I've found that Gig Bags not only throw the instrument out of
tune, but also eventually rubs the plating off any metal.
tune, but also eventually rubs the plating off any metal.
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Gigbag or hardshell?
- Thread starter ModulusFan
- Start date
I prefer a bag. I have 7 or 8 hardcases, and they just take up room in the garage. Too bulky and heavy for everyday use!
If you have a $3500 bass, it is worth dropping $200 on a quality bag. I trust my bag for my Zon and my Nordstrand. The only way they would be safer in a hardcase is if somebody stepped on them. And that isn't happening, because I stay near them during breaks.
Fenderbluesdude, I am merging this with the other case vs. bag thread.
If you have a $3500 bass, it is worth dropping $200 on a quality bag. I trust my bag for my Zon and my Nordstrand. The only way they would be safer in a hardcase is if somebody stepped on them. And that isn't happening, because I stay near them during breaks.
Fenderbluesdude, I am merging this with the other case vs. bag thread.
My Levy's gigbag was around $130. It is very durable...if I dropped my bass down a flight of steps, I doubt anything would happen to it. It's not just cloth and padding...it's leather bound with a very thick layer of firm padding (not the cheapo stuff). It would have to take quite a drop to do any damage to my bass.
As far as causing the bass to go out of tune...you guys do know how to tune your bass right? I don't think that the only time a bass gets tuned is the first time you play it, is it? I tune mine up before every time I play, though most of the time it's already in tune. I don't understand how going out of tune is a reason to not get a gig bag as tuning is a relatively simple and necessary thing, gig bag or not.
My Cirrus is a very long bass and with the case, it was way too bulky to comfortably haul it around. I cut one of the straps off my gig bag and I just use the single strap and sling it over my shoulder. Very comfortable and it frees my hands up to carry other things.
There are cheap gig bags and then there are very good expensive ones. This is one area where you really get what you pay for. A good gig bag is well worth it.
As far as causing the bass to go out of tune...you guys do know how to tune your bass right? I don't think that the only time a bass gets tuned is the first time you play it, is it? I tune mine up before every time I play, though most of the time it's already in tune. I don't understand how going out of tune is a reason to not get a gig bag as tuning is a relatively simple and necessary thing, gig bag or not.
My Cirrus is a very long bass and with the case, it was way too bulky to comfortably haul it around. I cut one of the straps off my gig bag and I just use the single strap and sling it over my shoulder. Very comfortable and it frees my hands up to carry other things.
There are cheap gig bags and then there are very good expensive ones. This is one area where you really get what you pay for. A good gig bag is well worth it.
What are some good bags that don't use leather in their construction? I'd like to get a better one but seems like all of the high quality ones use leather.
Sundogue said:
For me it's not that the bass is out of tune, it's HOW the bass goes out of tune. If the bass goes out of tune, something is making contact with something that it shouldn't be making contact with. A hardshell case has an area around the headstock so that the headstock and tuning keys do not make contact with any portion of the case. A gig bag, by nature is not going to have that area, in other words, the tuning keys and headstock are in CONSTANT contact with the sides of the bag, thereby in contact with whatever is in contact with that portion of the bag.
Tuning is not a relatively simple or easy thing if your tuning keys are broken or headstock is snapped off or headstock is cracked along its' length.
Put all my old, fragile basses in a hard case, please!
I have had basses go out of tune in low quality gig bags. That has never happened with my Mooradian bag. Like I said above, this bag will protect a bass as well as a hardshell, for anything short of getting stepped on.
The Golden Boy said:
If your bass has damaged tuners or a broken headstock from carrying it around in a gig bag, you've got bigger problems than what it's carried in.
My bass has never gone out of tune from my gig bag...ever (that's with over two years of use).
What are people doing with their expensive instruments anyway, that would cause such abuse that a gig bag cannot protect from?
Accidents happen...but c'mon, most people with expensive basses take care of them...don't they?
If you want a gig bag, DO NOT go cheap. Keep your hardshell if you choose not to invest in a quality gig bag (and I've found none of any quality from the online bargain places, i.e.- MF, AMS, etc.)
Mooridian, Levy and the like make high quality bags.
