Touring - Packing a small guitar and street performing along the way

Has anyone had any experience and/or success with packing an instrument and performing through each town along the way to pick up some extra cash?

I'll be travelling across the states in May on limited funds and wondering if it's worth the added weight and complications that go along with a relatively fragile piece of equipment. I'm interested to hear of anyone who's made it worth the effort... in dollar billzzz.

There's guys like Ben Sollee (http://bensollee.com). What kind of guitar? Small traveler acoustic, electric, etc?

Street musicians are just beggars making annoying noises. Hold out your hat and those who care to subsidize you will, without the aggravation. Better yet, stay home and work until you can afford to travel.

have a chat with IMI he takes his guitar with him on tour not sure if he does any busking though.

Street musicians are just beggars making annoying noises. Hold out your hat and those who care to subsidize you will, without the aggravation. Better yet, stay home and work until you can afford to travel.

Sounds like somebody forgot their thermarest :O

Nah, no busking, just strummin' 'n songwriting.

I carry a full sized classical guitar in a hard case strapped to my rear rack with just one strap (around guitar's waist and ends of rack) and one bungy cord (from rack up 'n under case to strap). Hard to explain, I'll describe it better with pics if you're interested.

The extra weight (about 6kgs) is no big deal, your legs get strong!

Other ways to do it. A 3/4 size guitar, Travel guitar like the Martin or Washburn, Soft case but that can be risky.

Don't spend too much money if you're going to be in hot climates. Glue slowly melts/deteriorates causing the bridge to work loose. This doesn't happen too often, so don't let it put you off. I've traveled for many years with the same guitar, had two failures, but would not take one of my nice ($2000+) guitars on a trip.

Airline regulations are another can of worms. Not many people fly with both a bike and a guitar but we are obviously hated by the world's airlines! :mad:

Twice I have bought $100 guitars at destination and given them away at end of trip as this worked out cheaper than extra baggage. You MAY get away with a guitar as hand baggage but this is getting harder and harder... I've given up trying :/

Street musicians are just beggars making annoying noises. Hold out your hat and those who care to subsidize you will, without the aggravation. Better yet, stay home and work until you can afford to travel.
"Remember how in that communion only, beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may."
-Plato, Symposium

OK, I'm a grump :) Seriously, though, I expect there are folks in most areas who need to panhandle (or beg) to eat. If one CHOOSES to take a cycling vacation, and beg along the way, isn't it possible he is drawing from a limited pool of goodwill/ discretionary funds/ etc. available along the route?

Busking isn't begging, it's performing a public service. I think of it as urban beautification. That is unless you're playing banjo which is more akin to extortion.

OK, I'm a grump :) Seriously, though, I expect there are folks in most areas who need to panhandle (or beg) to eat. If one CHOOSES to take a cycling vacation, and beg along the way, isn't it possible he is drawing from a limited pool of goodwill/ discretionary funds/ etc. available along the route?

I see it quite differently. A street musician is providing a service. Not everyone will like the music of course, personal taste and all that, but it isn't begging.

If I hear music I like enough to stay and listen to, I'll pay for it. If I don't like the music, I won't. It's all dependent on whether I like the persons style or music. It's a payment for performing.

In contrast, I almost never give to panhandlers.

One other note: from what I've read, a lot of panhandling isn't for food or shelter, but for drugs/alcohol. Put another way, giving to a busker or street musician doesn't use up any reservoirs of my good will toward panhandlers because they're different things.

Echoing what imi is saying, consider traveling with something like a 3/4 sized Little Martin. They're pretty tough -- essentially the body is made of a formica like material. I've seen them used for under $200 from time to time, and I think they are fun to play, and they have a pleasant (if smallish) sound.

