Members XamendedX Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 obviously everybody uses a van, but I hear so many horror stories of vans breaking down and stuff like that. is there a better way to go on tour? Other than a tour bus too:p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Locke Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 Originally posted by XamendedX obviously everybody uses a van, but I hear so many horror stories of vans breaking down and stuff like that. is there a better way to go on tour? Other than a tour bus too:p Private jet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JacieFB Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 We took a small RV last time pulling a trailer. It was an 87 F-350 Econoline with a brand new crate engine. It was really good until our guitarist fell asleep at the wheel and wrecked it. Over-all, it was pretty good. Not too great on gas, but not much worse than my band van (84 chevy G20). The RV was a liability in an accident, though. No one wanted to work on it. And you have to have RV+ on the AAA card for them to even tow it. Having a bit more space to move around and having a place to stretch out and sleep is nice, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Badside Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 Originally posted by XamendedX obviously everybody uses a van, but I hear so many horror stories of vans breaking down and stuff like that. is there a better way to go on tour? Other than a tour bus too:p A brand new van? Of course I'm lucky that two guys in my band are construction workers and happen to be leasing brand new pickups anyway. Although we simply use a trailer, so any vehicle that can tow a trailer will do (like a used minivan, not too old). But of course, there will always be some money involved if you want reliability. Nobody wants to be stranded 500 miles away from home in a snowstorm at 4am. We used to have a used van (Dodge Ram Van 250) which we had no clue how mileage it had (the odometer had 5 digits). It worked most of the time, until it died during rush hour in a tunnel. Now that we tour more, we wouldn't take a chance with such a vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members one4rich Posted October 14, 2005 Members Share Posted October 14, 2005 In my road dog days we used a 24ft truck...it used to be a Ryder truck. Two guys would ride in that, and the rest followed in a car. The idea was that once we got the gear set up, we would use the car to get around to the hotel, eating etc. We would have preferred a van, but we used what we had. Eventually the car was traded in for a mini van, and we were in heaven with all that extra space! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Martin Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 Without a doubt, I'd rather be in a bus than any other type of vehicle, including chartering a plane. Ideally, a Prevost leased from Florida Custom Coach, and one of their better drivers. With a bus, you have your own bed, a toilet, and what's essentially a living room. Get on the bus after the gig and have an adult beverage (if that's your desire) and a snack (since there are both refrigerators and microwaves). Relax for a bit and watch a movie, then go to your bunk and go to sleep. If you're not at the next venue when you wake up, you can make a pot of coffee, sit around in the front lounge and either watch the world go by or put in another movie ( or, some busses have satellite dishes that work even when moving). And if you don't like hanging out with the other bandmembers, you can always stay in your bunk. There's storage space so you can take more of your junk with you (unlike air travel), and you won't get busted for that butane lighter or the fingernail clippers... With commercial air travel, you're at the mercy of the airlines (it sucks when the flight cancels and you miss a gig because of it), and with charters, you can't take very much stuff with you on the plane. All things considered, if I were still touring, it would be on a bus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tedster Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 How about private rail coach? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members XamendedX Posted October 15, 2005 Author Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 Originally posted by one4rich In my road dog days we used a 24ft truck...it used to be a Ryder truck. Two guys would ride in that, and the rest followed in a car. The idea was that once we got the gear set up, we would use the car to get around to the hotel, eating etc. We would have preferred a van, but we used what we had. Eventually the car was traded in for a mini van, and we were in heaven with all that extra space! this is one thing I was thinking, I am getting a truck soon, so I was planning on putting a shell on it and carpeting it to take the gear and 3 other bandmates (clubcab truck), and have the rest (band members and merch girl) follow in a car, but none of our band members have a reliable car:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cassius Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 Jetpack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 At the moment, my brother and I are looking into my buying a Bluebird bus (the type usually used for school buses...this particular model is the shorter one) w/ a diesel engine that we can convert to running on bio-diesel...this would basically give me enough room to pretty much have most of the luxury that Dave refers to, just on a more modest scale. We plan to remove all but the first two rows of seats, make some bunks that'll fold down off the sides, install a small 'fridge and stove and make a camper shower on the back...probably have to live w/o the mobile satelite dish, though. For those of you interested in such a project, try to find a copy of "Rolling Homes", by Jane Lidz...lot's of great ideas in there! http://www.mrsharkey.com/busbarn/rhomes/rhomes.