Fitting a DB in a car boot

[knirirr]

For a short time I have borrowed a DB which I may purchase if I can find means to fit it in my house. Having dealt with the stairs (difficult, but possible, it turns out) the car boot is next. Unfortunately, the only way I can get it in is to place the neck between the front seats. Lowering a front seat is not possible; I need to carry two people, bass, amp and baritone horn if driving to jams, if/when that happens again.

Is this at all risky? I wonder if the bass might shift and snap the neck. Perhaps something (but what?) towards the bottom of the bass to stop it moving about might work?

[Dad3353]

Is it totally out of the question to change for a more suitable car..? 
(Serious question, not flippancy on my part ...)

[knirirr]

1 minute ago, Dad3353 said:

Is it totally out of the question to change for a more suitable car..? 
(Serious question, not flippancy on my part ...)

I thought someone might ask that.
That would not be ideal. Much as I have problems with acoustic basses and the cramped conditions of the house, I also have the difficulty of a parking space barely larger than the car (there are stone walls either side).

[Dad3353]

OK, but it was worth a try.
To stop the db moving about, would inflatable pillows do the job..? If that's too much of a faff (a technical term...), ornery pillows..?
I make RC 'planes, and have seen Club members make up a rig, or cradle, from PVC tubing, to hold their 'planes in place in their van or the like. These rigs can be easily taken apart (the tubes just plug together...), so don't take up much room when not in use.
Any good..?

Edited January 2, 2021 by Dad3353

[knirirr]

4 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

OK, but it was worth a try.
To stop the db moving about, would inflatable pillows do the job..? If that's too much of a faff (a technical term...), ornery pillows..?

That might be worth considering - I am not sure I could manage to construct a robust enough cradle.

[Dad3353]

6 minutes ago, knirirr said:

... I am not sure I could manage to construct a robust enough cradle.

Oh yes you can. It's not only easy, it's inexpensive. Tubes come in many sizes; I'd guess that 50mm tubing would be plenty strong. A couple of 2m sections, a few 90° bends, a tube of PVC cement and a hacksaw does the job. Probably no more than a tenner or so, and can be done on the kitchen table, or in the hallway. If you able-bodied enough to load the db into the car like that, you're fit and able enough to lash up a cradle, I reckon.  

Or use pillows, of course. 

Edited January 2, 2021 by Dad3353

[pete.young]

Put it in the front seat, the second person sits behind you in the back, amp, cab, baritone horn in the boot. Simples.

[knirirr]

9 minutes ago, pete.young said:

Put it in the front seat, the second person sits behind you in the back, amp, cab, baritone horn in the boot. Simples.

Is something like this what you're thinking of, or sitting upright?

[jrixn1]

With the scroll in the footwell, like this:
https://youtu.be/samNHsF2NhI?t=120
(starting at 2m00s)

I prefer this way because: the bass is held more securely; handbrake/gearstick not blocked; can see out of all windows/mirrors; and you have the full empty boot volume available, instead of having to slot things around the bass.

With your stone walls though you'll have to have the car out on the road when loading/unloading.

[knirirr]

1 hour ago, jrixn1 said:

With your stone walls though you'll have to have the car out on the road when loading/unloading.

Interesting, thanks. I was planning to drive out onto the road tomorrow afternoon to try things out.

[Happy Jack]

[pete.young]

I was thinking of the video that @jrixn1 posted but I couldn't find the link.

You might also find that with your car, you can put the front seat and back seats flat, load the bass in through the back door and push it forward, and then put the back seat up, so you would be able to load the bass without driving onto the road to get the passenger door open.

Does the rear seat split?

[Hellzero]

Why not fitting it the old way on the car roof ?

But with a modern touch : in a dedicated and insulated roof box.

[knirirr]

54 minutes ago, pete.young said:

Does the rear seat split?

It does. But, I seem to have bought the skinflint's version of this car, which doesn't allow the front seat to fold flat forwards and therefore adds to the difficulty.

[6feet7]

2 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Why not fitting it the old way on the car roof ?

But with a modern touch : in a dedicated and insulated roof box.

I've the biggest roof box Halfords sell and my db fits perfectly, except I can't shut it as the bridge is an inch too high (and I'm not cutting a hole in a £250 roof box just for that).

[Doddy]

  In my old Skoda Roomster, I dropped one half of the split rear seat which let the bass go in at a slight angle with the head going between the front seats. That left half of the boot and half of the back seats free for my other gear. Someone could  even sit in the front if they didn't mind leaning slightly to the left. This was with my bass in a rigid case, which is massive. The same way in a soft bag seemed like I had loads of room.

It looks like you've got a Berlingo?  You've got tons of room. I'd have the bass like you've got it in the 1st picture and put the rest of the gear around it. If you're worried and feel like you need to drop the front seat, just don't take the bari player with you .

[TheRev]

I have my bass with the neck & scroll between the two front seats, as in your first image. I use a folded up bit of carpet under the upper bout to raise the neck up so that the bass isn't resting on the scroll. I pack my amp bag and whatever else I'm bringing with me on either side of the bass body to stop it rolling over when you round a roundabout.

[NickA]

We already had this discussion .  My 4/4 bass fits easily in A Skoda citigo ( neck in the footwell method ) with an amp ( pjb flightcase) in the boot.  Any car will do.

[knirirr]

Problem solved - bottom-first insertion from the rear, over onto the front seat. This technique gets it in without having to pull out to access the doors on the left.

Still plenty of space for horn, passenger (both non-negotiable) and amp.

Edited January 3, 2021 by knirirr

[Beer of the Bass]

Hmm, can you use passenger side wing mirror like that? I wouldn't want to be without it.

[BreadBin]

1 minute ago, Beer of the Bass said:

Hmm, can you use passenger side wing mirror like that? I wouldn't want to be without it.

It's not a legal requirement.

[Paul S]

2 hours ago, knirirr said:

Problem solved - bottom-first insertion from the rear, over onto the front seat.

Never seen the appeal, myself.  🤨

If you can fit it in like that, can't you fit it in as per the video, horn first (ooh matron etc)?

[knirirr]

1 hour ago, BreadBin said:

It's not a legal requirement.

I've got good visibility via the other mirrors and don't normally need that one except for some parking.

16 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Never seen the appeal, myself.  🤨

If you can fit it in like that, can't you fit it in as per the video, horn first (ooh matron etc)?

I'm not sure but will try it via the boot.
I certainly won't be able to get it in the door.

[knirirr]

@Paul S it turns out it does go in neck first. I'm a bit concerned about the neck being forward, but it does seem to be the favoured option.

[chrkelly]

Definitely neck first, better visibility & it's less likely to attack you if you get a bit racey in left handers. Neck between the seats is good too but in both cases put the bass on its back if room allows, much more stable.