Busking Equipment Guide (2022)

The Cube Street Ex also sounds great indoors with minimal tweaking of EQ too. I also received feedback from a client that the sound quality is much more superior than the smaller Roland Street Cube.

Got a Shure SM58 microphone from Luther Music (Cityhall, Peninsula Shopping Centre). It retails at $149 now.

If you like to move freely while performing, consider going wireless like BuskingRobin! 

He is using the Samson XPDm Headset Digital Wireless System from City Music.  Being wireless means you can interact more with your audience and makes your set extra fun and lively.

See Robin in action in his videos on Tiktok at @buskingrobin!

I got my Bespeco mic stand at Luther Music too! It is sturdy and I have zero complaints.

I used to have a flimsy music stand which could not withstand the wind at all. Now I have a sturdy one with a full desk (right image) that I bought off Qoo10. However, it takes up quite a bit of packing space.

You can also consider this type of compact music stand where the desk surface can be folded. This way you don't compromise on surface space and sturdiness. Super space saving and smart.

5. Rechargeable Batteries
I use Eneloop batteries. I believe you can get rechargeable batteries from Ikea too. Some buskers also use Amazon Basics and Energiser (Rechargable). 

💡TIP: Always fully charge your batteries before a show. Sometimes I only busk for 1h~ and the Cube tells me I have more than half of battery juice left. However, the next time I use it, the sound quality drops a lot. So much for not wanting to be wasteful. I learned this the hard way! 

The display sometime goes out but it charges batteries fine so far. The Cube Ex uses 8 batteries so this is very time saving and convenient for me, as compare to a 4 battery unit.

You can also try the Eneloop 4 AA Battery Charger from Shopee. I heard that it charges super fast!

I prefer using paper scores to an iPad, so I require a light to perform at night. Hence, I got this large torchlight off Lazada. The decision was made because the traditional music stand light was kind of expensive at $20-50.

In comparison, this $6.99 one is not only much cheaper but also has a magnetic base so it sticks to my metal music stand, which gives me more flexibility. It is charged by USB and has three modes of light! Bright, less bright, and a small light from the front. 

💡TIP: I like to set up my music stand and torchlight first when unpacking my stuff in dark locations so I can see better. 

Some people use luggage to transport their gear but I opted for an APEX metal trolley from Qoo10. I think it cost me about $60 - 80, but has so far it has lasted me for 5 years! They also have plastic base options which is much lighter.

The metal trolley is quite heavy but it is hardy. Some people also use the more lightweight, foldable kind of trolleys, ranging from the ones you bring to the grocery store, flatbed trolleys and also wagon types from Decathlon. It's really up to you and it depends on the amount of gear you have to bring out. 

If you are using a Cube Street Ex, it is also possible to fit it in a large luggage, as some buskers do. 

I have two hardy duffel bags bought from Lazada. I used to only have one and placed the music stand and mic stand separately, but having just two bags (+guitar) have really helped streamline the transportation and loading process since I usually cab to my locations due to all the barang barang I have. 

My Medium Duffel (60 litres) and holds:

When I first started out I used to use my guitar bag as a receptacle for tips. However, it's a bad idea because my guitar bag is shallow and floppy, which meant that money tended to fly away. 

I decided to decorate a cardboard box instead! I made it as eye-catching as I could. This box is great because it is tall and can be dismantled easily. I use cable tape at the bottom to secure it when it's in use.

I also tape my busking card on one side since NAC stipulates that the card must be prominently displayed.

Other choices: Apart from guitar bags, I have seen buskers use tissue boxes, plastic containers (like the ones used to store CNY goodies) or even foldable laundry bags. 

I also highly recommend a QR or PayNow sign as a tips option as not everybody carries around loose cash. Here's my A4 sized PayNow sign in an Ikea photo frame.

1. Light Boxes
If you have a day job like me, chances are you usually only busk at night after office hours. Some busking locations are not very well lit, so light boxes are really useful if you want to get your brand name out there. After all, audiences want to know who you are.

I bought two from funkysg on Shopee. I remember that these used to cost like $40 ish a few years ago, but now they're only about $12-15! These also came with cute coloured emojis.

💡TIP: Each box comes with a set of alphabets, so two sets gives you more vowels etc which can be useful. In the event that you are still missing a letter or number, get a clear piece of hard plastic (say from battery packaging) and write your own missing letter with marker. Works in a pinch! To make it extra neat, just overlay your plastic on existing letters and trace it. 

These light boxes can run on 6 AA batteries or be plugged in. I managed to get one of the boxes running on just 3 batteries, as 12 batteries + another 8 on the Cube is kind of annoying. 

💡TIP: At first I thought these light boxes wouldn't need frequent changes of batteries, so I went to Valu$ and happily bought cheap Ever Ready batteries. Well, you probably guessed it. After one use all my 12 batteries were drained and felt strangely light. It was so bizarre. Lesson learnt. Use better batteries, and best if they are rechargeable.

Once again, these pretty lights help to attract attention at night. If you place them on the ground, they help to demarcate your space. My fairy lights were a gift from a friend and run on USB! I connect them to a Xiaomi portable charger. There are many options, including colourful ones, available cheaply on Shopee. There are also soft wire types and plastic tubing types. 

💡TIP: To keep your (soft wire) fairy lights organised and untangled, loop them around a piece of cardboard with small slits. It will save you a lot of time and pain when setting up.

I hope this guide was useful in helping you think about your busking set-up. Remember, this list is just a guide and there are still plenty of wonderful ideas and options out there. All the best in your busking journey!

Do you have a busking set-up you'll like to share? Leave a comment below!