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Transporting gear.... are there cheap inovative methods?


phatkat
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Just about gig ready with my current band, we dont plan on playing more than once or twice a month and the thought of having to use all four cars to shift the gear is a nightmare. I also own the pa and feel kinda responsible for its transportation... who else has this problem and how have you resolved it?

G...

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Unless someone has a van, all cars is the only way. Everyone takes their own gear, and then if needed, also meet at wherever the pa is, and take a chunk of that too. If you get gigs that pay for van hire it may be worth it, for less hassle (but less money).

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I like driving to gigs on my own,so everyone taking their own car is fine-especially if you don't live close to each
other,as it means that someone is always going out of their way,which is no fun at 2 am.
Having said that,if the gigs are quite a long way away it makes sense to hire a van and all go together or at least
streamline into 2 cars.If you're playing fairly local though,everyone should just make their own way.
As you are responsible for the PA,if you can fit it in your car just take it yourself.If you can't,see if one of the other
guys will help to carry it.
The way I look at it is I'm responsible for getting myself and my gear to the gig-whether it's just my bass rig or
my PA as well.

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[i]Finally[/i]! I have at last found a use for that pair of old [i]Roller skates, [/i]that I've been keeping back since Great Granddad Patrick Pending (see pic below), left it me in his will in 1986.

Bolt the bass to one skate, attach other to right leg, as per normal, and use left leg to punt oneself along the road. Like a kids scooter. All the while of course, keeping a firm grip on the neck of the bass to steer it. .

Edited by daz
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[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1333367455' post='1600566']
i cycled to practice with a pedalboard and an epiphone thunderbird last week.

it's an [i]interesting[/i] experience !
[/quote]

Used to do this all the time, you get some odd looks!

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[quote name='phatkat' timestamp='1333316447' post='1600084']
Just about gig ready with my current band, we dont plan on playing more than once or twice a month and the thought of having to use all four cars to shift the gear is a nightmare. I also own the pa and feel kinda responsible for its transportation... who else has this problem and how have you resolved it?

G...
[/quote]

Man, how much gear do you have that requires four cars to shift it? It must be one big PA ;)

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[quote name='charic' timestamp='1333371620' post='1600662']
Currently I can fit the whole band and all the gear in my focus :P

3 people
1 bass (in hardcase)
1 guitar (in softcase)
Bass amp
2 x 210 bass cab
1 x guitar combo
rack case
Gig bag (cables etc)
Bass Stand
[/quote]
I got a lift home from a Guitarist after practice one day. We got him, his Guitar and combo Amp, me, my Amp head, 1x15" cab and my Bass, and a whole 7 piece Drumkit, into his... Mini! It was a bloomin' tight squeeze and I had my Bass between my knees, but, fortunately, we didn't have to go far.

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[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1333374559' post='1600724']
I got a lift home from a Guitarist after practice one day. We got him, his Guitar and combo Amp, me, my Amp head, 1x15" cab and my Bass, and a whole 7 piece Drumkit, into his... Mini! It was a bloomin' tight squeeze and I had my Bass between my knees, but, fortunately, we didn't have to go far.
[/quote]

I think the most impressive I've seen to date (except maybe Waynes tardis!) was...

3 band members
Full drumkit
PA
2 guitar amps
Bassamp
Cables

In a vauxhall tigra, some of the guys actually got hurt on that trip though :lol:

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Most I've had so far is:

Pa rig (2 EV tops, flightcased mackie 1604, 4u amp rack, 4 monitors, cable trunk, 2 stand bags)
Acoustic head and 4x10 cab
Mesa Boogie DC5 combo
2 basses, 2 guitars and a drummer (he went in the passenger seat)

Into the back of a 3 door Polo. I should've taken pics of it :P

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[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1333370301' post='1600634']
Used to do this all the time, you get some odd looks!
[/quote]

what's nice is the flat rear of the t-bird sits on top of the pedalboard on my luggage rack, so the bike bears the weight.

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Guest subaudio

[quote name='phatkat' timestamp='1333316447' post='1600084']
Just about gig ready with my current band, we dont plan on playing more than once or twice a month and the thought of having to use all four cars to shift the gear is a nightmare. I also own the pa and feel kinda responsible for its transportation... who else has this problem and how have you resolved it?

G...
[/quote]

How about [url="https://www.streetcar.co.uk/sc_welcome.aspx"]Zipcar [/url]or the like?

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Using the roof rack as well, we got a 3-piece band in an Austin Princess. Drummer driving, bass player in front with his bass & amp head, me in the back with my guitar, amp head & 4x12 cab, drumkit in the boot with PA amplifier, and PA columns on the top. Slightly cramped, but do-able.

When I had an Escort 1300 van, I put the drummer in the passenger seat, and my full stack with 2 guitars and gig box, the drumkit, and two singers went in the back. It was OK, they were good mates.

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I used to get the PA, the lights and my base gear in a Sierra Estate. I actually bought gear that would fit, and cut 4 " off my PA stands. Bags etc in the rear foot wells, metal stands across those. Bought two Trace 1 x15 with horns because these just went across door to door behind the rear seats. Bass lay on top of those. 2 xHisys 1's stood up behind those, PA amp, monitor amp, and bass amp next to those. Music stands and cloths bags on top.
It was realising that the wife and I would never survive a head on smash, each week we drove into the night leaving our two young kids with a baby sitter, so we agreed we had to get a van with a bulk head. Never looked back.
It belongs to the wife and she uses it every day to drive to work. Loves it, VW transporter 6 seater kombi

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Hire a van and take cost from the gig money before allocating remainder to band members.
Set up an account whereby 10-25% of all gig money gets saved for future van hires etc

Van hire isn't as expensive as you might think depending on your age for insurance purposes.
If you are nearer the younger side of the BC gang then ask someone's dad to hire and drive van for a small fee of course.

Check local press - some guys will hire a van and driver at pretty reasonable cost - some specifically for band use too.
Do you know any local mates who have a van and might drive for you allowing all to partake in a light refreshing "cola" after the gig.

Dave

Edited by dmccombe7
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