Lets talk guitar cases

[Davey]

I want to take my guitar with me, when i go to the LGS and i need a case for it.
right now i got a pretty good gig bag, but even though it has pretty good padding i do not trust anyone (especially seeing how bags are being flung on airports) with it.

i went out and checked some stores and neither had what i liked. (hard universal cases with little to no padding, where the guitar moved around like crazy.. not to mention, the foam case they had was bending @ the headstock. i dont want to open the case and pick it out by pieces)

so, i need a hardshell case with GOOD! padding. form fitting if possible (jackson dinky/soloist body). able to lock the latches.
it basically needs to be bullet proof. flight cases would be ideal, if they arent too pricy (i think up to about 100€ plus shipping is good.. if it's a touch over, i wont fret)
(this is one i'd think would work.. what do you guys think? http://www.thomann.de/de/skb_route66.htm )

http://www.skbcases.com/music/products/proddetail.php?f=&id=234&o=&offset=1&c=82&s=75
this is one i would like.. know any online stores that sell it?

been looking at those coffin cases online, but they look cheesy as hell.
anybody got any experience with companies, that are available in europe (links to online stores, if possible)

thanks for any info

[Dakine]

Davey,
have flown with ALOT of guitars now.
Have NOT had a problem with those SKB's.
Although, I believe (well now know) there are cases with even better padding.
Hiscox are better (but from what I have seen ya pay some for the name). I just bought a great condition Used Fender ABS case. It is shaped and therefore smaller (making taking ONTO a plane more of a possibity. Also the padding inside is better than the SKB's I have had (and had 3 styles of SKB). Gator, IMO, are worse than SKB.
Flight cases are Huge and HEAVY. This will be a problem to carry and may illicit extra charges.
ALl my flying has been Trans Atlantic and thus far a good ABS case has NOT let me down at all.
BTW, I did'nt think you could take a guitar INTO LGS (security reasons).

For my money (at this point) a Fender ABS would be a good deal. Well made and padded and small enough for poss. of going into cabin.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Genuine-Fender-Guitar-Hard-Case-Stratocaster-Tele_W0QQitemZ130077945140QQihZ003QQcategoryZ20830QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Like this one. Has thicker padding inside than ALL my SKB cases I had.

Also, I advise AGAINST locking it. Use silver 'gaffa' style tape over the catches. Security have the right to open/break the locks to check inside.

[Davey]

i do not think taking a guitar into the venue will be a problem, since i'll have an exhibitor pass (major thanks to big cat jonathan :D ) maybe it needs to be catalogued by jonathan prior to the show starting, so they have info about it, at the door

i am looking at extra charges anyway and am willing to pay them, but on all flights i have been so far, the overhead compartments have been to small to hold a guitar case, so i'll have to let them put it in the cargo hold.


thanks for the heads up on the locks, but i still would like to lock them, when i'm off the airport ;)

[Dakine]

do what ya want, just trying to give ya benefit of my experience.
IF ya get a nice check-in person you can be allowed to put it in the 'forward coat/pushchair' locker (have been able to do this before if was NOT a large looking case.
I see NO reason you have to pay extra charges (but hav'nt flown European for awhile) as it is or can be counted as part of your allowed baggage.
Anyway, IMO a good ABS case is the ticket.

[Davey]

depends on the company i'll be flying with.. some allow multiple pieces as long as it doesnt exceed the 20kg per person quota, the others only allow one one carry on and one bigger piece of luggage...
like said, depends on company.

i dont mind the charges, cos the most common ones have around 20€ upcharge for aditional pieces of luggage.


i'll see what i can find online, as local stores dont carry anything worth of interest

and thanks for the suggestions. i'll keep my eyes peeled

[Dakine]

Well, for whats it's worth, the smaller 'looking' the better (read well thought out/streamlined, NOT cheap or badly padded) as ya have more chance of carrying it onboard. I have heard people turning up with guitars in gigbags and pleading to carry it on as it's not protected, but that IMO is a risk/chance I am not prepared to take.
SKB make for MANY major companies and not just their own branded stuff (for instance one of my MusicMan Axis was in an SKB) and seem fine. But have found the padding in the Fender (which in fact is a generic Strat/Tele case and VERY well fitting) to be much better than 'other' SKB cases I have had (I say this as I think the Fender is an SKB made case too).
I have seen Gator cases and NOT been impressed with the construction. Also know ppl. who have had them that were not satisfied either.
The Hiscox I looked at for the Fender was IMO no better than the Fender case I bought used but was more money (aka, name upcharge?).

[dave_mc]

I want to take my guitar with me, when i go to the LGS and i need a case for it.
right now i got a pretty good gig bag, but even though it has pretty good padding i do not trust anyone (especially seeing how bags are being flung on airports) with it.

