Gig Bag Vs. Hard Shell Case

[JakobT]

While I am a huge fan of gig bags for their convenience, storage space and (all things considered) protective qualities, there is one thing I really miss - and that is the ability to lock them. Even the meanest hard shell case has a lock of some sort, and a handle you can pass a locking cable through. This should be standard on gig bags as well, IMHO.

 

[easyj]

I like a hard case. When I put my bass in its case, I want to feel like it is fully protected. I don’t mind he extra weight. I find that other people may not be as careful as I am when they are near it.

 

[pudgychef]

While I am a huge fan of gig bags for their convenience, storage space and (all things considered) protective qualities, there is one thing I really miss - and that is the ability to lock them. Even the meanest hard shell case has a lock of some sort, and a handle you can pass a locking cable through. This should be standard on gig bags as well, IMHO.

Or an option on higher end ones...even a TSA style zipper lock.

 

[JakobT]

Or an option on higher end ones...even a TSA style zipper lock.

Double zipper pulls with an interlocking loop for a padlock, like the kind you find on suitcases, would work great. Then it would be up to the user whether or not he would like to use a padlock, and whether it should be TSA compatible.

 

[ppiluk]

In the early days of my musical journey, I was a proponent of Hard Shelled Cases until I started leaving the house. It took one trip to my first music lesson and I was looking for an alternative to the Hard Shelled case. I switched to a cheap Gig Bag from some nameless company and I was hooked. Not only could I easily transport my guitar, but everything I needed for my lessons. Over the years I moved to the bass and my love of Gig Bags followed. I currently only store and transport my basses in high-quality bags. I currently have a Mono M80, a Crossrock Deluxe Rigid Hybrid Bass Bag and a Levy Pro-Series Bass Gig Bag. I have a few lesser ones as well.

These three bags are all at the top of their respective product lines and I would happily recommend any one of them to someone who wants a case that is both highly protective and highly portable. I am often required to use public transportation and would never consider using anything but a quality gig bag to transport my babies.

The final straw that caused me to switch my last hard-shelled case was at a gig. I had a beautiful American Standard Telecaster and as I was removing it from the OHSC some careless a$$hat bumped the top of my case causing it to close on both my Tele and my fingers. It caused a huge dent in the rosewood fretboard and a small cut on the back of my hand. That was the last time I left the house with a hard case. I managed to trade this guitar shortly after for a nice Lakland that I wish I still had.

 

[Brad Johnson]

While I am a huge fan of gig bags for their convenience, storage space and (all things considered) protective qualities, there is one thing I really miss - and that is the ability to lock them. Even the meanest hard shell case has a lock of some sort, and a handle you can pass a locking cable through. This should be standard on gig bags as well, IMHO.

Considering most of those locks are jokes...

 

[Brad Johnson]

No. Either they don’t loosen enough or, once loosened, the weighting is way off and the bass hardly stays on the shoulder. I’m 6’4”

I'm 6'2" and some bags do this while others don't. My Mono bags don't sit as low as my Protechs or Levy's.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I agree with all of the above - in particular, this:

"I'm sorry but there is no way you can push a plywood case with a single finger to touch your bass. There would be no doink doink even if you managed to - it's all fur and padding there"

I just tried this with 4 hardshells I have - the original Fender case for my '76 P Bass, a Fender case for my Mustang Re-issue, and 2 G&G cases for Fender basses - and the "deflection" Bob talked about wouldn't happen with any of those 4 cases... I think sometimes people resort to hyperbole to support their side of a discussion - and this is one of those times...

While some may want to think there's a standard that does't exist. ALL hardshell cases don't have fur and padding and plywood CAN be on the thin side.

And it depends on what's in the case as far as whether it can come in contact with the top of the case. There's no standard clearance either.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Then they had to be incredibly cheap, because it didn't happen with the FOUR cases I just tried it with...

Cheap HSC's do exist. The majority of these posts aren't qualifying the build quality of the HSC, just stating they're "better".

 

[Brad Johnson]

Ah. Bizarre.

Well, you're not missing much, it's just a ~12-second clip that I shot with my iPhone Weds night when I pulled my old Ibanez rectangular plywood hardshell case out, laid it on the floor, pushed on the center of the lid, & acknowledged that the lid was indeed flexing. Probably not flexing enough to change anyone's mind about whether Gig Bags are inferior or superior to HSCs, but enough to demonstrate that it's not an imagined phenomenon, the lids really do flex. Some more than others, presumably.

