Organizing transport, load in, and load out.

[4Mal]

Zydeco accordian? Please bring that on! Aka Jimmy Buffet's live at Fenway version of Hey Good Lookin'...

 

[Big Hoss]

An engineer I used to work with played with a Tejano band and seriously ripped on accordion. I know not everyones cup of tea, but I dare the haters to try to actually play one of those things. It isn't easy to make one sound good!

The jam band is working on putting together our own version of orchestral TV themes from classic shows to play as Easter Eggs during shows. So far I have the main riff from "Suicide Is Painless" (The M*A*S*H theme), down fairly well, enough to act as a teaser... The lead guitarist and I have a more or less effective lead in to Sanford and Son as well... We were thinking about some sort of props for these interludes. We tend to play in Hawaiian shirts, for the MASH stuff, I was thinking about snagging, and putting on a costume surgeons white cap... Just sounds like a fun thing to do for the show, without adding a ton of weight or complexity.

 

[Big Hoss]

My soundman and drummer swear by this cart. Pricey, but cheaper than all the Doctor's copays.

Already doing the copays, trying to stop the madness! I don't

 

[4Mal]

Camp... it's what for gigging... I don't have a problem with actually trying to make people smile.

 

[Big Hoss]

Okay I looked at your box / tubes thing. WAY bigger than I am working with. Or likely to, and weight is going to be a major concern. Yes I will have help moving stuff, but I will be helping move stuff, and my back is a MAJOR concern for me, so lifting a box of 3/4" ply stuffed with PVC tubes stuffed with metal stands does not sound like a good thing for me to do.

HOWEVER, downsize, reduce the size of the "box" and use a frame of say 1/2" ply, say 3" wide making a box to surround / bind perhaps 4 of those tubes, capped with a threaded cap on one end, and long enough would be a great way to manage the speaker stands, any potential subwoofer attachment poles, and all the mic stands, in a manageable size / weight. My mic stands are pretty straight forward, Samson MK-10s (3) and a single ProLine MS220. (Laugh if you must, but I like the Samsons better. The Pro Line has slipped like crazy since day one).

I know I can fit the 3 Samson stands, and 1 Pro Line stand in the same space as one speaker stand. Assuming for a minute that we get a drummer, and 4 more ProLine stands (and the mixer to support a drummers needs), a 4 tube rig should work to store / trasnport it all. Matte Black Krylon Fusion to finish it off and make it less cheesy. I can glue the tubes together, and rivet them to the frames.

That leaves me with the how to protect the PA speakers during transit. I am thinking Bungee Cords holding movers blankets on which is what we have been doing, should still suffice.

Which leaves me with the last issue. Actual transport. A LOT of the places we go to are VERY rural, and VERY rough roads. The trailer works, but half the time we worry about smashing it up crossing a field. I have a 4x4 pickup with a 6.5 foot bed. I am considering cruising Craigslist for a high roof fiberglass cap to enclose it all.

Actually in all honesty, a flat tonneau cover should protect and hide it all except the table we use to set up the mixer, and any drum kit aside from an electric...

 

[Big Hoss]

So, an update is in order to this whole deal. At the last load out (thank God it didn't happen on load in!), two of the main welds in the existing convertible hand truck failed, I can get it re-welded, but honestly If I do, I will have to figure out a way to go with bigger wheels and casters, this thing is a bear over gravel and across lawns which is a LOT of our load in / out problem...

So let's break it down to what is where organization wise...

First trip in.

Fender Rumble 500 combo, in full coverage, including custom bottom MDB cover.
My pedal board, associated cables for amp, instrument, and board, wrapped in an old blanket and secured with a long velcro strap. Makes a sort of super deep padded bag kind of thing.
Behringer GTX60 combo, and associated pedals. Wrapped in a moving blanket.
Crate, model unknown, 1x12 guitar combo amp. 1980s vintage.
2 amp stands.
2 Speaker stands.
Folding table.
Hercules Triple Guitar Stand.
2 ProLine single guitar stands.
My SX Ursa 1 in its gig bag. Carried on my back.
If needed, EZ Up canopy draped across the top of the stack o stuff.

First haul in done with 2 guys, one guy stays at the stage, and begins setup, second goes back out, and grabs second load.

My Affinity Jazz, in a Gator GLBASS semi rigid case. I keep a spare set of strings, it's cable, a string winder, and a spare cable in the front pocket.
2@ Ibanez 6 string 80s vintage electrics. No clue on the model, just pointy guitars the guitarist owns. He keeps them in some unknown brand, double guitar hard case.
SX Hawk Strat copy in its gig bag. Cable, spare strings, string winder, and wire cutter in front pocket. Carried on back.
Yamaha Acoustic Electric guitar, in Musicians Gear gig bag. Carried on back.
2 @ Alto Professional TS115A powered mains, wrapped in movers blankets.
Mics, mic clips, mic cables in a MusiciansGear 6 spot mic bag.
Plastic tote with...
Mixer, and power supply, wrapped in a sweater. Cables, surge supressors etc... into another recycled gym bag, you'll notice a theme here, 3 Samson, and 1 Proline Mic stands.
Speaker cables, lighting, velcro, fog machine, fog juice etc... in a plastic tote.
Laptop computer, and associated cabling in a laptop backpack.

So the organization is getting tighter, load in / load out is getting easier, but we still carry quite a bit, but we also are trying to put on as good of a show as we possibly can...

 

[4Mal]

Actually my box of tubes is fairly light. 12 mm ply wood and thin wall irrigation pvc. No sched 40 or 80... Could be lighter yet if I pulled the jig saw out and cut out some of the sides. I need the full dozen stands, and sometimes more though and even though most are lightweight K&M, the few round bases make up for it...

