Double Bass Gig bag

[Margs78]

Looking for a 3/4 case for lots of car travel. We narrowed it down to the Gewa Prestige 25mm and the Tonareli designer which is 28mm. Could possibly get a Roth and Junius BSB-04, but have to wait for family to come from over seas. Had also looked at the Tuff bag and Bobelock, but my son would like to have the backpack strap option.

Recommendations? Thoughts on the Gewa vs Tonareli or the Roth and Junius?

 

[LouisF]

Both the Gewa and Tonarelli have good reputations. Two others to consider (and I have both) are the Concord and DZ Strad. (I think the concord is the better laid out of the two) Both have straps.

D Z Strad Padded Double Bass Bag

Includes wheels for easy transport Extra stability provided by extra straps on body of bag which clip onto the shoulder straps Made from tough nylon with 20mm padding to protect your instrument Large sheet music pocket and padded pocket on back of case Padding in front to provide extra...

dzstrad.com

Padded Bags and cases for Double Bass

Padded bags for double bass. We offer Bobelock, Mooradian, Reunion Blues, Concord and others.

www.quinnviolins.com

 

[tinyd]

One other option is the Westbury - I've had one of these for a few years and it's excellent - well padded and constructed, has wheels, and also has lots of carrying handles that make it easy to manipulate it getting into cars etc

 

[Lionel Albert]

I've got the Roth & Junius BSB-02 and I'm quite happy with.
It protects very well but it's kind of heavy.
At first I was scared to go out with but I go everywhere with.
Endpin in or out of the gig bag, it works.

 

[AndersLasson]

I must ask: Do you really find the back pack straps useable? Is it reallly practical to carry the bass on the back?

 

[turf3]

I've got an old cheap crappy bag but it has the straps. HUGE improvement for any kind of schlep. I don't like the bass wheel on public sidewalks where you can have big bumps (all the shock straight into the tail block). You have to have situational awareness, especially when going through doors (bend way down) and under trees. Not for the phone-staring out-of-it wanderer.

 

[Lionel Albert]

I must ask: Do you really find the back pack straps useable? Is it reallly practical to carry the bass on the back?

Yes, only outside but it depends how high the trees are.
I tried a bit, it's practical if there is no door, no ceiling, no stairs, no lift, just the floor and the sky.
You want the double bass ? Receive me like a prince, I want to park my car not too far.

 

[SAlcott]

Backpack straps are great if you never have to walk through a door or under anything else that's lower than the top of your bass. The standard scenario in the luthier's shop is, "Oops, I forgot how much bass is sticking out above my head and the top of the bass caught the doorjamb, causing the scroll to snap off or the neck to pop out of the block (at best) or else to fall backwards and land on the bass making a really expensive noise".

 

[JBarz]

Backpack straps are great if you never have to walk through a door or under anything else that's lower than the top of your bass. The standard scenario in the luthier's shop is, "Oops, I forgot how much bass is sticking out above my head and the top of the bass caught the doorjamb, causing the scroll to snap off or the neck to pop out of the block (at best) or else to fall backwards and land on the bass making a really expensive noise".

YMMV, but ‘taint nuthin to simply bend over when going through doors and lead with the headstock.

 

[SAlcott]

YMMV, but ‘taint nuthin to simply bend over when going through doors and lead with the headstock.

IF you remember; there was a time when backpack straps were becoming a thing that every time I went into Gage's shop there was at least one or two basses with damage from forgetting.

 

[turf3]

Well, every method you use to schlep a bass, there's a risk that knuckleheads going round HUA can damage the thing.

I prefer the backpack straps to the wheel. I prefer either to carrying the thing a quarter mile or more on foot.

 

[Mark_T]

I had a rented bass with an old Gewa bag and the zippers were a mess (several failed) and the strap locations seemed designed antagonistically. Maybe they’re better now?

I have tried bags with straps and found them occasionally useful but also uncomfortable, and they’re definitely risky. Not my thing overall.

I use a Messina cover and for short or medium distances I use the shoulder strap plus a “backup grab” on the other straps. For longer schleps, I very carefully use a wheel.

 

[ctrlzjones]

To those who are considering to use those straps: just make sure you are tall enough; I am not, my heels were banging against the basses body all the time (when walking., ha!).

 

[Ketbass]

IF you remember; there was a time when backpack straps were becoming a thing that every time I went into Gage's shop there was at least one or two basses with damage from forgetting.

This reminds me of all the folks on a road cycling forum I used to belong to, showing pics of their bikes on the roof of their cars at the moment of impacting their garage door headers. Situational awareness is so important.

 

[Ed S]

Met a bass player recently who was using the backpack straps. (Tonarelli) I noticed him as he was coming in the door, bending WAY over and looking up to ensure clearance. He was a pretty big guy - had an amp in one hand.

One possible consideration I'd suggest is to check out the weight of the bag. I recently bought a Tuff Bag (no straps). It provides great protection, but I was a little unprepared for how much the bag itself weighed. Might be a factor if hoisting it up onto your back.

My days of getting a bass up on and off my back - let alone while carrying an amp - are well behind me. I've become pretty dependent on my bass buggy.

 

[turf3]

This reminds me of all the folks on a road cycling forum I used to belong to, showing pics of their bikes on the roof of their cars at the moment of impacting their garage door headers. Situational awareness is so important.

I'd still rather rely on my own situational awareness (roof rack) than someone else's (bumper rack). A moment's inattention from doofus behind you can turn what would be a minor scrape on your two bumpers, into the destruction of a multi thousand dollar bicycle.

This is why support cars for racing teams carry the bikes up top.

 

[Erik Turkman]

I have a Tonareli, but I have never used the backpack straps for exactly the reasons everyone has been commenting about. I don't even want them there, but you can keep them stowed away in the pocket. It has a regular shoulder strap too, and the two bow pockets are nice if you carry two bows, which I do. Padding wise, it feels thicker than the padding on my Messina.

 

[Ron Lacey]

I can't comment on the others but I have a Tuff bag I'm very happy with. I'm not a fan of shoulder straps, the few times I've tried them with my bass guitar I've run into the the top of the door even if I thought I'd clear. A double bass would take even more clearance. Not to go off topic but I generally use (a) wheel(s) (bass buggy and now a Gaines). When I get to a big bump (i.e. curb or crack) I just lift the bass by the handles on the bag and gently ease it over.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

The only thing I’ve ever used the backpack straps for (and I used them a lot in NYC) was for going up stairs. Either in a walk up or a subway station it makes life so much easier than even a shoulder strap.
But for getting around in general, even here in Podunk, a wheel is where it’s at…

 

[Oscar Yanez]

Backpack straps can be really dangerous. It is really easy to forget that you are carrying a bass until you break the neck going through a doorway