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Hard cases or gig bag....

Guitar Tricks Forum > Gear Discussion > Hard cases or gig bag....

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Member

Joined: 01/02/02

Posts: 82

I use a gig bag because it's so light to carry. But if I'm going to play a gig somewhere far from my home and I must go there by buss or car which has a lot of passengers and/or a lot of heavy stuff I prefer a case because it gives a good shelter to the guitar.. If you are moving I suppose it could be wise to keep the guitar in the case instead of moving it around, because a gig bag doesn't offer so much protection..

A very intelligent answer.. Duh. :)
"If practise makes perfect, and no one is perfect, why practise? Duh.."

#1

04/23/2002
11:31:33 AM

I use a gig bag because it's so light to carry. But if I'm going to play a gig somewhere far from my home and I must go there by buss or car which has a lot of passengers and/or a lot of heavy stuff I prefer a case because it gives a good shelter to the guitar.. If you are moving I suppose it could be wise to keep the guitar in the case instead of moving it around, because a gig bag doesn't offer so much protection..

A very intelligent answer.. Duh. :)
"If practise makes perfect, and no one is perfect, why practise? Duh.."

Senior Member

Joined: 04/14/02

Posts: 357

Right with ya James. I carry mine in a gig bag,n I've had a few accidents. Accidently bashed my beloved Slash model Les Paul into my mates flat door and shattered the selector switch cap. N my local music shop bein **** couldnt get one small enough. So it has a big one with some tape on the inside to make it fit. I still cry to this day. And only last week did I smash my crappy strat into my flat mates hallway and put a chip in the side of the body. So my advice: Get a hard case.

#2

04/23/2002
2:55:57 PM

Right with ya James. I carry mine in a gig bag,n I've had a few accidents. Accidently bashed my beloved Slash model Les Paul into my mates flat door and shattered the selector switch cap. N my local music shop bein **** couldnt get one small enough. So it has a big one with some tape on the inside to make it fit. I still cry to this day. And only last week did I smash my crappy strat into my flat mates hallway and put a chip in the side of the body. So my advice: Get a hard case.

Moderator

Joined: 02/04/01

Posts: 731

I traveled with some friends to a jazz festival with my acoustic guitar in a gig bag. Over night, someone must have dropped it (in its bag) pretty hard. $400 (australian) later, my acoustic guitar sounds just as good but has a massive bit of patching on the bottom. I was not happy. To say the least. Get a hard case.
"Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year, it's just not that widely reported".

#3

04/23/2002
6:52:14 PM

I traveled with some friends to a jazz festival with my acoustic guitar in a gig bag. Over night, someone must have dropped it (in its bag) pretty hard. $400 (australian) later, my acoustic guitar sounds just as good but has a massive bit of patching on the bottom. I was not happy. To say the least. Get a hard case.
"Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year, it's just not that widely reported".

Gear Guru

Joined: 01/18/01

Posts: 6242

I'm sure you've seen pictures of people playing guitars that have that beat-up, long-haul-road-trip look to them. A gig bag can help you to achieve that look in a couple of cross-town trips! :eek:
Lordathestrings
Guitar Tricks Moderator
http://www.GuitarTricks.com - Home of Online Guitar Lessons

#4

04/23/2002
8:24:22 PM

I'm sure you've seen pictures of people playing guitars that have that beat-up, long-haul-road-trip look to them. A gig bag can help you to achieve that look in a couple of cross-town trips! :eek:
Lordathestrings
Guitar Tricks Moderator
http://www.GuitarTricks.com - Home of Online Guitar Lessons

Registered User

Joined: 01/25/02

Posts: 1149

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Lordathestrings
I'm sure you've seen pictures of people playing guitars that have that beat-up, long-haul-road-trip look to them. A gig bag can help you to achieve that look in a couple of cross-town trips! :eek: [/QUOTE]
I hear it gives the impression of being good,since you've been in the game that long your guitar looks that old.It's kinda like the bibles you see people carry in church;see a good looking one,and that guy is probably attendinghis first service in three years so his new born baby gets baptized.See an old and thumbed one,that guy probably reads it to the loo.
So this should serve as a warning;next time you go to church and want to look "churchy",don't pass by the christian book store,pass by your granny's.:D

#5

04/24/2002
12:13:27 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Lordathestrings
I'm sure you've seen pictures of people playing guitars that have that beat-up, long-haul-road-trip look to them. A gig bag can help you to achieve that look in a couple of cross-town trips! :eek: [/QUOTE]
I hear it gives the impression of being good,since you've been in the game that long your guitar looks that old.It's kinda like the bibles you see people carry in church;see a good looking one,and that guy is probably attendinghis first service in three years so his new born baby gets baptized.See an old and thumbed one,that guy probably reads it to the loo.
So this should serve as a warning;next time you go to church and want to look "churchy",don't pass by the christian book store,pass by your granny's.:D

Moderator

Joined: 02/04/01

Posts: 731

My guitar has that look from actually being played (aside from the massive scar on the back), but I could have kept it in better condition longer. I think electric guitars with the paint worn away can look quite cool, but I always prefer acoustics looking perfect. I get sad every time mine gets scratched.
"Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year, it's just not that widely reported".

