For Local Gigs: Cases or No Cases

Because I transport my own I switched to Bags 30 years ago.
Hard cases/fiber cases were for "out of town" band van, train, or plane travel..

Only time I loaded in /out with no bags/cases at all was when I found and restored a $50 Torodor MIJ set. But they didn't last long with me. I don't miss them nor the assumed advantage (assumed)..of throwing drums in the back seat naked. Padded bags are as simple and effective you can get if traveling/transporting alone.
 
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Bags for all drums for local. SKB hardcases for out of town stuff where I may not be handling the drums, or if they are in a trailer.

I am a one trip in and out on a Rock-N-Roller cart, and bags make that easier and protect everything, including the vehicle. A few seconds to unzip and I am good to go.
 
I've got a metric shitte tonne of Protection Racket bags for most of my drums at this point, and since I own six kits, if they're not set up in the studio, they're in the bags ready to go.

I don't know about you guys, but my drums don't have handles. And having handles makes it easier to carry more things at the same time, so load-in is quicker.
 
I guess I have a different take on this than most of you. When I move my fine-condition B&O 3-ply Ludwigs, or my pristine Gretsch Purewood, they’re always in Drum Seeker bags. But putting them in and out of the bags is a pain, especially on a crowded stage, and really slows down the load in/out. Not to mention, where do you keep them during the gig.

At one point, I was gifted a Remo Acousticon kit that I used as a beater I could haul around to bars without bags and not worry about. Only problem was, the kit was massively heavy, and the 10 and 14 toms sounded like crap to me. The kick was awesome, but not worth killing my back for. And btw, the hardware has lots of sharp edges that can literally take a bite out of you, if you’re not careful!

My solution was to find a beater kit with sizes and sound that I really liked. I was super lucky to find that in a early 70s Premier Olympic: 22x14 kick, 12x8 and 13x8 toms, 16x16 ft, and matching 14x5 snare. They’re thin African mahogany, so I absolutely love the sound. Best of all, they’re the lightest drums I’ve ever come across.

I use a Rock n Roller cart to move them, so I can do it in one go, each way. All in all, the perfect solution for me.

But of course, nothing is ever completely perfect, right? The one problem I have now, is that he Olympics are also in excellent condition, so I kinda worry about them. But the solution to that is to just be careful, and not let anyone else “help” me move them! Back in the day I gigged a pristine, script-badged Rogers all around L.A. and never scratched or dinged them. I can get a bit anal when it comes to protecting my drums.

Of course, if and when I gig the Ludwig or Gretsch kits, they go in the bags.
 
basset52 said:
Bags with handles make it easier to move/handle the drums safely IMV.
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Yep. And when using a roller cart (as I do) it allows the drums, cymbal bag and hardware bag to stack without damaging each other or sliding around. (hardware bag is seen poking out from both ends of the rug)

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hardware bag on top drums? ohh.. meanie..
at least put the rug between them lol

Oh nevmd I see it you have the rug wrapped around hardware bag; that's some sympathy
I'm excused
 
jda said:
hardware bag on top drums? ohh.. meanie.
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Actually it's resting on the cart handles, no weight on the gear below. And the rug on top helps keep if from sliding off. :)
 
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yea I thought of that- resting on the handles- too.
Me mistake.
 
bermuda said:
Yep. And when using a roller cart (as I do) it allows the drums, cymbal bag and hardware bag to stack without damaging each other or sliding around. (hardware bag is seen poking out from both ends of the rug)

View attachment 134661
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I do the exact same thing . Same cart too .

I have been using Beato Bags for two of my three kits for the last ten years or so . The other kit has Protection Racket bags . I far prefer the Beato bags .
Like @jda I used fiber cases back in the 90’s and really disliked them . They were bulky and a pain to store . I have some Humes and Berg Enduro plastic lined cases for snare drums . I mainly bought these to transport snares I bought at the Chicago Vintage drum show home . I still prefer the Beato Pro 1 bags to anything made today .
 
I always use cases (bags) to make it easier to transport the drums. In bags I can carry more of them at one time. That also protects my car. Peace and goodwill.
 
Soft cases/bags for me.

I travel light but I don't want to damage my tubs. Soft cases do the job nicely.
 
Bags just make it so simple, I dont know why every drummer at local gigs doesnt use them. I can carry my floor tom, rack tom and snare in one hand by the straps, and my bass drum in the other hand. try that without bags!
 
I use bags to transport my drums. It gives added peace of mind for protection but it also makes carrying multiple drums in one trip so much easier.

I fully get that bags/cases aren't a fun or sexy purchase, but they're really worth it.
 
I can understand the OPs point. In my situation, my gear is well used and not expensive, so I'd have no issue putting it in my car without cases for a local gig. I can see the time savings, and appreciate that. I've had vehicles where I couldn't put the kick drum in the car in a hard case, so it went without. That would probably be the scenario with my current vehicle, now that I think about it.

It won't work for me, cuz my gear lives in the band trailer, and they need to be in cases so they don't get banged up. (Any more than they already are, Is suppose, heh). I'm always trying to figure out ways to streamline, and manage my setup/teardown time as best possible. All the while wanting to add more "stuff" to the set...always a quandry.
 
If you don't gig too much and have drums you don't mind getting scraped up a little from time to time, then don't bother. However, I really like having handles to carry drums from place to place. It seems like it would take just as much time packing drums in cases as it would packing drums within a myriad of quilts and blankets in the car. I hate it when gear knocks and vibrates together whenever I hit every little bump in the road, but I travel a lot with my gear.

If it works for you, then keep doing what works!
 
bermuda said:
Yep. And when using a roller cart (as I do) it allows the drums, cymbal bag and hardware bag to stack without damaging each other or sliding around. (hardware bag is seen poking out from both ends of the rug)

View attachment 134661
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I see you dont have the cart fully extended and the bass and tom fit nice and tight. Im going to try to reorganize mine, i fully extend it and use a single bungie over the top. I love my rocknroller. is it just me or do you sometimes fold the wrong arm first on the cart? I can never remember which one folds down first and feel stupid when i guess on the wrong one.
 
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