What has been a game changer for you for convenience?

[TheKillersFan]

Hello,

With my 30th birthday coming up at the end of the month, my fiancé has been asking what I’d like but I’m having trouble thinking of anything and am looking for ideas.

What have you found to be revolutionary for you? For instance, I’ve got schaller strap locks on all my basses and one really nice leather strap from Status Graphite so now I don’t need to buy a strap for each bass.

Gift budget is $200 give or take

 

[TheKillersFan]

I suppose I could ask for a compressor pedal but I doubt I’d use it right away.

 

[Marko 1]

Gift budget is $200 give or take

If you don't have one, maybe a wireless unit?

 

[Danny O Danny]

Yeah, a compressor pedal is definitely the thing that comes to mind for me, in that price range.

 

[g-dude]

Keeley Bassist is great, as is their Seafoam Plus.

 

[Deleted member 394181]

If your gigging: I lightened the load with one of the Roadrunner soft "hard" cases. Much lighter carrying around basses. Get one for two basses to gig with. Had mine for a really long time.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Convenience, eh? A few things I find indispensable as I'm getting lazy in my old age:

*A couple of <$200 multi FX units...one for practice (Zoom B3n), the second for rehearsal space (BFR v1).

*$20 wire music stand.

*Printer paper stolen from work...I do all the charts.

*Refillable / reusable pod for my Keurig. The real deal is too flippin' expensive. Not music-related, I just enjoy a cup of coffee once in a while.

*Elevated stool required occasionally for back pain.

*Hercules single stand.


If I actually had an extra $200 to burn, I'd snag a Niche Humboldt preamp / compressor as my curiosity is all-consuming. They use a transformer scavenged from a mixing board / mic channel.

Riis

 

[roccobass]

A combination of things.

Mono bass sleeves for when I electric out instead of schlepping the hardshells.

Smaller and lighter quality cabinets. Going 2x112s vs 2x12. My RevSound 210 though, is so light it weighs only as much one of my 12s.

My trusty little hand truck.

 

[Turxile]

The game changer for convenience for me was a Zoom B1 Four.
Got it as a headphone practice tool, which it does impeccably. Then took both to a rehearsal and worked great. Then started taking to small gigs.
It's tiny and fits anywhere, runs on batteries or USB powerbank, has more effects than I need, does everything well enough. No more pedal boards unless it's an important gig.

 

[Doug P]

I suppose I could ask for a compressor pedal but I doubt I’d use it right away.

Until maybe a year ago I never used a compressor. I bought ( used of course ) an Aguilar 599. One knob, easy. I keep it on all the time and it’s my only pedal so just in the back of my rack. For the little $$ I spent well worth it to me.

 

[Hot Rats]

A clip on headstock tuner.

 

[Michedelic]

 

[Doug P]

I had for the longest time a 6 space rack for my GK, Tech 21 RPM, tuner, wireless, power Conditioner. Still a bit heavy and not the easiest carry.
The owner of a local studio where we rehearse also owns a custom rack case company, Left Coast. He had an old case with a rack inside for a stage mixer. He made it into a “box” so now a 8 space rack. So now I have wheels and two more spaces. The best thing it is also a carries my GK RBH 4x10 when I use just it. In pic you can see the blue top to the right. So once at the gig I can leave as you see or lift it out and put it on the top or on the cab(s). Looks like a lot, but again, way easy. I’ve also taken the wheel part and put it in the truck, then the rack, then put the top on as too big to lift in, easy to lift out.

 

[40Hz]

If you don’t already own a set of good setup and maintenance tools you might consider getting some. Music Nomad has some nice tool sets that fall within your budget.

A really nice soft case is also handy if you transport your instrument. The Protec Contego PRO PAC bass case runs around $160 last time I looked. It holds its own quite well against its more expensive competitors like Mono and Reunion Blues.

 

[ctmullins]

Lessons.

Tech21 Bass Fly Rig.

Headless conversions (the improvement in instrument balance is astonishing).

Putting a pair of strap buttons on the lower body so I don’t need to carry a stand.

 

[bikeplate]

8lb Bergantino B-amp

 

[neo 7]

Joyo rechargeable power supply

 

[S-Bigbottom]

If you are giggin' with a cab a folding hand cart.
Does not matter if it is just a one 12 at 25 pounds, roll that sucker with two fingers instead of lugging it.
The only time you have the weight of the cab is lifting in and out of the car, and some stages.
Also better than cab casters as you are not leaning over to push, it walks behind you like a rolling suit case.

I use this Magna Cart with a 2x12, it goes up curbs, stairs, cracks in pavement no problem, up and over speed bumps in the parking lot. Just go slow.
https://www.amazon.com/Magna-Personal-Capacity-Aluminum-Folding/dp/B000HVVSDU


https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S...rm-Generic-480p-16-9-1409173089793-rpcbe5.mp4

 

[sawzalot]

Hipshot D-tuners on all my basses.

 

[Jefenator]

A tablet for charts - if you're into that sort of thing.