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Hard Or Soft Case!?

choo5

choo5

Apr 15, 2004
316
1
sydney, australia
#1
i was looking at getting some sort of case for my bass, i was thinking i'd proberbally just get a gig bag but my friend said something about i'd have to retune the bass after i transport it...

he recomended a hard case but how am i going to find a case for my westone spectrum ST Bass? ..... im confused :help:
 
#2
I use both depending on the situation. I generally take 2 basses to all my gigs and I have a double bass bag and several singles that work just fine and I never have any tuning problems. A good compromise would be an Incase single or double bass bag, it has all of the conveniences of a gig bag but offers the type of protection usually found only in hard cases.
 
#8
Although I like hardshell cases, because of thier obvious attributes, I find that soft cases are better in certain cases (ha). I often put more scratches in my bass putting them away in a harshell case with haste than a softy. And if I am at a show, and end up drinkin a bit, I usually always nail that metal rim around the casing with my bass while putting it away, in which instance I wish I had a soft shell case.
 
#9
I think this is gonna get moved, but before it does... :)
It really depends on a few things. Here's a non-exhaustive list about what you should ask yourself.

1) The value (actual+perceived+sentimental) of your bass
2) Where you bring your bass - back of pickup, check-in luggage...
3) How you like to carry your bass - over your shoulders? On your back? Hand carry?

There's a whole lotta of other stuff, but these should start pointing you in the right direction already.
For the record, I'd rather an ultralight case, or a hard case - but I'm considering getting an incase slimbag now... :D
 
#10
This misses a big point.
I bought a Dano bass case for more than my DC cost. Did take long for the nameplate to come half undone and i for it to get all scratched up.
But more importantly, a bass case will not fit in my car trunk and i have Saturn LS (large sedan). This is a problem! Since ive picked up other basses since, a couple with gig bags, i now have alternative but i previously had to carry around blankets to cover up the case in my back seat. I sometimes have to go right from my lesson to work in NYC and having anything in the back seat is an invitatiion to a broken window (im too cheap to pay to park).
So, regretfully, it looks like the bag is it.
 
#12
I use gig bags for almost all of my gigs around town where I just need to throw the bass into the car and carry it into the gig. The times I use a hard case are whenever somebody else may be handling my equipment, whenever the car is packed in such a way that a speaker cabinet or other item could tip over onto the gig bag, and situations where I need to stack the bass with other items. Sure, every once in a while a string will be bumped out of tune while in the gig bag, but don't you tune up before you play anyway? My favorite gig bag is the Levy's heavy duty padded gig bag that came with my Fbasses. Other than that, I use a flight case.
 
#13
thanks guys, the feedback i have recived so far has been a great help, i'l proberbaly get a softcase soon then get a hard shell later :p , i think a hard shell case might be a bit hard to cary around, especialy if i need to catch a bus or train to friends sometime (heh, gotta go for my full licence!)
 
#14
Generally speaking I'll use gig bags for my trips back and forth to rehearsal, and the ol' hardshell when we throw all the crap into the back of a van to play a show... Its never a fun time when you hear something shift in the back of the van only to realize when you pop the trunk that a drum case or amp landed on the neck of your bass :p
 
#15
I've only ever used gigbags for all my basses for two reasons

1>They came with the bass and most of the time they were free (bonus)
2>Becasue I don't have the room for a hardshell case.

Also I have never found that in transport either of my basses go out of tune! Sometimes you get worried we you pile them into the back of the van next to a 80lb amp!
 
#16
I've got hardshells for all of my basses.....that's where they live when I'm not playing them.

Also having been in a car wreck where the car was written off, and the bass in the boot (trunk) survived only by being in a hardshell case (the case didn't survive), I would not put a bass in the boot in a gigbag. Even in the hardcase the bass had to get some remedial work done to it......much like me after the crash....
 
#17
My most valuable and delicate assets are my back and hands, which I really need to protect as the years pass by. If I have to haul a bass and other gear from a parking lot and up stairs, I'd much rather have the bass in a soft bag with padded straps that go over my shoulders.

Lately, I've had good luck with bags made by Adolfo Estrella, Link Removed who has made me some superb well padded soft leather bags that fit like gloves.

He recently made one for my Tacoma from a pattern I drew, that makes it a joy to carry that ungainly huge bass around, and the price was reasonable.

Aloha,

Jonathan
 
#18
rusty said:
I think this is gonna get moved, but before it does... :)
It really depends on a few things. Here's a non-exhaustive list about what you should ask yourself.

1) The value (actual+perceived+sentimental) of your bass
2) Where you bring your bass - back of pickup, check-in luggage...
3) How you like to carry your bass - over your shoulders? On your back? Hand carry?

There's a whole lotta of other stuff, but these should start pointing you in the right direction already.
Click to expand...

You miss one very important issue (maybe because you may not have that) - public transport :eek: :spit:
My Warwick gigbag is very good, but even it cant do much against this ignorant crowd :spit:
 
#19
This reminds me that when i recently flew back to NY from Tampa, there was a young guy playing an acoustic bass guitar in the departure waiting area.
He got on the plane with guitar, no case, no bag, and put it in an overhead compartment. you could hear it bang on the way in and out. This was a full flight but i guess people dont take much in the way of clothes to Fla.
I never got close enough to check out the name of it.
 

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