How do you transport your gear?

[Matt Dean]

Inspired by a few posts on the official MB Subway Series Club… How do you schlepp your gear?
Many of us (or at least I) have a lot of gear and need to move it from home to rehearsal to gigs and so forth. So, having a vehicle is an important part of the music equation.

Here’s the back end of my Subaru Forster, transporting my guitars, synth, pedal board, amp, cab, and all the other stuff I needed to play music tonight.

Edit:

 

[ToddB1963]

2005 Toyota Landcruiser

Plenty of room in the back for two basses, two 1x12 cabinets, a music stand, amp inside case, guitar stand, hand trolley, and spare amp (if called for).

I can also sleep in the back if it's a late gig with a long drive home.

 

[gtirard]

This thread would need a pool. I'm sure a huge majority of us is using a big car like you two.

By contrast, I live in Paris, France, I don't have a car, I don't even have a driving lesson, but you know what? Because of the traffic jam, the Metro is almost always faster than cars .

Am I the only one?

I take my amp in the gig bag, my small Barefaced One 10 on a trolley, and good to go for bars and small clubs. Looking forward to get a bigger cab for bigger stages, but it has to be under 15 Kg.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Used to be an '09 Honda Fit Sport we bought in October '08, but now we have a September '19 Honda Fit EX. It is amazing how much stuff the Fit fits inside it!

 

[KohanMike]

I keep myself compact as possible. First, I only play bass ukes that are 21" scale. My go to amp is a Phil Jones Double Four with a laptop battery that I Velcro to the bottom, the power cable double faced out of the way. I'm all wireless with Lekato 5.8GHz wireless pods. I use an iPad Pro 12.9" for all my music in a small briefcase. I also have a padded stool with a back. I roll it to my Kia Niro electric small SUV in an old lady shopping cart, and load it all, fits perfectly behind the back seat. If I need to bring any other items, I'll fold forward the back seats.

When I arrive, I put it all in the cart, roll to where we're playing, and setup by putting the amp at the bottom of the cart facing forward, attach a hanger clamp and tablet holder to the back of the cart, and sit behind to play. Sometimes I'll bring a center post amp stand to which I attach the hanger and tablet holder. I don't have any recent photos so i hope my descriptions will suffice, but this is my car.

 

[ThePez]

if i’m using my Markbass rig, I’m driving a Scion TC with the back seats folded down. 2x10 combo with a 1x15, two basses and my gig bag… and of course the aftermarket subwoofer on the side.

if i’m bringing the SWR 8x10, then i take the Dodge Caravan. i’m usually taking the 8x10 to gigs

 

[mikeswals]

I've always been a pickup man.
Just like a fleet of basses and amps, I also seem to collect trucks.

 

[mikeswals]

This thread would need a pool. I'm sure a huge majority of us is using a big car like you two.

By contrast, I live in Paris, France, I don't have a car, I don't even have a driving lesson, but you know what? Because of the traffic jam, the Metro is almost always faster than cars .

Am I the only one?

I travel all over for gigs. Not unusual for me to have to drive 60 miles, and some 120mi or even 270mi one way.

 

[ToddB1963]

I've always been a pickup man.
Just like a fleet of basses and amps, I also seem to collect trucks.

View attachment 4979066

Nice looking rig...

 

[Anthony Buckeridge]

Quote: the Metro is almost always faster than cars .

Am I the only one?


The drummer that is featured on most of my older recordings was part of an elite group of session musicians that regularly featured Jimmy Page. They both first met in Aylesbury when the drummer heard Jim playing with Neil Christian and the Crusaders.

Li'l Jim lived in Epsom and would regularly use the Railway/Tube/Underground to attend recording sessions in London Studios. Sometimes his amp would stay at the studio, other times it would travel with him on public transport.

Like me, Jim didn't, drive so would at time spend overnight at Bob's place sleeping on the couch, as I and others did at times too. As this is a bass forum, sometimes the group featured John Paul Jones or Brian Odgers.

Anyway, my friend had a cine camera and filmed Jim turning up for a recording at Olympic Studios with his guitar fresh from his travels on public transport.

Just like you.

So you are not the only one!

Jimmy Page - Outside Olympic Studios, 1965 (Filmed by Bobby Graham) - YouTube

Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page - June 1963 interview - YouTube

 

[PiquetBass]

In the boot of the car.... two basses (one in a gig bag, one in a hard case), one Fender Rumble 500c, one homemade pedalboard, and a small bag with leads, pliers, a multi-tool, and a couple of 240v extension cables.
Not easily hand-carried, but only 2 trips between the car boot and the backdoor of whatever venue we're at.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Ford Transit Connect...barn doors on the back, sliding cargo doors on both sides. I'm moving offices today so it's laden with medical gear and such...no amps.

I have the utmost admiration for my metro brethren who rely on public transportation and questionable back-lines.

Riis

 

[Ewo]

A Subaru Forester gets it done for me. Small enough and fuel-efficient enough for around town, comfortable enough for highway cruising, good cargo capacity for a compact SUV, great headroom in the driver's seat.

 

[Xanthis]

Volvo 850, gets 3 2×10s in the boot, basses on the back seats, amp and pedalboard in the rear footwell and still got a seat free up front if someone needs a ride

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

To transport gear, I use an engineering marvel called the Honda CRV.

Seriously, it’s hard to believe what can fit in this thing. My band mates call it the Clown Car

- a pair of 1x12 cabs
- a six-space rack
- a ten-space rack
- a 15” powered sub
- a pair of qsc 12” PA tops
- 12’ banner
- full size hand truck
- box of lights
- duffel bag with personal bass stuff
- 2 ikea bags packed with cables
- 2 full sized basses
- mic bag
- camera bag
- various stands

whew!

Here is a portion of the car gear seen in its natural habitat. Hard to believe all that fits!

 

[mapleglo]

2018 Chevy Bolt.

 

[tubatodd]

2017 Honda CR-V

2 basses in a double gigbag

Amps, cab, stands, music book, etc in the Rubbermaid container

Single trip from the vehicle.

 

[InhumanResource]

Inspired by a few posts on the official MB Subway Series Club… How do you schlepp your gear?
Many of us (or at least I) have a lot of gear and need to move it from home to rehearsal to gigs and so forth. So, having a vehicle is an important part of the music equation.

Here’s the back end of my Subaru Forster, transporting my guitars, synth, pedal board, amp, cab, and all the other stuff I needed to play music tonight.

View attachment 4979034

Ampless. I can show up in an Uber these days!

If I do need an amp, I have a nice combo 212 that fits in the trunk of a very comfy sedan. No more big rigs for me, though. If the PA can’t cover me I kind don’t want to deal.

 

[fourstr00]

Honda Civic hatchback. Bass rig, 2 basses, and a PA.

 

[12BitSlab]

My friend Scotty handles everything: