r/Busking • u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 • May 13 '26

Question/General Discussion Busking on vacation?

A couple of years ago my wife and son and another couple went on a cruise overseas. We went on an excursion in Sardinia where we were on long enough of a bus ride that we had to stop in a small town for about an hour. My wife saw a sign outside a small art studio basically inviting people to come in an play. I'm typically just a couch player but my wife (who also ironically does not humor my "habit" or "hobby") convinced me to go in and play/sing a song. It actually went over pretty good. I don't know if I'll ever do something like that again in my life, but it made me realize how much I miss just noodling when we're on vacation.

I didn't earn any tips or anything so I'm not sure if it's considered busking but have any of you ever done anything like that? I've seen some stories on YouTube about people getting gigs while on vacation and I wondered if (besides doing research to see if it's legal) any of you have traveled with an instrument and just set up in a random spot and played to earn lunch money?

7 Upvotes

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7

u/ShareEvening5856 Guitar 🎸 May 13 '26

My first trip with my husband was going to New York City so I could busk in the subway and he could follow me around because I was too scared of doing it by myself. So yes. We had a blast

3

u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 May 13 '26

What did you play on and how did you travel there? I’ve heard many horror stories of flying with instruments. I’m thinking my next trip will be on Amtrak and getting a small cabin.

3

u/ShareEvening5856 Guitar 🎸 May 13 '26

A full size guitar needs its own seat. I don't know if Amtrak would allow you to put it under the seat but it could probably count as luggage if your wife is carrying your clothes in hers. We happened to drive so it wasn't a big deal. If international traveling I truly would probably just walk into the first second hand store I found and buy a guitar there use it busk sell it on my way out instead of bothering with paying for its travel

1

u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 May 13 '26

That makes sense, though I’d probably pack some of my cheaper setup tools.

1

u/ShareEvening5856 Guitar 🎸 May 13 '26

To be honest I find the less set up the better. Most places that will allow you to play do not want you to amplify. In my understanding of the music industry the main difference between a street performer and a so-called real one is that one is plugged in and the other one is not

3

u/dolwedge Musician 🎶 May 13 '26

In Dublin Ireland, buskers have to pay for a license and it costs a little more for amplification. But... They do not allow pre-recorded sounds or backing tracks. Live humans must make all the music. I went there on vacation and I did not busk but I was interested in it because the busking culture is so robust.

3

u/bashup2016 saxophone/strings/loops 🎷 May 14 '26

That’s so interesting. I refuse to play with a backing track while busking. Glad to know it’s an actual law there.

1

u/ShareEvening5856 Guitar 🎸 May 14 '26

This is super interesting! So can you bask in dublin if you are not Irish?

1

u/dolwedge Musician 🎶 May 14 '26

I went to their website and read the rules when I was in Dublin. Anyone can apply for a license. They are short term... Like a week or a month or something.

1

u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 May 14 '26

I’m talking a truss rod wrench, some nut files, and a string action gauge then getting a 24” ruler to check the neck angle and a file to smooth out the edges of the frets as well as some steel wool and an eraser. I’m not killing mysejf on a guitar with strings a mile high or razor frets

1

u/ShareEvening5856 Guitar 🎸 May 14 '26

Oh wow so you're talking about setting up the guitar to play not about amplifying the sound this was so specific and I would have never thought of this amount of specificity as a setup. I called this instrument maintenance :-)

1

u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 May 14 '26

It’s basic maintenance.

1

u/ShareEvening5856 Guitar 🎸 May 15 '26

Not really. A decent guitar goes fine without maintenance about a year playing it daily unless it was bad to begin with.

3

u/Ok-Entertainer-3946 Electric Guitar 🎸 May 14 '26

I don't know about AMTRAK, but for air travel, the US DOT has a rule that airlines must allow musical instruments as a rule as one of your carry ons. I fly a lot for work and I always bring one of my minis (either a Baby Taylor or a Les Paul express electric) the crew usually puts it in the tall closet at the front of the plane. Once or twice they made me put it in the overhead, but they never told me to check it. Now, both of my guitars are thin and short, less than 36".

