how do you move gear with a bad back?

[Bassmec]

I knew you would get to it first. lol

I did after many hours of rigourus testing and and only one unfortunate accident (SEE BELOW) to do with the pipe becoming detached from the special pair of underpants supplied with the kit.
Sorry I have had to withdraw my item from sale until certain small flaws in the design are ironed out. Mainly to do with earthing the build up of electrical static charge in the special pressure proof latex underpants:

 

[mrjim123]

I can get my 90+ lb. cab in through the rear hatch of my Pontiac Vibe by leaning it against the bumper and tilting it in. That way the I'm not bearing the entire weight of the cab. If you've got a van go so the same through the side door. Anything else and you may just be SOL.

Equipment hauling will definitely be a consideration when I buy a new vehicle.

 

[Jefenator]

Well if you have the extra money these work really well.

Just don't let 'em get away on ya!

Seriously, tho +1+1 on hand trucks & casters.

But also: technique!! (Go slow, go safe, use legs not back, no awkward angles, don't take 2 trips' worth, etc...)

The lightest neo cab on the market won't save you if you're wrenching it out of the rear seat of a 2-door sedan with your spine arched.

 

[TOOL460002]

thanks for the suggestions- now to find the nearest mark bass/schroeder/etc dealer. that- and the balloon. i usually gig with a lot of compressed hydrogen anyway. i have a couple months before ill need to move equipment around- but i figure itll take about that long to find the best balance of tone/weight/price.

 

[jschall84]

while you are on the road to recovery, dont be embarrassed to ask for help. nothing sucks more than an extended recovery because you were too cool to ask for help. trust me, i know.

 

[fretster]

Check out the threads on the micro heads available these days: the Genz Benz Shuttle (600 watts into 4 ohms, 3.5 lbs), Gallien Krueger MB2, 500 watts at 4lbs, the Markbass LMII and F1, and the EA Micro 300, at 2.5 lbs. Lots of lightweight cabs too, Schroeder, Epifani, and Bergantino. All extensively dissected and analyzed here on Talkbass.

 

[Lowbrow]

while you are on the road to recovery, dont be embarrassed to ask for help. nothing sucks more than an extended recovery because you were too cool to ask for help. trust me, i know.

+1 You've got to rest it or you will never get better; injury sets off pain, which sets off tightness, which in turn starts the pain cycle off again. Sometimes the only thing you can do is NOTHING. And by that I mean lay on the floor for a month and don't even pick up a bass.

At 46, I've recently had my second disc surgery, and believe you me, putting time into your recovery and putting your heart and soul into your follow-up physical therapy is vital. Especially the physical therapy -- work at it as hard as is comfortable and do not stop, because post surgery you are simply not the same as the way god made you, and you'll need make a life-long commitment to taking extra care of your condition.

Keep your chin up; you are not alone, and you can improve.

 

[Bassist30]

hello- due to a recent injury/surgery i find myself quite interested in the transportation aspects of medium to larger sized rigs. are there any tricks or gadgets that make this easier/less risky? ive got a 100lb 410 at the moment- and am considering 2 lightweight 210 cabs- and possibly downsizing my rack. i will probably stick with eden products- but am open to any and all suggestions.

Not knowing the extent of you injury I can't really tell if a light weight or a hand truck will do the trick. Your 25 so I guess you are aware of hand trucks, etc. If its temporary spending money on speakers when you have what you like would be a waste. Band members should be willing to help.
If its long term, than a neo cabinet would help you and your band friends. As well as a hand truck. I had a similar experience and bought 2 single 12 cabinets. It might be a way to go. A 100 lbs 410 will be hard on you. You will need someone to help. A great 410 neo is the Bergantino AE410.
62 lbs. Maybe a 210 X 2. But you will need to put some wheels on it. I think what you are saying the 100 pound cabinet is an eden? If you like the eden you will like the berg.
Keep the head as its not that heavy, if its a wt 800. If you are looking for a lighter head, than I guess MB, Shuttle etc. There is so many light weight these days. But I get the feeling next year will produce some light and very powerful heads.

 

[Munjibunga]

When my gear gets a bad back, I take it to the chiropractor.

 

[hentor]

Do what I did- go to a lighter rig. GKRb700II ( 16.5lbs ), Carvin LS1503 on casters.

