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Add wheels to PSG case?
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The Steel Guitar Forum
Bar Chatter Archive
Add wheels to PSG case?
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This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Add wheels to PSG case? |
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John Russell Member Posts: 455 |
posted 02 December 2000 07:01 PM
Has anybody (besides me) considered adding wheels to a standard hard case? I cruise the goodwill stores occasionally and often see used roll-on luggage for cheap (under $20). I thought of cannibalizing such a case for the wheels and the feet that balance them. You can find all sorts of handles at hardware stores or at Mars/Guitar Center, etc. Maybe a cheap alternative? John |
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Jim Smith Member Posts: 6399 |
posted 02 December 2000 08:48 PM
I've thought of doing that too. I think the main consideration would be that there is enough room on the inside of the case to mount the wheel housings without infringing on the guitar's space. ------------------ |
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Jim Palenscar Member Posts: 1566 |
posted 02 December 2000 09:05 PM
There is a case maker that I ran into in St. Louis that makes cases that have wheels built in- I forget his name but he reluctantly sold me a pair of wheels- they are inset in the case and very cool~ will rack what's left of my brain and re-post it when I find his name- good guy~~ |
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David Weaver Member Posts: 575 |
posted 02 December 2000 09:44 PM
The Sierra case I have comes with wheels, which means you can pull it along like airport luggage. Very nice, although it happens to be on my lightest guitar! ------------------ |
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Jim Smith Member Posts: 6399 |
posted 02 December 2000 09:50 PM
Jim, the guy you're thinking of is Bob Dell. We've swapped many emails and I don't think you'd find a nicer guy. There's even a thread about him on Buy and Sell, I think. Of course, he's on the forum too.  |
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John Russell Member Posts: 455 |
posted 02 December 2000 10:52 PM
The kind of wheels I'm talking about would be completely external. In fact they mount on the edge of the bottom of the case and are riveted to the case, easily drilled out and re-mounted to the instrument case. You might even be able to use the telescoping handle with a little ingenuity. I bought a used roll-on suit case from a thrift store for $12 and the only thing wrong with it was the handle was a little bent from rough baggage handling. I have another zipper case I bought from the Guitar Center for about $45 new and was able to modify it for the PSG. It's a keyboard case and it took a lot of work to set up, but it has wheels and is less than half the weight of the stock case. After I finished that project, I found the used roll-on case and realized I could have mounted the wheels and feet on my stock case, added a couple of extra handles and lived with the weight. Would have saved lots of time and money. John |
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Michael Johnstone Member Posts: 2535 |
posted 03 December 2000 04:10 AM
I have a plastic Sierra case w/wheels which I find too flimsy and inconvienent. But I had a road case with recessed wheels made by Kriz-Craft in L.A.which I use when I fly.Exposed wheels wouldn't last 5 minutes in my universe.They'd snap off-taking a chunk of case with them the first time it tumbled off a loading dock or got jammed sideways in an airport luggage conveyor belt.On 90% of my gigs nowadays in town,I use a carpet covered Cush-Case w/out wheels.I just park close and roll it in on top of my Session 400 - which DOES have wheels. -MJ- |
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Gene Jones Member Posts: 5796 |
posted 03 December 2000 05:14 AM
I have one of those (Rock&Roller) 4-wheel carts sold at MARS....the length is adjustable and holds my steel, rack system with two JBL Speaker cabinets,pac-seat, etc, my clean shirt hangs on the end, and can even negotiate stairs without unloading...could propably even add a washer & dryer if needed! It's a bit pricey, but worth it because this old man's back needed all the help it could get!!!! |
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Jim Smith Member Posts: 6399 |
posted 03 December 2000 07:39 AM
quote:Gene, I'd like to hear how yours or any four wheeled cart does this. |
