Gear bags?

[hamerhead]

No one gigs with just a guitar and amp. You need stands and cables and picks and Finger ease and extension cords etc etc etc. And your pedalboard.

I'm thinking about gutting out an old rectangle guitar case, but it may not be deep enough for the Pedaltrain.

What do you guys use for carrying all the piddly stuff?

[RobB]

Monocase dual bag for non-pointies. Monocase for pedaltrainJr/wah/cables. Don’t use stands anymore; lean guitars against amps or on top and hope they don’t tumble (they usually stay put ). Traveling light is key.

[rugby1970]

Depending on the occasion (gig, jam, rehearsal) I have several options. A plastic milk crate is great; everything fits in it and if you're bringing a combo amp and using a hand truck, this sits on the bottom and protects the amp from damage. I also have a soft gig bag from Musician's Friend for the grab and go; it holds all I need, it's light, and the strap goes over my shoulder leaving hands free to carry the guitar and amp.

[Thundersteel]

I use an ordinary gym bag when I gig--which is never--but I have it just in case!

[Camstone]

My pedalboard has it's own case, as do the stands.

I got one of these last year from home depot and it holds most everything else. It's called a Stanley 3 in 1 workshop and was about $50. When you lock it all together it turns into it's own hand truck. The yellow "layer" in the middle holds all the little stuff.

[Steve Haynie]

Early on a bunch of gym bags and duffle bags worked. After getting into PA system set ups cases became the way to do everything. They stack up, keep out water, and some have rollers. Whether it is bags or cases, having a separate one for each type of stuff is important. With PA, mic cables get a case, speaker cables get a case, light cables, etc.

If you go with that set up Camstone suggests, each compartment will work find for a gig. Get a separate case for the pedal board. A friend has one of those Stanley 3 in 1 workshops for sale. Because of the size the shipping cost makes it impractical to sell it to you. However, if you need me to see what fits and what does not just let me know.

[killerteddybear]

In the old days it was a hard side suitcase from a thrift store. They're pretty rare now.

At one point I used a mandolin case for cables and pedals (I don't need a full board). Makes people look when you show up with an upright bass and a mandolin case.

These days any number of hard or soft cases do the trick.

[rugby1970]

My pedalboard has it's own case, as do the stands.

I got one of these last year from home depot and it holds most everything else. It's called a Stanley 3 in 1 workshop and was about $50. When you lock it all together it turns into it's own hand truck. The yellow "layer" in the middle holds all the little stuff.

THAT IS A TREMENDOUS IDEA!!

[rugby1970]

Depending on the occasion (gig, jam, rehearsal) I have several options. A plastic milk crate is great; everything fits in it and if you're bringing a combo amp and using a hand truck, this sits on the bottom and protects the amp from damage. I also have a soft gig bag from Musician's Friend for the grab and go; it holds all I need, it's light, and the strap goes over my shoulder leaving hands free to carry the guitar and amp.

Edit: I just went to a amp testing thingy and needed a cable. looked at my soft bag. Not Musician's Friend - Rok Sak.

[Jeff R]

The most unusual but practical gear bag I've ever used was for my part in a two-man acoustic gig 20 years ago. Load-in/out was one trip: I carried my cased guitar in one hand, an acoustic amp that you could also sing through in the other hand, and over my shoulder was a baseball equipment bag. The bat compartment was great for a couple of folded mike stands as long as I unscrewed the disc bases off the rest of the assemblies.

The bag I still have from my real-band gigging days is a large Promaster camera bag. It's a leftover from my pre-pedalboard days and the padded lens pockets were great for storing stomps and keeping them from banging into each other. All the inserts are velco'ed so the bag can be configured for what you're carrying, and there are pockets galore inside and around the thing. Robust shoulder strap and I'd call it water-resistant considering that bag took a lot of rainy load in/outs over the years and I never lost anything.

[bubs_42]

My pedalboard has it's own case, as do the stands.

