Seats

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 10 Jul 2002 7:42 pm

The fact that two pac-a-seats have been on the Buy and Sell section, and one lasted about thirty minutes, and the other lasted just a few minutes, proves my point. Somebody needs to build a low(read REALISTIC)priced seat. It's a box on legs, c'mon! I believe, that if someone built a seat for 100.00--no back, no frills, just a comfortable place to sit, with room to put your stuff--they'd sell out a year's production in a week! I'll take one, and I don't even need it! COMMENTS?

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 11 Jul 2002 2:52 am

believe me steve i do have some comments... evey builder will agree with me that these things are a lot of labor...it takes me over 3 weeks to build one. thats why i always do a run of 12. it's not just a box with legs on it .if it was , you would not be writing this thread ,you'd be writing a thread on how your seat broke . and i might add you wouldn't be very happy about it. plus there is the investment of all the tools ..table saw,chop saw.buffer,grinder,drill press,welder etc,etc,etc.and don't forget all the supplies. also if your still not convinced i am offering you a invite to come up here to canada and i will watch and help you ...but i'll get you to build one ...and then i promise this thread would be closed faster than you can say " my favorite steel is" those are the facts...as for a cheaper seat in about 4 weeks we will be introduing a cheaper entry level seat which will be in your price range...however...it is a entry level seat and will have a weight restriction,and less storage space ...basicly a place to sit . i hope this helps you as i do not wish this thread to run away down the wrong path ...as edgar tote seat,elete seats,seats+ and maney others including us at out west pac-seats build a fine product and we work very hard at it for a reasonable price, plus we're always redesigning and improving our products. so i think our pricing is more than fair

thank you

wayne
c/o out west pac-seats[This message was edited by Wayne Brown on 11 July 2002 at 03:55 AM.][This message was edited by Wayne Brown on 11 July 2002 at 03:58 AM.][This message was edited by Wayne Brown on 11 July 2002 at 04:04 AM.]

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 11 Jul 2002 3:38 am

Stephen:

Many years ago, I thought the same thing. So, since I already built ATA cases, I figured, heck, I will build a pack a seat, and maybe even go into the business. I made two, one for me and one for a friend. They were beautiful, all ATA case material, red crushed velvet lined, super density foam seat. Built to last forever, wow, I had a hit. One big problem, the darn things would have had to sell for $500.00, so that was the end of my pak-a-seat business. I look at some being made today, and realize they are not making much on them based on my experience. All the materials add up fast, but the real cost is in the labor and any profit that is left. Just my 2 cents worth.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 11 Jul 2002 7:27 am

Now guys, I'm not talking about the formica covered pieces of furniture that would do my mobile home proud! I've seen some seats out there that were UNDERPRICED, if anything. I'm just talking about your basic, run-of-the-mill, no power strip, no-frills palce to sit while you pick. Don't want to make you seat builders mad, or demean the value of anybody's work.

bill dearmore · Post by **bill dearmore** » 11 Jul 2002 8:10 am

Bill Dearmore.......furniture builder. Gotta love it!LOL

Tony Orth · Post by **Tony Orth** » 11 Jul 2002 9:00 am

"There's a way to do it. Find it."

Thomas Edison

Stephen, I'm curious about this myself.
Perhaps a totally new concept would be in order. One that would save labor, since that seems to be the greatest expense. Any creative thinkers with thick skin out there?

Tony

Steve Stallings · Post by **Steve Stallings** » 11 Jul 2002 11:28 am

They already make this.... it's called a drum stool

I used one of these for a couple of years. I think it set me back about $40. Several good builders out there making good stuff. Bill Dearmore makes good stuff as does Ken Rollans. I've not seen Waynes seats, but I'll bet they are fine.

For the ultimate in silliness, I'm already thinking about a new seat to match my as yet to be ordered new D10 Legrande III. Since I am getting this (or possibly a similar guitar) in natural lacquer, I've been toying with the idea of a natural lacquer finished seat! I'll bet Bill can do this, but I'm guessing it will be a tad more expensive

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Steve Stallings
Bremond, Texas

[This message was edited by Steve Stallings on 11 July 2002 at 12:30 PM.]

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 11 Jul 2002 2:47 pm

thanks steve you can see our seats at www.outwestpacseat.ca and yes i can do that seat for you in whatever you want

wayne
c/o out west pac-seats

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 12 Jul 2002 2:35 am

steve if you want a unfinished seat in your price range we also sell the kits that you can put together and cutomize yourself

thanks
wayne

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 12 Jul 2002 9:08 am

Musician's Friend has a fold up bench for 45.00. Don't know how comfortable it would be. You would have to carry some sort of gig bag to keep your pedal, strings, cords etc.

Mark Herrick · Post by **Mark Herrick** » 12 Jul 2002 11:28 am

I'm thinking of designing a carbon fiber composite seat to compliment the new MSA Millenium guitar.

Hydraulic height adjustment with auto leveling; adjustable lumbar support; "magic fingers" massage mechanism; touch screen LCD control panel; e-mail and Internet access via modem, ISDN, DSL, cable or T-1 plus additional options...

Price should be around $2500.00 (not including optional accessories.)

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 12 Jul 2002 11:50 am

Mark, you need to include a seat warmer and a drink cooler.

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 12 Jul 2002 2:20 pm

hehehehe....

