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Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag
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Subject: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 09 Oct 02 - 02:57 PM Got good cases for the instruments, got a good mic stand, got all that stuff... but what I'm keen to get is the PERFECT gear bag... Click To See My Gear 1. Mic 2. String winder/cutter (Optional) 3. 2 Pub Props 4. My 4.25 X 5.5" Binder 5. Band-aids I've never had to use 6. 3 extra Velcro chord wraps 7. Blue Sharpie 8. Boss TU-2 Tuner 9. Adaptor for above 10. 3 extra batteries 11. Tin for wee guitar extras (Extra string pegs, and the like) 12. Emergency nail kit (used once) 13. 2 packs extra strings 14. Clamp-To-The-Mic-Stand music stand (I LOVE this thing!) 15. Bottle of instant calous 16. Chords (1 long, 3 prong extension, 2 1/4" 'guitar' chords, 1 mic chord) So as you can see, it's a pretty small set-up... what I'm looking for is something with a lot of small pockets and compartments... that can be worn as either a back-pack or an "Over-The-Shoulder Bag".. It'll keep me from jamming it all into the bodhran I hardly ever use anymore.. ;-) So, what have you got to suggest Catters? I've debated getting a 'fishing' vest... and wearing my Gear Bag... Heh |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Sorcha Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:07 PM I don't have quite as much as you, but I have found that a diaper bag works very well for me. Lots of little pockets, plastic/waterproof lining, shoulder strap, large center pocket and yes, they come in "grown-up" colors. Mine is dark green. Item #4 might not fit,though. A slightly larger soft carry on might work--Bubba has one of those of heavy cordura nylon that is about 3' long. |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: CapriUni Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:15 PM I've never performed at a gig, so I don't have all the gear you do, but I do use a wheelchair, so when I go places I have to have my hands free for pushing, etc. And I must say, nothing beats pockets for ease and accessibilty. So don't laugh at the fishing vest idea... it might be the way to go. It would certainly give you an authentic "folkie" look ;-) One of my high school classmates was a semi professional puppeteer (doing kids' birthday parties and the like). He made a folding puppet stage, and wore a fishing vest as he stood behind it, so all the theatrical "props" he'd need for changing scenes would be close at hand -- literally -- and he could reach for a prop right when he needed it with one hand while his other was inside a puppet, without breaking the rhythm of his performance... I must be feeling lonely... at first glance, I thought the title of this thread was: "Quest for the perfect Bear Hug"! |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:15 PM #4 is deceptivly small... ;-) |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: EBarnacle1 Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:47 PM You might try either a regular hardware store or a marine hardware store. They carry a variety of pocketed bags and buckets in a whole mess of different styles and materials. Electrician's bags and rigger's bags are especially versatile. |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Bardford Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:48 PM Clinton - are you near a Mountain Equipment Co-op? Maybe check out a bike courier bag. There's some on MCE'S website: shoulder bags |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Bardford Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:50 PM Jeezly link maker didn't work. Or maybe the jeezly link maker user didn't do it propoerly.Let's try again: shoulder bags |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Bardford Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:56 PM Egads! It seems to drop some of the coding when I paste the link into the message. I'm sure you can figure it out. This is the first time, I think, that the word 'egads' has appeared in a message of mine.... |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Bee-dubya-ell Date: 09 Oct 02 - 03:59 PM MEC shoulder bags Try it now. |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 09 Oct 02 - 04:15 PM Ta fer the link folks... something to keep an eye on... but I'll admit, I'm loath to buy anything online... might have to go through the hassle of returns... But it does give me a good brand name to look for... anyone else? |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Sorcha Date: 09 Oct 02 - 04:21 PM My diaper bag is 8"wide x 12"long x 10" deep. It has a big center pocket, a zip pocket on one end, outside mesh pockets on both ends, a velcro fold down pocket on one side and an interior non fastenable pocket. I can live for a week out of if