Sundogue said:If your bass has damaged tuners or a broken headstock from carrying it around in a gig bag, you've got bigger problems than what it's carried in.
My bass has never gone out of tune from my gig bag...ever (that's with over two years of use).
What are people doing with their expensive instruments anyway, that would cause such abuse that a gig bag cannot protect from?
Accidents happen...but c'mon, most people with expensive basses take care of them...don't they?
Taking care of them includes protecting them from things that are potentially out of your control. Like things sliding around in the back of your car as you take a left turn, or things falling over, or things getting stepped on. A bass like a pre 1990 Thunderbird has a really small area of wood at and behind the nut, it would be INSANITY to not have it in a hard case. Older, drier wood will be more prone to breakage, especially along the length of the headstock, through the tuner holes. To NOT protect instruments such as this for the ease of transportation would be criminal.
At this point in my career, I have no need for a hardshell case. I had one for about a day ($40 from a teacher at my school, took it home, didn't fit the bass) but even empty it was rather heavy, unwieldy, and it didn't store half as much as my bag. When I recently got my fretless, I went to check about the costs for a hardshell and everywhere I went to they quoted about $120 CAD for one...the next day I went down to the local store during my spare period and got a Ritter bag for $50 flat (guy took $10 off the price and didn't charge tax) that stores more than the other bag I have and has killer padding.
My instruments only leave my house for lessons, the occasional jam with a friend, and a Coffee House where I'll do a couple solo things and maybe accompany a singer. The farthest my bass(es) have ever been is 2.5 hours away to my aunt and uncle's place in Toronto for two days, and even then I've never needed an HSC. Maybe when I'm 19 and doing bar gigs or when I pick up a bass that cost over $1000 I'll pick up an HSC, but by that price point they usually start COMING with the bass
.
My instruments only leave my house for lessons, the occasional jam with a friend, and a Coffee House where I'll do a couple solo things and maybe accompany a singer. The farthest my bass(es) have ever been is 2.5 hours away to my aunt and uncle's place in Toronto for two days, and even then I've never needed an HSC. Maybe when I'm 19 and doing bar gigs or when I pick up a bass that cost over $1000 I'll pick up an HSC, but by that price point they usually start COMING with the bass
.
The Golden Boy said:
The only thing in the back seat of my car that would be "sliding" around might be an empty pop bottle. I doubt it would do much damage to my bass in it's gig bag though.
I can see where you might want a hardshell case if you haul your bass around in the back of a pickup or van with other heavy gear, etc. It's really a personal preference.
I never put my bass anywhere, when traveling, except in my back or front seat, by itself. I would never put my bass anywhere with other heavy gear nearby that might potentially be a hazard. But that's precisely my point. Hardshell or gig bag, I'd never put my bass in a potentially risky place. I'm either carrying it, it's in my car, or it's on stage on it's stand.
Though for some, gigs are travelled to together with the whole band and you may find yourself having to put it somewhere unsafe...I guess a hardshell is better in that regard. I personally don't play anywhere where it's not always with me.
Sundogue said:
Herein lies the conundrum (I just LOVE saying that, although it really doesn't apply here)
I'm usually taking my rig and either a guitar rig or a guitar rig and a drum set in my car. Stuff gets packed in to that car like a Tetrus game on crack.
In 20 years of gigging I've never wounded an instrument in a hard case. In one trip to California, my MIJ Tele in a gig bag has a bent tuner. In the shuffling around the airport, stowage in the carry on closet and travel to the hotel- got a tuner ganked. I don't trust gig bags, I look at the bent tuner as my fault, I was too cheap to buy a hard case.
Even then. Look at people's cases, a lot of them are beat, how would that instrument have fared in a gig bag? My G&L case is an SKB, the "feet" are punched in on the bottom, it's got loads of scratches and the like. Even my Thunderbird case has it's share of dings, scratches and nicks. And I baby that sucka like it were a child.
I can see where you'd want your bass in a hard shell case in that situation.
On the other hand, while my hardshell case has scratches all over it, a major gouge on one corner and numerous dents all over the trim...my gig bag looks as new as the day I got it.