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 12 Jul 2002 3:24 pm

Steve, I think the "high prices" on the seats that are produced are warranted. Most of the seats I've seen look like a cross between a piano bench and an anvil flight case! They're not so much a seat as they are a steamer trunk that can double as a stool. I try to travel light, so why most steelers want a seat that elaborate is beyond me, too. I've seen 'em covered with extruded aluminum trim (like an Anvil flight-case), and with compartments big enough for four to six volume pedals. Why don't I use one? They have sharp corners (why not rounded ones, like amps have?), you have to get up to get anything out of them (why not a drawer, that slides out to the side?), the seats are slick vinyl (why not velour, or something non-"plasticky", that "breathes", like a car seat?). Power strips? (For what...I just need one outlet for my amp).

I'm convinced that something could be made out of plastic, for a reasonable cost, if the market was there. So...... you can either build your own, or pay the going rate. Someday, I may uncover the old "Shop-Smith", and build myself one!

Mark Herrick · Post by **Mark Herrick** » 12 Jul 2002 5:48 pm

Thanks Joe!

The seat heater, personal air conditioning unit, uninterruptible power supply and mini refrigerator are just a few of the optional accessories that are generating a lot of interest!

I'm also doing a feasibility study into building a motorized, driveable unit with a trailer hitch for pulling your various equipment dollies and such.

Joe Smith · Post by **Joe Smith** » 12 Jul 2002 10:27 pm

Mark, I think you are on to something. One other option that would be good would be a built in bug zapper for the out door gigs.

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 13 Jul 2002 3:16 am

now hold on here ...lets think about this here....hmmmm....you know you could put a outboard motor on this thing and it could double as a ski boat on the weekends that your not playing...well...it could work....NOT

wayne

Fred Jack · Post by **Fred Jack** » 13 Jul 2002 6:18 am

Look out Wayne .. here come the guy's in the white suits ... regards,

Susan Alcorn · Post by **Susan Alcorn** » 13 Jul 2002 7:06 am

I have a Kline seat that I bought in the very early 80s for sixty or eighty dollars. No back, but we humans possess a spine which is not a bad thing to use once in a while. Also, I remember the old Sho-Bud seats as being pretty nice. No drink holder, etc, but they could hold your chords, your volume pedal, your strings, etc.

George McLellan · Post by **George McLellan** » 13 Jul 2002 7:14 am

ACE made a good seat back in the 80's, I think I paid around $90.00 for mine. It was light and functional, no back but it was stable. I sold it to Ricky D a while back, kinda wish I hadn't.

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SUAS U' PHIOB
Geo

Wayne Brown · Post by **Wayne Brown** » 13 Jul 2002 8:33 am

for anybody that's interested we can install up to a 150HP mercury or johnson on our seats....ya right NOT

John Russell · Post by **John Russell** » 13 Jul 2002 9:00 am

The Musician's Friend seat is made by Rogue, sells for $29.99 and it folds down flat. Also, it is adjustable from 16.9" to 19.3" according to the catalog. That's something I've never seen in a pac-a-seat. I've got a block of wood I fit to hold my Sho-Bud seat open a little making the front edge about 20" off the floor. Big improvement for my 6' frame.

I had a back I fabricated with wood and using a nylon strap to adjust but a large person sat down, leaned back and broke it off. Actually, I don't miss the thing that much as it made the seat larger and more cumbersome and I found that when playing I didn't lean back on the back anyway.

How many of ya'll end up dragging along another box, briefcase or milk crate for extra stuff because the pac-a-seat doesn't hold all that much? That's me. I'd suggest making them a little larger (deeper) with shorter legs, perhaps a little wider. No, wait, then you'd have a box the size of a small bass amp! Maybe just the $30 bench and a tote bag.

Q: Why don't keyboard players have pak-a-seats? Drummers?
A: It's a steel guitar thing, they wouldn't understand.

--JR

Wayne Morgan · Post by **Wayne Morgan** » 13 Jul 2002 9:57 am

Ok guys,Ilooked at the seats offered and they are nice ones out there, but I contacted Richard Lee at Flytecase, and had him make me one to my specs that has a snap on cushion, that stores in the seat-case for travel. It has rounded corners, plenty of room for junk, and very sturdy,,no legs to break. Weight is not that bad compared to a 90lb steel in its case.
But the way I play steel, I should have a 5 gal bucket turned upside down

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Wayne Morgan
BMI D10 8x8, Nash 400,'63 Fender Super Reverbe,and '71 telecaster custom

Bob Mainwaring · Post by **Bob Mainwaring** » 13 Jul 2002 8:21 pm

A couple of years ago I made my own seat out of 1/2" plywood using country mailbox stainless steel "strip" hinges for the wooden 1/2" ply' legs and hinged top; the bottom and sides were rebated then glued together.
The 1/2' ply' legs fold inward together underneath with a "snap" scissor hinge to help keep them apart whilst playing, it takes less than a second to pull them out.
All 8 corners have brass hardware whilst the side/corners have 90o brass strengthening pieces.
I could never figure placing a thick piece of soft foam to be compressed by most guys' buttocks so mine had an old pillow covered by black vynil kept in place by 1/2' diam' brass furniture studs which were then placed around the top, a centre one was added to keep it looking like a cushon.
Instead of using carpet or any other type of material, I painted it with two coats of gloss black paint.
The handle was from an old Fender amp along with the metal/plastic feet.
A removable compartmeted box runs along half the inside which holds all the required tools, strings and junk....
Looking back I think it run me about $25.00 total.

Bob Mainwaring. Z.Bs. and other weird things.

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Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 14 Jul 2002 10:38 am

Bob, you summed it up much more eloquently than I ever could. Thank you, and this would be a good place to close this thread.