Buying Equipment

Spending the Extra 20%
It's definitely worth spending a little bit extra to get quality. Since the equipment will be handled by a number of people, it's crucial that it be durable. And you won't get good sound out of consumer audio gear. If you shop around and buy wisely, pro equipment will cost less in the long run.

A full system will cost $3,000+ for 6+ channels/mics with all the trimmings, but will be expandable and easy to use. Whatever you do, don't skimp on speakers -- there are a lot of lousy speakers on the market.

Make sure you get the heftier grade of mic cables - about 1/4 inch in diameter. Color cables are now available in sets of 10 bright colors. I got mine new on eBay, and they're of Canare wire, very good quality, no more expensive than standard cables.

Mics
It's hard to beat the Shure SM-57 as an all-around instrument mic, although it's a bit harsh on fiddle. Add one Shure SM-58 for the caller and you're set. Both the 57 and 58 are standards because they're rugged, reliable, easy-to-use and produce decent sound at a relatively cheap price (about $90 for the 57 and $110 for the 58). You can also find these used without too much trouble, and they're almost indestructible.

Stands, Booms & Gizmos
Foldup mic stands are easier to carry than solid disk base ones, but if you never transport your system, disks tangle less with cords on stage than the fold-ups.

Add to each one the best boom you can buy - believe me, they'll fall apart quickly if you don't. When I was a kid, I thought those gooseneck adapters the Beatles used were incredibly cool - stay away from them, they're a pain! You can economize on bases, but good booms are crucial. Get the ones with telescoping extensions, they save enormous amounts of space on stage. Beyer and AKG are good names. Get Ultimate Support speaker stands, they have a lifetime warranty and most others are much heavier and less reliable. Booms and stands are not the place to economize.

A power strip is a necessity for the mixer, monitors, and assorted other electrical gear that can and will show up unexpectedly. Get one with some protection against power surges. Also crucial is a 3-prong to 2-prong adapter (but use it properly, connecting the ground!). Having a variety of audio adapters comes in handy when someone wants to tape from the board or play a special tape. Replacement mic clips only cost $3 - keep extras on hand.

Monitors
Small powered 'hot spots' (a maker's trade name) are good for some uses. They're small and weigh under 10 pounds, and have a very tight pattern, so they're less prone to feed back. Galaxy is the most common make. They sound pretty harsh, but an audiophile-quality monitor is really not desirable on stage. If you get something else, make sure it will sit on a mic stand.

Better-sounding but bulkier monitors are available as floor 'wedges', although there is also a lot of junk in this form. A very reasonable high-quality one is the Fender 1270, which is available powered or unpowered.

On powered vs. non-powered monitors: Powered monitors have a built-in amp, and often have tone controls for the musicians. The tradeoffs are greater expense and extra power cords to add to the the tangle on stage.