Playing outside with an M55

The grass is rarely level. Also, the wheels will sink into the ground. I have found that six pieces of 1/2" plywood (about 8" X 8") is usually enough to counteract any anomolies in the earth's crust so your vibes won't wobble back and forth and you won't unduly stress the frame by playing on an unlevel surface.

One further thing... if the ground is super slanted, it is usually easier to play with the axe leaning toward you than away from you, so if you have to make a judgement call raise the back legs more than the ones near you.

Anybody else get misty feelings about the thought of playing music outside with (and for) other people?

i imagine it's not the best thing. but i've done it many times. upright bass players have refused to play on gigs because there was no covering.

and it's wood so, the sun will affect it, however I beat up my m55 and 50 years later, my buddy in Ireland has it and he fixed it up and it's great. so I wouldn't worry about a thing!

I miss playing with our senior band (mean age 84) at summer bandstand concerts in the mountain towns of central Pennsylvania. To transport my instrument across a grassy field, I leave the Omega at home and play on a malletKat mostly chords, occasional solo, some vocals. One remote gig has us setting up on a concrete pad under a canvas covering at a cookout for four church groups. GREAT food! While we play, cows in the two farm fields to the side and rear of our setup wander over to the fence to listen, so we are surrounded by our audience. Happens every year. Even though these are outdoor gigs, the ages of our band members, and of our audiences, makes these gigs unwise in the Covid-19 era.

Hey Tim,

I've played outside just once with my M55, on an uneven lawn for a house party. It was fine except 1) I had to clean off the wheels afterward; 2) It started RAINING and I had to quickly get my instrument under a canopy. Luckily the party guests all prioritized my vibes over their seats under the canopy and I was able to shelter!

I'm about to start bringing my M55 out to busk in the park though, so maybe we can compare experiences. My biggest fear is what to do about unexpected rain when I don't have a convenient party tent to shelter under. For this reason I've been observing a particular spot that's right next to a tunnel to figure out what hours/days it tends to be free so I can snag it! :)

Good luck and have fun!