OK, I'm a grump :) Seriously, though, I expect there are folks in most areas who need to panhandle (or beg) to eat. If one CHOOSES to take a cycling vacation, and beg along the way, isn't it possible he is drawing from a limited pool of goodwill/ discretionary funds/ etc. available along the route?

you dug a nice hole for yourself with that post theres a lot of musicians on this forum:lol::lol:

We're ALL touring with a musical instrument:

The conspiracy of silence that has surrounded P.D.Q. Bach (1807-1742)? For two centuries began with his own parents. He was the last and the least of the great Johann Sebastian Bach's twenty-odd children, and he was certainly the oddest. His father ignored him completely, setting an example for the rest of the family (and indeed for posterity), with the result that P.D.Q. was virtually unknown during his own lifetime; in fact, the more he wrote, the more unknown he became. He finally attained total obscurity at the time of his death, and his musical output would probably have followed him into oblivion had it not been for the zealous efforts of Prof. Schickele. These efforts have even extended themselves to mastering some of the rather unusual instruments for which P.D.Q. liked to compose, such as the left-handed sewer flute, the windbreaker, and the bicycle.

Pervertimento, S. 66 -- 9'
Bagpipes, Bicycle, Balloons; Str.

:D
source (http://www.presser.com/composers/info.cfm?name=pdqbach)

...with the result that P.D.Q. was virtually unknown during his own lifetime; in fact, the more he wrote, the more unknown he became. He finally attained total obscurity at the time of his death


:roflmao2: I'm sorry, this line just cracks me up...

I was having similar thoughts but more for relaxing at campsite rather than busking. Went to a local guitar shop and tried all the travel sized, nylon classics, and electric guitars. Didn't like any of them for what I needed. On the way out I looked through the ukulele deals for kicks and found the perfect travel sized instrument. Sure it's silly in theory, but damn fun in practice. Don't scoff it till you try it.

Who knows, it might even net you nice busking change for the novelty alone.

Unfortunately some people don't remember to wander a ways off from a campsite to play, so as not to disturb other campers.

The ukelele is a great instrument. 'though I don't play one myself

I picked up a baritone uke last year to take with me on my bike, it didn't work out. My fault, I should have gone to a music store to find one instead of ordering it. The strings are too far apart, once I get use to it then go back to the guitar, I'm all messed up. So over the winter I plan to look locally for something else to trade a really nice ukulele in on. I really like the size and sound of this uke though. :( It would be no problem carrying it on the bike. My guitars are "dreadnoughts", would need a trailer and someone to help peddle for either of those. :)

Long tail Xtracycle, and the guitar doesn't even have to be smaller . bring the dreadnaught .
saw someone, did that, but had a winter gig as a teacher .
songwriter , self produced CD to sell at the performances she could arrange.

Rainsong Guitars solve the weather issue, they're cabon Finer composites.
light foam case wont add much weight.


Mandolin player, myself, they travel well , found a really small one ,
Leo, , sort of a mandolin version of a pocket fiddle..
had lots of people that wanted me to sell it before I started on the Trip.
... To them..

Pub Jam sessions in Ireland and Scotland, made it worthwhile.

I picked up a baritone uke last year to take with me on my bike, it didn't work out. My fault, I should have gone to a music store to find one instead of ordering it. The strings are too far apart, once I get use to it then go back to the guitar, I'm all messed up. So over the winter I plan to look locally for something else to trade a really nice ukulele in on. I really like the size and sound of this uke though. :( It would be no problem carrying it on the bike. My guitars are "dreadnoughts", would need a trailer and someone to help peddle for either of those. :)

Yeah, I feel you on the string spacing. Going back to standard guitar just feels awkward! If you're looking for something more closely spaced and still small, try a Mandolin. Double-coursed strings make it feel like a playing a smaller 12-string.

I think the best, packabale, way play a guitar on tour would probably be a small, short-scale, electric with a portable amplifier (like the pignose).

the martin backpacker guitar is a nice one.

http://www.martinbackpacker.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/martin_backpacker.jpg

I like the Uke....... and the harmonica for busking. Have played for money in Seattle, New Orleans, California. usually just a few extra bucks, its no way to finance a tour IMO but fun for some down time people engaging. if i get better on the ukulele I'd likely bring one for some summer tours.

