[Dixielandjazz] Fw: Equipment "Schlepping"

Thu Aug 20 13:51:56 PDT 2009

I carry a PA head in my truck all the time along with a pair of speakers. 
The speakers are 12" Peavy and compared to others are very lite.  They weigh 
in the 20 pound range.  I have gone to a lighter Barager combo amp for most 
of my gigs vs. the 15" Eon powered speakers.  The weight is actually about 
the same but the Barager sits on my rock and roller from the parking lot to 
where I play to the truck without lifting it off the R&Roller.  I also went 
to the small rock and roller which weighs about half of the medium size and 
only a fraction of the largest one.  The smallest Rock and roller does not 
need to be folded up each time except I do fold down one end so I can slide 
my tenor in the back of my van (Pontiac) on it.  The Rock and roller, tenor, 
soprano, equipment case, stands, stools and two amps fit very nicely in the 
back of my van and everything except a mike stand fits on the rock and 
roller.  It fits too but wants to slide off all the time.

My time from the time I park in a typical parking lot to playing is 15 
minutes if I am in a hurry.  Just a little longer to tear down and get out 
of a place.  Most of the time I am using one horn, one amp and one music 
stand.  This works out nice especially since I hurt my back a few months ago 
and I don't want to repeat the trick.

Since I'm not getting younger I'm installing an electric winch and lift in 
the back of my larger van to pick up amps and sit them on the rock and 
roller and put them back in my truck.  This has cost less than $200 for what 
I am doing.  BTW Harbor Freight sells a lift that goes in a receiver for a 
trailer hitch and will lift from the ground to the back of a truck.  It 
looks like to me that it would work good on a van too.  They put them on 
sale occasionally for $200.  It consists of a platform that is lowered or 
raised electrically then it swings up behind the car or truck.  I'm thinking 
about maybe adding one of these for my Pontiac van because the 4 foot pickup 
truck hydraulic lift (crane arm ) won't fit in the smaller van.  My larger 
truck has a full size opening and is about 4' tall by a little more than 4' 
wide so the pickup lift fits almost exactly.  I got the 12 volt electric 
winch for $49 and the pick up truck lift for $119.  I'm going to use a 
separate battery to power it with so that will be about another $30 or so. 
I will be finished in a couple of weeks with my van lift so if anyone wants 
a photo I will send it.

I'm using a hydraulic lift table cart for my amps.  I pump the foot pedal a 
few times so the table is level with my truck bed.  Slide the amp onto the 
table and roll it into my garage.  That cost just a little over $100.

Just trying to save the old and getting older back.
Larry
StL
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Woitowicz" <banjomusic at charter.net>
To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 10:43 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Fw: Equipment "Schlepping"

>I can relate to Steve Heist's comment on "...My only problem now is 
>schlepping all my equipment back and forth...". The bigger the band I book, 
>the more equipment I have to lug around. I'm more exhausted from hauling 
>equipment and putting away cords, stands, microphone equipment, etc. than 
>from playing music. I always charge extra if I have to bring a large sound 
>system. Sometimes I turn down the gig if It doesn't pay enough to pay for 
>equipment hauling.
>
> I have tried to minimize this issue by getting lightweight equipment and 
> stuff that folds up as much as possible. I use the lightweight folding 
> hand carts to haul speakers and such. My main music stand is the folding 
> variety that fits in a large carry bag (the same bag carries a seat 
> cushion and plastic music book overlays). I use a powered monitor when I 
> can, so that's one less cable to attach. I carry a folding stool that 
> takes up very little space.
>
> I would like to hear how others have solved the space/equipment,setup and 
> teardown issues, short of hiring a roadie as Steve suggests!
>
>
> Mike Woitowicz
> The Banjo Barons Ragtime Band
> The Dixie Barons Dixieland Band
> Solo Banjo Shows
> www.banjomusic.biz
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve Heist" <steveheist at earthlink.net>
> To: "Michael Woitowicz" <banjomusic at charter.net>
> Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 8:50 AM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Show bands was live vs. recorded music
>
>
>> Larry wrote:
>> (snip) The guys that are trying to make a living here are really taking 
>> it
>> in the
>> neck and if it weren't for private students most of them would be 
>> flipping
>> burgers. (snip)
>>
>> Larry and all musicians who want to work...,
>>
>> Hi all,
>> What is required here is a rethink!  The days of playing 5-6 nights a 
>> week
>> in a bar are OVER!  Most bars nowadays are owned, not by individuals who
>> KNOW the bar business, backward and forward, but corporations (who are 
>> the
>> first to cut live music from their budgets) and/or "entrepeneurs" who 
>> know
>> absolutly NOTHING about the bar business, they've just got extra money 
>> and
>> want to open a bar, and are usually flying blind.
>>
>> Here's the question to ask yourselves:  Is it better to go for a weekly 
>> gig
>> (now usually only 2 nights a week) OR go for the "private party" jobs, 
>> which
>> usually pay MUCH better?
>>
>> Up here in Montreal, I work right now with 1) a caterer who has GREAT
>> contacts and lots of work for me and 2) the owners of a ski resort bed 
>> and
>> breakfast that love my music and also keep me busy...
>>
>> I have one great advantage with my location, Quebec...  It seems people 
>> up
>> here, when they have an event, like the music to last the whole party. 
>> My
>> caterer called last week and told me (and this is NOT unusual up here) 
>> that
>> one of his clients wanted the music this Saturday to go from 5:00 in the
>> late afternoon until 1:00 AM!  8 HOURS!!!  I quoted him my usual price of
>> $100 an hour... (That would be $800 for the night...)  He called back two
>> days later and told me the client said the price was fine and asked if I
>> could start at 4:00PM!!!  Pardon me, but with money like that, who needs 
>> the
>> fricking bar/restaurant owners???  I probably will NEVER again play in a
>> restaurant/bar again!  My only problem now is schlepping all my equipment
>> back and forth, but I've solved that in a way.  If I can continue like 
>> this
>> and expand my single gigs, I'll just hire some kid - pay him $50 a night 
>> to
>> be my roadie - all he has to do is carry in and out the equipment... 
>> then
>> all I have to do is connect the wires!!!
>>
>> By the way, I haven't flipped a burger in 45 years!!!  (except in my own
>> backyard :-)
>>
>> ALL the Very Best,
>> Steve
>>
>>
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