Musicman no longer including hardshell cases?

[REV]

As I see it, a case is an integral part of an instrument. A hard case protects the instrument and while they may be a little less easy to use than a soft case they provide better protection. The Mono cases are certainly high quality but I would prefer something that offers more protection. Would you tour with only a Mono case? Great for local gigs though.

 

[two fingers]

Take a closer look at what this new case is. It is NOT a gig bag. There's no shoulder strap. It is a semi-rigid case. It carries like a hard case but isn't as hard. This is a cheap semi-rigid case with the name "Mono" slapped on it to instill confidence in less observant buyers.

I own, and love, a real Mono Duo bag. It's a great piece of gear. This thing is not. And it is NOT an upgrade from a hard case. It's NOT a gig bag. It's just a cheap not-so-hard case.

That's an upgrade man.

Mono stuff is amazing, most certainly an upgrade.

But wait, you can’t stack that Mono case nicely in a closet with all your other hard cases you don’t use.

Aw shucks, I guess you’ll just have to use it.

Bravo EB!

Mono makes great gig bags. I had one for my Pedulla and I loved it.

I agree with most above. Mono is a nice upgrade. Their products are quality and built to last.

I don't take hard cases to gigs, I use my best gig bag. The hard cases do make great storage devices but I don't like using them otherwise.

I'd see this as an upgrade for sure.

I’ve been using Mono cases for over 10 years now and use them instead of regular hard-shell cases. The Mono bags are are much easier and more comfortable to carry and protects the instruments just as well. The Mono bags are probably somewhat less expensive than a hard-shell case and may help keep prices down or let the instrument manufacturers make more money. I’m okay with this

I don't like HSC's anyway. I'll gladly take the Mono case.

Anyone concerned abt this should understand that this is a huge upgrade. I became accustomed to using gig bags when I used to play in NYC and I use a mono double as my main bag. It’s 100x better than a hard case. Lighter, plusher, more space, and it wears like a backpack.

Seriously. I would much rather have the mono than a hard case.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I look at this as a positive.

 

[Killing Floor]

Y’all know you can buy a flight case for any bass, right?

 

[InhumanResource]

I guess I don’t have strong feelings about it. It looks like something I would use versus a hard case which I really wouldn’t ever use and would end up stacked in my garage next to the other one I don’t use.

Which is probably going to happen when my G&L shows up one of these months.

 

[Derry Murbles]

Pretty weak on EBMM’s part. If I buy a new $2,500 bass, it better damn well come in a hard case or I’m not buying it.

 

[J_Bass]

Yeah these are NOT the super nice Mono bags we're all used to. I have a Mono Duo and LOVE it. But this is pretty much a cheap soft case. No backpack straps? Come on.

All they're doing here is latching onto the Mono name and reputation but giving you an inferior case. If it were a real Mono gig bag I would rather have it over a hard case. But this ain't that.

Couldn't agree more.

No back straps, that's ridiculous.

I prefer gigbags to hard shell cases, but I have to have the back straps, if not, what's the point?


I have a HSC at home. Bought it because I had to have a HSC. Never took it out of the house. I prefer a good gigbag, without a doubt. With backstraps, of course.


Even the DB goes in a gigbag.

 

[Pacman]

That's great and all, till the zipper craps out. And you find out that Mono's warranty doesn't cover zippers. A gig bag without zippers is a sheet.

That said, my Levy's leather bag has been around the planet 3 times in the last 25 years and still looks new.

 

[jivetkr]

I stand corrected here. As others have pointed out it does not have backpack straps.

It looks exactly like the soft cases that I've gotten from Roscoe or MTD. This still seems like something I would rather have than a case. All my hard cases just sit in the closet.

 

[Rich Fiscus]

Take a closer look at what this new case is. It is NOT a gig bag. There's no shoulder strap. It is a semi-rigid case. It carries like a hard case but isn't as hard. This is a cheap semi-rigid case with the name "Mono" slapped on it to instill confidence in less observant buyers.

