Hard Cases...

[Fred_Buzz]

Ok so I've got my new sweet custom Warmoth tele all done... now I need nice travel case for it. What's your favorite case?

I've been looking at this one (SKB Pro Series):

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/1SKB-66PRO

Any recommendations?

 

[aarontunes]

I personally hate hard cases. I will take a quality gig bag any day. I have a lot of experience with the Mono M80 and the Gator ProGo. I prefer the ProGo for many reasons, which I can enumerate if you're interested.

 

[mayfly]

Like double A, I've got a preference for gig bags around town.  But - I occasionally fly with the things as well, so I've got a couple of flight cases too.  IMHO old school wooden hard cases are a waste of time although I confess for one of my guitars I've got the exact SKB case that you've shown there.  It's fine and I'd feel good about someone getting it.  Still think gig bags are better.

For gig bags, I've got everything from the Mono bags to cheap Levys ones. Also, I've just ordered one of these:

I'll let you know how it is when I get it.

For my flight cases, I've got one of these for telecaster types:

and I've got one of these for my custom made Peggy White acoustic guitar:

I've flown with both of the above and the cases have been excellent.

 

[ptirman]

I like the SKB's too. There is a nice one on Stratosphere for $89. Used but looks great.

 

[Cagey]

The SKB-66Pro is a lotta case for the money. Highly protective without being painfully heavy.

 

[TBurst Std]

Trying to understand:
Why not hard cases ?
Last time I used a gig bag, a mic stand toppled and hit the bag. (I was outside loading out my rig.)  Ouch big ding.  If hard case it would have been no harm no foul. 

 

[Cagey]

I'm with you. But, modern bags are pretty robust. Not really bags, so I don't see the point. May as well use a hard case.

 

[BigSteve22]

........If hard case it would have been no harm no foul.

I'm with you Bro, been a hard case guy for the last 45 years, never had one fail me. Don't get me wrong, there's some great gig bags out there, and I respect people's love of them, just not for my guitars! Had a drunk use my Gibson acoustic as a step stool, hard case saved the day, if it was in a gig bag it would have been toast..... (Very badly crushed toast.)

For my Tele, I bought one of these:

Model 1SKB-66, Tele fits in it like a glove, and very sturdy. If I was going to fly with it I'd probably go with the 66Pro case you show in the OP. That, or one of these GF flight cases:

The fit is not snug by any sense of the word, but you can just pad around it so it can't shift, problem is they weigh a ton!

 

[aarontunes]

Trying to understand:
Why not hard cases ?
Last time I used a gig bag, a mic stand toppled and hit the bag. (I was outside loading out my rig.)  Ouch big ding.  If hard case it would have been no harm no foul.

For me, it's a matter of balancing the level of protection with the weight, ease of transport, and space required to store it...both at the gig and at home when not it use. A high end gig bag makes load ins, load outs, and storing the case during the gig SO MUCH EASIER!!! You can carry them like a backpack, leaving your hands free for other things. You can load the guitar in and out of them while standing, without having to lay them down and open them up. When they are empty you can chuck (yes chuck) them in a corner somewhere.

A falling mic stand would have to be shot from a cannon to ding my guitar through my Mono bag. If someone backed a truck over it they could do some damage, but I'm taking a calculated risk that won't happen. So far I have been right. If not....I have my stuff insured.

A well-designed, injection-molded hard case can be great too. What I really hate are the old-school "high quality" wooden ones, which can sometimes weigh 2 to 3 (or more) times what the guitar itself does. (I'm looking at you PRS.) That's no good for me. No good.

My ultimate case would be one that is as strong as steel-reinforced carbon fiber concrete diamonds, weighs the same as anti-gravity cotton balls, and vaporizes into mist any time a guitar is not in it. Until they have those, a quality gig bag is the closest option, IMO.

 

[Fred_Buzz]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Mostly looking for case that could fly or be shipped when I travel.

 

[Cagey]

For shipping, I've used the molded SKB cases a number of times and not been sorry. As baggage on a passenger flight, I don't know. For some reason, that seems to require a case with some serious Special High Intensity Training. But, SKB makes the "i series" for that. One of these, while a bit more pricey, will keep your baby safe. You can even toss the instrument in a lake and it'll be fine. Only downside to them is they weigh 20lbs empty, so for day-to-day personal carrying they're probably overkill.

 

[mistercharlie]

I use Hiscox cases, which are excellent and relatively lightweight. Mostly I use them for their thermal insulation properties. I live in a place where it gets very cold in winter, and the guitar usually comes out of the case still in tune.

 

[stratamania]

As others have mentioned for more regular use the SKB66 is a great case.

I also have one SKB i Series, which is an earlier version of the one in the first post of the thread. It is heavy for daily use and of course more costly. Probably overkill if you are not throwing it in the back of trucks or putting it onto an airplane as luggage.

G&G also make some nice cases that are worth checking out.

For Gig bag type use I would go with Mono.

Here is a picture of the iSeries I have with one of my Warmoths in it. The photo was in very bright sunlight and the guitar quilt looks lighter than it normally does.


Case_1 by stratamania, on Flickr

 

[rgand]

I'm totally pleased with SKB cases. The shaped molded hardshell case will take my Tele or Strat.

I have another case that fits my JM but prefer the SKB. I also have a hardshell case for my Tele that I got when it was new many years ago. I don't play gigs so that isn't a concern for me.

 

[BigSteve22]

......I have another case that fits my JM but prefer the SKB.

Like Rgand said, no better case for a JM than an SKB. I have one for my Jazzy, great case....

 

[Steve_Karl]

I've got 1 SKB 66 pro ... very nice ... only complaint is there's a bit of sag at the handle when you pick it up with a guitar in it.
but... mine is a 2009 model ... they might have solved that problem with newer ones.

 

[mayfly]

Interesting.  I just checked and mine does that too...

 

[Cagey]

It's surprising sometimes how many handles are installed without backups to spread the load. They often rely on the attachment screws alone to bear the entire weight of the container they're attached to. Then there are potential imbalances and banging into things... it's a wonder more handles don't break than do.

 

[rgand]

I checked my case with a guitar in it and there's no sag, bend or flex in the handle or where it attaches. I even pulled firmly on it to make sure. Mine is a three year old case. The handle attaches at a curved part of the case so maybe that makes a difference over the rectangular ones.

 

[Cagey]

I'm sure it does, for the same reasons arches work well in bridges and architecture. You're adding compression, torsional and shear strength rather than depending on any one of them.