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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Is it just me, or does anybody else prefer soft cases over the cast factory hard cases? The OSCs may be o.k. for room storage, but I find them burdensome for transporting guitars. They're heavy, easily scuffed and damaged, unforgiving in tight spaces, and worst of all, damage surfaces they come into contact with, like car seats, door jams, amp cabinets and speaker grills, and furniture. I have two soft cases, an Ovation for the SSBs and a Tribal Planet dreadnaught size for everything else, including solid bodies that require a custom foam insert. I've been using these soft cases two and three times a week for the past year and they still look new, and nothing is getting damaged. IMHO, the Tribal Planet case, with its super sized zippers, is absolutely the best soft case on the market. I only wish they were more readily available here in the states. |
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Location: NJ | I agree.
The TribalPlanets are "the Best". |
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Location: Scotland | I never use hard cases unless I have to. I have Tribal Planet cases for just about everything. They should be available in the US by now, D'Andrea have been distributing for a while |
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Location: NJ | The weekend of Paul's Wedding, he & I were jockey-ing something like like 8 or 9 guitars back and forth. Having the soft cases was an aboslute life-saver . . . |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I don't think I have ever used a soft case to transport a guitar anywhere. I despise the shape of the hard cases, but fear destroying guitars in a soft case. I could just picture an amp pushing up against a guitar and breaking it, or some helpful person dropping the soft case, followed by the next person setting an amp on it. etc etc etc.. |
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Location: Scotland | We should define "soft case" here. The TP cases are semi-rigid and do not fit the standard definition of a soft case
Take a look at this. The guy doing the presentation is really annoying, but stay with it
Testing a Tribal Planet case |
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Location: NJ | If you put your guitars in the postion of putting them into a van FIRST so that someone may push an amp up against it, or in a location where someone can set-up an amp on TOP of it, then you pretty much "deserve" to have the guitar damaged . . .
(or you should be playing a Taylor) |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Soft cases, lighter weight and easier to strap across your back |
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Location: NJ | " . . Testing a Tribal Planet case . ."
f@ck the case!
I wanna' learn that cool trick with the "squeezie-things" at the beginning of the vid!! |
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Location: NJ | Paul;
Are these guys "hiring"??? . . . . |
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Location: Scotland | Hiring what? They're a distributor based in Yorkshire, one of the smaller UK distributors, but that can be a good thing. From the dealings I've had with them they're a good company. |
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Location: Vernon CT | Which one do you recomend for mid to deep bowl Ovations? |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | They need....
A Trebuchet. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Paul, thanks for that link. The tribal Planet and Ovation cases I use are both semi-rigid nylon covered cases, the Tribal Planet with a layer of soft foam lining on the inside as well, not the typical nylong bag type of case. The link certainly demonstrates the protective qualities of the Tribal Planet case. I don't believe there is any way any of my hard cases could survive a two-story fall without damage, let alone what might happen to the contents. |
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Location: NJ | ". . They need....
A Trebuchet . ."
Well, they WERE soliciting "suggestions" . . .
This may be your opportunity to unload that thing.
(GooodLuck getting to the UK, tho . . ) |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by BT717:
Which one do you recomend for mid to deep bowl Ovations? Needs to be a D (dreadnought) |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Originally posted by cliff:
Well, they WERE soliciting "suggestions" . . .
This may be your opportunity to unload that thing.
(GooodLuck getting to the UK, tho . . ) I did send them a suggestion... and the clip... |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Would you put one of these on a plane or just for local carrying around? |
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Location: NJ | I'd CARRY it on to a plane, but I wouldn't even trust an Ovation case in a cargo hold. . . |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | A Tribal Planet is the only one I'd carry on a plane (well, of course, the Traveler, too). |
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| I only have one soft case it is a well made but inexpensive "made in china" case called RoadRunner. ? Nice lining well padded heavy duty zippers and all kinds of pockets and clipped storage flaps. I use it all the time.
I would like to find a plain heavy nylon, basic black, bag that is just made with a good lining large zippers and no storage compartments built into it. The storage is nice but it makes the guitar way to big and odd shaped to pack well and it gets heavy if you use them to pack all the cords, music, and accessories, And these can damage the guitar if hit.
I will have to check out these other bags Paul & Cliff are talking about.
