Willie's latest luxury coach

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Tom

Tom

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Today we were watching an episode of Extreme RVs and they showed the design and construction of Willie Nelson's latest luxury coach for transporting his band while they're on the road. It's based on a Prevost chassis/shell. Lots of neat features in the living area, the band manager's office, and even the bunks that can adjust between 2-high and 3-high. Trigger, Willie's famous guitar, has its own closet. Also in the closet is an embroidery image of Trigger so the guitar appears to be in the closet even when it's not.

I need to figure out where/how to build a closet in our coach for my guitars, banjos and ukuleles.
 
Tom said:
Today we were watching an episode of Extreme RVs and they showed the design and construction of Willie Nelson's latest luxury coach for transporting his band while they're on the road. It's based on a Prevost chassis/shell. Lots of neat features in the living area, the band manager's office, and even the bunks that can adjust between 2-high and 3-high. Trigger, Willie's famous guitar, has its own closet. Also in the closet is an embroidery image of Trigger so the guitar appears to be in the closet even when it's not.

I need to figure out where/how to build a closet in our coach for my guitars, banjos and ukuleles.
Click to expand...
Trigger is so cool. Very few people are so closely related to one instrument. I am happy that I have such a spacious RV that I keep all my instruments on display at all times. I have the ukes all hanging from the wall and the guitar on a stand in front of them. Since I live alone and never move the RV this is possible. I like having them on display so that it makes it easy to pick one up or sit down and start playing with a minimum of fuss. I did a reduction in the last year and I now have only five instrument. Piano, drums, guitar, bass, 8 string uke and a 4 string uke. Lately I have been jonesing for a sitar. But I don't have anymore places to put one. I would never get serious about playing it but it would be fun to mess around on. Electric sitars go for $259 on eBay.
 
In the program, Trigger had a large hole where you'd expect a pick guard. I previously saw a documentary on the guy who repairs Trigger annually. Trigger's designated closet has racks for packets of strings, and they mentioned that Willie changes strings nightly.

Our RVing style has changed the last several years; We now spend 4 months at a time on our own lot in WY. This and the wide beam, thanks to opposing slides, allow me to have several instruments in stands. One of the 5Ws we recently looked at had a second bedroom with closed door and its own head; Chris immediately said "that's your music room"  :) but we didn't buy it for other reasons.

I have instruments (guitars, ukes, banjo and keyboard) at both houses, and take along on a few additional ones. Both locations have a large designated space for my instruments. I'm still working on Chris to let me buy a drum kit; It would probably have to be a set of drum pads.

I'm not up for a sitar, but have thought about a mandolin.
 
Wish I had seen that show, catch it on occasion.  My Dobro storage is the right side of my closet.  In the case. 
 
At home I keep my instruments in locking hangers.  When traveling I keep them in their cases when I?m not actually playing.  Confined spaces, dogs, a wife, and priceless (to me) guitars do not mix well.

 
Understood Russ. Mine are in cases when we're in transit, either in the coach or the car. But they come out when we arrive at a long-stay location.
 
  I remember Willie was in financial trouble for back taxes or something similar. He must have pulled out of it alright. Wish I was that poor! That was one cool bus they built for him. Sounds like that Florida company builds one like every six years for Willie.   
 
Yes, some years ago Willie had to work to pay the taxes he owed.
 
A fascinating video of his guitar tech, Marc Erlewine repairing Trigger. You can see Roger Miller and Johnny Cash's autograph and the inside of Trigger. I found this video last year after reading Willie's autobiography.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NERQSC0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://youtu.be/xc7Zb3iJEjM

Marc redefines layed back.
 
Willie Nelsons coaches were built by Florida Coach in Kissimmee. The owner, Jack Calhoun made several recordings and played in the Grand Ole Opry with his brother before he died not too long ago in 1917.
I was approached by Jack one night and asked if I would apply for a job driving one of Willies coaches but even though we were in the middle of a recession I had a new baby on the way and couldnt grasp the idea of being away from them on tour.  Knowing how things turned out with my ex-wife I should have taken the deal, it would have been interesting at least.
 
Thanks Tom. I'd seen that video a couple of times in the past, probably because you'd posted the link. But I got a little more out of seeing it again.
 
[quote author=catblaster5]... and asked if I would apply for a job driving one of Willies coaches... it would have been interesting at least.[/quote]

It sure would have Will. Thanks for sharing.
 
[quote author=SeilerBird]I have the ukes all hanging from the wall ...[/quote]

On our recent 4-month stay, I cobbled together a uke wall hanger using a 'U' from a broken hanger and a piece of wood. Against Chris' protestations, I attached it to the vertical wood trim of a slideout using 3M removable adhesive strips (didn't want any permanent damage if it didn't work out). Seeing my 8-string uke hanging there, taking up less room than its uke stand, Chris gave her approval. On my TBD list is the purchase of uke wall hangers.

Meanwhile, I've been (mentally) wrestling with the idea of a multi stand for the guitars and banjo - something like this - to free up floor space at the house.
 
I have got a bunch of guitar hangers you could have for free. I just replaced all mine with much better hangers. Here are the ones I had:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O4JRLU0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But they are cheap and not very secure. Here is the ones I got now:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RXDVC8P/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Much classier and much more secure. And not that much more money.
 
I'm thinking of these uke hangers which, after a little staining, will match the cherry wood they'd be attached to in the coach.

In this house, I used virtually all the wall space to hang cabinets, which is why I'm looking at the floor-mounted 7-guitar stand for the guitars and banjo.

FWIW with the larger instruments, I find it a PITA dragging out the heavy cases and putting them away again. I tend to switch between them when I'm playing.
 
Tom said:
I'm thinking of these uke hangers which, after a little staining, will match the cherry wood they'd be attached to in the coach.

In this house, I used virtually all the wall space to hang cabinets, which is why I'm looking at the floor-mounted 7-guitar stand for the guitars and banjo.

FWIW with the larger instruments, I find it a PITA dragging out the heavy cases and putting them away again. I tend to switch between them when I'm playing.
Click to expand...
That one looks pretty good. The important thing is it is adjustable to different size headstocks. My old ones were not adjustable. I too have very little wall space because this 5er has a ton of cabinets and a whole lot of windows. I did figure out last night where I can put a sitar so I will do another post so I don't hijack this one. I have been switching from hard shell cases to padded gig bags. Much cheaper and light weight. I am not doing a lot of traveling so the hard cases became redundant for me.
 
That hanger is the one I have and have had for years, although I no longer have the appropriate wall to mount it on.  SO it sits until being called upon again.

 
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