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OT: Your gig rig


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Inspired by Docbops Maverick thread

 

I had a 1971 VW van, orange with no windows - called it the Prowler Pumpkin. Sadly I have no pics, but looked something like this. This van was amazingly dependable, drove it ALL over the place and pushed all the other vans when they broke down!

26f3dda5d21e21db40fc877d5c4e463f.jpg

Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands

Tommy Rude Soundcloud

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Back in the day, my keyboards went into a 1973 Ford Torino Station Wagon.Built like a tank.

Using:

Yamaha: Montage M8x| Spectrasonics: Omnisphere, Keyscape | uhe: Diva, Hive2, Zebra2| Roland: Cloud Pro | Arturia: V Collection

NI: Komplete 14 | VPS: Avenger | Cherry: GX80 | G-Force: OB-E | Korg: Triton, MS-20

 

Sold/Traded:

Yamaha: Motif XS8, Motif ES8, Motif8, KX-88, TX7 | ASM: Hydrasynth Deluxe| Roland: RD-2000, D50, MKS-20| Korg: Kronos 88, T3, MS-20

Oberheim: OB8, OBXa, Modular 8 Voice | Rhodes: Dyno-My-Piano| Crumar: T2

 

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My first car, in 1968, was a '66 VW bus. Being young and indestructible (!) I was able to load in & out my B3 & two 122's myself...thanks to Roll-or-Kari dollies.

Later on a couple Pinto wagons proved their worth many times as gear haulers.

Now, 53 years later, my gig rig is a 2014 Scion xB. Wonderful car, drives like a Mini & hauls gear like a champ....traded in a Cadillac for it!

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My gig rig is small enough these days where literally any car--maybe not a Smart car--could haul my stuff.

 

My experiences with several VW vans over the years would have me wondering if I'd make it to the gig....

 

I will admit, despite my dislike of seeing these giant tall trucks (which seem to me to be pretty unsafe for everyone else), that the electric F-150 someone mentioned above seems pretty cool. I have no need for it, but it has a frunk!

 

My wife wants a Cybertruck (??!!!?!) which I couldn't understand at all...her reasoning? It has a built-in ramp...facepalm. Someone here last time suggested a trailer, she said no way. I told her to get a Ford Transit and forget the 1980s running man vehicle.

 

We have home solar and battery now so that's one reason I don't see any fossil fuel cars in our future. Ideally we'd pay nothing to recharge, have to see how that actually plays out. Even without that I fully intend to move on from gas, it's time. Honestly, working from home as I now do I'd probably come out ahead taking ubers anywhere I need to go.

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I've still got my VW T5 - I've had a T2, T3 skipped the T4 and now the T5.

 

FWIW, there is a firm in Queensland (Oz) that converts T2's (at the moment, but they are expanding to all models) to fully electric! Electric motor in the rear and under floor (well in a "hidden" floor, I've been told) the battery packs. Estimated range is around 450-500 kilometers

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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I had a yellow '68 VW bus I was using in the early 80s. It was so under-powered it would barely get over the mountains in southern California. I put a dual-carb 1600 engine in it which was illegal in California but I kept it registered in Oregon. After that it flew over the mountains. At that time the gigs were five nights a week usually for two weeks. I would only drive the VW to haul gear for the first and last nights and commute in my '72 Monte Carlo. The VW is currently rusting away in Yerington, NV.
C3/122, M102A, Vox V301H, Farfisa Compact, Gibson G101, GEM P, RMI 300A, Piano Bass, Pianet , Prophet 5 rev. 2, Pro-One, Matrix 12, OB8, Korg MS20, Jupiter 6, Juno 60, PX-5S, Nord Stage 3 Compact
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My vehicle of choice is never particularly interesting. (I joke that, unlike my colleagues who boast about hp, 0-60 and top speed, I have nothing I need to compensate for). But I regularly turn up to the dealership with my gear and check it fits in the trunk/boot.

 

Cheers, Mike.

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Inspired by Docbops Maverick thread

 

I had a 1971 VW van, orange with no windows - called it the Prowler Pumpkin. Sadly I have no pics, but looked something like this. This van was amazingly dependable, drove it ALL over the place and pushed all the other vans when they broke down!

26f3dda5d21e21db40fc877d5c4e463f.jpg

 

I'm in love....

 

Out of all the vehicles I've owned since a kid the only one I would truly love to have again was my old 1966 VW bus camper. I got it used and removed most the camper stuff to make more space to haul gear. I just left the back seat that pulled out into a bed. So many great times in that van with friends. It was slow but didn't matter had my tape deck and lots of music. I put it through hell the overloading it, but it kept creepin' along. The think about old VW's is they really had personality it really was part of me. After I had to finally let her go is when I got my compact pickup.

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I haul my usual rig (two or three 76- or 73-key keyboards in their road cases, stands, two gig bags, a fan, and a 12-space IEM rack) in a Honda CR-V. I can squeeze one more person and some luggage, but it"s a little snug on long trips. When I need to haul more gear or people, I take my old 4WD Ford Supercrew.

Live: Yamaha S70XS (#1); Roland Jupiter-80; Mackie 1202VLZ4: IEMs or Traynor K4

Home: Hammond SK Pro 73; Moog Minimoog Voyager Electric Blue; Yamaha S70XS (#2); Wurlitzer 200A

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My favorite gear and carrying stuff cars were two Audi 100's which I consider defeated with honor pretty much only by the etron2.