Perhaps having a hardcase makes one have an overly developed sense of safety and thus more prone to manhandling, whereas with a gig bag, one is more inclined to baby it more.
With a hardshell case one might think, "what the heck it's in the case, throwing it up there won't hurt anything." But you'd never consider doing that with a gig bag.
Personally, I think my gig bag protects my bass better than my hardcase. Most other bass players who see my gig bag ask where I got it from as it's not the cheapo ones you typically see. I'd never leave my home with my bass in one of those. If that's the type you are thinking about, I can see why you'd prefer a hardcase.
On the other hand, while my hardshell case has scratches all over it, a major gouge on one corner and numerous dents all over the trim...my gig bag looks as new as the day I got it.
Perhaps having a hardcase makes one have an overly developed sense of safety and thus more prone to manhandling, whereas with a gig bag, one is more inclined to baby it more.
With a hardshell case one might think, "what the heck it's in the case, throwing it up there won't hurt anything." But you'd never consider doing that with a gig bag.
Personally, I think my gig bag protects my bass better than my hardcase. Most other bass players who see my gig bag ask where I got it from as it's not the cheapo ones you typically see. I'd never leave my home with my bass in one of those. If that's the type you are thinking about, I can see why you'd prefer a hardcase.
When I moved over to venezuela I had to carry my rickenbacker over with me. I had the supplied SKB fitted case and I would never leave the house without my bass in that. So I was forced to check it into the hold for the trip. Manchester - Paris - Caracas - Maracaibo. Unfortunatly the day I chose to fly was the day concord crashed at Charles De Gaulle Airport so my flight to venezuela was rerouted by way of Madrid with an over night stay. So I got to Madrid and was pretty peaved when my bass was not on the lugage belt but it was 2 in the morning and the minibus was waiting to take me and the other passengers to a hotel.
I eventually arrive in Venezuela still without my bass but after loads of horrible flights was not about to argue with some guy at the desk who didn't speak a word of english.
5 Days later I get my bass back bass fine hardcase battered beyond belief the hardcase was now unuse able really I mean it was really trashed. This case is by no means cheap to replace here in England now.
So I moved on with my life and when it came time to come back trusty gig bag was used and I took it on as hand luggage. Much easier keep it with me all the time and it didn't get a scratch on it.
I know understand that gig bag means useful and u can keep it with you and flightcase means its going round europe on every othe plane but yours.
I'm now looking into getting a Incase Dub bag and then if I ever need to travel by plane or van with every one elses gear I will be getting a big aluminium flight case that weighs a ton so even if some one wants to throw it around they'll put there back out trying. This custom aluminium case will be able to hold the dub case so it will give me loads of protection.
I did a gig with a SKB freedom case and I was glad it was there for the trip down (People sat on it) but at the small poxy venue it was really in the way.
So overall get a nice double bass bag and then a really big hefty flightcase as hardcase is really the middle ground it's not really strong enought to go in a plane hold and live but its to big to be carried around with you.
Sorry for the long post hope this helps.
P.S if any one has any feedback on the dubcase i'd love to hear it.
I eventually arrive in Venezuela still without my bass but after loads of horrible flights was not about to argue with some guy at the desk who didn't speak a word of english.
5 Days later I get my bass back bass fine hardcase battered beyond belief the hardcase was now unuse able really I mean it was really trashed. This case is by no means cheap to replace here in England now.
So I moved on with my life and when it came time to come back trusty gig bag was used and I took it on as hand luggage. Much easier keep it with me all the time and it didn't get a scratch on it.
I know understand that gig bag means useful and u can keep it with you and flightcase means its going round europe on every othe plane but yours.
I'm now looking into getting a Incase Dub bag and then if I ever need to travel by plane or van with every one elses gear I will be getting a big aluminium flight case that weighs a ton so even if some one wants to throw it around they'll put there back out trying. This custom aluminium case will be able to hold the dub case so it will give me loads of protection.
I did a gig with a SKB freedom case and I was glad it was there for the trip down (People sat on it) but at the small poxy venue it was really in the way.
So overall get a nice double bass bag and then a really big hefty flightcase as hardcase is really the middle ground it's not really strong enought to go in a plane hold and live but its to big to be carried around with you.
