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Bass in a truck bed?

#41
I have a cap on my bed and have put my bass in there several times without issue. BUT - I have the newer Fender fitted hardshell case, which is a huge amount of protection. I would never put my bass in a truck bed with just a gig bag as there is not much protection from the bumps and jars. Also, never in the winter - it always goes in the cab with me. Imo, gig bags are flimsy things for carrying your bass by hand from point A to point B. Just my own feelings. There are more robust gig bags, I know, but none offer anywhere near the protection of a fitted hardshell case. Just sharing my take on this...:)
 
#43
Sure! I have a tonneau cover now, and most of my past trucks had fiberglass caps. All of my gear has spent time in truck beds. Most pickups don't ride much differently than vans.

Anyone worried about ride quality in a pickup truck should hide a camera and light in a utility trailer. Most trailers don't have shocks, only springs, and will shake rattle and roll down the road.

All that said, I don't leave gear in the pickup bed where there's a security issue, and on cold winter days, the instruments go in the heated cab. I have no problem leaving the rest of the gear overnight in secure trailers or trucks if in a relatively safe situation, regardless of weather.
 
#46
Hi Max :)

Max Lawrence said:
I put my bass in the bed
Click to expand...

Max Lawrence said:
Anyone else do this?
Click to expand...

All the time!

05042017112.jpg


But I don't have a truck! :laugh:


Wise(b)ass
 
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#47
I was just thinking the other day about how I used to drive around with a Les Paul in a case in my truck bed with no problem.

I suppose if you had a real hard stop the instrument could slam forward and snap the headstock on a pitched neck. Only my plastic cases ever slid around in a truck bed. The wooden ones always seemed to stay put.

I remember one morning coming out to find my G&L ASAT hard case with a fine layer of frost on it from having been left in the bed all night. It was fine.
 
#51
Max Lawrence said:
Had to take my truckto practice last night instead of my VW and on our way out after practice I put my bass in the bed and one of the guitar players saw and he looked at me like a had a second head. He's like "you're really putting that in the bed???"

I never thought there was an issue, the bass is in a decent hard case. But it's got me thinking, is this crazy of me? Anyone else do this?
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Barring sub-freezing temps, rain, or direct hot sun, if it's in a good case, not a big deal.

I used to haul my upright (in a bag) all over in the back of my truck. I had a camper shell on it. The lowest temp I saw was below 0F. The bass was totally fine. I hauled it as far as 8hr like that. Didn't have another option. In fact, my acoustic/BG band at the time took an 8hr trip to Colorado to play a weekend of festivals. We took my truck and a pop-up camper and put $20k worth of acoustic instruments in the back of the truck.

I've also hauled my electrics that way when I have the family in my truck with me. I put a tarp over the bass(es) to keep the sun off the cases.

Not a big deal.
 
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#54
Say wha?????? Nah..... Ya can't just toss it in the back. Now if its tied down to its not sliding around .... maybe. Not my favorite place to put it. Those cases would probably protect it from something small falling on it (at best).
 
#57
I try avoid exposing my bass to environments where I'm not comfortable and I was never comfortable in the bed of a pickup.

I did haul a lot of band gear in my '65 GMC van and my '75 Dodge van. I was very comfortable in the vans.
 
#58
Put the case against the front wall of the bed. I gets the base ride there and will end up there as soon as you hit the brakes so might as well just start it there.

Consider the weather. Rain is an issue. Sun is an issue unless you're moving. We've hauled groceries in paper bags in that spot on several occasions. A bass in a case will be fine.
 
#59
My stuff does NOT ride in the bed of a pickup truck.

The last time it did was when my dad and I were hauling a Hammond M100 so that I could play wedding receptions in American Legion Halls. And that was a very long time ago.

I know that pickups are one of the most popular vehicles in America these days, but my gear is usually worth more than the pickup and it's my livelihood, and pickups tend to end up on their heads in an accident with whatever was in the bed of the pickup scattered in a wide swath on the roadway (and in the ditch).

Abso-flippin'-lutely not. Nope. I'll leave that to the "hold my beer" guys.
 
#60
dspellman said:
I know that pickups are one of the most popular vehicles in America these days, but my gear is usually worth more than the pickup and it's my livelihood, and pickups tend to end up on their heads in an accident with whatever was in the bed of the pickup scattered in a wide swath on the roadway (and in the ditch).

Abso-flippin'-lutely not. Nope. I'll leave that to the "hold my beer" guys.
Click to expand...

So all those millions of workers who's livelihoods depend on their truck are "hold my beer" guys?

Ok then.
 
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