Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

A no brainer for me too, why should it be an "either/or" when it can simply be "both"?

Gig bags for carrying around/carry-on, hardshell cases for storage and travel.
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

seriously? this is a controversy?

going down the street to a guitar-safe place? gigbag
going to a gig far away and need to make sure your guitar's not trifled with? hardshell case/flight case.
going to another country or on tour? flight case

how is this even a debatable topic?

Also....





True, they're guitars that aren't meant to be tossed around by chimps. One of the benefits Fender players like to tout is that 'the necks are easily replaced when you break them', as if that's a regular occurrence for them. I don't understand what people do to their guitars that this feature is a selling point. I've owned dozens of guitars with angled headstocks over the years, and never broke or cracked one of them. It should be a non-issue for most people.

With Fender headstocks requiring a string tree and having 6 tuners jammed together like sardines, I can't say that's the epitome of a 'well thought-out headstock.'


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Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

:offtopic:Sheesh. Really, folks:?: Go back under your bridges.

Back on topic: Both.
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

I only use hard cases. The peace of mind is worth the extra weight and space, especially when I'm stuffing my car to the brim and guitars are all over other guitars or other gear.
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

I've gotta say, I love the rectangle G&G cases! I've got 4, and I need another for the Tele!
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

Being born with the horribly debilitating disease Klutz-itis, I prefer hard cases. They compensate for illness' ability to damage my instruments.
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

For drive-to gigs, I much prefer bags. For fly-to gigs, I prefer having my guitar ride in the cabin next to me in a bag, but sometimes that involves a good deal of hassle, especially flying the puddle jumpers to and from Santa Barbara airport. Obviously, for check-in I'll use a hardshell case and spend most of the trip worrying about my guitar.

damn dude, i didn't know you were that serious about gigging. For some reason i was under the impression that you were more about business than the musician/gigging thing. Cool stuff. Got any links for your band(s)?
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

If you can find one of the Fender SKB cases they are pretty great, got mine for $79 new , made in Mexico by Fender with SKB TSA latches. This is the new version and it is twice as expensive Securb http://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...Uf6o8p0FqCQUrRsLWf32jZx-wmEeoUJLQ8xoCTOfw_wcB I have one of the Gator TSA cases http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/gator-ata-polyethylene-electric-guitar-case not bad but the SKBs are much better, we like the handle and latches on the Gator padding inside not as much. If you can afford it get the SKB i-series found one used on MF for 200 that's a deal.
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases



Whoa, whoa, WHOA!

Ease up there, sport, and leave the SW memes to the pros.




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Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

I saw an amp on the back seat of a van topple forwards once onto my guitar that was in a gig bag. The impact hammered the strings into the frets and left dents in the frets that made the guitar unplayable.

Conversely i was once driving a van with a large household gas stove/oven in the back that fell over and landed on my most precious (custom-built) instrument, showering the inside of the van with broken glass from the oven door, which had fallen open and stabbed a large dent in the top of the aluminium case. With great trepdiation (i.e. pants full of poo) i opened the case and inspected my beloved guitar in great detail. It was completely unharmed.

So there is no choice for me. Never again will i risk having an impact hammer the strings against the frets.

And to that end, nowdays my guitars only travel in their hard cases with a 20" x 4" strip of towel inserted between the entire fretboard and the strings. If you look inside your case and see imprints of the strings in the lid of the case, it means when the case is closed during transport, the strings may be pressed against the board and vibrating slightly from vehicle/ road vibrations, causing fret wear. The towel strip helps prevent that.

Yes, sometimes moving a guitar in a hard case can be a little unwieldly. But i care about my instruments and will never again expose them to the damage that can be caused to the playing surface by even moderate impact through a gig bag.
 
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Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

I used to get around with a motorbike, and at the time I was using a burny firebird which had the big ass body and a long tilted headstock which means it has to go in a bass gigbag. this couples with me being a pretty huge guy for an asian and we having all kinds of wires hanging over the place here in VIetnam, I've had countless accidents where the headstock hits things up high when I was walking. in fact when I used to put it in a normal guitar gig bag, the headstock would peek out of the bag a little and it once got hit when I forgot to stoop down when walking through a door, giving the headstock paintjob a huge chip.

now I bought a scooter and I can put my strat in it's rectangular gator hardcase and just hug it in front of me while going to practice/gigs, so yeah no more silly careless mistakes:D
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

I like a Corbomite case myself.
 
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Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

Hard shell cases for me. Main reason because most of my gigs involve my guitars being slung in the back of a van along with amps, PA and everything else. They can slot in amongst everything and I don't have to worry about them.

If I was getting the train or something else I would prefer a decent bag but that said it is always van/car. Simple really
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

I have nothing but hard cases. The G&Ls live in their SKB-made cases, and for the most part, these do an excellent job. Pretty much factory cases for the Gibsons. I bought a new case for my 2006 R9; the factory "Lifton" case that came with that one is lethal...an accident waiting to happen. The new Historics come with a case that is less historically accurate, but does offer better protection.

I have seen some soft cases that look like they would do an incredible job. There's one YouTube video of a company loading an very nice acoustic into their case and launching it off a building. Twice. No damage to the guitar--and it was still in tune.

Bill
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

I own nothing but gig bags but am currently looking to buy some hard shell cases to protect my babies. I've been looking at the interesting options on GuitarFetish.com...
 
Re: Blog: Cage Match between Gig Bags and Hardshell Cases

My understanding is that Gibson could simply modify the design the of the head stock to have a "scarf" or two-piece head stock and it would be more durable and look pretty much the same, but they stick with an inferior design for the sake of purists, or so they say.
That's a brilliant idea. I wonder if they'd consider it if they could fix the finish to mask the changes?
 
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