Can't give any info about cases, unfortunately, but I agree that I wouldn't trust the airport staff. When I was in London a couple of years ago (stansted, I think), this banjo (in a hard case) came flying off the conveyor belt. The guy who owned it was extremely pissed (with good cause), it may have even sustained some minor damage, and that was in a hard case!

:drink:

[noodleplugerine]

I fly my guitars around alot, and have 2 Hiscox cases.

They rock. Truly awesome, and you can get them in all different fittings for different guitars. Are they more expensive? Perhaps, but I guarantee top quality.

Gaffa tape over latches is an absolute definite - They fling those cases like a rattle, and you never want them to smash the locks open.

Also, make sure to slacken the strings before it gets on the plane - Unless you want a snapped neck.

PS: Those SKB cases look rather flimsy...

[Davey]

I want to take my guitar with me, when i go to the LGS and i need a case for it.
right now i got a pretty good gig bag, but even though it has pretty good padding i do not trust anyone (especially seeing how bags are being flung on airports) with it.

Can't give any info about cases, unfortunately, but I agree that I wouldn't trust the airport staff. When I was in London a couple of years ago (stansted, I think), this banjo (in a hard case) came flying off the conveyor belt. The guy who owned it was extremely pissed (with good cause), it may have even sustained some minor damage, and that was in a hard case!

:drink:

dude....

it was a banjo!  :roll:  

but exactly.. i've been on my share of airports already and on all, the luggage is treated like cr@p. on some, they even threw the luggage down onto the cart from the airplane from like 3m height

i'll probably buy one of those skb ones (i am most worried about the headstock, as it is a jackson angeled headstock and they can break even in a case when they goet thrown around. fenders are MUCH more forgiving in that department)

[Dakine]

I want to take my guitar with me, when i go to the LGS and i need a case for it.
right now i got a pretty good gig bag, but even though it has pretty good padding i do not trust anyone (especially seeing how bags are being flung on airports) with it.

Can't give any info about cases, unfortunately, but I agree that I wouldn't trust the airport staff. When I was in London a couple of years ago (stansted, I think), this banjo (in a hard case) came flying off the conveyor belt. The guy who owned it was extremely pissed (with good cause), it may have even sustained some minor damage, and that was in a hard case!

:drink:

dude....

it was a banjo!  :roll:  

but exactly.. i've been on my share of airports already and on all, the luggage is treated like cr@p. on some, they even threw the luggage down onto the cart from the airplane from like 3m height

i'll probably buy one of those skb ones (i am most worried about the headstock, as it is a jackson angeled headstock and they can break even in a case when they goet thrown around. fenders are MUCH more forgiving in that department)

I would say ANY guitars weak spot is the headstock. Certainly I did'nt see any more issues with my Jackson Thru Neck than this Fender. What I usually do (just for MORE protection) on ALL of my guitars is fold a polishing cloth (I use the microfibre car detailling cloths) and place it under the gap directly behind the headstock (where it meets the neck, nut area basically) as this normally protrudes a little from the 'neck support area' in a case. Thus giving the WHOLE neck more support, IMO. Difficult to explain but should get the gist.

[Kilby]

You could also carve some of that foam they use in camera cases to make it a better fit around the headstock area, as most cases have that huge empty area around the headstock

[Antag]

I have the SKB-66 for both my Warmoth strats.  It's a nice case & appears to be sturdily built (though I haven't really bashed it around) & the strats fit fairly snugly.

I got it from Piedog though no doubt it's cheaper at Thomann....

[Antag]

A word of caution about the SKB66 though - if your Charvel is one of the neck-through-body ones with a pitched neck, you might need to put a towel/cloth under the neck & heel as when lying flat it's just resting on the tip of the headstock (only by a few mm) - just went & tried my recently PK'd Charvel in it.

NB: This only applies of you have a pitched neck, so if it's a bolt-on (which I understand does not have a pitched neck) you should be fine...

[Davey]

it's a bolt on, so no worries there...

and that is primarily a problem with non recessed trems and hardtails, cos they need an angeled neck.


could you snap a pic of the interrior? the ones from the websites suck

[Antag]

Sorry dude, wifey's camera is out of commission, so I've only got this photo I took a while ago of my alder strat:



Yes, it sucks nearly as badly as the SKB webite pics :lol:

The bit where you see that bag of allen keys & yellow booklet is a recessed pocket about the same size/shape as the booklet itself

The other well where you see the strings & strap is actually L-shaped with a little thin bit where the strap is & a wider part for strings & other stuff.

The body is held fairly snugly because the body recess is shaped for the outline, but doesn't hold the "horns" on all sides (which is why it will also fit dinky/solist shapes & tele shapes.

However, with the lid shut, the guitar can't move as the neck is sitting in a little curved "trough".  At the headstock end, it's got an engled recess to accomodate angled headstocks.

Hope this helps...