necessary. |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 09 Oct 02 - 04:30 PM Not bad at all Sorch... I don't suppose ya got a pic of it eh? |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: wilco Date: 09 Oct 02 - 04:30 PM CAMPMOR (WWW.CAMPMOR.COM) has all kinds of day packs, back pacs, fanny pacs, and duffles. many of these are designed for "rough service," and are waterproof. I've been a customer for years, and I have never been dissatisfied. |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Sorcha Date: 09 Oct 02 - 04:32 PM I could take a couple, but it's real film, not digie cam. Would take a day or two to process, but it's a Fisher-Price and I got it at either WalMart or KMart. WalMart probably as I am seldom in KMart. Hunter green and doesn't look "baby-ish" at all. I love it. |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 09 Oct 02 - 04:38 PM Ya know what I wish... First rule of Shopping at Price Club/Costco... If ya see it and ya want it BUY IT RIGHT THE HELL THEN!!!! Last year, when this quest was in its infancy (I was still lugging around one fo those crappy fold-up chrome music stands and a full size binder, but I KNEW I wanted to go smaller) I saw at Costco, a 2 pack of Metal Briefcases... one big, one small... foam cubes so you could customize the interior... Both came with a shoulder strap... but both also had 4 D rings so if ya took both the shoulder straps you could wear ONE as a back-pack... I WISH I WISH I WISH I'da bought the stupid things then... I woulda had the big'un for gear, and the small one for carrying my MD recorder and digital camera and such... BUT NOOOOOOO!!! I made the mistake of listening to that stupid little voice inside that said, "Don't sweat it... they'll be here for ever." Stupid brain! *Hey, it's not MY fault.. if you didn't keep me marinating in Guinness and whiskey, I wouldn't be so addled.* "Shut up Brain!!! Nobody asked you!?!?!" sorry.... any way... if anyone sees such a thing, lemme know o.k... ;-) |
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Subject: RE: Tech: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 09 Oct 02 - 04:40 PM I'll check my local Walmat Sorch... ta fer the lead... Fisher Price eh? cool.. Now if I can only find Oshkosh Bigosh overalls in MY size, I'll be the happiest kid on the playground! ;-) |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Snuffy Date: 09 Oct 02 - 07:19 PM I misread the thread title - I thought you were looking for ursine jokes (perfect bear gag!) Sorry |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 09 Oct 02 - 09:01 PM *sigh* *pokes snuffy in the eye for being a goof* ;-) |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Mr Happy Date: 09 Oct 02 - 09:20 PM lots of sesshes i attend don't have a bar as such or when they do, they're selling pisswater beer etc at inappropriate prices. my gig bags have pockets to hold necessary musical gear, but can also accommodate 'the mobile bar'! both the guitar bag pocket & the melodeon case can each hold a bottle of 'scottish wine'&/or a bottle of martini+ 2/3 tins of beer. all very handy for lubricating the vocal chords & fingers-esp. when the bar's shut or there's an apres folk club party. |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 10 Oct 02 - 12:11 AM I'm not that worried about drinking when I'm gigging Mr.H... |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Bullfrog Jones Date: 10 Oct 02 - 04:31 AM I was puzzled as to why you need to carry chords about with you. I find that I just have to arrange my fingers on the guitar neck in certain combinations and they magically appear! I presume the velcro chord wraps are to guard against the danger of a lost chord, which could severely limit your technique. I'm also curious about your 'prong extension'. Is this some sort of prosthetic device? BJ |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Mooh Date: 10 Oct 02 - 06:51 AM Clinton, I really like the heavy duty tool bags available from Lee Valley tools. Large, optional shoulder strap, lots of dividers or pockets and such, and indestructable. I tend to carry a bit more than you have on your list even though I likely gig much less, so I generally have a case for things like a small sub-mixer, mics and other valuable breakables, and a bag for cords, folding stands, duct tape, binders and the like. If there's no Lee Valley in Windsor, there's one in London. Mail order, on-line, personal visit, whatever. Great place. There's even a cool chisel pouch which works well as a tinwhistle bag! Peace, Mooh. |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: GUEST,Foe Date: 10 Oct 02 - 07:43 AM Check out Duluth Trading Co. at www.duluthtrading.com. They have a variety of tool bags - lots of pockets - reenforced bottoms and gate mouths (they open wide) I have a gate mouth that I use as a carry-on bag and it has a shoulder