I once booked a job in a night club that had been converted from a really old mansion in Magnolia, Arkansas. The downstairs was a restaurant and the club part upstairs. At the time I was playing a really huge organ. When I got there I found the stair case, and it was almost vertical, with very close sides.
I told them there was no way to get my organ up those stairs. They got four strong guys, lifted the organ and turn it on its end and proceeded up the stairs. They did get it up there without damaging it. The leslie cabinet was next, then the P.A.
I booked the next four weekends so was able to leave it there for a while, but sure enough the time came to load up and go somewhere else. Guess what, the four strong guys were not around--just me and a friend.
That's probably why I have back trouble today because I got underneath the end of the organ, my friend and a waitress were able to tilt the other end and we proceed down the steps. Once I started down, they could do nothing but cheer me on. They couldn't hold on and couldn't get past me to help. "Their" end was sort of sliding from step to step. At least it was carpeted. I'm not sure how it happened but I got it down, then managed to rest the top end on the floor as I squeezed out from under and balanced it on the edge of the top end of the organ. I was able to stand it up on its end and then the others could get downstairs to help lean it over on its feet again. Back then I was young and strong and not afraid to try anything.
They called some time later to book me again, and I respectfully declined!