Case Covers

[cke]

Does anybody here use case covers?

I have a new L-09. Love it and I think the case is very good - BUT the vinyl covering is SOO easy to damage. In the 'old days' cases came with a cover - and it took the wear and tear.  I might be taking the guitar on a plane, and I do travel with it every week in the car. I could get something like a Colorado cover or an SKB molded case - the price is similar (!).

Any experience or advise?

Thanks!

[dermot]

i have a case cover for my Calton, it's black heavy cloth & made by a seamstress, makes the screaming bright red case somewhat lower profile, it has a slot for the strap & handle... and all at a much lower price than the Colorado case cover...

d.

[cke]

Thanks for the replys.

I have my Dad's old 50+ year old Goya in a leather bound case which is plenty worn, but still usable. The modern vinyl can't take that kind of abuse, and  the cover is what holds the case together  (see Frets.com on cases).

dermot, how is your cover spec'd? Your idea seems to be a great solution.

[dermot]

is a piccie is worth 1,000 words?

here's 4,000 words ;-)
The OM19 in it's custom fitted case;

the case closed up and ready to travel, it kinda screams "steal me";

with the cover on it's much lower profile;

Slide the case into the cover like a glove, and zip up the end;


maybe show your case to seamstress or Tailor along with these piccies, it should not cost too much.

d.

[cke]

Thanks - you are quite verbose with this!

Gives me hope and direction.

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[cke]

I do worry that even with a cover, the 'deluxe archtop case' may get damaged on a plane. Is a case and cover the equal to say an SKB molded case. Better? Worse?

(I can't afford  a Calton  - for that money I could by a git at my destination :) )

[dermot]

In this review that looked at Martin 300 & 500 series, Eastman, Hisckox, SBK, Calton...  the 500 series & SBK tied at 6/10;

http://www.bluegrasswales.org/Cases.htm

d.

[cke]

Thanks for the link. I really helped me solve my dilemma.

I judge the Larrivee 'deluxe archtop case' the equal of the Martin 500 'Geib.'

And it has the same vulnerability.

The molded cases really don't seem to do better; just better cosmetically. Their big  vulnerability is heat: I have seen a couple heat damaged and it's very ugly.

So I think my answer is: get a cover made. Then I can use the Larry case that I like without stressing about dings.

So, anybody ever RESTORE cases? The case for my Goya (50+ yrs old) is very worn along the bottom end of the lid and a couple of other places as well.  My luthier thinks old cases  have collectable value similar to old guitars; and that 'fixing' them hurts their value. It has embossed leather covering which is very cool, but the wood is slightly exposed.

So:
Patch?
Recover?
Retire?

[dermot]

Chris;

I judge the Larrivee 'deluxe archtop case' the equal of the Martin 500 'Geib.' And it has the same vulnerability.

I think so too

So I think my answer is: get a cover made. Then I can use the Larry case that I like without stressing about dings.

Yea...

So, anybody ever RESTORE cases? The case for my Goya (50+ yrs old) is very worn along the bottom end of the lid and a couple of other places as well.  My luthier thinks old cases  have collectable value similar to old guitars; and that 'fixing' them hurts their value. It has embossed leather covering which is very cool, but the wood is slightly exposed.

So:
Patch?
Recover?
Retire?

The Goya case? Well i have a 50's Lifton case originally made for Gretch that my old D18 had when i bought it in the early 70's, i use it when the D18 leaves home (not often, and never far) it's really beat, with a piece of rope for a handle, and gaffer tape holding it together in places, if it had a reason to travel i would borrow a Calton from a friend who has three of them, and that's two more than he goes out with at any given point.

As long is i was hauling the Goya out to local gig's I'd go with patching it's case just enough to make it a bit more functional, but nothing that is not reversable (I agree with your luither)

The Larrivee case? I would do the cover thing. My cover has absorbed more than a few scratches that the Calton would have taken otherwise

I only got the Calton after the case of my Webber came down the chute at Hethrow looking substantially worse than your LVs' case.. splintered wood on the arch top about the width of a forklift's tynes

The Guitar inside was fine... I think David uses the same cases as larrivee. Lesson learned tho...

d.

[webberink]

Another alternative is what I have done.  I leave my Larrivee cases at home and travel with a Tric case (Also called Fort Epp case) made by Godin (maker of Simon and Patrick as well as Seagull guitars etc.).  The case is made of a space age material, extremely energy absorbing, I am told its the same material used in the inside of many car bumpers.  A Tric case costs about 40 Canadian loonies up here in the Great White North and are available from any Seagull or Godin dealer.  The Dreadnought size fits the Larrivee D09 perfectly.  I suspect the Larrivee L body style would fit as well if not then maybe the Folk size.  They are worth a good look.  I have had mine for a couple of years and it seems indestructible.  You can view the Tric case at, www.simonandpatrick.com/tric.htm
Dave

[GA-ME]

I say spend more time playing and less time worring about a scratched case or scratched guitar for that matter. Then again, to each his/her own for determining what's important....................

[hatofthecat]

Another alternative is what I have done.  I leave my Larrivee cases at home and travel with a Tric case (Also called Fort Epp case) made by Godin

I had a good look at the Tric cases a couple of years back.  Looked pretty good and light to carry.  Also you can get a cover for these that has backpack straps so its like having a gig bag but with hardcase protection. Pic of case with cover on Amazon here (inc cover is "deluxe" but you can get the covers separately).

http://www.amazon.com/Seagull-Deluxe-Dreadnaught-Acoustic-Guitar/dp/B000PIF14C/ref=pd_cp_MI_0_img

Pete

[JOYCEfromNS]

I say spend more time playing and less time worring about a scratched case or scratched guitar for that matter. Then again, to each his/her own for determining what's important....................

ga-me you must never travel with your git or otherwise you could feel our pain.

