Karaoke Forums

Looking for some advice on how to buy a karaoke machine for a small bar/barbecue restaurant  in Indiana. I have no clue even where to start. The bar seats about 45 if all the stools are full. I'd like an all-inclusive type machine so I don't have to buy a variety of components. Am totally for buying good used equipment. Would like to be up and running by New Year's Eve. Visit our website at www.parkyssmokehouse.com. That's us but we need to be entertained! Thanks so much!

Julie

Really doesn't exist, especially used. You have to buy components. You can get help here on what to buy, but that will be difficult to find used.


But who's going to run it?

Suggest you hire a local KJ to get you started. Will probably cost you $175.00 per night, and then you can get an idea of how it is going to work for you. (You might have to pay more for New Year's Eve, though.)

Good luck!

Actually, if want it to be successful and make you a profit, you want to hire a Karaoke Host who will not only know the equipment, but get the crowd going.

    I know that you want advice on buying a house system, but I would hie a host (they generally provide their own portable professional systems) and see what he/she does for you. I would hire the host for a minimum 6 week (same night every week) run to allow the crowd to build and people to get comfortable.  If the host is a good one, I can pretty much guarantee that keeping him/her would be more profitable than buying and maintaining your own equipment and song library.

   A good host does a heck of a lot more than push 'n play, but you don't see it if they're professional about it.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

buying everything new you will spend $5000 minimum. and at that you will have a cheap system, and have to pay to staff it. for $200 a night you can usually hire a good KJ. less if its a weeknight , and some will go less if you book every week.
   the owner of one of my regurlar venues told me he thought about buying a system, but that it didnt make financial sence

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the voices arent real, but they have some good ideas

Thank you all for responding.  So it looks like the $200 system at Sam's Club is a waste of money and would do very little to build any sort repeat crowd, even in our dinky bar with no stage. We're a small town of 15,000. Not sure if there's enough interest to support the big investment so I guess hiring someone makes more sense. Any of you want to come to Lebanon IN and host a small NYE show? Free barbecue . . . !!  :yum:

I would come on a lot of other nights, just not that one. Most karaoke hosts worth their salt are booked for that night, alas. Even me, who is not a pro!

If you want to make good steady money via a karaoke night, get a pro KJ.  Nobody is going to come sing on a Sams karaoke machine.

I live in a town of 6000 in eastern Nebraska.  I play only in this town and am booked three nights a week.  It's packed every night.  If I lived in a town of 15,000, I would probably be booked five or six nights a week.  That's more than enough people to support karaoke, but hiring a professional is the smart way to go.