Hard cases - do you use them?

[kickstand22]

I always use a HSC. I tote my own gear. Just prefer the case. I have a bud that swears by gig bags. HSC....personal preference. 2 cents.

 

[dcr]

I have hard or hybrid cases for all of my basses except my Azola BugBass and it only came with a gig bag.

that said, 90% of the time or more, I'm carrying my basses with me in my full-size double cab pickup truck. So they go in a leather double-bag in the back seat and are secured down. My basses NEVER EVER EVER go in the trailer, so I feel a gigbag is fine protection...it's more than I have if you think about it.

On the rare occasion I'm riding with someone and I'm not comfortable with the care they might receive, then it's either a Pro-Tec hybrid bag/case or a hard case. But that's rare indeed.



dcr

 

[excane]

Much better protection, but bulkier and heavier to carry. You just have to weigh that against how much you want your bass to not get ruined.

 

[David1234]

I use hardcases for travelling but for local gigging and rehearsal I love my Warwick Rockbags

+1.

A hard case, being heavy, is more likely to bump into things than a soft bag slung over your shoulder. Rockbags won't last forever (especially if your bass is too long) but they'll protect your bass very well while they do. But for travelling when you need to stack things up in a van, or when you fly and can't supervise what's happening to your axe, get a very hard hard case.

 

[atoni]

Hard cases and/or flight cases only. Sometimes I have to use dust bags too, but that is a last option

 

[User4732254]

Hard case, yes. In fact, on break, in between sets

Ditto

Always. It may be more annoying to lug around, but it's an acceptable compromise for the protection it offers.

And Double Ditto

No matter what, I only use hard cases, and here is why.

I will take you some 25 + years back, it’s late autumn, I live on the second floor of a duplex house and it just rained, I’m scheduled to meet some people to gig in an hour, I grab my gear, head out of the house and to the two flight of stairs at the end of the balcony, as I take the first step to go down, up in the air I go flying and I tumble down the stairs along with my gear, when I hit the pavement and ground floor I was bent out of shape and hurting every where, I turn my head to see where my gear was and expected the worst, it laid about 20 feet further than me near the side walk, I make my way to the case to see how my guitar was doing, to my big surprise, when I opened the case the guitar was intact ( Can’t say the same for the case though ).
I hated the high price I paid for that Ovation molded hard case, but tank my lucky star to have bought it when I did.

I have seen friends take similar dives, I don’t need to explain how much they cried when there gear was all broken up because they used gear bags, because it’s lighter, and easier, and so on, and so on.

Gear costs a lot, I’m not made of money, and I only trust hard cases for my gear.

My 2 cents.

 

[davidjbass]

I never use them unless I fly with my bass or have to ship it somewhere. Otherwise the cases stay in my closet. At least they stay in mint condition.

 

[JimB52]

I always use cases unless space is a real problem, then a heavily padded Levy's bag.

 

[savit260]

I never put any of my instruments in a soft case. Ever.

I feel attached to my basses, I treat them to way that I would want to be treated if I were a bass.

I still own my first bass and it's a perfect example of why you should always use a hard case (I'll post a picture sometime, it's depressing).

Well, in my situation, you'd be treated to being left home because there was no room for you.

 

[Sufenta]

Never use my hard cases. I have them all stacked in the attic. I bought a SR4 at the old Bass Centre in L.A. and the sales guy (can't recall his name, but a monster player) recommended Undercover gig bags to go with it. When I questioned whether or not the gig bag would provide adequate protection, the guy got out his Undercover double gig bag, put his two Pedullas in it and literally threw the bag across the room, probably 15+ feet and about 8 feet high onto a concrete floor and slammed it up against the wall on the other side of the room. Sold! I love mine and use it exclusively.

 

[lawsonman]

Always have used hard cases.Gig bags just make me really nervous.

 

[Eric Morgan]

Hard. Shell. CASES!

I just don't like gig bags...don't trust them. Plus, call me old school, I started playing when a HSC CAME with the bass you bought. It wasn't an upgrade or an aftermarket accessory, it was as necessary as the pickups if you catch my drift.

Gig bags are practical, but as someone already posted, it's too easy for your bass to get damaged even just sitting onstage. I always get my basses onstage after tuning them up an hour before we go on just to acclimate them to the difference in temperature then recheck the tuning once we're ready to go on. I can't ell you how many times I've seen guits/basses get knocked down, spit on, strings cut, tuning messed with, beer spilled/thrown on, STOLEN, bumped and just plain carelessly handled by club/band staff.

I get them up there, lock the cases and THEN bicycle lock the handles together and around the cases so no one can just stroll on out of there with them easily...it's kind of hard to miss someone (or two) wrestling three bass cases out the door. But, hey...I was on tour with Slayer and the like so occasionally a shithead or several are in the mix.

Any Jazz cats out there deal with this kind of treachery on/backstage or on tour? I'm sure there's some B.S. that goes along with any genre.

Three words: HARD SHELL CASE!

 

[LowDown Hal]

I believe it's better to safe than sorry.

So until convinced otherwise I use hard shells.

 

[jgamble]

Hardcase - always.

 

[phatbass]

I'll add that I use a DECENT QUALITY gig bag, not the $15 specials.

 

[rarbass]

Hard cases are annoying when carrying them and trying to fit them places, but due to all the benefits of a hard case, I almost NEVER use a gig bag. There's too much risk of something happening. I've had hard cases fall over numerous times. Some, if they had been in a gig bag, it might have broken the bass. I don't think it's worth the risk.

 

[mikeswals]

I don't tour, and I have my own car/public transport

But when there's a truck and trailer that the whole band rides in, it doesn't make sense for me to take my personal car to gigs an hour drive, 3hour drive, or the next state away.
Even local gigs 10-15 minutes away we save gas by riding together. Our instruments in gigbags would be toast.

In the clubs with 3 and 4 band bills, you bet stuff is crammed in the club corners and other stuff knock into the cases. Again bags would be toast.

 

[CatfishStudios]

I use hardcases for all my instruments...except my Fretless Jazz..its in a hybrid type roadrunner case..pretty solid but light...might want to check those out.

 

[Craig_S]

Hard cases. I do have a nice Levy's gig bag, though. I used to get a good amount of use out of it, when I had my Ibanez BTB. I really don't like lugging hard cases, but...

 

[scrodzilla]

Hard cases for this guy. I learned the hard way...gig bags on tour are never a good idea.