#6

04/24/2002
4:28:24 PM

My guitar has that look from actually being played (aside from the massive scar on the back), but I could have kept it in better condition longer. I think electric guitars with the paint worn away can look quite cool, but I always prefer acoustics looking perfect. I get sad every time mine gets scratched.
"Dozens of people spontaneously combust each year, it's just not that widely reported".

New Member

Joined: 04/23/02

Posts: 12

Hardshell

I worked at a music store for a while and we always discouraged people from buying gig bags. Sure, it's a little more money for a hardshell, but for how much money you've invested in your instrument, you want to protect it. All my guitars have hardshell cases.

Just my 2cents ;-)
JAz

#7

04/24/2002
5:05:16 PM

Hardshell

I worked at a music store for a while and we always discouraged people from buying gig bags. Sure, it's a little more money for a hardshell, but for how much money you've invested in your instrument, you want to protect it. All my guitars have hardshell cases.

Just my 2cents ;-)
JAz

matonanjin2

Full Access

Joined: 08/11/17

Posts: 303

When I bought my Fender Strat it came with a TSA compliant locking hardshell case. The case says Fender on it (of course) but it was made by another company, I suspect. It is indestructable!

The first couple times that I flew with it I was still concerned and so I put my cheaper Yamaha Pacifica (S type) in it. And I checked my guitar in luggage. And, of course, it always arrived at the destination airport unblemished. Now when I fly I put the Strat in it.

My Strat is far from my favorite guitar. I don't play it at home that much. But whenever I travel I take it. Definitely if I fly the Strat goes with. But even if I am travelling across town the Strat goes in the hardshell case and thrown on the back seat.

Hardshell cases are expensive. But for me the amount of confidence I am afforded, especially the locking ones, make it worth it. I have looked at cases by third party companies like Gator for some of my other guitars. But for now, when travelling, the Strat goes.

Guitars: 2014 PRS Santana, 2013 PRS Paul's, 2009 PRS Hollowbody, 1972 Gibson ES-325, 2012 Fender Strat American Standard, 2012 Yamaha Pacifica, Martin M-36, Seagull S6 Classic
Amps: Fender Blues Junior III, Boss Eband JS-10, Line 6 POD 500X, Quilter Microblock 45

#8

02/01/2021
7:36:13 AM

When I bought my Fender Strat it came with a TSA compliant locking hardshell case. The case says Fender on it (of course) but it was made by another company, I suspect. It is indestructable!

The first couple times that I flew with it I was still concerned and so I put my cheaper Yamaha Pacifica (S type) in it. And I checked my guitar in luggage. And, of course, it always arrived at the destination airport unblemished. Now when I fly I put the Strat in it.

My Strat is far from my favorite guitar. I don't play it at home that much. But whenever I travel I take it. Definitely if I fly the Strat goes with. But even if I am travelling across town the Strat goes in the hardshell case and thrown on the back seat.

Hardshell cases are expensive. But for me the amount of confidence I am afforded, especially the locking ones, make it worth it. I have looked at cases by third party companies like Gator for some of my other guitars. But for now, when travelling, the Strat goes.

Guitars: 2014 PRS Santana, 2013 PRS Paul's, 2009 PRS Hollowbody, 1972 Gibson ES-325, 2012 Fender Strat American Standard, 2012 Yamaha Pacifica, Martin M-36, Seagull S6 Classic
Amps: Fender Blues Junior III, Boss Eband JS-10, Line 6 POD 500X, Quilter Microblock 45

snojones

Full Access

Joined: 04/17/13

Posts: 473

So I remember seeing ads for a gig bag. They demoed the gig bag by putting a guitar inside of it and then throwing out a second story window. Then the pulled out the guitar and it was fine. I don't know that it was not more of a trick photography thing than a truth in advertising thing. It did catch my attention, though not enough to go buy one. I stuck with my hard shell. But I still remember that ad many years later.

Has anybody here had good results in real life with a gig bag?

Captcha is a total pain in the........

#9

02/01/2021
3:29:28 PM

So I remember seeing ads for a gig bag. They demoed the gig bag by putting a guitar inside of it and then throwing out a second story window. Then the pulled out the guitar and it was fine. I don't know that it was not more of a trick photography thing than a truth in advertising thing. It did catch my attention, though not enough to go buy one. I stuck with my hard shell. But I still remember that ad many years later.

Has anybody here had good results in real life with a gig bag?

Captcha is a total pain in the........

Carl King

GuitarTricks Video Director

Joined: 10/08/07

Posts: 460

Horror story: I was excited to take my first electric guitar with me to school in 9th grade, in a gig bag. The shoulder strap came off the bag and it crashed on the concrete, snapping the headstock right off.

I was devastated! No words...

To this day I do not trust gig bags.

-Carl.

Carl King
GuitarTricks Video Director / Producer

#10

02/01/2021
10:55:00 PM

Horror story: I was excited to take my first electric guitar with me to school in 9th grade, in a gig bag. The shoulder strap came off the bag and it crashed on the concrete, snapping the headstock right off.

I was devastated! No words...

To this day I do not trust gig bags.

-Carl.

Carl King
GuitarTricks Video Director / Producer

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