Double Bass Flight case strapped to roof rack crossbars?

[iankenselaar]

I love touring but due to space restrictions in the van I’m often forced to bring my electric bass and I had a wild (read: maybe totally dumb) idea to see if anyone has successfully and safely retrofitted/strapped an upright in a flight case to a car roof. Please advise

 

[mikeGJ]

I love touring but due to space restrictions in the van I’m often forced to bring my electric bass and I had a wild (read: maybe totally dumb) idea to see if anyone has successfully and safely retrofitted/strapped an upright in a flight case to a car roof. Please advise

Traditional method would to strap the bass directly to the roof rack, so every one knows the band is in town. Flightcase probably won't interfere with the message!

 

[Don Hergert]

Traditional method would to strap the bass directly to the roof rack, ...

Yes -- the roof is good, but even better for the double bass inside a flight case. Many, many older double bases bear marks from the roof of a car, or from weather encountered while tied there.

There are two problems with flight cases:

(1) They cost a lot, sometimes more than the double bass inside.
(2) They require as much or more storage space than the double bass itself.

If money and storage space are not a problem, they're probably the best travel protection available. And there are simple and effective ways to attach them to a roof rack.

 

[GretschWretch]

But what about simple and effective ways to lift them up to the roof rack?

 

[mooseonbass]

I've done it. Worked great. I think my shoulders are too trashed to try it again without help. Those cases are frickin' heavy!

 

[turf3]

But what about simple and effective ways to lift them up to the roof rack?

Find the two young dudes across the street and ask for help.

 

[mooseonbass]

The weight-lifter dude across the street helped me and was impressed. But that was 14 years ago!

 

[GretschWretch]

Find the two young dudes across the street and ask for help.

Where I live, the two young dudes, in fact all the dudes, across the street are American bison. I doubt I can get much help from them.

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

I will warn you to consider that if it is raining and you are driving at freeway speed, water can be forced into any case that is not designed to withstand such conditions. When I have hauled anything on a roof rack, I am very careful to have enough straps and such that a failure of even more than one hold down will not result in the load coming off the rack.

 

[Jim Dombrowski]

And imagine the amount of heat that would build up inside that case on a hot sunny day.

 

[turf3]

And imagine the amount of heat that would build up inside that case on a hot sunny day.

Paint it white, it probably won't be much different than in the bed of my white pickup with the white bed cover.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

A large oblong object strapped to the roof of your car will significantly affect stability and handling. Feel lucky?

 

[Ketbass]

All this stuff aside, I’m still picturing how the heck you get this on and off the roof. Unless this an exercise recommended by your licensed, personal trainer at the gym, I’m just picturing this in the rain, snow, cold, heat. On and off for very gig. I’m exhausted. I’m going to take a nap…

 

[Don Hergert]

It would be tough with a tall vehicle like a van, SUV or especially a motor home. Not to be done by a lone person.

Ropes and pulleys... I've seen winch systems for kayaks that might do the job.

Interesting consideration by @KUNGfuSHERIFF about stability, having driven long distances with 2 upside-down kayaks on an SUV roof, I can attest to severe crosswind issues. Speed is an important factor. How a double bass flight case would be tied down is very important. And the weight of the flight case itself is important.

 

[Sam Sherry]

For more-or-less the same cost as a good DB flight box you could get your bass converted to removable neck, which might let you fit your bass in the van.

Or make The Big Compromise and get an EUB. Mine came with a road-box which is more-or-less bass guitar size.

Or look into the Upton Suitcase Bass, which is not cheap. They're currently hanging this used one for $8k.

Or something else I haven't thought of, which is the most frequent option !

 

[jj.833]

Thinking whether the bass could be safely hanged inside, from the ceiling of the van. No flight case, just a gig bag. Or, more likely, whether there are some ways to organize the van contents better so that the bass would fit on the top. Perhaps even constructing some wood shelves and such.

 

[Jim Dombrowski]

Some type of hitch rack on the back of the van would be a better option than a roof rack

 

[Don Hergert]

Maybe worth a thought -- our 21' Class C RV (actual length about 25') has a sleeper over the cab, when we're traveling to festivals that's where we put all of our instruments (guitar, banjo, mandolin) including my DB in its bag. Plus it has safety belt seating for 6 people including the driver. Plus a shower and bathroom, kitchen. These can be found low mileage used for less than a new van.

That said, as small as it is, it is still big enough that I do everything I can to avoid city traffic and parking, so there's that.

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

 

[GretschWretch]

A large oblong object strapped to the roof of your car will significantly affect stability and handling. Feel lucky?

This probably is why funeral homes don't strap coffins to the tops of their hearses.