Organizing your stuff

[CaptainWally]

How do you bassists organize all your stuff when you are on the move to rehearsals and gigs?

I'm not talk about amps/cabs - just the other stuff.

And I put all my cords and stuff in a backpack. But it's always a pain to sort through all the misc. stuff at the gig - cords, tuners, straps, which are all stuffed in the pack.

Any good solutions out there?

[tplyons]

Speaker cables go into my rack under my amp, coiled. There's one space and with the lids on they can't get out.

Instrument cables go in the gig bag with my basses, with the straps.

[hartke20g]

my strap, tuner, strings, a few picks (although i don't like them), and 2 screwdrivers (phillips and flat) got in my bass' case. the rest of my equipment (cables, misc. tools, and my pedals) go into this army landmine/M-60 ammo box i got at the army surplus store. it's funny when people see you carrying it and ask "are those real bullets inside?" when there's NOTHING even resembling bullets visible. yes, i'm carrying actual explosives/ammunition, in spite of the whole terrorist obssession.

[s.m.80808]

Originally Posted by CaptainWally

How do you bassists organize all your stuff when you are on the move to rehearsals and gigs?

I'm not talk about amps/cabs - just the other stuff.

And I put all my cords and stuff in a backpack. But it's always a pain to sort through all the misc. stuff at the gig - cords, tuners, straps, which are all stuffed in the pack.

Any good solutions out there?

I am disorganized but I like your avatar.

[spectorbass83]

I have a "gig bag". Its actually a piece of carry-on luggage that my dad used to take on the plane. It makes the perfect gig bag - 3 seperate spaces for items, lots of pockets.

In one case I have all of my cables, patch cords, power bars.

In another case I have my flanger, chorus, tuner and a/c adapter. I use those velcro straps to keep my chords organized.

The last case is a "miscellaneous area" - I have extra strings, a multi-tool (comes in handy!), an alan key, a double-ended screwdriver (one side flat, one side star), batteries, ear plugs, flashlight...etc...

My guitarist is the worst person in the world when it comes to packing his stuff up..he throws all his cables, patch cords, lyric sheets into a gym bag and the zipz it up...I once went in his bag after a show to get a patch cord - it was a giant tangled mess. That drives me crazy!

[The Golden Boy]

Cords go in the rack. Strap goes in the case.

For guitar- I have a couple of different cases that I use- my current favorite is a laptop case. Padded handle and padded strap. Cords and pedals go in the main area of the case- pens go in the pen area, batteries in the little zippered mesh compartments, little whiskey bottles in the little pockets, picks in another zippered mesh pocket, notes, setlists, notebook in another zippered pocket. Laptop cases are teh rawk.

Originally Posted by spectorbass83

My guitarist is the worst person in the world when it comes to packing his stuff up..he throws all his cables, patch cords, lyric sheets into a gym bag and the zipz it up...I once went in his bag after a show to get a patch cord - it was a giant tangled mess. That drives me crazy!

It shouldn't be too much of an issue unless you don't wrap your cords up before tossing them in there...

My old suitcase, complete with old band stickers-



My current favorite laptop case. You probably can't tell, but there's 2 long cables, 3 patch cables and 4 pedals in that compartment.



My Grandfather was a doctor from the '40s to the 90s. He left me his old doctor's bag. I brought it to one gig, but now I'm too afraid of damaging it.



There's a lot of room in there.

[Dave Martin]

My needs are simple...

On live gigs, I stick a cord, a strap and a tuner in the bass case. I use a combo amp, so I have no extra speaker cables and such. For sessions, I carry a rack and a small road case that carries everything else - DI, cables, adapters, a volume pedal, a dozen sets of strings - you know the essentials.