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tedster Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 Originally posted by Cassius Jetpack. HAHAHA!!!... I remember seeing guys using those on TV back in the 60s. They were all about (sound of 16mm film) "the wave of the future"... Come to find out, those things, as cool and "Buck Rogers" as they looked, the user could only get 15-30 seconds of flight time out of one of those before they'd run out of fuel. I'd still like to try one, though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members defense Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 If you are doing any sort of real tour you will NOT want to be taking two vehicles. The way gas prices are today it would be insane. For an instate tour it might work but other than that I wouldn't recommend it. Buy a 15 passenger van (you can fit all of you and your stuff in there.) Have all of the member pitch in and it shouldn't cost too much. I've always thought having all of the members drive seperatelly is just a bad idea for many reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tedster Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 I would say probably the best idea for a small tour, or your garden variety road gigs, would be to have some sort of comfy vehicle like a conversion van, pulling a trailer with the gear in it. Perhaps put "HAZMAT" stickers on the trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rekel Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 I agree with Dave Martin, specially custom built coaches are the way to tour and can't be beat for comfort. However, I also did an extensive European tour in, believe or not, a hearse It was an old black mercedes with very little mileage on it, bought by the bass player of the band and he put an extra couch behind the frontseats in it. Very comfy There was still enough space behind for the amps and instruments. First time we loaded up the car I found some dried up pieces of flowers in it, though Anyway, it was a great ride and we never had to worry about getting parking tickets or people trying to break in and steal our gear (windows were tinted very dark so you couldn't look inside)It was also cool to be able to drive into pedestrian only walking areas without people complaining, to get closer to the gig to unload. Another advantage I noticed was that some other cars would give our hearse more respect than other vehicles and even moved out of their way to make extra room for us sometimes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JacieFB Posted October 15, 2005 Members Share Posted October 15, 2005 Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall At the moment, my brother and I are looking into my buying a Bluebird bus (the type usually used for school buses...this particular model is the shorter one) w/ a diesel engine that we can convert to running on bio-diesel...this would basically give me enough room to pretty much have most of the luxury that Dave refers to, just on a more modest scale. We plan to remove all but the first two rows of seats, make some bunks that'll fold down off the sides, install a small 'fridge and stove and make a camper shower on the back...probably have to live w/o the mobile satelite dish, though. For those of you interested in such a project, try to find a copy of " Rolling Homes", by Jane Lidz...lot's of great ideas in there! http://www.mrsharkey.com/busbarn/rhomes/rhomes.htm Careful with those...I've heard lots of bad things about the school bus route...at least a used bus...they take hellatious wear. Watch the Bouncing Souls DVD and you'll see what I'm talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tedster Posted October 16, 2005 Members Share Posted October 16, 2005 My limited road experience was in the School Bus from hell. I'd rather take a rickshaw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave Martin Posted October 16, 2005 Members Share Posted October 16, 2005 Originally posted by Tedster My limited road experience was in the School Bus from hell.I'd rather take a rickshaw. Than a school bus? You betcha. But a custom coach is a different animal. And if you do good with the lease contract, the coach company is responsible for getting you from gig to gig. If the bus breaks down, it's up to them to get you where you're supposed to be. friends have ended up with limos, plane tickets, and even (at least once), a chartered plane. I've been on gigs where the coach company flew in a new driver because the one that went with the bus originally was in idiot, and I've been on tours where a replacement bus showed up because there were mechanical problems with the one we started with. When the band (or the artist) owns the bus, you can have issues - I remember riding from Nashville to Delaware with the outside temperature in the teens, and in the inside temperature in the 20's, because the generator on the artist's bus broke down (and the road manager couldn't get it fixed once we'd left Nashville... The artist, naturally, had flown to the gig... THAT was a miserable weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted October 17, 2005 Members Share Posted October 17, 2005 Originally posted by JacieFB Careful with those...I've heard lots of bad things about the school bus route...at least a used bus...they take hellatious wear. Watch the Bouncing Souls DVD and you'll see what I'm talking about. Well, we'll be going through the bus (if I do buy it) from one end to the other before we make any trips w/ it...I'm already planning on replacing all the shocks, rebuilding the engine and tranny, and whatever else is required. I've a few friends that have gone the "retired school bus" route (one couple have lived in their's 24/7/365 for almost 10 years!) and have had lots of advice on how to make 'em more road-worthy...it