Fridge-sized cabs, basement stairs, and middle aged me.

#41
I'd say find a place to keep your gigging cab that isnt in the basement, or buy another cab that is easier to schlepp. A Fearful F115 or F212 would be easy to carry up and down the stairs, while putting out massive volume at gigs.

You can keep a cab at the drummer's place, or if you have a dedicated practice location, or get creative. You could lift a bed on risers to allow room for a cab to lay under it for example. Or use the cab laying face down with a cover over it as a coffee table. As a TV stand. As a shower caddy. Etc
 
#42
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Ok maybe. Visual will help. Here is my buddies setup. He moves 2 carvin 2x18 subs up and down his stairs this way. All harbor freight. Plus any rack gear, the mains etc.

Works awesome and all you have to be able to do is press a button.
 
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#43
mindwell said:
Here is my challenge, summed up in two pictures.

15493696_682233228555_6107245025566678423_o_zpsqjbvazko.jpg


IMG_20161221_161106_zpsxwdmdtef.jpg


After humping these up and down the stairs for a while now with the help of a cheap moving dolly and, occasionally, my wife, a new approach is needed. Here are the three I'm considering.

1. Refrigerator dolly with stair tracks
2. Long sheet of cardboard placed on stairs, cab laid down, and pushed upwards as cardboard is folded up and over.
3. Some sort of pulley/come-along mechanism to pull laid-down cab up the stairs.

Or......?

Anybody with relevant moving or engineering experience is invited to weigh in with constructive suggestions. In particular, how feasible is #1 above for a single person?

NOTE: if your suggestion in any way entails "downsizing," it will not be relevant to this discussion. Thanks.
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Wow! You're the MAN! I salute you,without any sarcasm! but if you want to save your back for the future the "D" word is a must. And, does these gear has to be in the basement?
 
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#44
JimmyM said:
One great thing about living in Florida...no basements that the wife can consign your MI collection to!
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I wish it were that easy Jimmy. My wife and I live with her mom in a double wide trailer. I had to sell off a good share of what I had when I moved down from Iowa. Most of my cabinets, spare heads, service equipment, manuals and parts live in a storage shed since there is no room at the in laws. My basses and guitar can stay inside, but the cabinets I play out with live in the back of my truck.

Back in Iowa the former owner of my house had a doorway cut into the limestone foundation so he could bring his gear in that way instead of using storm cellar steps on the back porch.

Personally, I like the idea of the ramp with wheels built into it. They used those at the Dollar General Store my wife was the manager of.
 
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#46
#48
These might help...

Shoulder Dolly

You could loop them through a handle on top (or add one). Would let you walk upright to go up and down the stairs. The winch idea people have is a good one - you could even use a hand winch that attaches to a mount connected to a stud at the top of the stairs - then you only have the winch out when you need it and do not need power for it.

2 Ton Cable Winch Puller

As people have said - cool rig.

P.S. I think Harbor Freight makes cheap junk, but they are convenient for stuff like this.
 
#49
MakoMan said:
First of all... that's one hell of a cool collection of vintage Acoustic gear. Nicely done.
Rather than cardboard, I would mount sheets of plywood, cut to the width of the stairs, on hinges against the wall so that they can be just flipped down to turn the stairs into a ramp. That way you can either slide the cabs up up manually (mount slider strips on the cabs), or use a dolly. You could also mount something like a $20 crank boat trailer winch at the top of the stairs and crank them up the plywood stair ramp. I myself would probably use an inexpensive electric winch.
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Holy crap....you wanna turn steep stairs into a ramp???

So....WHEN you slip on this ramp, you'll either be behind, or dragging a 150lb cabinet.
 
#50
People: trust me. This problem is part of everyday life in Amsterdam. We have solved this, no need to invent ramps or other stuff that's needlesly complicated or possibly even dangerous. The three wheeled dolly for stairs is the absolute best way. They work effortless on narrow, steep and curved stairs even for larger weights. And you can use the dolly for use on flat surfaces too. Consider it our gift to the world of bass.
 