+1

After back surgery, you really have to revisit your priorities in life or hire someone to carry your stuff for you. I switched from heavy basses to a Jerry Jones hollowbody short scale, both for weight and the easier reach after my surgeries and also ditched my amp rig for a preamp direct into the board and monitors...I also use a tall Roc-n-Soc throne to take a load off if things get tired feeling (the prelude to sore) in my back.

 

[Bassmec]

thanks for the suggestions- now to find the nearest mark bass/schroeder/etc dealer. that- and the balloon. i usually gig with a lot of compressed hydrogen anyway. i have a couple months before ill need to move equipment around- but i figure itll take about that long to find the best balance of tone/weight/price.

PS make sure you fully deflate the balloons while performing
leaving them tethered high above the stage has also unfortunately resulted in slight unforeseen technical problems:

Hope you get better soon Happy Halloween Chaps

 

[dannster]

I use bribery. True.

 

[()smoke()]

some great advice here...there must be something about musicians and back injuries, huh? like peanut butter and chocolate

anyhow, an epidural of cortisone helped me recover from a ruptured disc, and thankfully, i haven't needed a second helping yet...but i had to learn to say no to lifting the kinds of things i never used to give a second thought

although i managed to haul an SVTII and 810 around for a while, a couple of 'i think i just injured myself again' moments while moving that rig spurred me to look lighter

i didn't go ultralight, but my new rig, a thunderfunk in a rack bag with shoulder strap and a pair of neo magnet 112s that are easily 1-handers at about 35 lbs has made my life easier

 

[jgbass]

http://www.handtrucks.com/hand-trucks/compact-luggage-hand-trucks/townsteelcompacthandtruck.cfm

I have this handtruck. Everyone who has seen it wants to know where I got it, etc. and a few have ordered. It is lightweight, foldable, carries alot, has a large volume on the bottom and does the job. I ordered it from www. handtrucks.com

 

[v-grooves]

I will also chime in on the lighter gear.......I had back surgery 6 weeks ago......the doc removed L5 disc and fused the spine and a few titanium rods to keep me straight, so I have to watch what I lift and how I lift it. But back to the gear......Last year, I went to an Epifani UL410 series 1 and now running a UL502 head. The rig has plenty of headroom and is (to my amazement at least) both pieces very very light in weight.....Thanks Nick!

Also, dont ever NOT ask for help when moving things......Me, I hate asking people for help, but when it comes to my saving my back, I will put my pride aside and ask a fellow band member for assistance. Dont ever let the drunk help you load out at the end of the night.....we all know where that gets us.

This is just some of the **** we have to deal with as we progress down the road of life (getting older). Gotta love those gigs where the sound company supplies a decent backline and I step onto the stage, tune up, quick soundcheck and do my thing.

Good luck with your back man.....it can make for a miserable time if things go wrong.

V

 

[JimmyM]

I am so lucky that I'm 47 and never had a single day of back pain, even after moving furniture, pianos and organs, and working at UPS for 3 years, along with moving an SVT/810 rig. But I totally second the motion for getting the absolute lightest rig you can find. The carts are a good idea, but the load-in isn't what gets you...the deadlift onto the stage is what gets you.

 

[Tom Howland]

I use a $40.00 luggage hand cart.
Holds up to 200 lbs. two small wheels.
Plus, they come with bunge cords attached.
You can get them on line or at a luggage store.

I can wheel a cab. head, and small bag.
With one hand, gig bag over my other shoulder.
One trip.

 

[Lowbrow]

I am so lucky that I'm 47 and never had a single day of back pain... the load-in isn't what gets you...the deadlift onto the stage is what gets you.

IME it's not weight so much as body position.
I've dealt with degenerative disc disease for >20 years, and believe me when I say I've been OK performing properly executed heavy lifts, and have laid myself out for months by simply picking up a sock off the floor with careless body position. You can step off a sidewalk curb wrong, tilt your hips too much, and get a sciatic nerve zing that will make for an extended back/leg/buttock-muscle spasm. Changing positions (sitting to standing, laying in bed to getting up) are also situations that call for preparation and care.

 

[Doodaddy]

I keep my guitarist for carrying my rig. What are you guys thinking?

 

[theophilus762]

i'm only 21 but tonight i threw out my back again. after an injury while box squatting with 450lbs, my back has never been the same and this is the third time i threw it out this month.

my markbass LMII is ultra light, but my aguilar s410 kills me!