It's kind of funny that some don't want to believe this is possible.

Or that they're better protection when a vehicle drives over your bass. Talk about a false sense of security. If your bass ends up in the path of a moving vehicle you probably have a bigger issue than what you're carrying it in.

 

[JakobT]

Considering most of those locks are jokes...

Well, sure. That sort of lock won’t hold back a determined thief, but then again few locks do, in my experience. What they do is discourage opportunistic theft to some extent, perhaps just enough that the thief will pass on to an easier and more fruitful target. At the very least they serve the purpose of demonstrating to your insurence company that you tried to prevent theft.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Well, sure. That sort of lock won’t hold back a determined thief, but then again few locks do, in my experience. What they do is discourage opportunistic theft to some extent, perhaps just enough that the thief will pass on to an easier and more fruitful target. At the very least they serve the purpose of demonstrating to your insurence company that you tried to prevent theft.

It would not take a determined thief to overcome most locks.

The insurance angle escapes me. Does the mere existence of a lock help? Who actually uses them whenever their bass isn't in use?

Casual thief: "Damn, a lock. Do I want to steal it with its case?"

I don't know how often a theft involves shoving an instrument down your pants leg.

 

[Turock]

Well, sure. That sort of lock won’t hold back a determined thief, but then again few locks do, in my experience. What they do is discourage opportunistic theft to some extent, perhaps just enough that the thief will pass on to an easier and more fruitful target. At the very least they serve the purpose of demonstrating to your insurence company that you tried to prevent theft.

So... instead of stealing just your instrument, now they steal your instrument and your expensive gig bag.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Locks make no sense to me. If you were taking an instrument, what do you think would attract more attention - walking away with a black case by the handle, or carrying a bright colored bass guitar NOT in a case...?

 

[JakobT]

So... instead of stealing just your instrument, now they steal your instrument and your expensive gig bag.

No, my idea was that you could lock the gig bag to something with a wire lock, say, through the handle or a dedicated locking loop. However, it would then also be necessary to lock the gig bag as well, hence the need for lockable zippers.

 

[Loring]

Cheap HSC's do exist. The majority of these posts aren't qualifying the build quality of the HSC, just stating they're "better".

I think the post you replied to basically summed it up - check out any $150 HSC and compare it to any $150 gig bag...

If you get the cheapest of the cheap on either side of this fence - it's going to be rubbish protection but even more so on the gig bag side - granted they go much cheaper than HSC's...

Now go out and buy a $500 case and a $500 HSC. Which one is more protection...? Which one is more convenient.
That really sums it up.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I think the post you replied to basically summed it up - check out any $150 HSC and compare it to any $150 gig bag...

If you get the cheapest of the cheap on either side of this fence - it's going to be rubbish protection but even more so on the gig bag side - granted they go much cheaper than HSC's...

Now go out and buy a $500 case and a $500 HSC. Which one is more protection...? Which one is more convenient.
That really sums it up.

Does it? Look at the thread title. Look at the responses.

How many people are buying $500 cases? For that matter how many travel with tour vehicles?

The comparison is a basic one yet people put qualifiers in that don't apply to most bassists.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I just received a PM that a member put me on his ignore list over this conversation...

which I found to be extremely amusing.


Unfortunately he's not on mine (I don't have one) so...


Edit: I responded by telling him not to contact me again... and he did. Some people aren't built for the Internet. I guess he just wanted me to know in case I didn't notice this person I don't regularly talk too.

 

[Loring]

Does it? Look at the thread title. Look at the responses.

How many people are buying $500 cases? For that matter how many travel with tour vehicles?

The comparison is a basic one yet people put qualifiers in that don't apply to most bassists.

I noticed that - people comparing $300 gig bags to $80 HSC's.

Doesn't seem right...

People taking the bus comparing convenience to people that drive to a gig with an SUV with other heavyish stuff in the back. People claiming that a gig bag is more convenient to store - specially on it's own perhaps but not if you need to stack other stuff.

Everyone has different needs - so everyone needs to put in a qualifier as to which one is best for them. Seems rather simple.

My point is / was - dollar for dollar - HSC offer better protection period. Anyone claiming otherwise is just trying to justify their purchase.

Do I like gig bags - yeah. I'm buying a harvest leather gig bag. For that price does it offer the same protection as my $300 ATA cases - not even close. Is it more convenient to carry absolutely.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Many people did put in qualifiers. Others didnt.