TRIC seems to be the solution to all - great recommendation - I see no CONS to this suggestion at all can't believe I never thought of it

[GA-ME]

ga-me you must never travel with your git or otherwise you could feel our pain.

Joyce, it's not that I don't understand your "pain." I just think it is ridiculous to get upset at scratching and dinging the case which is, in fact, supposed to end up scratched and dinged in performing the function for which it was created. I understand the need for things like Carlton cases for actual touring musicians who must fly regularly with their guitars. Their instruments are their tools and they need them in working order. What I don't understand is anal retentiveness for perfect looking instruments and cases by the armchair and open mic picker.

I have said this many times: there seems to be, in my PERSONAL experience, an inverse relationship between ability to actually play guitar and neurotic, anal retentive, desire to have a flawless case and instrument. The greater the ability to play a guitar, the lower the anal retentive factor for flawlessness. Folks that actually play an instrument, using it for the purpose for which it was created, usually seem to be better able to accept the fact that sometimes sh*t just hapens and tears and dings occur. Maybe that is because they spend time actually using the instrument and derive pleasure from the music they create rather than the appearance of their instrument.

[frankhond]

I have said this many times: there seems to be, in my PERSONAL experience, an inverse relationship between ability to actually play guitar and neurotic, anal retentive, desire to have a flawless case and instrument. The greater the ability to play a guitar, the lower the anal retentive factor for flawlessness.

That's strange, I have on several occasions seen musicians with beat up guitars in beat up cases that were terrible. A notable example was a guy at an open mike evening who played some kind of blues, but the strings were rattling, intonation was off, it seemed impossible to play a clean note on that guitar which was clearly not taken well care of. Eventually, another player took mercy and offered him his guitar, which was a a pristine mid-range instrument. And of course this new, clean and well set up instrument sounded just as bad as the old one 

[GA-ME]

That's strange, I have on several occasions seen musicians with beat up guitars in beat up cases that were terrible. A notable example was a guy at an open mike evening who played some kind of blues, but the strings were rattling, intonation was off, it seemed impossible to play a clean note on that guitar which was clearly not taken well care of. Eventually, another player took mercy and offered him his guitar, which was a a pristine mid-range instrument. And of course this new, clean and well set up instrument sounded just as bad as the old one 

See, that is what makes it PERSONAL experience. Your experience is different than mine. Yippie, diversity is wonderful! Crap, there goes that frickin' good ole USA public education system indoctranation slipping out again........thought I had that licked.

[JOYCEfromNS]

Bottom line is that the "conventional case" was just not created to withstand the rigors of our airline baggage handling afterall "United Breaks Guitars" and so does Air Canada. The originator of the thread is looking at ways of reducing his risk of damage to both his instrument and it's case. The reasons for this are endless and would have nothing to do with ones play ability. To think that it might is an attempt to judge a book by it's cover and we should all know better than that!! I know I have bought, sold and traded instruments and sometimes your first impression can be the case. The MOJO of a banged up case is worthless in a trade situation.

Thanks for the topic CKE  

[dermot]

Bottom line is that the "conventional case" was just not created to withstand the rigors of our airline baggage handling afterall "United Breaks Guitars" and so does Air Canada. I am certainly going to look into the TRIC case for airline travel

I would faaaaaaaaaaar rather have a guitar in a archtop case than the tric for airport destruction avoidance, i would rather carry the Tric around town, gig's open mic's lessons etc that either an archtop -or- a Calton

Try putting weight on top of a Tric sometime - say it's loadout on a rainy cold night - you put your your guitar in a Tric case upright in the back of the van, it falls down as the van is jostled as a bass cab is wresseled in, and the entire bass cab lands on top of the guitarwhile it's still in rebound from wacking to floor of the van in the dark.. crunch...ouch... don't know why this one popped out of my memory banks.. it was my goldtop sometime back in the 80's... in one of those 80's Gibson plastic cases

Just say'n the Tric does not have a hardended shell, it's easly cut into by a sharp or heavy object, and that can happen in places other than an airport

A solid (pun intended, not good, but intended) option for airline destriction avoidence might be the Hiscox Pro, it's about twice the price of an archtop, and about half the price of a Calton



d.

[cke]

Gee, I didn't know that trying to take care of things disqualifies me as a musician. Reminds of when I was teen. We never trimmed the strings at the headstock to show our disregard of  convention. Hendrix and Townsend would destroy their gits on stage. Can't argue that they weren't musicians. (oh wait - those were trick gits used for effect - OH NO! They weren' t real musicians after all!!!)  So I guess when I try not to sail my boat onto the rocks, or when I wash it down to keep it from corroding, I am proving to be a lubber...

[GA-ME]

Gee, I didn't know that trying to take care of things disqualifies me as a musician.

I'm not saying anything disqualifies any specific individual from being anything. I was merely stating an anecdotal pattern I've noticed which seems  correlative. For all I know, you are an incredibly gifted musician. I understand you want to fly with your guitar and would like it protected. What I was babbling on about, is the inane need to keep things perfect in the hopes of some unlikely future collectability. In fact, I apologize to you, specifically. It sometimes just gets ridiculous seeing the same silliness over and over again on the forum. Perhaps, I just need to spend less time here.