By the way there are times when packing an SUV with equipment that the big heavy amps, speaker stands, PA, speakers & power mic stands, extra gear and Guitars all end up in the rear storage packed to the top. I have used the hard cases with no reservations. The best packed plans of mice & men can cause damage to a guitar in a gig bag when ya slam on the breaks to miss a dear when you going 65-70. |
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| Curious? how do they treat a guitar now when flying. Have not had a guitar on a plane in 10 years or more? You must have to hold it in your lap if the plane is full.
And is there an OVATION gig bag available? Don't remember ever seeing one? |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | And is there an OVATION gig bag available? Don't remember ever seeing one? [/QB] Google Zero Gravity Ovation and you'll hit links to the case. They have both deep and shallow bowl models with semi-rigid sides. I bought mine through Al.
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Location: big island | Originally posted by Paul Templeman:
Originally posted by BT717:
Which one do you recomend for mid to deep bowl Ovations? Needs to be a D (dreadnought)
here's the link |
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| I should be seeing Al fairly soon, I'd like me one-a them Ovation giggers.
Thanks |
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Location: Indiana | My 2 cents as someone who flies with a guitar often... I would never head to the airport with a soft case, if you don't intend to check it.
Most domestic carriers allow you "carry on" your instrument, but if the aircraft turns out to be a small commuter jet ( a high percentage of all regional connecting flights) you will still be required to "gate check" the instrument. What that means is they will take the case from you as you enter the plane and put into a secondary cargo hold. It's returned to you as you exit the plane. Gate checking any kind of a soft case is potential for disaster IMO.
Much safer to rely on a hard case... and yes, it will eventually get torn up if you fly a lot. Count on it. But I've never had an O damaged flying with a stock case.
I repair dings and cracks in my flying cases with glass cloth and epoxy FWIW.
Also, many international carriers require that you check your guitar with your baggage. |
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Location: Indiana | That first sentence should read "EVEN if you don't intend to check it".
Brain fart. |
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Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Mauvais Beal:
Soft cases, lighter weight and easier to strap across your back Beal, in the last 20 years, how many times have you strapped a guitar across your back? |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Way easier to strap on the back of a Harley. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Not an Ovation guitar...
But I loaned a cheapie guitar to a girl (woman really) down the hall and she learned on it.
So her brother gave here a Brand New cheapie guitar when she went home for Christmas.
I saw her come in with a gig-bag when she returned, and went down later to see her new toy.
The airline broke (cracked) the neck at the headstock.
It was too late for me to say that she shoulda Known Better.
(So I sold her my cheapie Johnson... for cheap)
BTW- I have two gig-bags that I have received Ovations in... I promptly bought OHSC's.
I do keep my solid-bodies in Real Thick gig-bags tho'... |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I think I blew this thread by not referring to the soft case initially as "nylon covered rigid case." The Tribal Planet and Ovation cases are not gig bags. They're lightweight rigid foam cases covered in heavy duty nylon rather than molded plastic. |
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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Access makes quality gig bags and cases. I have a gig bag for my CA and it is very well done. |
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Location: Indiana | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
I think I blew this thread by not referring to the soft case initially as "nylon covered rigid case." I'm very familiar with TP cases. They really are great cases and much more protective than a "soft" case. I still wouldn't trust one to a cargo hold/baggage handler though. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Access made the gig bags that came with the OFC guitars. Very good quality. Mine, however, has never seen a gig. |
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Location: Scotland | [/qb]there's a US company selling 3 of the dread size tribals on eBay currently. $70.00 each BIN
here's the link [/QB]
$70 for a GX40D is a good deal. |
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Location: Utah | I carry my non-classic electrics in padded soft gig bags. The guitars are not valuable enough to invest in a good hard case, and I am the roadie so I know that the guitars aren't going to get abused during transport or set up. My Ovation acoustics and my daughter's O Preacher always travel in a hard case.
Hard cases have saved my valued instruments more than once. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Moody,
Every week from the house to the Mermaid. Or going over to somebody's house. Every guitar has a hard case but I have two gig bags and they get used all the time. Particularly when I have to carry and amp and the "gig" bag that has the cords, straps, towels and song book in it. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I use the back axe.
http://www.backaxe.com/
However, if I didn't, I'd use the tribal planet bag. They are excellent. Probably better when you're riding a bike. |
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Hard cases vs soft cases: real world use