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Jon Light Member Posts: 6528 |
posted 03 December 2000 07:58 AM
I've got the smallest version of Gene's cart--they make three sizes--and it really is all that. Mine is light weight and a little flimsy for heavy-duty work but it does what it's supposed to. They all have--though less effectively on this small one--glide strips by the main wheels so that you can half roll, half drag, half lever your way up stairs (in theory--I've not tried). And yes, as per my description, they have three halves. Defying physics as they do, they just may have anti-grav built in. Let me get back to the owners manual. These are foldable, and something like 4-way configurable--2 wheel hand cart, 4-wheel luggage cart, and something and something, I forget. |
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JB Arnold Member Posts: 1615 |
posted 03 December 2000 08:56 AM
Eddie Fulawka mounts external wheels just like those being discussed on his Anvil cases. not recessed, just on the corners, and man it sure is a nice thing to have going up that long ramp behind the American legion, or across the parking lot. john ------------------ |
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Pete Burak Member Posts: 2750 |
posted 03 December 2000 09:00 AM
I use a Sierra Wheel Ease and it works great for me. I have done alot of air travel with it and rolled it through the streets (more than I would have cared too) with no problems so far. When traveling I keep it in it's original cardboard box with cutouts for the wheels and handles. Up/down curbs, cobblestone streets, airports, train/bus stations, ect... I also have a travel roller that I bought in an airport that I use for my steel seat. Backpack, Wheelease case and steel seat on the travel roller is my trypical travel setup. 'Saw a guy carrying a D10 in an Anvil case down a street in Utrecht, Holland on our last tour. All I could think was, Ouch! I'd of waited for a cab! |
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Johan Jansen Member Posts: 2207 |
posted 03 December 2000 09:32 AM
Yes, Peter, we dutchies travel a lot with our D10's, can you imagine all those guys that practise on their attics??Ouch!! So I got me a wheelcase from Dell in st Louis.
STEELDAYS 2000 [This message was edited by Johan Jansen on 03 December 2000 at 09:34 AM.] |
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John Russell Member Posts: 455 |
posted 03 December 2000 10:04 AM
Interesting comments, all. Actually, I wasn't intending to solve the problem of traveling by air or even road tours. I'm a weekend picker and always haul my rig in my car or occasionally in a van which I get to help unload. The idea behind my wheeled zipper nylon case was something light and portable (rollable) with no intention of rough useage. Inspiration was the newer zipper guitar cases which to me are a huge improvement over the old hard shell cases. Also, it was nice to save the $200+ on a wheel-eze case which would suit my purposes just fine. It seems the stock PSG cases fail on two counts. They aren't much good for rough usage (air travel) and they're too heavy for casual 'round town usage. But it seems they would be tolerable if you could bolt on a couple of inexpensive wheels and a handle and save your poor back. I've been using a luggage dolly for my other stuff and I can't imagine picking up and schlepping my NV1000 amp more than about ten feet. It was a drag even when I was in my '20s and '30s! Face it: The worst aspect of our beloved instrument is all the gear and all the weight. I think Carter Guitar Co. is onto something with their new light guitars. Now if we could get a light (20-30 lbs.) 300W amp that sounds like a Fender Twin. (With built in effects) I might live long enough to see it! John |
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Pete Burak Member Posts: 2750 |
posted 03 December 2000 10:10 AM
Have you checked out soft shell keyboard cases? |
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John Russell Member Posts: 455 |
posted 03 December 2000 10:39 AM