strap. |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 10 Oct 02 - 12:34 PM Those both sound good as well Mooh and Foe... ta... Most of the tool bags that I've seen ahve been too big for what I'm planning, but I will keep looking for something in the midrange size... I'm hoping to do some shopping after this weekends brace of gigs is over... ;-) |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: GUEST,Les B. Date: 10 Oct 02 - 12:48 PM Although this won't help for carrying (no straps), I've been enjoying the usefullness of very large zip loc bags - like what you carry sandwiches in, but much larger. I found them at Walmart in about an 18 inch by 18 inch size, and quite tough. The nice thing about these is you can see what all you've stuffed in there !! |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 10 Oct 02 - 01:00 PM Interesting idea LesB, but I don't know that I'd have call for 'em... |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Blues=Life Date: 10 Oct 02 - 10:45 PM Clinton, I use a "Wide Mouth" canvas bag from Lands End. Unfortunately, they don't make them anymore. It's basically a wide mouthed, old-fashioned satchel, but it's been one of the best bags I've ever had, and has stood up to amazing abuse. It's big advantage is that the mouth opens wide and stays open, making it very easy to find anything quickly. Mine holds a guitar stand (or 2), music stand, music, Harmonica case (the Fender one that looks like a small briefcase) tuners, misc other crap, and best of all, zips shut and slings over my shoulder, leaving my hands free for guitar cases. Blues |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: GUEST,Bardford Date: 10 Oct 02 - 11:29 PM Here's a link to a Lee Valley Tool bag that Mooh talked about. |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: EBarnacle1 Date: 11 Oct 02 - 10:27 AM LLBean sells a canvas bag similar to the wide mouth that Blues=Life mentioned. |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Mooh Date: 11 Oct 02 - 12:03 PM Yup, Bardford, those are the ones. Thanks. I've got so much useful stuff from Lee Valley I don't know what I'd do without the place. It's the one place which seems to insist on sales staff who know the ins and outs of every product, and how to relate to customer needs. Always good for carpentry stuff, but when the Mrs discovered they also had gardening products Lee Valley became a mecca. Peace, Mooh. |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Willie-O Date: 11 Oct 02 - 01:05 PM I have one of those chisel rollups from Lee Valley. Unfortunately it's full of chisels. I also have a multipocket forestry vest fromCanadian Forestry Equipment at www.esupplyshop.com As you can see it is convenient for carrying rock samples among other things, but would be rather bulky on stage. I actually got it because I was sick and tired of my carpenter's tool belt (used on carpentry jobs, not at gigs) banging around my thighs. I highly recommend that strategy. It has 17 pockets, holds far more stuff much more comfortably than the belt did. Only real problem is losing track of which pocket I put my tape measure in, which leads me to do a strange-looking performance as i search for the tape. For a gig bag, though, i have a lovely cloth tartan backpack, somewhat wider than your average daypack, which my nearest and dearest made for me. It includes a long narrow (14" x 4 " pouch sewn into the inside, which was originally designed for pennywhistles but is now used for whistles and everything else I don't want to lose in the bottom of the main section. Willie-O |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Grab Date: 11 Oct 02 - 01:46 PM What I use could be mistranslated on both sides of the pond - "fanny pack" in the US, "bum-bag" in the UK. I never got to find out what they call it round your way, Clinton... It means you can carry guitar, amp, rucksack (or another shoulder-slung guitar) and still have your miscellaneous gear clipped round your waist. My guitar one only needs to be large enough for a lead, pub-prop, capo and A4 prompt sheet, so I just use a little one. But I also have a larger one I bought at a bike shop, which I regularly use in place of a rucksack for summer walks in the hills or for trips into town. It's big enough to stow a waterproof top and a sweatshirt, plus two bottle pockets on the sides and a front wallet pocket too. All your stuff would easily fit in that. Graham. PS. How come you don't play bodhran any more? When I heard you, you were pretty damn good on that! |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 11 Oct 02 - 02:03 PM Neat pics... But the Wide Mouth might again, be too much bag... I'll keep an eye out for one though and give it a closer look.. I see to recall seeing such a beast at Home Despot some time ago... The vest pictured above is the kind of deal I was meaning when I mentioned "Fishing Vest"... and