A great accessory case idea

When I go to a jam session or a gig, I like to have all the tools of the trade with me. A couple basic implements for making spot repairs to my instrument, lots of extra strings, my mic, my cable, picks, tuner, capo, etc. Of course most instrument cases have that accessory pocket for carrying such things, but having one cubby hole with no organization to it isn’t always convenient if you like to carry all of the things I just mentioned. Check out this great idea that I’ve been using for quite awhile now.

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Why’d you bring your tackle box Paul?

The accessory case. Click to view larger

The pickers and audience members in my area have been seeing me carry around this little case (or variations of it) for years, and I get a lot of questions about it. It’s a neat little idea that most people love. My banjo student and friend, Steve Roberts, recently suggested I write a blog post about it to show the world (or my 5 readers) my little idea. Feel free to copy.

As you can see by the picture (click on it to expand it) this is a patent leather case which I picked because it more or less matches my black banjo case. Prior to this case I had an aluminum version with the exact same configuration, but that case was stolen when my banjo was vandalised. (You can read my blog post on that event by clicking this link.)

Some of you might think that to carry an external case everywhere you go might be too much trouble. It’s certainly not for everyone. If you tend to travel light without too many supplies when you go somewhere, then you may indeed find it to be more of a hassle then its worth. And still others find the accessory cubby hole of their instrument case sufficient. That’s all fine and dandy, but if you like the idea of a manageable option for carting around a fair amount of supplies, then read on.

Never be stuck without the essentials

Another shot of the accessory case.

Alright, as much as I hate to do this, I’m about to expose myself and give away a secret. I run the risk of jeopardizing my really cool, manly banjo image by sharing this with you. I just know that you won’t think worse of me for it, so I’m going to spill the beans. Ready? Here goes: the cool little case with the nested trays and black leather is actually…*gulp*…a ladies make-up case. What?! No way!! Banjo Paul is a sissy boy?!

Well, not exactly, and truth be told it wasn’t that hard to admit the true use of this case. Shucks, we’ve heard all about equality of the sexes for so long now, and since men have been cajoled into giving deference to women for so long, why should we just sit back and let them have the cool tools? I saw this case and just thought “what a great little case!!” It’s like a tackle box all dressed up for a night on the town. Here’s a list of what I keep in my box:

• Picks
• Tuners
• Strings
• Fast frets
• Sweat rag
• Side cutters (for clipping strings)
• Multi-tool (several tools in a folding apparatus for making banjo repairs
• Sure SM57 mic in a pouch
• Mic cable
• Batteries for my banjo pick-up
• Capo
• Extra bridge
• Bracket wrench
• Allen wrench
• Super glue

In the Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio region we have a retail giant called Meijers. This is one of those all-in-one super centers, similar in some ways to a Super Walmart. You can get groceries, rent a video, do your taxes, buy your clothes, get a tooth pulled, and get a haircut, all under the same roof. The roof that’s big enough to cover a small city. (Most states in the union have a similar retailer operating in their region.) Well, it’s at Meijers that I found this case in the ladies make-up aisle. I won’t tell you why I was in the ladies make-up aisle, but there you have it. If you like what you see, check out your local retail-o-rama and see if maybe they have such an accessory case.

Everything but the kitchen sink

This is a great little case!

I‘m kind of a gadget guy, and I love having the right tool for the job at my disposal. This neat little compact case just caught my eye, and I had to have it. Have you ever been at a jam or a stage show and come up short when needing a string or a tool or a pick? You can have each of those things in your banjo case, but my little accessory case just makes it so much more organised and convenient. For me, it hasn’t been inconvenient at all to carry it with me when I grab my banjo.

How about you? Do you have a neat idea that you’ve found enhances your banjo experience? Would you mind sharing it with my readers? We can all learn from each other if you do. Just scroll down to the bottom of this post and leave your comments in the appropriate area. You’ll have to log in first by creating a user name and password, but that’s easy to do. Thanks so much, and as I always say: pick ‘em if ya got ‘em!

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Banjo Paul
“Wunse, I coodn’t even spel bango pikker…now I are one!”
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