Double Bass Moving

[g-dude]

So it looks like I'll be moving soon. Having never moved with a double bass, I'd be interested in hearing any suggestions about how I should be thinking about this.

I don't have to pay for the move itself, which is really nice and it means that I'm not faced with a "is it worth the added cost" question.

What I am faced with is whether a mover is going to be equipped to ensure that the bass is packed and transported properly. While in theory a destroyed instrument will be paid for, and my bass is "only" an Upton standard laminate, I'd like to have it either arrive in one piece, or to part company with it before I move if the odds of a successful move are going to be low.

While I may end up doing one or two road trips in the process of moving, loading it in my vehicle for transport isn't necessarily going to be feasible since things like clothing and family members are obviously higher priorities. Given that it's two days' drive, there's not an unlimited amount of back and forth that I would plan on doing.

 

[Don Hergert]

Wow. I know I'm sort of unique with what I have, but I wouldn't let a mover move my DB. It isn't their specialty and while I might get lucky, there are more chances that I wouldn't. I'd just plan a special trip for my DB and any other musical instruments that I care about. It would take me much more than two days to find someone to repair my DB.

 

[bassmanbrent]

I wouldn't trust a moving company with my DB, but that's just me. If I was in your shoes, I'd definitely try to figure out how to leave some clothes for the movers to take care of and make room in my vehicle for my bass.

 

[g-dude]

Wow. I know I'm sort of unique with what I have, but I wouldn't let a mover move my DB. It isn't their specialty and while I might get lucky, there are more chances that I wouldn't. I'd just plan a special trip for my DB and any other musical instruments that I care about. It would take me much more than two days to find someone to repair my DB.

I wouldn't trust a moving company with my DB, but that's just me. If I was in your shoes, I'd definitely try to figure out how to leave some clothes for the movers to take care of and make room in my vehicle for my bass.

So looking at just mileage using the IRS reimbursement rate (a good proxy for cost), the driving alone would run me about $1100.

Add in hotels and meals on the road, and that takes it to easily $1500.

The cost of my time? Well one can debate that, and it’s probably a bit too personal, but we’d be talking devoting four days of nothing but driving.

Still, the cost to order one of these new from Upton is $4,000 (while supplies last), versus an actual financial and opportunity cost that is safely over half that to make a special trips…it feels like that is a worse option than selling it before I move or letter it get destroyed in the process.

 

[BobKay]

Have you talked with the moving company? There are many movers who have expertise in transporting high value, fragile equipment. And remember, Upton regularly ships their basses via regular LTL shippers, with few problems. I know, because they shipped two to me.

I agree that I wouldn't expect garden variety moving company packers who come in and wrap items in blankets to know what to do. But with some discussion you might find the right experience in the moving company hired by whomever is paying for the move.

 

[MynameisMe]

If possible, rent a covered trailer to move out. You could also move other items simultaneously. Of course if you have a weenie car that can't pull a trailer then you're out of luck.

 

[turf3]

Actually a moving van is a safer environment for your bass than shipping it. In the moving van, you supervise it getting loaded. They strap it in, pad all around it, and it doesn't get disturbed again till the trailer gets unpacked. Having a shipping company do it, you have no control, no idea how many times it's going to go on and off trucks, whether someone's going to stack the boxes of bottled water on it, or what have you.

Frankly, having a moving van carry your bass is about as risky as putting it in your own car with a bunch of luggage and boxes and driving it yourself.

 

[TroyK]

So it looks like I'll be moving soon. ...things like clothing and family members are obviously higher priorities.

What? If you're not going to take this seriously, why would we?

Talk to the movers. They might build a crate for/around it in their truck or the cost of a trunk might be covered as a moving cost.

Clearly I'd rather drive it myself, but I get that 2 days is 2 days. Don't forget dampits.

 

[bherman]

Not sure where you live, but you might look into renting a hard sided bass case for shipping, then having a transported back to the bass shop. Or see how much Upton would charge to have one of their shipping containers sent to you, surely that would be fine if it were loaded properly into a truck

 

[g-dude]

What? If you're not going to take this seriously, why would we?

Talk to the movers. They might build a crate for/around it in their truck or the cost of a trunk might be covered as a moving cost.

Clearly I'd rather drive it myself, but I get that 2 days is 2 days. Don't forget dampits.

Given the time of year we're getting into, and that I'm staying east of the mighty Mississippi, I suspect that a lack of humidity won't be an issue -- if anything, I would expect the relative humidity to be on the moist end of things.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

When I moved south almost 10 years ago I made an executive decision; all my fragile instruments got packed in my dying livery van and I drove it all (including my upright) to Charlotte and rented a storage unit.
The miracle of all this was that the van made it down and then made it back to Boston!

 

[Don Hergert]

So looking at just mileage using the IRS reimbursement rate (a good proxy for cost), the driving alone would run me about $1100.