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#52
Roxbororob said:
"First of all... that's one hell of a cool collection of vintage Acoustic gear. Nicely done."
Agreed, before I suggest my solution I offer to drive down and take it all off your hands..LOL

OK
So my 301 was a pain just like yours. Especially on the stairs. But I absolutely love it and want to use as much as I can before my arthritus gets worse. Ive got about 5 years.

I added runners like an 810 but with extensions down to the wheels. Works like a charm. Origin lly I thought Id be smart and used nylon strips but they were too slippery. The cab would get away from me when loading. Oak is just right. You will see in the photos that the runners have worn a bit but thats only from cement steps. If they wear too much, no problem, they are sacrificial, they get replaced (haven needed to yet) zippety do da. The tug bar is a major improvement as well. Although I did not make it quite high enough. When I bought the oak I used some as spacers and now I have plenty of room fro my hands. Another handle strategically placed underneath the cab helps lift-in and a couple more slime ones on the sides and top help me keep her under control. I do load i-out by myself and have been taking the iron out to all my gigs ...

Photos:
Oak runners.
View attachment 1013590

Wheels are oversize (but dont have to be). The oak runners extend down to the center line of the wheels and are just above the circumfrence.
View attachment 1013591


Tug bar handle is the ticket. You can just see the vertical strap handle at the leading edge of the cab. One on each side and one on top helps load in and out.
View attachment 1013593

You can see the underside handle and extra casters I added in this next photo (I just posted it in another thread this morning!)
View attachment 1013596
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I like this!
 
#53
Just wanted to pop in and say those 360's are freaking awesome!!!! I'd give both my kidneys for even one...I digress, good luck with the schlepping. Sounds like a ton of people have great ideas. This exact reason is why I don't own my fridge or 6x10 anymore. I do understand your love for em.
 
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#55
I routinely move an Ampeg Heritage 810e up and down three flights of stairs exactly like the one the OP posted, and here's what I've learned:

• Dollies can be very dangerous with the weight we're talking about combined with those specific types of stairs (the ones with only horizontal steps and no vertical support boards at the front of each step). Many times the wheels on a dolly will slide into those holes and become trapped.

• Placing the cab in a cardboard box and sliding it up and down can work but you'll need to find some way to lift the cab equally when sliding up stairs or while you're pushing from the bottom the top will get trapped by the stair lip.

• The solution that's worked best for me is to simply roll my 810e to the top of the stairs with the wheels facing the stairs and the speakers facing away. From there I position myself about two or three steps below the cab and "bear hug" it tightly, then using my legs abd shoulder/chest carefully pick up the cab and set it down on the immediate next step from where it started, taking care that I never am leaning the slightest bit backwards while lifting the cab and that the stair that the cab is resting on is holding the majority of its weight.

Of course, this is all done with the cab only. Once I decide which rig to have cased out in an ATA road case, that rig will likely live in a small, 24-hour access storage space!
 
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#57
Regardless of the limited floor space, I would leave one upstairs. Unless you live in a closet ( which I am sure you don't) you can find a place for the cab. I know the wife may not like it but your back is more important than an "eye soar" in the living room or den. I have an L5 vertebrae not lined up correctly. I speak from experience.

Good luck and Merry Christmas
 
#60
mindwell said:
Here is my challenge, summed up in two pictures.

15493696_682233228555_6107245025566678423_o_zpsqjbvazko.jpg


IMG_20161221_161106_zpsxwdmdtef.jpg


After humping these up and down the stairs for a while now with the help of a cheap moving dolly and, occasionally, my wife, a new approach is needed. Here are the three I'm considering.

1. Refrigerator dolly with stair tracks
2. Long sheet of cardboard placed on stairs, cab laid down, and pushed upwards as cardboard is folded up and over.
3. Some sort of pulley/come-along mechanism to pull laid-down cab up the stairs.

Or......?

Anybody with relevant moving or engineering experience is invited to weigh in with constructive suggestions. In particular, how feasible is #1 above for a single person?

NOTE: if your suggestion in any way entails "downsizing," it will not be relevant to this discussion. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Apartment Movers
 
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