A case for your guitar

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So what is the best case for your guitar?!? In my stable I have different version, like 4 of them. 1-If you buy an inexpensive axe, it’s called a gig bag. But really it’s like laying a hankercheif over your new wonder and that’s just not much of anything, at the end of the day. 2-it is probably the sleeper and it’s soft and cushiony and light too! I think Justin suggested this as the best of all worlds with the caveat that it is really up to you to protect your gear…be responsible. 3-the regular OHSC. Probably the most protective and sometimes with a logo you are proud of…which is a good feeling. I did hear that some logos are like billboards to nefarios characters… 4-The Anvil Flight Case. Yes, if your Greeny is tuked inside and all-in-all falls out of your private jet, the guitar, even a Gibson, will land on this Earth, headstock not broken!

So!? Which is best going forward my friends?!?

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I think each have their own argument?

Cost/weight/protection really depends what you are using them for and with what guitar.

Theres no point using an anvil flight case to store your $150 squire strat in at home, nor taking it on your bike to your mates for a jam.

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Yep I’ve had the Anvil since 1988. There is a 77 Gibson Les Paul Standard inside. It’s a time machine or maybe a time capsule of sorts.
I guess im really asking that today, regular guitarists should get soft cases.
Haye to see that retail doesn’t include a decent ohsc with a guitar, but the flimsy gig bags are sort of an insult to everyone.
Thanks for responding!!

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Rephrase the Q…?!?

Which is better:
A- good hard shell guitar case

OR

B- a good fit soft cushioned case

Why do you like the one you are using now?

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I think it depends on what you are using it for. If you intend to fly with your guitar or do a lot of travel then I’d be going the good hard case route - I had a Calton case for my best acoustic and flew with it quite a lot. Never had a problem - cheap hard cases are probably a bad idea as they will give you a false sense of protection. I know a lot of people who fly a lot with Hiscox cases and expensive acoustics with very few incidents. Although there is always some risk, whatever case you have.
If you are carrying your guitar around a lot then a good padded gig bag will be much lighter and still offer good protection, although I wouldn’t check it into an aircraft hold! The Gator brand is well thought of, although I have no experience with them.
These days I don’t travel much with guitars and when I do I tend to take a cheaper guitar, perfectly happy to sling the squire in a gig bag if I’m just out and about or in the car.

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That is the tale! Thank you! mathsjunky sez it!

Anyone want to add your case! ?

Just share yours. What we want is the correct case, envelope, when we purchase a guitar we think is good!

The maker should be behind their product. Offer good.
Our hard earned bucks for a good, maintainable product.
Every time I play, I promote that brand of guitar! They now owe me! _R

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I’ve got several guitars (all different shapes) but as most of them are on wall hangers and don’t leave my flat anyway (and do not get anywhere near an airport), there was no point in buying hard cases for each of them. I bought a hard case only for my Epiphone Casino and that was more out of curiosity and to give the whole thing a bit more “importance”. Now it comes pretty handy with 6 guitars and only 3 wall hangers and 2 floor stands.

When I bought my other guitars, the shop assistants always offered to help select a good soft case / gig bag / whatever you call it with sufficient padding. I like them because they are comfortable to carry on my back, the pockets are large enough for picks and cables, and when I don’t need them, I can just store them in the “storage space” of one of my beds.

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I flew my Revstar from Singapore to London (via Dubai) fairly recently. I ended up with a Gator Transit Series gig bag for this.

How did I end up with this?

I called one of the major guitar stores in Singapore (Davies Guitar) and they suggested coming in with the guitar to try out cases. One of the guys took me into their cases area and we measured the guitar and tried several hard cases, none of which really fit the guitar very well and some of which were quite expensive.

Eventually, he asked: “are you dead set on an hard case”, and asked if I had heard of Mono bags, which I had because I had one back in the UK. He said that a well-fitting bag like a Mono would usually be far better than a cheap or badly-fitting hard case. He pointed out that many of the cheaper hard cases didn’t actually offer much protection.

He then said that Mono bags are great, but he would never buy one and didn’t stock them because the Gator bags were just as good (actually slightly better), for less money.

He also told me that he was a travelling musician himself and had travelled all over Asia and some parts of Europe with his precious baby in one of these bags with no issues.

He also gave me a bunch of tips to keep the guitar safe whilst travelling. So I ended up buying the Gator, and it was actually a fair amount cheaper than any of the hard cases, so I felt he was giving me great advice. Also, the Revstar fit extremely well into it.

The tips:

  • Pad out any spare space in the bag, especially around the neck and headstock. He suggested using T-Shirts as it also gave you extra packing space
  • Tie or tape a large umbrella to the front of the bag. This prevents the baggage handlers from putting anything on top of the guitar.
  • Check into oversized luggage and make sure they put the “fragile” labels on it

So here I am with my luggage, awaiting the taxi to the airport:

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It was a bit of a tense moment at the far end, awaiting the guitar to arrive at Gatwick, but it arrived in one piece with no damage at all.

Mind you, this was a mid-range Revstar. If I was dealing with something as notoriously fragile as a Gibson, I might take a different approach, especially if it was particularly valuable.

Cheers,

Keith

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Thank you Keith for your absolutely wonderful story and response. I’m holding the bag/old hard case. Keith, very so great you shared with all of us ! _R. Folks, get a cheap but good soft case, add cushioning, and strap it to your back for, not your, but its safety! Your baby…

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I prefer to use hardcases when I transport my guitars, even if I go by my own car. But a gig-bag is a much more light weight solution and offers fine protection if you’re walking or biking with your instrument. So they all have their uses.

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Hey Kasper! Are you UK or US?
I alway drive about 240 miles US to my gigs. I do use hard cases, but have one soft, unlabled case I put my best guitar in. The under radar case U always keep by my side, and close…it might be worth $3K usd.
Anyway, thanks for your input. I hope people playing out and about don’t fall vic to the travels. That’s why I posted this topic anyway. CHEERS!!

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I think the quality and design of the case/bag matters more than the material. A thin gig bag offers minimal protection, but I think a nice one - like the Gator Transit bag listed above - offers protection matching or surpassing hard shell cases.

I use Gator Transit Lightweight Cases myself - lightweight, rectangular foam cases with backpack straps: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GTRELECGRY--gator-transit-lightweight-series-guitar-case-grey

Gator seems to have discontinued them, unfortunately - they have a lightweight case in the standard line, though it has a single shoulder strap instead of backpack straps. If I were getting a case now, I’d probably get the Gator Transit Gig Bag.

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