well, Willie... I wouldn't actually wear the bugger ON STAGE! LOL!! I'd wear it TO gigs, and take it off before the 'show'... Fanny packs are what we call 'em too G... But I think I've got too much gear for one... I do use one for carrying my MD recorder around though... The BIG one you mentioned might work... I never thought of hitting a bkie shop... good idea that... And well, as far as the bodhran goes, well, the show lately has turned into sorta "All Guitar All The Time", partially because of new material I've added, and partially because I got TERMINALLY bored with the acapella stuff that I was doing with the hran... (I'm SOOOO sick of Barrettes Privateers, Excursion Around The Bay, The Drunken Scott, and even The Last Shanty it's not even funny...) |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: GUEST,tori bw who should be working Date: 16 Oct 02 - 12:45 PM Clinton, the only bags I can suggest are messenger bags from Timbuk2 designs. Go on line and design your own. They're great! Where in the world did you get that music stand that clamps onto the mic stand? I'd love to buy my husband one for his birthday. Thanks! Tori |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 16 Oct 02 - 01:05 PM Tori... that's a bit of a jury rig, but in a couple of weeks when my web site update is done, I'll include a step-by-step for assembling it... I think it might cost 20 bucks in materials... Money VERY well spent! Stay tuned eh! |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: EBarnacle1 Date: 16 Oct 02 - 01:13 PM If you are still searching, I had to drop by Sears this weekend and saw a pretty good collection of bags you might try there. |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: GUEST,toribw who should be working Date: 16 Oct 02 - 01:25 PM That's great, Clinton, I'll be watching for an announcement of some sort here. I am not all that handy, so I'm hoping this is easy. *G* Gotta have it by December 20. Thanks again! tori |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 16 Oct 02 - 01:38 PM It's very easy actually... it's just 2 commercially available things assembled differently than they're originally intended... I did have to do some little grinding with my dremel tool, but that was simple... Oh and I guess I siliconed in some washers at one point, but I'm getting WAY ahead of myself... trust me, it's VERY easy to do... I'll start a new thread here when I get the step-by-step set up... |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Wesley S Date: 16 Oct 02 - 01:47 PM There are two old farts in my group that have bad backs. What they've started doing is using a piece of luggage - a backpack on wheels. Sometimes they roll it - sometimes they carry it. I'm going to look for one too since someday I'll fall into the old fart catigory myself. |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: 53 Date: 16 Oct 02 - 01:49 PM a small briefcase might do the trick. |
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Subject: RE: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag From: Clinton Hammond Date: 16 Oct 02 - 07:29 PM Both the wheeling luggage, and the briefcase aren't any good to me... I need to have both hands free to carry my two guitars... But as I mentioned above, if I can find the metal briefcase that had connections for back pack straps, I'll try that... |
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Subject: Quest for the Perfect Gear Bag -update- From: Clinton Hammond Date: 31 Jul 04 - 04:30 PM Wow... has it really been so long... Heh... I ended up finding a "Roots" backpack on sale somewhere that has been serving it's purpose well enough... has a big 'middle' access zipper that allows the whole thing to open all the way to lay flat... some webbing pockets and zips and all that jazzy back-pack stuff the kids have for school these days... a cell phone pocket on the side that works well to carry a small water bottle... But it's not 'perfect'... so the quest has continued... Mudcatter DDW threw an old fishing vest that he used to use as a camera bag, and I tried that, to less than acceptable results... It had almost too many pockets, but most were too small to be very useful... But an epiphany! Who says TV isn't good for ya... I was sat in front of a rerun of Stargate SG-1 a couple of nights ago, and watching Jack, Carter, Daniel and Teal'c do their thing when for maybe the first time in years, my eyes actually FOCUSED! There, gracing Amanda Tappings lovely form was the PERFECT item! I felt like I'd stood up to fast and hit my head! COMBAT WEBBING!!! Frigg'n D'UH!!!! Combat webbing is a 'frame' of straps that go over ones shoulders and often attach around ones waste... to these straps a myriad of 'pockets' can be attached, moved, customized... So now that angle of the quest beings... hopefully in black nylon! |
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