Karaoke Forums

Starting this business has made me realize that there is a $h!tload of equipment to haul around!!

I had been planning to purchase a Honda CR-V to get my equipment around, but I am thinking now that this vehicle might be too small.

What do you guys (and girls) think?

Would I be better off going with a Ford Explorer or something else of comparable size?

What do you all use to get your gear (and your rear!!) around?

Patrick

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Patrick
Twinbrook Sound
Waltham, MA

I use an 87 El Camino with a camper shell on it. That way it protects the gear from the elements should the weather turn on me. Also, it keeps it where nobody can just reach into the bed and grab something while sitting at a red light. It works fine for me.

I started off with a convertible bug 7 years ago and now I use a vw westfalia. I remember the days with the top down at 2 in the morning praying not to get car jacked.....................

I haul my stuff around in a full size Ford van. I take the back row seat out and keep the second row seat in. Usually this is where my extra TV's spend their time buckled in like kids, but I mainly keep it in there because I occasionaly haul a customer or two either to a show or home from a show. I have installed shelves in the back for mic cases, etc.

Just a word of wisdom from a guy who learned the hard way--keep your TV's FAR FAR AWAY from your speakers! Don't ask why, just do it!

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Spreading the karaoke gospel

I haul two full Karoake systems in a Plymouth Voyager with both back seats out. This has worked great for me... I get great gas mileage with the 4 banger.

big a$# van! yep yep yep!!

I recommend a 4 wheel drive truck with a camper shell.
SUVs have a deceptivly small cargo capacity, and if you pull out the rear passenger seats of a SUV or van you better not stop suddenly or you may find a 65 lb. speaker heading towards your head.
I've used an SUV, (Rodeo), and a Chevy van with a V8, and now I have a truck.
I don't think that vans handle well enough in emergency situations when loaded, and I don't care for blind spots. However, if you put a curtain between the cargo area and the driver's seat you won't have people looking in to see pro audio equipment.
SUVs have a high center of gravity which makes them a little too unstable for constant hauling of equipment for my taste.
Any small truck, (Ford Ranchero, Chevy El Camino), will serve you well as long as you don't have any hills to climb.
Even if you're in S. Cal., any steep grade can cause you a problem when it rains if you're hauling any kind of weight .
Give serious consideration to 4 wheel drive.

Kojak

A Ford Transit. I don't know what they call them in the states.
A full size van that can take three full rigs at a time when needed.

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Imagine!

When I first stared out I used a full sized Dodge Cararvan..then traded that in for a Mid Sized SUV...WISH I HAD THE VAN !!!!!!!
But you can make it with an explorer or similiar size vehicle ...
'You have to ask yourself ..
Where will the equipment be stored when not in use?
Do you need the vehicle for other uses ? WORK KIDS BUSINESS RECREATION OR PLEASURE?.

How do you get everything in a crv? or Van?

I have a 5x10 enclosed trailer, and it is full. and everything will fit in it only 1 way.

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I'm Not Dead yet...... But every day Im getting Closer !

I got the Suzuki XL-7. It is classified a a compact SUV, but actually has more room than the CRV and Explorer, as long as you get it without the optional 3rd row seats. Also, it is many thousands cheaper, and has a great warranty. I hate to sound like a commercial, but it fits all my stuff, and still leaves me 3/4 of a backseat to fit people in (they share with the feedback monitor).

Before I got this, I fit it all in in a 94 Saturn Sedan- I called it my 3 dimensional jigsaw puzzle! Needless to say there was no room for passengers.

Hey I wonder if the feedback monitor wold have counted for the carpool lane?? Hmmm.............

Happy New Year all!

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Let's Kick the Tires and Light the Fires!

I have an '03 Dodge Grand Caravan. Everything fits nicely with the backseat removed. I looked at an SUV but it seemed quite a bit higher to load gear into than the minivans. Also looked at a full-size van (Saharan, I believe), but it wouldn't fit in the garage!

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Sounds Great! Entertainment
Bartlett, Illinois

I prefer the van to a truck because with the sde door it's much easier to get at equipment inside. I also thing that the lift into the van is a little lower than into a truck. Like Dr D, My stuff will only fit in it one way. So often I have people offer to help me load up, but they get in the way more than they help because of the "loading procedure"

This van is for karaoke use only, so I don't have to worry about reconfiguring it to haul groceries or whetever else. When not at a show she stays locked in the garage!

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Spreading the karaoke gospel

I use a full size Dodge Van, with the rear seat removed. Like Mike said, I use the captains chairs to seat belt my tv and computer monitor into.

I now have here in NM 2 trucks 1 for the "live" system a 36' Chevy Box Van which actually can hold everything including all my band's gear, Live unit #3 (the new wavefront 8L unit) and Karaoke unit # 7, and maybe a pastrami sandwich & a coke. for just Karaoke Unit #7 only it gets Hauled by a Chevy 3500 Pick-up which we use the shell as needed. When it travels.

I haul everything in my car. I own a Chevy Impala. That was one of the reasons I bought this car... for trunk and people space. I fit most of my stuff in the trunk (2 Mackie C300 Speakers, 1 Mackie 408S Amp/Mixer, I CDG Player in an SGB Case, a large bag which has all my wires and cables and 3 song books, and a shopping bag of loose odds and ends). In the back seat, I keep the remainder of my song books (7) on the floor (I keep them there all the time when I'm not doing a show), my CDGs in a Ski-boot carrying bag), my TV set, and TV stand (disassembled). Everything fits nice and proper.

Heck, I used to do pretty good with my hatchback... but with the addition of my mackie mixer, and the creative ways I was using my car, I had to realize I love the space of my van.

For NYC, I can certainly understand why you'd want a car, though!

Sorry it took so long to check back in on this thread.

I read all the posts and I decided that I would go for a used Ford Explorer. I took on for a ride last night and liked it. I figured that I could haul everything with the rear bench seat folded down, and utilizing the second row seat to strap in tv/monitor, and other odds and ends.

Thanks a bunch for the advice here, it has been a big help!

Patrick

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Patrick
Twinbrook Sound
Waltham, MA