Here's some uke music i did as background for a recent video i did.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TQUQnjiIXo

I'd second a mandolin, or the Martin backpacker... Yamaha, Washburn, Traveler, all make travel guitars.

As to your original question about "is it worth it" I'd have to say yes, even if you don't make any money. I couldn't see taking a trip without an instrument of some sort, even if it was just a harmonica.

people would kill him if he was to busk with that martin awful sounding guitar, a nice parlor guitar is the answer.

While busking seems to be common and accepted throughout Europe, I'm not sure how well it would be received in small-town middle America, and would likely be viewed as a form of begging (I'm not saying it *is* begging, just that your average person in Iowa might view it as such). Even big cities often don't look too kindly on it. A better bet might be to offer to play for tips in a local bar or pub each night. You get tips, the owner gets free entertainment for the patrons. Make a CD of some of your music that you can demo for a venue owner so he/she sees that you are not a hack. Just be sure to pick songs that will resonate with the locals... reggae music might not be the ticket in the middle of Alabama. Learn some good popular country tunes, for example.

I wouldn't rely on it as a steady source of income, especially when you are in more rural areas. Local regs. might also have an impact on brusking.

Just be sure to pick songs that will resonate with the locals... reggae music might not be the ticket in the middle of Alabama. Learn some good popular country tunes, for example.

"That ain't no Hank Williams song."



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdR6MN2jKYs

We're ALL touring with a musical instrument:

The conspiracy of silence that has surrounded P.D.Q. Bach (1807-1742)? For two centuries began with his own parents. He was the last and the least of the great Johann Sebastian Bach's twenty-odd children, and he was certainly the oddest. His father ignored him completely, setting an example for the rest of the family (and indeed for posterity), with the result that P.D.Q. was virtually unknown during his own lifetime; in fact, the more he wrote, the more unknown he became. He finally attained total obscurity at the time of his death, and his musical output would probably have followed him into oblivion had it not been for the zealous efforts of Prof. Schickele. These efforts have even extended themselves to mastering some of the rather unusual instruments for which P.D.Q. liked to compose, such as the left-handed sewer flute, the windbreaker, and the bicycle.

Pervertimento, S. 66 -- 9'
Bagpipes, Bicycle, Balloons; Str.

:D
source (http://www.presser.com/composers/info.cfm?name=pdqbach)

THAT is truly hilarious! Good old PDQ Bach, least known son of JS Bach........ I'd totally forgotten PDQ despite having some of his CDS at the house!


This is good advice from briwasson for accomplished musicians....... i'm just a hack and could never play sets at a bar or coffeeshop, but this sounds quite promising an avenue for a real busker on tour....bringing some CDS of your music to offer for sale "to help support the trip" would be a cash flow generator as well.... have a friend have some to send out in small batches to you as you sell thru them....
While busking seems to be common and accepted throughout Europe, I'm not sure how well it would be received in small-town middle America, and would likely be viewed as a form of begging (I'm not saying it *is* begging, just that your average person in Iowa might view it as such). Even big cities often don't look too kindly on it. A better bet might be to offer to play for tips in a local bar or pub each night. You get tips, the owner gets free entertainment for the patrons. Make a CD of some of your music that you can demo for a venue owner so he/she sees that you are not a hack. Just be sure to pick songs that will resonate with the locals... reggae music might not be the ticket in the middle of Alabama. Learn some good popular country tunes, for example.

people would kill him if he was to busk with that martin awful sounding guitar, a nice parlor guitar is the answer.


the tone of a martin backpacker is not offensive. come on, some people actually prefer the resonance from those guitars over the more clear tones of a dreadnaught.