Sorry for the long post hope this helps.
P.S if any one has any feedback on the dubcase i'd love to hear it.
What kind of bag is it? Where'd you get it? How much did it cost?Sundogue said:
It sounds like a damn good bag, something worthy of picking up when I get a G&L Tribute fiver around september.
It's a Levy gig bag. I think it cost me around $130. I can't remember whether that was a sale price or not.
http://www.levysleathers.com
I do believe mine is the CM19L model. It has one inch foam padding (that must be closed cell foam that is dense). It has a very nice, thick, soft lining. It also has a nice size pocket on the front.
I can't imagine ever going back to my hardcase. Of course, if I flew with it (and had to check it in), or had to put it in with other heavy gear, or in any way put it in a more risky environment than what would be considered normal carrying, I'd consider my hardcase.
Great gig bag though.
http://www.levysleathers.com
I do believe mine is the CM19L model. It has one inch foam padding (that must be closed cell foam that is dense). It has a very nice, thick, soft lining. It also has a nice size pocket on the front.
I can't imagine ever going back to my hardcase. Of course, if I flew with it (and had to check it in), or had to put it in with other heavy gear, or in any way put it in a more risky environment than what would be considered normal carrying, I'd consider my hardcase.
Great gig bag though.
I have both hard and soft cases. I only use the soft cases when I'm gigging. I have my gear sized for easy transporting. My amp, amp stand, pedal board case, mic stand, power chord reel all go int he trunk. I usually bring two basses to a gig and they will fit comfortably on the back seat of my car. Two hard shell cases don't fit as well.
Also, parking can be a real problem in these parts, so I try to make only one trip to and from the car. All other gear goes on a dolly, both basses go on my shoulder. Hard cases would mean an extra trip. Furthermore, some of the rooms I play don't always have a storage room for cases, so I just fold the soft cases and toss them somewhere.
I am more carefull with the soft bags than with hard cases. They're well padded, however, I always baby my gear and handle them very cautiously. You do have to be more carefull, but the convenience of sft far outways taking the hardshell. YMMV
Also, parking can be a real problem in these parts, so I try to make only one trip to and from the car. All other gear goes on a dolly, both basses go on my shoulder. Hard cases would mean an extra trip. Furthermore, some of the rooms I play don't always have a storage room for cases, so I just fold the soft cases and toss them somewhere.
I am more carefull with the soft bags than with hard cases. They're well padded, however, I always baby my gear and handle them very cautiously. You do have to be more carefull, but the convenience of sft far outways taking the hardshell. YMMV
My main axe is in a hardshell...I'd freak out otherwise. The case is also made specifically for that bass, so I'd be a doofus not to use it.
My backup fretless is in a bag, but it's a hoss and I'm not worried about it getting damaged. It would probably break whatever it hit anyway...
My backup fretless is in a bag, but it's a hoss and I'm not worried about it getting damaged. It would probably break whatever it hit anyway...
I already have a good hardshell, but I'm looking to buy a gigbag. In fact, I'm going to buy one.
So could anyone give me advices on what to buy? How much should I pay for something good. I'm not looking the best of all, but I don't want my brand new bass to be damaged if I ever grop it on the floor.
Thanks!
So could anyone give me advices on what to buy? How much should I pay for something good. I'm not looking the best of all, but I don't want my brand new bass to be damaged if I ever grop it on the floor.
Thanks!
I recently got a Rockbag Softlight bass case by Warwick.
It fits both my Rickenbacker 4003 and my Fender Jazz; this case is soft like a gigbag yet more substantial than the average $50 gigbag, is more a case than a bag, it was about $75, I think it's worth the money.
My cases are now packed up in the basement. And now one bass stays in the softlight case, the other is on the wall, I'm liking this new arrangement.
Joe B
It fits both my Rickenbacker 4003 and my Fender Jazz; this case is soft like a gigbag yet more substantial than the average $50 gigbag, is more a case than a bag, it was about $75, I think it's worth the money.
My cases are now packed up in the basement. And now one bass stays in the softlight case, the other is on the wall, I'm liking this new arrangement.
Joe B