Add in hotels and meals on the road, and that takes it to easily $1500.

The cost of my time? Well one can debate that, and it’s probably a bit too personal, but we’d be talking devoting four days of nothing but driving.

Still, the cost to order one of these new from Upton is $4,000 (while supplies last), versus an actual financial and opportunity cost that is safely over half that to make a special trips…it feels like that is a worse option than selling it before I move or letter it get destroyed in the process.

If I didn't really like my DB and the way it is setup for me, and if I felt it was an easily replaceable commodity, I'd probably be thinking the same way. It sounds like it's a washing machine or a microwave oven, and you're in a position where you'd be comfortable doing without it until you can replace it. Given the finances involved, I'd say sell it, or even donate it for a tax write-off, so at least it's in the hands of someone who will appreciate it, and get another when you are ready to.

Moving is tough though. Lots of changes. Sometimes something familiar and comfortable makes home, home. Music is therapy.

 

[Lee Moses]

I was basically in your shoes ten years ago, moving a family of five, and I made absolutely sure that I drove my acoustic bass. Electric basses in hardshell cases and amps, sure, let the movers take them. But odds are that no one else will remotely care for your bass the way you do.

 

[bassmanbrent]

So looking at just mileage using the IRS reimbursement rate (a good proxy for cost), the driving alone would run me about $1100.

Add in hotels and meals on the road, and that takes it to easily $1500.

The cost of my time? Well one can debate that, and it’s probably a bit too personal, but we’d be talking devoting four days of nothing but driving.

Still, the cost to order one of these new from Upton is $4,000 (while supplies last), versus an actual financial and opportunity cost that is safely over half that to make a special trips…it feels like that is a worse option than selling it before I move or letter it get destroyed in the process.

Ah, okay. I thought you were going to do the drive regardless, which is why I suggested you try to make some room in your vehicle for the bass. Others have suggested talking to Upton about a crate, or trying to find a hard case to rent/borrow. These sound like solid options to me. My biggest concern about having a bass in a truck for 2 days minimum would be heat, and I'm not sure what the best way to mitigate that might be...

 

[Bruce Calin]

It sounds like you're not particularly attached to this particular instrument. Sell it and buy another one when you're settled in your new place.

 

[Mark_T]

I moved from Seattle to Boston in 2009 with a bass, and I moved from Boston back to Washington state in 2013. Both times, I drove the bass myself, along with a few other smaller items (I think a bike made one of the trips, and some houseplants). I also moved from Ohio to Seattle in 2004 with a much cheaper bass. I don't remember anymore how I did it, but I must have let the movers handle it because I recall flying to Seattle.

It seems like you're reluctant to drive personally. I don't know if you have a car, or how you'll move a car if you do. If you have a car, I think you might as well drive it with the bass. Both times I drove the bass, we made a bit of a trip of it and enjoyed the drive, but maybe that's not an option for you.

I guess, this kind of stuff gets into calculus that's hard for us to weigh in on - ie, your motivations, financial status, desires, attachment to your instrument. If you don't care about the bass, either sell it and buy another, or insure it, pack it as carefully as possible, and send it with your stuff. If you care about the bass, 2 days in the car doesn't seem like a huge deal to me.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

My move from NYC to the southeast. If a family member can drive the car and the rest of the family, rent a Dodge Caravan or something and pack household breakables etc. as well and drive as a convoy.

 

[Tom Lane]

Ed's got a good idea, IMO. But, if I were you, I'd look for a crating service and have them build you a strudy crate with lots of padding and extra room for something poking the crate. A plywood frame with dimensional lumber skeleton. Wouldn't be cheap but not more than driving, especially considering the value of your time. Failing that, I'd build the crate myself. As someone else said, you can watch the loading process and it won't be disturbed if you load is first on the van. Even if it's third on the van, that's fewer moves than a transport firm. One other option, pay someone to drive it to your destination. A college kid or maybe someone who drives Lyft for a living might be game.

 

[aesopslyre]

Ask the moving company for a wardrobe box. Also ask for a China box. Assemble the wardrobe. Ake sure to tape the bottom very securely .Cut a hole in the top of the assembled , closed wardrobe in the center of the flaps, just wide enough to accommodate the neck. Keep the bass in a bag, if you have one. If not, tape over the f holes with masking tape.Put the bass in the wardrobe box. Fill the box with packing peanuts. Close the flaps. Now the neck is projecting from the wardrobe box. Place the assembled China box upside down over the neck, with the flaps spread out flat over the top surface of the closed wardrobe box. Tape the flaps down securely. Now the bass can be dollied , or hand trucked to the moving van, and will be virtually impervious to any damage on the truck.

 

[g-dude]

Some good suggestions here. I think one thing I need to find out is whether it matters whether I pack it or they pack it from a damage standpoint.