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Cheap Tour transportation


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Hi there,

My band is preparing to do our first tour, and we are trying to figure out the best way to get around. All we have, between the four of us, is a stupid little saturn two door. It is a week long tour, vans seem to cost about 600-700, so we are thinking maybe a trailer or something. would anyone care to share some advice on a good, cheap way to haul gear?

thanks,

andrew

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Does anyone in you band know anyone that has a Van or Truck you could borrow or rent for cheap? A small U-hall is like $30 a day. If your Saturn is only 4 cylinders I would shy away from a trailer. (all the equipment weight plus people and trailer weight would be alot

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Originally posted by PicnicHouse

All we have, between the four of us, is a stupid little saturn two door. It is a week long tour....

 

 

That's not a tour, it's a beer-run with accompaniment !

 

Seriously, rent or borrow a van or better yet, a big convertible sedan like in that Chili Peppers video.

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Originally posted by Kingnome



That's not a tour, it's a beer-run with accompaniment !


 

 

Yup. A week out is not a tour, it's a working vacation.;)

 

That said, if you have designs on touring extensively in the future, why put the cart before the horse? Too many guys in this business don't succeed because they don't regard it as a business. You wouldn't have a factory that manufactured widgets, sell them over the phone with a guaranteed shipping date, and then go, "Gee, I better find some way to get this stuff to the customer!" You'd have that part of it all arranged before you marketed, if you planned on staying in business for very long. Same applies to music: a good many talented bands go under because they're so preoccupied with the music end of it that the logistical and business side gets neglected and the band starts running on wishful thinking and bad assumptions. Best to get your ducks in a row before you book.

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Originally posted by PicnicHouse

Hi there,

My band is preparing to do our first tour, and we are trying to figure out the best way to get around. All we have, between the four of us, is a stupid little saturn two door. It is a week long tour, vans seem to cost about 600-700, so we are thinking maybe a trailer or something. would anyone care to share some advice on a good, cheap way to haul gear?

thanks,

andrew

 

 

Couple thoughts...

 

(A) A $600-700 van may or may not make it off the lot...for anything DEPENDABLE, expect to pay at least 2k...anything less(barring a miracle) has problems, which you'll probably find out about in the middle of Nowhere!...Whatever you end up getting, invest a few $$$ and have a REAL mechanic THOROUGHLY check it out...You'll be glad you did.

 

(B) Trailer-rental places (U-haul, Ryder, etc.) periodically have auctions to sell off older trailers/trucks....this can be an excellent way to get "touring transpo"....but, again, invest a few $$$ into getting it THOROUGHLY checked out...You'll be glad you did.

 

© Sometimes you'll run across a pick-up truck bed converted into a trailer....these are usually fairly cheap....ugly, too!...still, with a shell on it, a possibility!

 

And resist the temptation to paint your band's name on ANY vehicle...it'll be perceived by thieves as a "Please rip me off at your earliest convienience" message!

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