 

[modulusman]

So, an update is in order to this whole deal. At the last load out (thank God it didn't happen on load in!), two of the main welds in the existing convertible hand truck failed, I can get it re-welded, but honestly If I do, I will have to figure out a way to go with bigger wheels and casters, this thing is a bear over gravel and across lawns which is a LOT of our load in / out problem...

So let's break it down to what is where organization wise...

First trip in.

Fender Rumble 500 combo, in full coverage, including custom bottom MDB cover.
My pedal board, associated cables for amp, instrument, and board, wrapped in an old blanket and secured with a long velcro strap. Makes a sort of super deep padded bag kind of thing.
Behringer GTX60 combo, and associated pedals. Wrapped in a moving blanket.
Crate, model unknown, 1x12 guitar combo amp. 1980s vintage.
2 amp stands.
2 Speaker stands.
Folding table.
Hercules Triple Guitar Stand.
2 ProLine single guitar stands.
My SX Ursa 1 in its gig bag. Carried on my back.
If needed, EZ Up canopy draped across the top of the stack o stuff.

First haul in done with 2 guys, one guy stays at the stage, and begins setup, second goes back out, and grabs second load.

My Affinity Jazz, in a Gator GLBASS semi rigid case. I keep a spare set of strings, it's cable, a string winder, and a spare cable in the front pocket.
2@ Ibanez 6 string 80s vintage electrics. No clue on the model, just pointy guitars the guitarist owns. He keeps them in some unknown brand, double guitar hard case.
SX Hawk Strat copy in its gig bag. Cable, spare strings, string winder, and wire cutter in front pocket. Carried on back.
Yamaha Acoustic Electric guitar, in Musicians Gear gig bag. Carried on back.
2 @ Alto Professional TS115A powered mains, wrapped in movers blankets.
Mics, mic clips, mic cables in a MusiciansGear 6 spot mic bag.
Plastic tote with...
Mixer, and power supply, wrapped in a sweater. Cables, surge supressors etc... into another recycled gym bag, you'll notice a theme here, 3 Samson, and 1 Proline Mic stands.
Speaker cables, lighting, velcro, fog machine, fog juice etc... in a plastic tote.
Laptop computer, and associated cabling in a laptop backpack.

So the organization is getting tighter, load in / load out is getting easier, but we still carry quite a bit, but we also are trying to put on as good of a show as we possibly can...

Wait until you add a drummer. I wouldn't consider making 2 trips to the car one with only one guy carrying quite a bit. With my main band 4 guys are probably making at least 10 trips each to haul in gear.

 

[Winterglo]

I had a collapsible hand truck (Sears has them) for the 2 Markbass cabs I had. 2 Guitar Cases/Nylon very light. And believe it or not I started using a Craftsman tool bag for everything else: cables, pedals,etc. They have different sizes, have inside and outside pockets, and they are roadworthy. I wish I would have thought of them much earlier in my career. The only bad thing about my setting up, was I was always finished first. Then I was kind of "expected" to help everyone else. Even the singers 1970's enormous/very heavy PA. He bought 10 cheapo guitars when he should have been investing in a decent PA. Oh well. Drum hardware (a Nightmare), and the Guitar players 2/12 Fender Twin Reverb, and all kinds of useless misc crap he would bring. He would show up literally with 10 guitars, for bar gigs. and not play them. They would be on stage taking up lots of room though. Used to irk me. So no matter how light I made my gear, no one else did. BTW those large plastic storage boxes are great, and they stack up. I stopped using them when my gear got more modern and I downsized with shorter and fewer cables, very light amp. My Mic stand could be shrunk/folded up and put in one of the boxes or on top of the Bag. . Organization is it. Have cables separated by what equip. they are for. I could set up a modern bass/Pa rig with maybe 5 or 6 trips. If you have 4 Pa Cabs maybe more. 10 trips each, wow, y'all have a lot of gear.

 

[modulusman]

I had a collapsible hand truck (Sears has them) for the 2 Markbass cabs I had. 2 Guitar Cases/Nylon very light. And believe it or not I started using a Craftsman tool bag for everything else: cables, pedals,etc. They have different sizes, have inside and outside pockets, and they are roadworthy. I wish I would have thought of them much earlier in my career. The only bad thing about my setting up, was I was always finished first. Then I was kind of "expected" to help everyone else. Even the singers 1970's enormous/very heavy PA. He bought 10 cheapo guitars when he should have been investing in a decent PA. Oh well. Drum hardware (a Nightmare), and the Guitar players 2/12 Fender Twin Reverb, and all kinds of useless misc crap he would bring. He would show up literally with 10 guitars, for bar gigs. and not play them. They would be on stage taking up lots of room though. Used to irk me. So no matter how light I made my gear, no one else did. BTW those large plastic storage boxes are great, and they stack up. I stopped using them when my gear got more modern and I downsized with shorter and fewer cables, very light amp. My Mic stand could be shrunk/folded up and put in one of the boxes or on top of the Bag. . Organization is it. Have cables separated by what equip. they are for. I could set up a modern bass/Pa rig with maybe 5 or 6 trips. If you have 4 Pa Cabs maybe more. 10 trips each, wow, y'all have a lot of gear.

I tried to visualize it in my head and it probably works out to 7-8 trips depending on how much PA/lighting we decide to use. We have a 14 ft. trailer full of gear and I have enough gear at my house to probably fill up an 8 ft. trailer.