the tone of a martin backpacker is not offensive. come on, some people actually prefer the resonance from those guitars over the more clear tones of a dreadnaught.
sorry have to disagree with you there i played one in my local music store it was truly awful ,i know martin have a great name in the guitar world but this axe just dont do there reputation any good, aas a matter of fact my new yamaha LL16 would blow most of the top end martins out of the water just saying.
how did this thread turn into a guitar thread imi this is all your fault lol.

the martin backpacker is a travel specific guitar with a tough, small body. The tone is warm, slightly buzzy, not crystalline. It's not supposed to sound like a concert yamaha! :roflmao:

I think a musician with the chops could make some money on tour promoting themselves to coffeeshops and bars as free entertainment, providing you could play for tips and promote the sales of your own CDs to further ones' travels.

I met a couple from Argentina driving a 1920's era motorcar from SA to Alaska a few years ago. they would stop places, show off the car, and sell a book about their adventure so far to help fund their trip.

The Zapp family, amazing story and great fundraising on a big tour http://www.argentinaalaska.com/esp/fotosviajes/Time%20square.jpg (albeit by car). the Zapp family drive (http://www.argentinaalaska.com/blog/Welcome-alaska)

their book SPARK YOUR DREAM http://www.argentinaalaska.com/blog/Book


transferring their experience to biking with musical instruments, sell some CDS at coffeeshops while providing free entertainment.

stop stop now we have the devils own invention the bloody CAR where will this thread end.lol

Pub Jam sessions in Ireland and Scotland, made it worthwhile.

With envy, I bow to you sir! :beer:

any particular part of Ireland ,i'm going to tour end to end thats mizen head to malin head and then on to northern ireland back towards dublin around 1000 km. i have never been to clare or galway so im looking forward to some good sessions in that part.

and are ya bringing an instrument, your yamaha concert guitar perhaps, antokelly? ;)

There is no need to carry a guitar; just turn the bike upside down [on it's seat and handlebars], cosy up to the front wheel and play a tune on the spokes as if it was a harp. The general public would be well impressed and I'd pay good money if you could do something like the intro to Sweet Child Of Mine by Guns and Roses.

Best ever Irish Session: The pub on Clear Island [off the south coast, over-looking Fastnet lighthouse] during Cork and Kerry tour in 2005. Can't remember the name, but there were only two pubs on the island.

and are ya bringing an instrument, your yamaha concert guitar perhaps, antokelly? ;)

no need bekologish here in ireland if your at a good pub session and you can play all you have to do is ask 9 times out of ten the mucision will only be to glad for you to play there instrument .
but to be totally honest my guitar is just gathering dust these days and i'm a house player not great at playing in front of people .

That is unless you're playing banjo which is more akin to extortion.

that got a chuckle outta me. here in Montreal there is a guy who plays wooden spoons around Christmas and makes quite a racket, people say the same about him.

Rudimentary guitars like the Backpacker often benefit from a good beating before the performance, some really loud strumming to open them up a little. Even some full size guitars that are mostly soundboard and no bracing behave the same.

There are also the Rainsong guitars, all carbon fiber.

The problem with busking is lack of talent. If you have talent nobody can get enough of you. But a lot of people, even those who are quite good, are still just quite good.

These guys were discovered from busking:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBIKSOlje7Q

Another group of busky crazy people. Some proof though that you can wear out your welcome:

http://www.westleyfarm.co.uk/history.htm

Save some weight and learn to play the bike pump: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqYGfMoqsRg

Or the saw, which you can also cut wood with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoGMVdjU9B4

Erick, the pump one was great, too bad the wordplay jokes wont mean much...ça touche aux trippes....etc etc -very cute.

The problem with those traveling Martins is that they're not near loud enough. My pick for a great traveling guitar would be a CA Cargo in a Gator 3/4 case.

any particular part of Ireland ,i'm going to tour end to end thats mizen head to malin head and then on to northern ireland back towards dublin around 1000 km. i have never been to clare or galway so im looking forward to some good sessions in that part.