just takes $$$, time and effort, but in the long run, it's going to save a lot of coin....maybe enough to get that mobile satellite dish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JacieFB Posted October 17, 2005 Members Share Posted October 17, 2005 Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall Well, we'll be going through the bus (if I do buy it) from one end to the other before we make any trips w/ it...I'm already planning on replacing all the shocks, rebuilding the engine and tranny, and whatever else is required. I've a few friends that have gone the "retired school bus" route (one couple have lived in their's 24/7/365 for almost 10 years!) and have had lots of advice on how to make 'em more road-worthy...it just takes $$$, time and effort, but in the long run, it's going to save a lot of coin....maybe enough to get that mobile satellite dish! Right on. I'm pretty sure the guys in the afformentioned DVD knew nothing about reconditioning a vehicle to make it road-worthy. They just instantly built a bunch of heavy-wood bunks in there and it just beat the darned thing down over time. They just thought it was cool to have a "short bus" and paid the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted October 17, 2005 Members Share Posted October 17, 2005 Originally posted by JacieFB Right on. I'm pretty sure the guys in the afformentioned DVD knew nothing about reconditioning a vehicle to make it road-worthy. They just instantly built a bunch of heavy-wood bunks in there and it just beat the darned thing down over time. They just thought it was cool to have a "short bus" and paid the price. Yeah, and I'm assuming that before these babies are put up for sale, they've probably been used hard, so we're just gonna start at the front and work our way back, fixing everything that needs it and modifying whatever looks like it'll need it...I doubt it'll need anything but "stock" shocks, because even with 4 of us (myself-guitars/harmonica/vox, Kat-pertcussion/violin/vox, Wendy-bass, vox and Rick-sound/light/grease monkey) and our gear, it should be carrying less weight that a bunch of students (I'm thinking this model is designed for 24 passengers?). Main thing I want to look at closely is getting the strongest tranny I can get away with (one option I've been suggested was from a Peterbilt tractor-trailer...supposedly it's a good fit and will never be taxed for this purpose!) And, of course, modifying the diesel engine to use bio-diesel is fairly simple...needs different lines, mostly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fastplant Posted October 17, 2005 Members Share Posted October 17, 2005 In my old band we bought a used cabler repair van. The thing was huge. Seating for all of us and then some, and room for all our gear and PA. Bought it for about $1500 and it never broke down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members madjack Posted October 17, 2005 Members Share Posted October 17, 2005 I've toured in three different school buses, several different vans, a 24' truck, a cube van, a pickup pulling a trailer, and a van pulling a camper trailer. Of the various configurations, by far the most comfortable and economical was the late 50s 36 passenger "short bus" (this was in the late 70s). It had a Chevy big block 6 with a 1 barrel carb, and got 16 mpg with all gear and all 6 band members. We walled off the back end for the gear, and built side-way bunks in the front end, where the top bunks folded down to make back rests for the bottom bunks as couches. We slept all six in it as needed, all rode together, and didn't have any problems with it until the sound man forgot to tighten the transmission bolts after doing some work, and the tranny fell out on the highway, totally destroying the drivetrain. That said, all three school buses were purchased used for very little money compared to the price of trucks. All three had no problems with the suspension, differential, or transmission, except one which needed the compression fitting replaced on the split axle shifter. The two longer buses both had problem engines, but it was easy to find decent replacement engines for reasonable money. The biggest problem was that the regular length buses (70-90 passenger) only got 7-10 mpg. I'm sure the diesels do better than that, though. For local playing, I now use a trailer and pull it with my S-10. It works great and is quite reasonable expense-wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jazzguru Posted October 17, 2005 Members Share Posted October 17, 2005 You guys have missed the best way - Scottie, beam us and our equipment there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted October 17, 2005 Members Share Posted October 17, 2005 The best way to tour is in a Bus that has all the comforts of home. I'm currently converting an MCI to be such a vehicle for myself. This way I pull into town and i'm comfortable because I brought my home with me!!! My bus wasn't expensive. You can get a nice Shell for $5-$10K..then if you convert it yourself, put all the creature comforts in like a kitchen, bathroom, plumbing, Electric, rooftop AC's, Bedroom etc etc etc...you can get away with it being functional with all basic systems in for around anouther $5K and up....It can be done on the cheap and then worked on as you go..that's what i'm doing..If you do get a Bus, I recommend a Highway coach with storage underneath with a Diesel..The transit buses that cities used are geared for city driving and you'll be lucky to get it above 55MPH and they have little storage underneath...Take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JacieFB Posted October 18, 2005 Members Share Posted October 18, 2005 First, I'm gonna buy me some payin' gigs...then I'll get a multi-tens-of-thousands of dollars bus with all the extras! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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