Pickers Corner-Getting Down to Cases

Getting Down to Cases

By Pete Roehling

Pete Roehling is a member of the SWBA Member Band, Felonious Plunk, and a luthier at the east end of Redlands. This article was originally published in the SWBA newsletter, the Bluegrass Soundboard, 1999. Those wishing to contact him, can send e-mail to Peter_roehling@eeee.org

There are many sorts of instrument cases on the market. In fact, there are so many different styles that players often become confused as to which is the right one for them. That being the case (hoho), let's examine the basic sorts of gear available and talk about the good points and not-so-good points of each:

Gig Bags

Gig bags are just that: Nylon or Cordura (registered name of a certified nylon fabric) fitted bags that zip around your instrument and are meant to provide protection going to and from gigs. Cheap bags start at about $40.00 and are pretty much a waste of money. They feature thin nylon material, no padding at all poor sewing, and cheap zippers that usually give up the ghost after six months or so.

A high quality bag can cost over $100.00, but will have closed-cellfoarn padding, Gortex or Cordura pack cloth construction, large exterior pouches for straps and spare strings, sturdy, comfortable handles, and will frequently feature snap-on carrying strap systems that really work. The Gortex types are darn near waterproof, and the Cordura ones can be, if they're sprayed with Scotch Guard.

A gig bag's big selling point is convenience. Even the good ones weigh only about four pounds (compared to the average hard-shell's 10 lbs.), making an attractive package for musicians who have to tote their instruments a lot. The better bags will protect the contents against heat pretty well, and can absorb dings and minor impacts as well. What a bag won't do is protect your baby against major impacts or crushing.

After all, no matter how well made. it's still only a cloth bag.

I use gig bags for all my guitars and banjos, but I'm darn careful when I do, and there are times when I won't use them.

Hard Shell Cases

First, if you value your instrument, don't use a soft-shell case. They are made of pressed cardboard, and provide no protection against moisture, impact, or heat; and darned little against minor dings or scratches.

Hard-shell cases are the industry standard. They come in both plastic and wood styles, and can cost anywhere from $80.00 to $200.00. As you would expect, you pretty much get what you pay for.

Plastic Cases: Good points of the plastic cases are that they are almost waterproof, they have good insulation, and they usually fit the instrument perfectly. Bad points are that the hardware on plastic cases tends to fall off and is hard to replace or repair, the parts boxes are usually tiny, and the plastic itself sometimes warps over the years, making the case very hard to open or close.

Wood Cases: Wood cases will protect against most impacts even better than plastic, and a broken or badly worn case can usually be repaired.

Hardware parts for wood cases are commonly available. A wooden case will not protect against water damage as well as plastic, and wood can also be punctured more easily.

Super Hard-shell Cases: The last item on our list is the super hard-shell case. Usually known as "road cases" or "flight cases"; these portable bank vaults are the last word in protection. Made mostly of Fiberglas, high density foam, and Dural ® aluminum, flight cases start at about $200.00 and go up as high as $500.00 for a Leaf or Calton case.

These are the cases most professional bands use when on the road; and with good reason. Good points about flight cases are that they offer the ultimate protection against impacts, crushing, heat, or moisture. (Many are completely waterproof. I know a mandolin player who used his flight case as a life preserver when his boat sank. The mandolin was still perfectly dry afterwards.) The parts boxes tend to be large, and most flight cases now come with extremely good handles and web strap carrying systems, which you will probably need...

Providing that you can afford a roadie, flight cases have few problems. On the other hand; if you have to carry it yourself, you'd better be in good condition. My Mark Leaf case weighs in at seventeen pounds empty. Add an eleven pound Bluegrass banjo, and the resulting twenty-eight pounds is almost exactly twice the weight of the same banjo in a gig bag.

Which of the above is the right case for you? Depends on how it's going to be used, how much you can spend, how badly you want to protect the instrument, and how long you can carry an anvil in one hand.