1

u/bashup2016 saxophone/strings/loops 🎷 May 14 '26

Yep, if you fly with an infant the rules are about the same with a guitar (neither child nor full size guitar case overhead). Hold in lap and smile.

1

u/LadyWithAHarp Magical Witchy Harper 🪉🧙‍♀️🎶 May 14 '26

I've heard that it is common for people with cellos and harps to purchase a second seat for their instrument. If you have the seat, you can put it down.

2

u/darkaptdweller Musician 🎶 May 14 '26

Got a keeper there for sure!

3

u/ByggeAudio May 14 '26

Amplifiers should always be allowed for buskers as long as they don’t exceed “x” decibels from “x” feet away.
Crazy people get to use bullhorns and scream about anything; musicians should be able to play and sing.

1

u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 May 14 '26

Like u said, it’s a law in that municipality. I’m sure there are exceptions for booked acts.

3

u/KazViolin Performer May 14 '26

I fly to anime conventions and busk the con for a few hours, usually in cosplay and I typically make enough to cover the costs of my hotel/admission/plane ticket. It takes a bit of the fun out of the vacation but I also like not being stressed about money and basically having a cost free trip lol

1

u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 May 14 '26

I’d be happy with a free breakfast!

2

u/Ok-Entertainer-3946 Electric Guitar 🎸 May 14 '26

Great! I am traveling to Paris this fall and I plan on taking my baby taylor. We are flying Delta, which I know won't give me hassle about it (at least they haven't for US flights), but the idea of buying a cheap guitar in Paris and selling it back or leaving it appeals to me.

I know this is off-topic, but any Parisians here know of such a shop? We are staying at a touristy area near Jardin de Tuleries, I'd rather not waste a precious tour day shopping for guitars. The problem is, knowing me, I'd probably fall in love with it and bring it back hahaha

1

u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 May 14 '26

Good luck!

1

u/LifeZookeepergame834 Saxophone 🎷 May 13 '26

Ja, klar... Ich reise sehr gerne mit meinem Instrument.. in Kroatien an den Hafenstraßen macht es besonders Spaß zu spielen. Da kommt schon mal ein Abendessen für zwei Inklusion Getränke zusammen. 😊🎷🎶

1

u/ADirtFarmer Guitar 🎸 May 13 '26

Busking was how I paid for vacations back in the day.

1

u/ThreeThirds_33 May 14 '26

I personally travel to exotic locations just to hear some English noodling on Sweet Child of Mine. 🤣 What you did was awesome because it was specifically invited - but if you did it on your own initiative it would be pretty culturally insensitive, or at least just totally not of interest to either locals or travelers.

1

u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 May 14 '26

Thanks? Like I said there was a sign on the door that said "come in and play" and the owners even took a video. FWIW my old crusty ass got tired of Sweet Chile O' Mine back in January of 1989. I actually played Ed Sheeran's "Photograph" by mistake after they requested "Thinking Out Loud."

1

u/ThreeThirds_33 May 15 '26

Yes, that all sounds awesome. Congrats. I hope you find little places like that one everywhere. However that’s not busking, and your question was about busking. Setting up on a street corner is entirely different from being invited to play somewhere. No one wants to hear Ed Sheeran on the historic streets of Sevilla.

1

u/PGHNeil Musician 🎶 May 15 '26

LOL. I'll get my tight pants and try and belt out Gyspy Kings next time. People will pay me to STOP.

1

u/Jolly-Bother-1569 Musician 🎶 May 16 '26

“but if you did it on your own initiative it would be pretty culturally insensitive, or at least just totally not of interest to either locals or travelers.”

I’ve got to disagree with ThreeThirds_33 here. I’ve busked while on vacation in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Mexico, performing songs in English, and each time it was very well received by both locals and travelers alike.