If you opt for a wheel, stay away from the ones where the axle is supported on only one side.
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Double Bass Bass Wheels
- Thread starter rocky Smolin
- Start date
I use the Xeros wheel with the brake, because it's what my luthier had. I usually use it if I'm going to walk more than a block or so (and that's a wee Portland block I'm talking about), because why wouldn't I? It feels like most typical sidewalk shocks are absorbed if it's under-inflated. My bass is also newish and plywood, for what that's worth.
I haven't tried a buggy. On paper, it looks superior in a lot of situations. I do like that I can toss the wheel on the floor of my sedan while in transit... I guess that's one thing you can't do with a buggy. In a bigger vehicle, or on foot, that wouldn't matter.
I haven't tried a buggy. On paper, it looks superior in a lot of situations. I do like that I can toss the wheel on the floor of my sedan while in transit... I guess that's one thing you can't do with a buggy. In a bigger vehicle, or on foot, that wouldn't matter.
Don, are these rated for bowing, or Boeing? Just curious, YLGMV, etc.Rock 'n ROLL!
Bass Buggy tip: the supplied shock cord can be optionally upgraded with a yard length of heavier gauge bulk shock cord, available at a good hardware store. I chose to try this for the sake of a more secure attachment, plus better durability. 
It had been a while since I'd seen a picture of the buggy, so I just looked it up again... and it looks like that would work with my car loading method after all. Thanks. The buggy would in fact save the time and wear factor of two screw/unscrew cycles per trip on the endpin socket.
I don't know how you load you car, but we put the bass in through the tailgate head first with the Buggie still attached and wheels up-most. Then just semi-detach the Buggie at the end-pin and tuck it alongside with the straps still over the case to make room for closing the car up. All ready for re-attaching in a few seconds. So convenient.
In my wife's Camry, it's head first through the passenger door, laying flat with the scroll end up near the rear passenger headrest. In my Corolla, it's similar, but on its side (for the sake of operating the manual transmission - I am the 1%). Either way, the wheel has to come off... I didn't take it off the first time, and the brake snapped my glove box handle. I don't think I'd need to remove the buggy for either method, and even if I did, it'd be less work than un- and re- installing the wheel.
If my wheel ever goes missing, I think y'all've sold me on the buggy as a replacement!
Although I can't imagine a circumstance where I'd want to actually buy a boat, searching the web for "bass buggy" gives many possibilities. Please don't hold cheap humor against me.
As good as the Bass Buggy is, they don't work everywhere... Here are some ground surfaces where the Bass Buggy doesn't work...
1) Tall grass or brush
2) Snow
3) Soft sand
4) Gravel or rough rocks
From experience, I'd also recommend avoiding circular staircases
.
This is probably more info than anyone wants to know, but here's how we travel with my DB (and the Bass Buggy)...
For our SUV packing, I'm able to just leave the Bass Buggy on... If we're on a day trip I'll use the padded bass-bag as a cushion under the bass. If we're on a multi-day trip, ie: with a hotel stay, I'll bag the bass and put the Bass Buggy on over the bag. Bagged or not, the Bass Buggy stays on.
But things get much more complicated with our RV -- it's a 21 foot Class C with a "loft" bed over the driving cabin. A 21 foot RV is a pretty small space for two people and a little dog to share with a 3/4 size double bass...
For RV traveling days we put the DB in it's bag with the Bass Buggy on, strapped-in up in the "loft" (DB on its back with a stiff pillow under the neck heel to elevate the peg box) and use the DB to hold our other instruments up in front of it. So the instruments are all safe and well cushioned, and out of the way so we can drive, eat, sleep and do normal things while we're traveling.
Once we reach and are parked at our destination -- usually a camping festival -- the smaller instruments get conveniently stored in the driving area, the DB comes out of its bag and the Bass Buggy gets immediately reinstalled on the DB, and the DB rests up out of the way in the "loft" (while the bass bag also gets stored in the driving area)...
The big complication with the RV is simply getting the DB in and out of the main door. It just fits through sideways, bag or not, and the Bass Buggy actually helps get it up or down the stairs, into and out of the cabin. On bringing it inside, I have to put the DB on its back on the meal table, then lift it up into the loft area...
Of course any DB bagging/unbagging has to happen outside the RV if there's anything going on inside the RV besides sleeping; we usually have a large table outside that I can use for that. Crowded inside, yes, but it works, and I love having the DB along when we're RV'ing as long as I'm 80%+ sure I'll be able to use it for jams and/or gigs. And the Bass Buggy really makes schlepping reasonable and possible.
1) Tall grass or brush
2) Snow
3) Soft sand
4) Gravel or rough rocks
From experience, I'd also recommend avoiding circular staircases
.This is probably more info than anyone wants to know, but here's how we travel with my DB (and the Bass Buggy)...
For our SUV packing, I'm able to just leave the Bass Buggy on... If we're on a day trip I'll use the padded bass-bag as a cushion under the bass. If we're on a multi-day trip, ie: with a hotel stay, I'll bag the bass and put the Bass Buggy on over the bag. Bagged or not, the Bass Buggy stays on.