My trip was Dublin to Co Kerry, hung out in Cahairsiveen for a week around 17/3,
then up the west coast, Dingle, Galway, Donegal ,
thru NI and took the Ferry from Larne.

Probably missed sessions I was un aware of in Dublin.

Nah, no busking, just strummin' 'n songwriting.

I carry a full sized classical guitar in a hard case strapped to my rear rack with just one strap (around guitar's waist and ends of rack) and one bungy cord (from rack up 'n under case to strap). Hard to explain, I'll describe it better with pics if you're interested.


I'm interested, imi. I probably wouldn't tour with a full sized guitar myself (unless I had a longtail or was pulling a trailer) but I've struggled some with transporting instruments across town. Of course, I've hauled my 2x12 bass rig and a couple instruments in my cargo trailer, but that thing is unwieldy.

I have a Martin Backpacker, which I predominantly use for actual backpacking. You can definitely just strap one of these things to a rear rack without really thinking too hard about it. As someone who's spent probably thousands of hours of playing on them, they honestly kind of suck for playability and tone in my opinion. I also keep horrendously braking them and haphazardly gluing them together again with titebond and some inexpert clamping.

I've given real, serious thought to selling several other nice instruments to buy this: http://blackbirdguitar.com/rider_nylon.html . It would be so awesome, especially for backpacking and touring. I'm also close enough to visit their shop and test it out in person if I get serious about it.

For what it's worth, lots of people busk in the downtown of my city (Santa Cruz) and it frankly makes the environment more entertaining. Level of competence of course wildly varies, with the greatest entertainment value found at both sides of the spectrum. You can also buy permits that guarantee legal rights to busk certain areas, which an indonesian ensemble I was in did once, which was pretty fun.

I've given real, serious thought to selling several other nice instruments to buy this: http://blackbirdguitar.com/rider_nylon.html .

Wow! I hadn't seen that guitar. Expensive, yes, but a very very interesting solution. Please cpach, if you try one out I would be extremely interested in your opinion of its playability and sound.

I'll take some pics of how I attach my guitar to the rear rack after the weekend :)

There's guys like Ben Sollee (http://bensollee.com). What kind of guitar? Small traveler acoustic, electric, etc?

I think the Ditty Bops did a tour via bicycles too.

The hollow neck construction is super clever. Their videos and sound clips sound very good, although frankly it's hard to tell through a recording whether an instrument is good or excellent. If only they could eliminate the headstock it would reduce the total length of the instrument significantly, but integrating tuners into the bodies of an acoustic is awkward. I have to say I haven't totally loved the other carbon instruments I've (briefly) played, although I love the sound of nomex-based double topped classicals with CF-reinforced lattice bracing, so it's not traditionalism on my part.

Of course what I really need is to tour with is a carbon fiber cello. Would be awesomely ridiculous.

Of course what I really need is to tour with is a carbon fiber cello.

hah! All this talk abot Carbon Fiber... on the touring forum! :D

But for all you retro grouches there's always this: "Steel is Real!"

229918

Has anyone had any experience and/or success with packing an instrument and performing through each town along the way to pick up some extra cash?

I'll be travelling across the states in May on limited funds and wondering if it's worth the added weight and complications that go along with a relatively fragile piece of equipment. I'm interested to hear of anyone who's made it worth the effort... in dollar billzzz.

If I ever run across ya on tour, I carry a Tin Whistle and a couple Harmonicas. We'll play some sessions. :D

If I ever run across ya on tour, I carry a Tin Whistle and a couple Harmonicas. We'll play some sessions. :D

What's your harp of choice? I've got a couple of Special 20's, they are super tight and sound great... the Hohner Blues ones are a little too "airy" sounding, harder to get a good bend on...

You could just play the bicycle itself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9P2V0_p6vE

lads how about getting a good session going lol.