Yes, Pete. I bought a keyboard case from the Guitar Center awhile back. It's a Kaces brand case, black nylon, about $45-50 bucks. Pretty nice quality. It had only minimal padding, so I built a light plywood box with cushions inside, mounted it inside the case, then added wheels from an old rolling duffel bag that are mounted in the bottom corner edge, very similar to the flite case wheels and those on the Wheel-Eze. Then I added a nylon web handle at the other end, used a piece of soaker hose to reinforce the handle. And it works great. It doesn't have room inside for the pedal rack but I had an old cordura knife holder that wraps around the pedal rack, then attaches to the case with a strap. It took about a weekend to finish. (shoulda been practicing, I know!) There are better keyboard cases with reinforced foam cushions inside, some are configurable to fit the instrument, the one I saw was around $150 and still no wheels. Mine allows the PSG to fit upside down on cusions, protects it the same as a hard case with no stress on the tuners. I wouldn't dare check it through on the plane, but that was never the intent. I just put it in the trunk and go. It takes up less space than my old hard case so I can get it and my Nashville 1000 amp, and pak-a-seat, plus other stuff in my trunk. And hoisting it in doesn't wreck my back. John |
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Jim Palenscar Member Posts: 1566 |
posted 03 December 2000 11:08 AM
In the PSG newsletter this month it said that Gerry Walker was working with Duane Marrs on a 300 watt amp that's sposed to come in at less than 40#. I talked to him about it and it's 'sposed to weigh 35# with effects built in and 1- 15" speaker. |
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John Russell Member Posts: 455 |
posted 03 December 2000 12:00 PM
Cool, Jim! Anybody wanna buy a like-new NV1000?! |
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Gene Jones Member Posts: 5796 |
posted 03 December 2000 12:36 PM
Hey Jim Smith, RE: The Marrs Cart......It does work, I also have a Conversion van with one seat out, and I can load this cart by lifting the front into the van and pushing it on in, reverse the process to unload it...with all my equipment still on it. For the first time, everything goes from the car to the bandstand in ONE trip.(I admit that I haven't tried to load my Heritage Classic on it yet!) |
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Jim Smith Member Posts: 6399 |
posted 03 December 2000 08:55 PM
Thanks Gene, guess I need to stop by Marrs Music and take a look! |
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Jim Smith Member Posts: 6399 |
posted 03 December 2000 10:07 PM
Here's a link to the Rock N Roller cart that Gene is talking about: http://www.marsmusic.com/store/product_new.jhtml?catid=71&prodid=10557&skuid=0 |
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Jody Sanders Member Posts: 2889 |
posted 03 December 2000 10:14 PM
Check with Bob Dell in Siloam Springs, Ark. Jody. |
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Mark Zinns Member Posts: 56 |
posted 04 December 2000 12:51 PM
Hey John, I did just what you thought of by mounting four swivel casters and a couple of extra handles purchased at my local hardware store. Total cost: $12 plus about one hour of labor. I used machine screws and cut the ends flush with the nuts, then took a glue gun and covered any metal that protruded into the case. It works extremely well and has held up for two years and running. ------------------ |
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Ed Byerly Member Posts: 41 |
posted 04 December 2000 09:03 PM
My old BMI 12 string was giving my back fits. I purchase 2 -- 2 1/4" NON swivel wheels that I attached to the one end of the case and a strong handle on the other end. On the inside, I glued some foam under the liner. Laying flat, the wheels did not touch the floor. Once I picked up the end, the wheels would connect with the floor, & away we go. I now have a lightweight Carter S-12 with pad & on long runs I use a fold-up luggage carrier with 2 wheels that I bought for $15. I just stand it on end & strap it down. Wheels are cheaper than a Chiropractor. ------------------ Ed Byerly |
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Jeff Coffell Member Posts: 1094 |
posted 05 December 2000 10:48 AM
Check with Bob Dell. He is building a totally different case for me. E him and ask him to explain the design to you. I won't even try to describe it but I'm sure he can descibe it to you to a T. Jeff |
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John Russell Member Posts: 455 |
posted 05 December 2000 08:33 PM
Hi Mark Z. How did those swivel casters work out? Seems like the thing might take a wrong turn if you're not careful. Whatever works is best. Home Depot has lots of wheels, I've been wondering if there's some way to attach inline skate wheels like the better luggage has. I like Ed Byerly's setup. Sounds effecient and low priced too. I imagine when we're all old guys, we'll have hi-tech wheelchairs with hip little trailers hooked on behind hauling our gear. Anything to keep on pickin! John |
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