrong answer costs you the show.
Need a guitarist who shows up prepared?
Send your dates, songs and references — you get availability and a clean quote within 24 hours.