I got one of these last year from home depot and it holds most everything else. It's called a Stanley 3 in 1 workshop and was about $50. When you lock it all together it turns into it's own hand truck. The yellow "layer" in the middle holds all the little stuff.

Nail on the head, Menards also carries the tool cases that look almost exactly like pedal train cases but on one side have tool holder pockets and sleeves.

http://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardware/tool-storage/tool-chests-boxes/tool-shop-reg-18-x-13-x-6-aluminum-tool-box/p-1497968-c-9188.htm?tid=-138980049702831730

[Armitage]

That Stanley looks like a great idea.

[Montelovesco]

Like the Stanley, too. Although, here we call those things "pensioners Porsche"...

[Biz Prof]

Bought a 22" plastic tool box from Lowe's in '90. Still have it and still use it. Cables, surge strip, strings, and a few spare tubes in the bottom; picks, wrenches, batteries, screwdrivers, fuses, oil, cloths, etc in the top tray. A $12 solution that more than paid for itself.

ETA: Always, ALWAYS carry a small flashlight or penlight; two of them if you can remember to pack them. A small soldering iron is nice to have in a pinch, too.

[it's me HHB]

These days I do just plug straight in or use a single OD pedal. I travel uber light. No backups or sharkfins lol. I still have several swiss army brand bags I bought at marshalls that are perfect for chords and pedals. Ive got a gator brand pedal board and case that just sits. If I have a gig that requires FX I use the pod hd400 in fx only mode. Good enough and its got access to anything the gig may need

[it's me HHB]

Oh yeah, Ive been using the tech21 flyrig5 straight into board on my jazz duo gigs. THat thing is awesome andthe size of a ruler lol

[randelli]

I use the required crown bags for cords, picks, etc.. I dont use effects so the bags just go into the bottom of my combo amp.

[kenjones]

My board is a Pedaltrain Nano (or maybe it is a Mini?). I use a Volto for the power supply, and I can fit two long cables, an extension cord, some tools, and a tiny Fender guitar stand in there. I love these stands because they are small enough to even fit in some guitar cases.

[Jeff R]

Love those stands, I have five or six of them for the same reason Ken cites.

[hamerhead]

I have the Hercules version of that stand and used them right up until dumbass the drummer tried squeezing in between them and his giant kit. Nearly lost 3 good guitars that night. I use the one with the thingy that opens and closes at the headstock now. Bigger and heavier, but less worry.

[django49]

^^^^

I think that drummer has been cloned. Way too many times.

[tomteriffic]

Depends on the gig, but for just myself, a middlin' sized gym bag will hold a mic in it's own case, cables, short pedalboard, a couple of those folding stands with room in the end pockets for small miscellaneous crap and the SwirlyGig. I could throw some essential tools in there but they'd probably get lost rattling around in the bottom. So I have one of those aluminum briefcase/tool case with capos, a little merch, another SwirlyGig, and every tool I could conceivably need for quick gig repairs (short of a soldering station). It's just easier to grab that and go. Stands go in the nylon bag that those folding steel and nylon lawn/camping chairs come in.

[Teh]

I have an old Taylor branded gear bag (just like this one ) with a main compartment and lots of little pockets that holds all the small stuff -- Mics, capos, picks, pocket knife, pens, biz cards, spare batteries, cables & extension cord, iPad, etc... I have two pedalboards set up depending on the gig -- A Pedaltrain mini for solo acoustic gigs (Harmonizer pedal, looper, and Airturn control pedal for iPad), and a bigger Pedaltrain-3 for the electric rig. Both have their own bags with a pocket in the front for power strip/extension cord/whatever else.

Best gigging investment was made about 10-12 years ago when I picked up a "Rockn-Roller" expandable cart. Folds up nice and small for transport, then expands to haul gear. I can get a full Bose L1 system with two bass cabs, a couple guitars, mic and guitar stands, gear bags and whatever else stacked on it for single trip load in/load out. Highly recommended.