But things get much more complicated with our RV -- it's a 21 foot Class C with a "loft" bed over the driving cabin. A 21 foot RV is a pretty small space for two people and a little dog to share with a 3/4 size double bass...
For RV traveling days we put the DB in it's bag with the Bass Buggy on, strapped-in up in the "loft" (DB on its back with a stiff pillow under the neck heel to elevate the peg box) and use the DB to hold our other instruments up in front of it. So the instruments are all safe and well cushioned, and out of the way so we can drive, eat, sleep and do normal things while we're traveling.
Once we reach and are parked at our destination -- usually a camping festival -- the smaller instruments get conveniently stored in the driving area, the DB comes out of its bag and the Bass Buggy gets immediately reinstalled on the DB, and the DB rests up out of the way in the "loft" (while the bass bag also gets stored in the driving area)...
The big complication with the RV is simply getting the DB in and out of the main door. It just fits through sideways, bag or not, and the Bass Buggy actually helps get it up or down the stairs, into and out of the cabin. On bringing it inside, I have to put the DB on its back on the meal table, then lift it up into the loft area...
Of course any DB bagging/unbagging has to happen outside the RV if there's anything going on inside the RV besides sleeping; we usually have a large table outside that I can use for that. Crowded inside, yes, but it works, and I love having the DB along when we're RV'ing as long as I'm 80%+ sure I'll be able to use it for jams and/or gigs. And the Bass Buggy really makes schlepping reasonable and possible.
All of you who put the bass buggy on your bass without the case, aren’t you afraid of knocking into something and denting the bass or damaging the finish? I would be! My bass never goes anywhere without the case, especially when in the bass buggy. Too easy to bonk it!
To be fair, my 1930s Alcoa wears a lot of dents, most which came to me with the bass.
That said, the reason I know that the Bass Buggy doesn't work on gravel is that a few years ago mine buried its wheels in gravel and came off of my Alcoa before I realized what was happening...
I raked gravel with my lower bout for about a foot before movement stopped, leaving ugly scratch reminders in my thick powder coat finish there.
One day I'll rub those out, but for now the marks help me keep my mind on where I'm driving.
That said, the reason I know that the Bass Buggy doesn't work on gravel is that a few years ago mine buried its wheels in gravel and came off of my Alcoa before I realized what was happening...
I raked gravel with my lower bout for about a foot before movement stopped, leaving ugly scratch reminders in my thick powder coat finish there.
One day I'll rub those out, but for now the marks help me keep my mind on where I'm driving.
As far as I can remember this is a DIY project.Rock 'n ROLL!
I‘m not sure the pipe t-piece can really hold the tension if leaned right or left or when putting the owners weight on the instrument. And a brake is missing, so just standing with the bass at a place for some time can get difficult.
Tru.
Not Tru. It holds any "tension"(?) quite nicely. (Do you mean turning Left or Right?) The wheel in the photo is 25+ years old and has never experienced any type of structural failure.
One should never have a need to put the "owner's weight" on the instrument...whether transporting or playing the bass.
I don't miss a "brake" at all, and I'm always gently supporting the bass by holding 1 handle on my Mooradian bag, with the neck resting comfortably on my shoulder. It is not difficult, FYI.
All IMFE and IMFO, of course.
I brought my bass buggie to Munich. The presenter rented me a nice bass, but couldn't get a wheel. I would give the BB a hard pass for any sort heavy pedestrian/public transit use.
I veers right or left depending on how you are using, it is garbage when navigating cracks, cobblestones and uneven surfaces. It is also bad for wider basses / thicker bags.
Totally fine for car to venue use for me at home, it is also nice ON the transit vehicles since you can stand it on the endpin.
Just terrible for getting around a city like this!
I veers right or left depending on how you are using, it is garbage when navigating cracks, cobblestones and uneven surfaces. It is also bad for wider basses / thicker bags.
Totally fine for car to venue use for me at home, it is also nice ON the transit vehicles since you can stand it on the endpin.
Just terrible for getting around a city like this!
If you go for a wheel, generally, larger wheels roll better over obstacles than smaller wheels. Eg. a 7" or 8" (18cm-20cm) diameter wheel will roll over cracks, bumps and snow better than a 4"-5" (10cm-13cm) diameter wheel.
The NY subway will make you want a brake real fast. That is when and why I got brakes for my wheels, when I lived in Boston and I was paying NYC a lot. I never felt I needed one on the West Coast, even with primarily using BART train n the Bay Area to get around.
I got a Gaines wheel for my new (old) bass a while back just to see how it went, mounted it, and didn't even make it out the door before I turned around and put the buggie back on. I travel almost exclusively by subway, and the ability to sit with the bass almost independently standing on its own is a huge thing. Also, going up stairs (55ish at my stop) feels much different with the wheel-the center of gravity changes making the bass feel even more awkward.
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