Case alignment problem? Help!

My 80s Fender case does the same thing. The latches are secure and it holds the bass well, so I live with it.

Consider it relic'd.

 

I've straightened a few like this by applying hand pressure in the center of any area of the aluminum rim that was distorted. The aluminum is fairly soft, but it might take some strength to do this. You might be aided by bracing the rim at the straight parts, on either side of the bent section, while applying pressure.

 

Gotcha. Dry climate here.

I'd guess it's either from a bent hinge/frame, or shrinkage of the plastic deforming the sides of the shell.

 

It does not look like the hinge is bent, but that is a possibility. The aluminum is more likely to become bent that the steel hinge. Open the case up, and see if you can see a spot where the rim is not in the same shape on both halves of the case. Also, notice that the hinge is riveted to the plastic case, not the aluminum rim. I doubt that the deformation of the rim could be caused by any shrinkage of plastic, or foam parts.

 

"It seems that the rim on the upper half of the case is slightly smaller than the rim on the lower half"

Not likely, if it fit properly when it was originally made.

It must be bent somewhere. Look for a straight section that is bowed. If it is bent at the corner radius, it will be more difficult, but not impossible to fix.

 

I can't see the photos now, because I'm on my phone. Straightening the rim should be easier than installing an extra latch, and if its bent, it will still be bent even with an added latch. I'll look at the pics later when I am on a real computer.

 

Add another cam-latch centered on the end of the case. Installed properly, it'll close the gap and help take the stress off the other adjacent hinges.

 

If all the latches stay closed, I would leave it alone and stop worrying.

 

Looks to me like the case is a bit sprung.

I think I'd compress the case (sit on it gently) where it's distorted in an effort to nudge it into at least somewhat better alignment.

Adding another latch in the compromised area is a nice idea.

 

i think two of my cases are like this, never really thought about it until today

 

Get a gig bag!

 

Hoochie's posts pretty much explain what needs to be done ...

.. most folks do not realize that there are actually 5 different models of these cases, from three distinct eras ... the ones from the 90's early AmStands (red/blue labels) are built the strongest, those from the very early AmSeries run with the bass outline are very close in strength, and the latest being from the rest of the AmSeries run with just 'Fender' name and the smoother finish is substantially lighter duty ... those are the ones that tend to bend/warp/twist the easiest ... from the limited pics, I think this one is the 'lightest' version ...

... usually they can be twisted/manipulated back into alignment without too much trouble, the hard part is figuring where to start so that each time pressure is applied it becomes progressive to the alignment ... it isn't too hard to make it worse somewhere else while trying to 'fix' it ... the usual cause of it is having pressure applied to the top when it is in the open position, so I usually try to limit my efforts to the lid vs. the base ...

 

Do you walk to your gigs? How do you transport your cabs?