Why does stuff break? Just because.

I AM REALLY hard on my music stuff. I go through strings like water through a strainer. My guitars get played and get nicked up - we call the scratches and gouges character marks. My amps get dinged, cases scraped, and I'm using another amp stand - maybe this one will last a while.

My latest purchase is yet another wireless unit. This time I'm getting the Nady MGT-16. It has a bug unit so it's completely wireless, without a body pack. I was using a Line 6 body pack wireless, but I opened it to replace the batteries before our last Cheeseburger gig and a spring went sproing and now it doesn't work. You can play the YouTube clip above to hear exactly what it sounded like.

Why did it go sproing? Because it can. And did.

The Nady uses a 45 degree angle for the input jack. It sticks out a bit. "You will just have to learn to be careful with it," Sheryl said, rolling her eyes for the 10th time this morning.

Plugging in is fine if it's a small venue, an acoustic gig, etc. But with the Burgers, we have four others guys in the band and going wireless means one less cord to trip over and pull out of an input jack. Even the solo shows are easier with a wireless unit.

We'll give it a workout this Saturday - HartLyss is playing from noon to 4 p.m. at State Street Bar, 17th and State, and The Cheeseburgers have a huge gig at the Keokuk South Side Boat Club Saturday night.

I ain't tripping on any wires, Holmes.