Who does this, really?

I've done about 350 gigs since going caseless. That's a lot of packing and unpacking. That's about 58 hours of work figuring 10 minutes a gig to unpack, store cases, retrieve cases and repack. 58 hours. To me it's worth it.
 
Perhaps money isn't the measure of everything. A kit may be cheap, but resources were sacrificed to build it. I think we have a responsibility to look after our belongings, no matter their monetary value. The fact that one may have enough money to buy a Rembrandt doesn't mean one is entitled to throw it in the fireplace.

My 2 cents.

Dutch
 
I bought a cymbal case...

I use movers blankets and wrap up the shells and hardware and shove it all in the car. You can get those blankets Harbor Freight or some place similar. Well worth the 8 or 10 bucks per.
 
If Bo's truck bed is carpet and/or rubber mat lined.....then the trip in the truck is not a mean mistreater.....the drums probably don't slide or bang into anything. Personally, I don't do it....but to each his own.

It literally takes about 10s to pull a drum out of a bag or put it back in. A very small price to pay to have some form of protection. Plus the shoulder straps and handles make it a ton easier to manage multiple pieces of gear into and out of reh and gig.
 
I've done about 350 gigs since going caseless. That's a lot of packing and unpacking. That's about 58 hours of work figuring 10 minutes a gig to unpack, store cases, retrieve cases and repack. 58 hours. To me it's worth it.

Larry, I see your argument, but I really don't think you have a case here.
 
I've never owned a bag or a case. Of course I've never owned a drum set nice enough to warrant buying such gear.
 
I have a number of basses and cases for the basses, but the cases I like the best are the ones that are lightest and with least padding. The basses tend to live in their cases anyway so I throw the case in the back of the jam jar and off I go. My most expensive bass has the most scratches, dings and stripped paint etc a 1964 Precision.

As for drums, because they go from a rehearsal cage to car (could be a mates car) to gig and maybe a trolley, up and down stairs etc etc, it's not just the car journey for me. The damage will be caused at the ends of the journey or during the gig.

I have a mate with Catalina Clubs and they are sooooo light that he throws a massive blanket in his car and carefully arranges his drums so they don't touch each other. This seems like a good compromise to me.

Cheers
Davo

PS: jam jar = car
 
My kit main giging kit (MCAN Cherry Red) would be totally wrecked if it wasn't for hardcases. Yes, these add a bit of weight and set up tear down time to a gig but if like me you keep your gear (owned 4 kits in 30 years of regular playing),
then you know it makes sense.
 
My personal possessions...it's the one and only thing in my life that are below me lol. And yes I pull rank lol. Everything and everybody else in my life....I have to treat with kid gloves 24/7/365. Possessions have no feelings and it's the one and only thing in my life where I can say, hey it's easier for me this way. I just hate being run by possessions, not for me. Possessions get treated better than people most of the time, which is backwards to me, so unless it's causing real harm, which it hasn't in hundreds of gigs, whatever way is easiest for me to set up trumps all, especially if I worked that day.

Totally respect others decision tho. I did it for years. Bags and hard cases. Hard cases....what am I flying my kit around the world? No. I'm handling it, always. I have no time for overkill. Bags are easy. But they really only offer cosmetic protection, not shell crush protection. With a wrap, tough to scuff. You have to really mishandle them. Cymbals are different. They are irreplaceable. I'd die if I broke mine. They need a case. But drums? Just get more. There's 9 billion used drumsets out there.

And I'm not justifying myself at all lol.
 
Larry - I agree w/you about 'possessions'... things, shoes, lawnmowers, TV's, computers you name it - even cars most of the time.

I guess to my mind, drums are 'Instruments' not mere possessions... I don't just go out and pick up a new drum kit when one breaks down like I'm buying a new refrigerator. Especially gigging instruments -- I've been known to treat my practice kits in more of a 'beater' fashion... but even they'll get bagged up if I'm moving them anywhere.

I have a Sonor Safari that I keep in my car almost constantly for a few tiny local venues --- I probably have more $ tied up in cases for that beast than the actual shells... doesn't make sense now that I think it through, but what the hell - I shouldn't ever have to buy another one (unless I want to)!

Different strokes my friend! Just don't mind me if I see you at a gig, loading out and I shed a single tear (like the litter-hating Indian commercial) for those poor mistreated drums!!
 
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