Bass transport - what vehicles work best??

[anniemcu]

We've been driving a smaller Ford Explorer up to now, but it's rapidly approaching decrepitude, so we are on the verge of purchasing a new (maybe recent used) vehicle, and the most important requirement, even above the gas mileage, is "Will it hold the bass and still be drivable?"

Any advice on what does and does not work for a 3/4 size upright? Two people and a guitar also have to fit.

Would a Toyota Prius hold it?

TIA

[txstatebass]

Nissan X-terra
Honda Pilot
Saturn Vue (what I drive, fits my bass, my son and my gf perfectly)

[Jake deVilliers]

Annie, check the thread on this topic under ( I think) 'Miscellaneous'.

[anniemcu]

Thanks for that, Jake! Honda's lookin' mighty good!

[LouisF]

I just bought a 1992 Ford Festiva for $1000 to haul the bass around in. 45MPG! It's a hoot, if you can find one. (forget putting gear, kids or significant in with it it though!!)

Louis

[MingusAmongUs]

yep, you'll find me in that thread singing the praises of the Honda Element.... everything about it is GREAT, except the fuel economy is only moderately good for an SUV (low 20s on the manual 4wd version). i hope they make an economical hybrid version one of these days. i'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[Thunderthumbs73]

I sent a letter to Bass Player magazine asking them to review a few cars via "the upright test" particularly as gas is expensive (IMO), and that is pressuring people to buy smaller and smaller cars. Those smaller and smaller cars may or may not be able to fit the upright bass. We know "Smart Cars" and Miatas can't fit upright basses, but Suburbans and Explorers can. But what about the stuff in between that? They would be doing the readers a great service for example, to take 10 popular small cars and one upright, and see if/how that upright bass fits in the car.

Let's put it this way, Car & Driver isn't going to do "the upright bass test" so if one is done at all, it's gonna be Bass Player Magazine, or some bass-focused publication.

Yeah, you could say that we are addressing this issue here, but not all bassists come here for info/community.

Yeah, I know uprights come in different sizes...

We'll see what BP says, if anything. If nothing else, at least I tried.

[anniemcu]

Originally Posted by Thunderthumbs73

I sent a letter to Bass Player magazine asking them to review a few cars via "the upright test" particularly as gas is expensive (IMO), and that is pressuring people to buy smaller and smaller cars....
...
We'll see what BP says, if anything. If nothing else, at least I tried.

Excellent idea.

[mlz77096]

The Mazda Tribute will carry a 3/4 upright in a well padded case plus a guitar and a few other instruments along with the driver and two passengers. I do it all the time. You put one back seat down. The bass rides on its side and rests against the side of the seat back that is up. The neck comes up through the front seats. It works fine. The Tribute and Ford Escape are the same size. These SUV's are not expensive, good on gas as SUV's go, and I believe both are now in a hybrid versions. You'd be surprised how much can ride in a hatchback of any kind if you can put the back seats down. One consideration, check the placement of the gear shift. Be sure a console shift is accessible with the bass loaded.

[CamMcIntyre]

My Dad has a Toyota Rav4 that seemed to fit the bill quite nicely. With just the back seats down, could fit my DB, amp, slab, and still have room for none-bass stuff. The neck sits right between the front seats-if you have a manual transmission, that might be an issue. He gets good gas mileage [it's why be bought it].

[JoeyNaeger]

2001 Honda CRV- Two basses, two people, two stools, and two suitcases with a weeks worth of clothing heading up to Oklahoma for the ISB convention.

[Kaden]

Volvo xc90 works well and has room for 4 other people. It sure works better than our Miata!

[jacochops]

I have a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4 door. I have owned at least 30 cars since 94 (yes, I'm a car whore, too!), and this thing is the bee's knees! I can fit my bass, cab, amp, stool, electric bass, stand, wife, and a host of other goodies without even sweating! Plus, it looks pretty darn good, too!
Scope it out...comes with a 3 piece removable hardtop!

[Andrew McGregor]

Audi A4... works really well as a bass transporter. Depending on which engine you get, some of them are really economical too.

[neal davis]

to fit a double bass two people and a guitar in a car isn't that bad, if you get a small hatch back it is quite easy, I have fit myself, another person and bass and(drums/guitars/saxes)etc in many cars, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, VW golf, VW polo, Chevy Aveo, Mazda 3, Opal Astra, etc etc, and had no trouble driving or having room as a passenger, most european cars and north american cars of this size will fit a bass in with a hatch back. Just look around and find what works best for you. You don't need an SUV just to haul a bass around, if you are looking for good gas mileage look around and bring your bass.

[Anonymous75966]

+1 on a small hatchback. It's pretty impressive how much gack you can get into a new subcompact, their interior design is really space-efficient. For that matter my old car was a 1986 Micra and I used to haul the bass, a passenger, and another instrument all the time. You don't need a big truck.

I get the impression that a small used car might be better value than any hybrid at the present time.

Originally Posted by jacochops

I have owned at least 30 cars since 94 ...

... well, hoorah *cough* for you *cough*.

[boylebass]

+1 for the CRV. Mine will swallow up a big bass, any amp I choose to bring to the gig (OK I don't own an SVT), a slab, a gig bag, and a passenger. Good mileage, not great/outstanding.

I'm thinking about the Escape hybrid, though. Anyone have one?

FWIW, I paid $3.63/gal yesterday. There are advantages to living in Oklahoma. I drive past several oil rigs on my way to, well, anywhere. $125/bbl oil has been good for our economy. Don't get me wrong, it still took $46 to fill my flippin' Honda. I don't know how the westcoasters, tahoedrivers, and longcommuters are makin' it.

(hijack) Has anyone raised their rates based on travel costs? Turned down any gigs? (I passed on one based on travel cost last week.)

[LouisF]

The West Coasters (this one anyway) make it by getting a small used car (see Festiva above) that gets 45mpg. If Ford, GM had stuck to these things instead of Yukons and Escalade etc, we would probably not be in this mess.

LF

[extro]

We use a 1997 dodge caravan. It fits 5 guys, a set of drums and breakables, 4x12, 8x10 and 2 tube heads.

gas is not to great tho,

[anniemcu]

Originally Posted by LouisF

The West Coasters (this one anyway) make it by getting a small used car (see Festiva above) that gets 45mpg. If Ford, GM had stuck to these things instead of Yukons and Escalade etc, we would probably not be in this mess.

LF

Ain't it da truth!?!