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Gigbag or hardshell?

Which do you prefer?

  • Gigbag

    Votes: 56 33.9%

  • Hardshell

    Votes: 90 54.5%

  • no preference, don't care

    Votes: 10 6.1%

  • Obligatory carrot option

    Votes: 9 5.5%
  • Total voters
    165
#21
Gigbags for when I'm handling it myself, but if it's going in the back of a van, or on a plane* then hard case, no doubt.

The way I see it, travelling around Edinburgh, I'm on public transport all the time, and a bass in a gigbag is hard enough to haul around - and most people will give a bit of space for an instrument - so why make it more difficult for yourself. Also, at gigs, at least half the audience are musicians themselves, so they know not to touch the equipment.

OTOH, there's no ways I'm putting my bass in a van with a tonne of equipment without a hard case, unless it's sitting on my lap the whole journey.



*Planes are a difficult case. If I think I can get it on as hand luggage, then it's a gig bag in the overhead locker. I've done a few Edinburgh - London trips like that. However, some airlines just plain refuse to accept it as hand luggage, so it's a really hard case in the hold - definetly not my favorite bass either.
 
#22
I carry my own gear. On the rare occasion when I have to pack with others I try to make it as close to idiot-proof as possible. That's almost the only time I use a HSC. I sometimes use the fitted case that my MIA JD5 came in, otherwise gigbags are just so much better than hard cases.

I can put my bags places a HSC can't go, like putting my Fodera 6 in the trunk of my Miata, leaving the front seat free. They also aren't as hard on the interior of a car as hard cases IME. Nowhere near as clumsy to carry and maneuver. I have a closet ful of HSC's I only keep because they came with the basses. When I gig with them they invariably end up in a gigbag, like Jeff said, one over the shoulder (sometimes two), one in hand and pulling the cart with the entire rig with the other. One trip load-in and out. Simple. Quick. Gigbag.
 
#23
Originally posted by Tim Cole
How about a hardshell gigbag? I'd never seen one of these before, this is what MTD sells with their new basses. Has the storage, lighweight, and covering of a gigbag, and the protection of a hardshell.

Or is this carrots?????

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That kinda looks like what my Valenti came in!

I like those a lot. If I had 3 Id use them for all of my bases. I wonder if theres a good alternative like one of those for my ABG?

To answer the question, I just transfered all my basses to HSC last night when I brought home my Black Eagle. I bought a gig bag once when I had to walk all over boston with my bass because I was enrolled ina short program at berklee.

Peace
Nick
 
#26
I vote gigbag too.

Hardshell cases are nice if other people are moving them, or if my basses are gonna be moved in the back of a van or plan. Otherwise they are heavy, lack storage for gizmos and such, and are cumbersome. They also take up space at a gig, or require an extra trip to put the cases back into the car during the show.

I bring two basses in gigbags that I can throw over my shoulder, leaving my hands free to bring in my rig and mic stand. I can load-in/load-out in one easy trip. I can easily stash the bag in the corner of the stage, or fold it behind my amp. Gigbags have more space for gizmos like tuners, effects, etc., so it save me space there too. There's a reason why they call it a "Gig Bag".
 
#27
Originally posted by rickbass
SKB hard cases if I'm not doing load-out.

Otherwise, my Ritter Star Pack is padded like a baby's crib and very tough......much easier to handle -

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Those are nice but a little too showy for me. I prefer it when my gear is not so conspicuous.

90% of the time, have my bass in a gigbag. I put it on my back, no problem.

I do use a case when flying, though.
 
#28
If you could see my hardshell cases and how beat up they are!! My basses look like new in comparison. I usually take 3 or more basses to a gig, they stack alot better in the van in hard cases. I have one bass I carry in a gigbag because I haven't found a hard case that is 14" at the lower bout for a reasonable price but I still keep on checking out eBay for one.
 
#33
Originally posted by Chris A
Double gigbag all the time. I'm very anal about caring my own gear. I've been in a car accident with the double bag and everything was fine. Didn't even go out of tune.


Chris A.:rolleyes: :bassist:
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I just picked up a double gig bag at Lowdown Sound yesterday. I think this will be the primary mode of transport for the Hannie twins.

Peace,

James
 
#35
One reason I prefer hardshells -- where I live in Texas, it's often really hot outside, and really heavily air conditioned inside. I prefer to avoid subjecting my basses to fast temperature changes (if nothing else, condensation will form all over, and a wet bass is no fun). I think a hardshell provides a somewhat better buffer from rapid temperature changes.

:)
 
#36
Get an ultralight Case. My roscoe came with one. Lighter than a hard shell case tougher than a gig bag. I bought my Roscoe home from the US in an Ultralight case. A flight from Orlando to LA then LA to Sydney. It was in a cardboard shipping box mind you. But after being in the underbelly of a plane for almost 24 hours it came out without a scratch.
 
#37
Originally posted by malthumb
I voted no preference, because my actual preference is VERY situational.

I prefer a gig bag when I'm traveling a relatively short distance (ie cross town as opposed to Detroit to Frankfurt, Germany)and the instrument will be in my control the entire time. If I'm driving my car / truck to a gig or practice, I'm baggin' it.

I prefer a hardshell case if I'm travelling long distances, or with several stops / transfer points. When I drive on vacation and know that I'm going to have a crapload of other luggage, bikes, etc and I'm going to be unloading and repacking the vehicle from time to time, the case is the only way to go.

As a result, I have 4 basses, 3 hardshell cases, and 3 gigbags.

Peace,

James
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Yeah man, it veries man. If you were going for a little car trip, I would bring a gig bag. But if you were loading mad amounts of eqiuptment into a large truck, i'd go with a case then.
 
#38
I view a hard case as the no risk approach. I understand what the guys are saying who catch buses and walk everywhere with their basses, but if I were on a crowded bus or subway with a bass, I'd actually prefer it to be in a hard case, which can stand vertical on its end and take up hardly any space, while being protected 100%. If I had a gig bag on my shoulder or my back in a crowded place I'd be bumping into people all the time and p!ssing them off.

The other beauty of hard shell cases is that they make packing gear in a van or truck so much easier, because if the van is packed to the rafters (like mine usually is) a hard case can slip into any little space, which you can't do with a gig bag.

As for the argument that hard cases are "too heavy", I don't see that as a problem. If you already lug your head and cabinets, what difference does a few pounds make?
 

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