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Topic: improving portability |
Al Carey
From:
Dublin, NH USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2024 6:31 am |
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I'd like to see anyone's clever ideas for reducing the weight/bulk when transporting their steel. I realize most of my reluctance to playing out more is lugging the guitar, amp, etc around.
My guitar is a Sierra S12. According to my bathroom scale measurements the guitar is 46.5lbs and the case is 23.6lbs. I haven't weighed it without the pedal bar and rods, the legs don't detach from the body.
This will be only me carrying it in my own car, so I don't need super protection. I have wood and metal fabrication abilities as well as some sewing skills, and I'm wondering if anyone ever tried some type of over-the-shoulder sling or anything like that.
I'd love to hear people's ideas
ps: that Sierra S10 3x2 in the For Sale section is very tempting, anyone want to buy an S12? 
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Sierra U-12, Gretsch 6120, Fender Tele, old tube amps, etc... |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2024 8:25 am
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Age, Weight, And the time tearing down and setting up a guitar, Will make a person do some thinking on the way a guitar travels. When I gigged a MSA Classic S10. I built a cover for it, And never put it in its case for years.
The cover is made of Marine Grade Naga Hyde, about 1 inch thick padding, And lined with crushed velvet. When I sold the guitar the cover went with the guitar. |
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John Larson
From:
Pennsyltucky, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2024 9:43 am
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Ditch the amp get one of the new modelers (Kemper, Fractal, Line 6 Helix, etc).
I wonder if a Line 6 Helix Stomp would cover all the bases for a PSG rig, just it, steel, volume pedal, and some way to DI.
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Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous; praise is meet for the upright. Give praise to the Lord with the harp, chant unto Him with the ten-stringed psaltery. Sing unto Him a new song, chant well unto Him with jubilation. For the word of the Lord is true, and all His works are in faithfulness. The Lord loveth mercy and judgement; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
- Psalm 33:1-5 |
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Al Carey
From:
Dublin, NH USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2024 10:17 am
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| Bobby D. Jones wrote: |
Age, Weight, And the time tearing down and setting up a guitar, Will make a person do some thinking on the way a guitar travels. When I gigged a MSA Classic S10. I built a cover for it, And never put it in its case for years.
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Very interesting. I'll have to figure out if my Subaru is tall enough. Still wouldn't want to carry it up and down stairs tho(the steel, not the Subaru)
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Sierra U-12, Gretsch 6120, Fender Tele, old tube amps, etc... |
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Al Carey
From:
Dublin, NH USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2024 10:19 am
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| John Larson wrote: |
Ditch the amp get one of the new modelers (Kemper, Fractal, Line 6 Helix, etc).
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I have a Line 6 POD HD500X. I like it, but I've never been able to get used to not having an amp pointed at me.
I use a Roland Cube 80 which is pretty easy to carry. I've (almost) never regretted selling the Twin Reverb...
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Sierra U-12, Gretsch 6120, Fender Tele, old tube amps, etc... |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2024 5:51 pm
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For years I drove a PT Cruiser on gigs. I always made a joke out of it, The Engineer who designed the PT Cruiser, Had night gigs with a S10 steel. I put the guitar in back set my seat and amp under the guitar. When you closed the hatch nothing would move. On present vehicle I have a padded load bar in the back and Bungy Chord the steel solid for travel.
A friend who got me into steel playing, Moves his guitar set up in a vehicle for like 50 years. The only guitar he ever had damaged, A driver rear ended him, Bent his guitars legs. The drivers insurance covered a new set of guitar legs, Plus fixed his car. |
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Barry Coker
From:
Bagley Alabama, USA
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Posted 5 Mar 2024 6:22 pm
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I built this for a friend of mine who also gave up his case to lighten the load. hand truck for his amp and pack a seat and this for moving his steel.
Barry
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Zum-D-10, Webb 614-E, 65 Pro Reverb, Evans RE200, 69 Gibson Birdland, 89 Telecaster EAD Bad!! |
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Steve Lipsey
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Robert Murphy
From:
West Virginia
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Posted 6 Mar 2024 5:16 am
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| I made a heavy cloth cover for my steel with two straps and loaded the body into the case with the cover on so that I can remove the body and just carry the steel and the case separately. |
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Roger Crawford
From:
Griffin, GA USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2024 5:48 am
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| Steve, that’s an interesting cart. On the Amazon link, that show a $90.00 unit that’s rated for 500 pounds and a $40.00 unit that’s rated at 400 pounds. Which one did you get? |
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Roger Crawford
From:
Griffin, GA USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2024 5:49 am
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| Steve, that’s an interesting cart. On the Amazon link, that show a $90.00 unit that’s rated for 500 pounds and a $40.00 unit that’s rated at 400 pounds. Which one did you get? |
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K Maul
From:
Hadley, NY/Hobe Sound, FL
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Posted 6 Mar 2024 5:57 am
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My EXCEL keyless steel weighs under 25 lbs. I put it in a padded rifle case that weighs less than five lbs. Easy to carry anywhere, even onto a plane and right up in the overhead.
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KEVIN MAUL: Airline, Beard, Clinesmith, Donner, Evans, Excel, Fender, Fluger, GFI, Gibson, Hilton, Ibanez, Justice, K+K, Live Strings, MOYO, National, Oahu, Peterson, Quilter, Rickenbacher, Sho~Bud, Supro, TC, Ultimate, VHT, Williams, X-otic, Yamaha, ZKing. |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2024 8:18 am
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I've used this cart for several years - super light and folds up flat. It does require two trips to load-in, but it can go up and down a few stairs (unlike a flat-bed cart). It's been a game changer. It runs $45 at Amazon, Home Depot, Target, Walmart, etc..
https://tinyurl.com/2s3v9x59
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Also, moving the pedal rack and legs out of the case and into a separate bag or case of some sort is the way to go... |
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Ellen Angelico
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2024 1:36 pm
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| John Larson wrote: |
| I wonder if a Line 6 Helix Stomp would cover all the bases for a PSG rig, just it, steel, volume pedal, and some way to DI. |
I occasionally go ampless with the HX Stomp for steel, and it’s great if you know you’re going to have a quality monitor and an attentive engineer. I also enjoy recording with it. But I don’t risk it on most smaller/bar gigs. Nothing worse than not hearing yourself, and having no way to remedy the situation! |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 6 Mar 2024 3:03 pm
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I like THIS....Folds right up, lightweight but sturdy
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 6 Mar 2024 4:15 pm
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| Dave Hopping wrote: |
I like THIS....Folds right up, lightweight but sturdy
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I use its little brother, the R2.
~Lee |
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Steve Lipsey
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 6 Mar 2024 6:50 pm
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Roger...It actually looks like there are a number of sellers for this cart, under different names, and with different specs and prices...but I suspect they all are the same unit...
Mine seems unavailable now, but there is this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094JLS858/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0
I paid around $69 for mine, but this one looks exactly the same...a typical Amazon thing, multiple prices and names for the same product...
Mine has lasted a long while and worked well. the wheels are a bit small for going over a grassy field, but are fine for anywhere else...
and it is nice to not have to support any of the weight at all...and have it fold up into a tiny space.
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https://www.lostsailorspdx.com
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham Resos, 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor |
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