 

I haven't transported gear for performances or demo's for years, and currently I drive a Mitsubishi Space Star (Mirage '18) for it needed to be every day reliable with zero hassle and cost little. Of course it can transport moderate loads by putting down the rear seats. Interestingly it can do over 50 MPG...

 

T

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I had a short-wheel-base Chevy Van that was fully carpeted inside. Excellent vehicle for transporting my CP-70, Prophet 5, CX-3 (original) and sound reinforcement, as well as hosting an assortment of other activities.

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw

 

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After my VW van I felt I needed to step up to something with a bit more power. Got this - another rugged monster, by the time I was done with this beast it has dent and dings and contusions all over. This thing could haul pretty much any key rig - it was huge!

http://americanclassicscars.com/uploads/pictures/1979-ford-econoline-custom-150-van-handicap-lift-controls-power-door-v-8-eng-6.jpg

Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands

Tommy Rude Soundcloud

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A smart alec guitar player friend used to say "A musician is someone who puts Ten-thousdand dollars worth of gear in a two-thousand dollar car". :).

 

My favorite gig car has been the Honda Element which has been great to haul full PA, or any of my keyboard rigs, and can easily fit a Lesie-....or washer or dryer. Not a comfort car, but perfect gig vehicle.

Chris Corso

www.chriscorso.org

Lots of stuff.

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A smart alec guitar player friend used to say "A musician is someone who puts Ten-thousdand dollars worth of gear in a two-thousand dollar car". :).

 

My favorite gig car has been the Honda Element which has been great to haul full PA, or any of my keyboard rigs, and can easily fit a Lesie-....or washer or dryer. Not a comfort car, but perfect gig vehicle.

 

 

You left out the last bit in this classic nugget.....

 

A musician is someone who puts $5000 worth of gear in a $500 car to drive 100 miles to a $50 gig.

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I had a short-wheel-base Chevy Van that was fully carpeted inside. Excellent vehicle for transporting my CP-70, Prophet 5, CX-3 (original) and sound reinforcement, as well as hosting an assortment of other activities.

 

OMG, you were "that guy." Or, one of those guys. A member of a vast brotherhood.

 

 

I started with a 66 bug, later had a VW Van. Probably just nostalgia, but miss them both immensely. What says itinerant musician more than getting high off gasoline vapors in the passenger compartment.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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This car was sold in Brazil until 2013, when several safety items became mandatory and they didn't want to bother retrofitting the old production line. It was a workhorse for small deliveries/ small contractors, but there are much better alternatives down here. Rode like crap, but was cheap and never broke down.

 

Apparently we were the last country still producing it, and the last production unit was sent to a museum in Germany.

 

http://s2.glbimg.com/YKUuop9EftLYoAdWx5qZKkIPGXM=/620x465/s.glbimg.com/jo/g1/f/original/2014/01/29/orle0085n_1.jpg

 

Link to article in Portuguese.

http://g1.globo.com/carros/noticia/2014/01/ultima-kombi-produzida-no-brasil-e-levada-para-museu-na-alemanha.html

Korg Kronos X73 / ARP Odyssey / Motif ES Rack / Roland D-05 / JP-08 / SE-05 / Jupiter Xm / Novation Mininova / NL2X / Waldorf Pulse II

MBP-LOGIC

American Deluxe P-Bass, Yamaha RBX760

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I had one of these once. Horrific to drive as the front seats were directly over the wheels (many motion-sickness passengers can attest), plus it was a gutless 4cyl engine under-powering 4wd. Couldn't quite make it up the foothills at speed on the Banff highway with a carload of kids and skis. But, it hauled my equipment around town and nobody ever tried to steal it!

 

Traded in for a GMC Jimmy that did the trick until the infamous AC Delco planned obsolescence wore me down, part by part. Ah, those were the days.

 

Van.png

____________________________________
Rod

Here for the gear.

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One of my gig rig's back in the 80's was a 70's Ford Ranchero that my brother had painted brown. Unfortunately, he used house paint, and it rained before it fully dried. Rock and Roll!

 

 

I remember back when these were referred to as Cowboy Cadillacs. The Ford Ranchero and Chevy's El Camino's were really cool trucks.

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The 1970s and '80s went something like this:

 

Ford Econoline*

Run the wheels off it

Dodge Tradesman**

Run the wheels off it

Repeat

 

* At least three

** At least two

 

I honestly can't remember

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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I had a short-wheel-base Chevy Van that was fully carpeted inside. Excellent vehicle for transporting my CP-70, Prophet 5, CX-3 (original) and sound reinforcement, as well as hosting an assortment of other activities.

 

OMG, you were "that guy." Or, one of those guys. A member of a vast brotherhood...

 

LOL. This is pretty much what it looked like, including color, louvers, wheel cover. If those (grey-carpeted) walls could talk...

 

27811419-1980-chevrolet-g10-van-thumb.jpg

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw

 

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Screenshot-2015-07-23-17.02eeq.jpg

 

Got most of the band"s gear into this back in the day. Amp slid back with acceleration and shattered the rear window. That"s Rock"n"Roll!

Awesome! I think those wagons had 500 hp engines. And extra points for pretty much being the National Lampoon Vacation car.

Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands

Tommy Rude Soundcloud

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