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Just bought a MONO Vertigo case......hope it's worth it!!

jamzcl

jamzcl

Jul 21, 2004
760
476
Des Moines, IA USA
#1
Just paid $215 for a CASE.....YIKES!! I know these typically go for $249 retail but all my cases or gig bags have come with the basses, so I've never had to buy a case separate. I got it from an authorized dealer on eBay that had the 'make an offer' option.

I've been using a Fender Deluxe gig bag for years to take to gigs and practices and have left the hardshell cases at home. The Fender bag is starting to show it's age and need something 'gig-bag-like' to protect my basses a little better that I can take to 50-ish gigs a year plus practices.

Hopefully the case will live up to the price :nailbiting:
 
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#2
I bought one used once from Sam Ash, can't recall what I paid, but probably less than $160.
It was great, but I hated that you can't put anything in there with the bass, no compartments.
Then I found out the clip-on carry case attachment (Tick) is another $100 & I just dumped the Mono Vertigo.

They'd be great for a flight, but I faced the fact that I'll never be flying to a gig.

Just checked, & I paid $157 (including shipping).
It was listed on Reverb for $175 & I offered $150.
 
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#3
Killed_by_Death said:
Just checked, & I paid $157 (including shipping).
It was listed on Reverb for $175 & I offered $150.
Click to expand...

Even that price seems high for a case!

They do look nice and I really like that big boot on the bottom along with how the neck is locked in position. I do find myself placing my bass gingerly on the end when I set it down upright, so that big rubber bottom should take care of that issue.
 
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#7
I have the Vertigo along with other Mono bags, all great stuff! I don't want a lot of pockets for my gig bags because I always end up loading them up and adding poundage to the bag I don't want. I even bought a Tick for one of my bags but don't even use it for that reason. My Mono bags get used a LOT, and have always held up.
 
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#8
Really digging the Mono double bass bag. Very handy for city work!

24BAE6BA-870D-44AC-A58A-38388E0896CA.jpeg
 
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#9
I absolutely love my Vertigo, and I find that there's plenty of storage space. You actually have room for more stuff in the Vertigo than the M80. But @Killed_by_Death is correct that there aren't that many compartments, just one big pocket and one smaller mesh compartment. But those two compartments lets me carry an instrument cable, 4" leather strap, foldable stand, iPad, earplugs, tool pouch, a spare 9V battery and a tuner. The M80 has more pockets and the space is organized better, but the overall storage space is smaller. I have both, and use them for different situations. And when it comes to protection, nothing beats them exept possibly a hardshell case.
 
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#10
I bought a Levy's CM19 gig bag somewhere around 1999 for $120 which I thought was very expensive, but I was going to college and would be dragging the bass around campus every day. Over a decade later that case was still going, until the outer pocket eventually tore off. With that in mind that case was a bargain at less than $12/year of use.

I got a Mono M80 a couple of months ago and I have no doubt that it will last at least as long.

I bought a gator transit last year and one of the straps broke after about 10 months. Gator replaced the strap free of charge but I'm not interested in th case hitting the ground when I'm walking to my car.
 
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#11
monkeyland said:
I bought a Levy's CM19 gig bag somewhere around 1999 for $120 which I thought was very expensive, but I was going to college and would be dragging the bass around campus every day. Over a decade later that case was still going, until the outer pocket eventually tore off. With that in mind that case was a bargain at less than $12/year of use.

I got a Mono M80 a couple of months ago and I have no doubt that it will last at least as long.

I bought a gator transit last year and one of the straps broke after about 10 months. Gator replaced the strap free of charge but I'm not interested in th case hitting the ground when I'm walking to my car.
Click to expand...
I have a Transit as well, as none of my MONO bags fit inside my SKB Bass safe. I was also worried about the straps. Did yours break at the swivel joint of the plastic carabiners at the top of the strap? If so, I think I've figured out something for that. A short length of double-sided velcro through the two plastic loops will keep the bag from hitting the ground if the joint breaks. In the photo you see it on the left, the original strap on the right.

IMG_3068.JPG
 
#12
JakobT said:
I have a Transit as well, as none of my MONO bags fit inside my SKB Bass safe. I was also worried about the straps. Did yours break at the swivel joint of the plastic carabiners at the top of the strap? If so, I think I've figured out something for that. A short length of double-sided velcro through the two plastic loops will keep the bag from hitting the ground if the joint breaks. In the photo you see it on the left, the original strap on the right.

View attachment 2885686
Click to expand...

Like this

IMG_0302.JPG
 
#14
The tick for the mono sucks. I have it and never use it. Center of gravity goes way up and the entire bag starts to jump all over the place if you walk fast. Never mind running with it.

Also that tick is heavy and loading it with anything more than a wallet will make it unbearable . Seriously, why would anyone put a wallet, passport, driving permit, valuable paper when it can get ripped off when you got that thing on the back.

I truly wasted my money on that one. Oh well it was only 75 bucks. On the other hand if I have to carry more gear, I use my Mono double and just cram them into the bag and cart it around on a luggage cart. In the long run, the Mono double is a better investment than the singles they make, in my opinion.
 
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#15
Killed_by_Death said:
They'd be perfect for trying to take onboard a flight as carry-on, because even if they make you check it, it will probably be safe. They'd have to really be trying to damage it in a Vertigo case.
Click to expand...

I've checked the bag a bunch of times on international flights in the CIS crap hole nations where they deliberately try to break your instruments. It has always come out fine. In fact they seem to do better than hard cases. I guess the mass and sharp corner of the hard case makes it more vulnerable to cracking and breaking.
 
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#16
JakobT said:
I see. In that case, my little trick wouldn't do any good. But I'm thinking it wouldn't be too hard to replace the plastic clip with something like this:
718z8fsm6bL._SX355_.jpg
Click to expand...

Well regardless it doesn't matter. They have a lifetime warranty on the part and replaced it promptly. My point was that I want something that won't need any sort of alternative solution in the first place. With a pace of almost 200 gigs last year and the same schedule again this year, I've relegated the Transit to occasional use. The Mono is very well built and I have absolute confidence in it. And again, that seems only fair considering that one costs a little more than twice what the other did.
 
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#17
monkeyland said:
Well regardless it doesn't matter. They have a lifetime warranty on the part and replaced it promptly. My point was that I want something that won't need any sort of alternative solution in the first place. With a pace of almost 200 gigs last year and the same schedule again this year, I've relegated the Transit to occasional use. The Mono is very well built and I have absolute confidence in it. And again, that seems only fair considering that one costs a little more than twice what the other did.
Click to expand...
Agreed. The Mono bags are my go-to for daily hard use as well.
 
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#18
Best things about mono cases:

Extra padding at the bottom, so your strap button doesn't gat jammed up your end

Neck lock system

I have the M80. Love it. I think Mono is the cheapest company with these features, which are must haves for my important bases (2 in total)
 
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