I own, and love, a real Mono Duo bag. It's a great piece of gear. This thing is not. And it is NOT an upgrade from a hard case. It's NOT a gig bag. It's just a cheap not-so-hard case.

It’s unquestionably a semi-rigid case, but I’ll withhold judgement on how cheap it is. While it’s obviously not going to be equivalent to a high end Mono gig bag, I can tell from the pictures that it’s significantly higher quality than the semi-rigid case that came with my Kiesel, and I haven’t had any reason to upgrade.

Would I prefer the option of a high end gig bag with a bass like this? Absolutely, but since a hard case is apparently still an option, it doesn’t seem like an issue.

At the end of the day, this seems likely to be a cost/supply chain issue. It seems unfair to second guess companies for responding to unprecedented business challenges with unprecedented solutions.

 

[creaturegods]

Very hard to tour with any sort of softshell case or gig bag. Always have to be more delicate and careful with those, whereas with a hardshell case, you can feel confident in cramming them into the back of a van or trailer with a bunch of other gear and your instrument will be unharmed.
If your band is driving to your gigs in 5 separate vehicles and you're just tossing your bass in your backseat, then a softshell thing is fine but I know of tons of musicians that would want or need a more solid case.

This is a downgrade for sure but how many brands are still including hardshell cases anyway? Definitely not as many as there used to be.

Can't believe I saw someone in this thread mention something about how hardshell cases are more susceptible to scratches and wear. That's like ... the whole point of the case!

 

[Hot Rats]

I have no experience with Mono gear and have no dog in this, but for years I have been reading on here how really good their stuff is. Personally, that MM/Mono bag is way too bulky for me but why would Mono put their name on an inferior product? Does anyone have hands on experience with this case?

 

[rogerbmiller]

I might be excited about this if these cases had straps to so that you can wear these like a backpack. But they don't, so I am not.

 

[gt96g]

Yeah, frankly I'd rather have a heavily padded, quality gig bag, than a hardshell case any day. Hardshell cases are really only good for long-term storage anymore. I'd never bring one to a gig.

 

[EdO.]

That's an upgrade man.

Not where I come from. It's a cheap out on a fairly pricey instrument. More below...

I’m a big fan of EBMM and I think they’re a great company but, given the sharp rises in prices in the past several years, I’d like to see instruments in this price range come with something a little more permanent than a gig bag.

Mono bags are nice, but a $2000+ instrument should come with a solid hard case.

Exactly.

But if you want to keep a case looking nice while actually using it... forget it.

UMM, ,that's kind of the point of having a case to begin with, eh? The case takes the knocks so the instrument inside doesn't.

Upgrade? Try to put your bass in a MONO case inside the belly if a regular line flight …

Anyone who actually has to travel with an instrument they actually care about is taking a chance of it getting hurt in anything less than (at a minimum) a hard case. In this price range not including a hard case is Bull S&it.

I really don’t see how this is an upgrade. I can completely understand a company like EBMM needing to raise their prices in recent years; they’re a pretty small operation compared to a giant like Fender and they’re overhead is not insignificant (and they’re quality control is typically very good, which is expensive to maintain) but these new cases just feel like cheaping out to me and I think it’s a step down for a bass in this price bracket.

And it's not an upgrade.

another vote here for not an upgrade. I've purchased a separate hardcase for every bass i've ever owned that didn't come with one. We throw our gear into a van or truck and travel. Hardcase gives peace of mind that it can take abuse...

Again, exactly.

a good gig bag does the trick so long as you don't bash into anything.

Yeah, let us know how that works out for you.

Pretty weak on EBMM’s part. If I buy a new $2,500 bass, it better damn well come in a hard case or I’m not buying it.

This is a downgrade for sure but how many brands are still including hardshell cases anyway? Definitely not as many as there used to be.

Can't believe I saw someone in this thread mention something about how hardshell cases are more susceptible to scratches and wear. That's like ... the whole point of the case!

 

[Cave Puppy]

Gig bags are way more practical for daily use, but cases are cooler, though there is something about taking an instrument out of a case as opposed to taking an instrument out of a gig bag. But if I had a MONO gig bag that might change. I don't have any HSCs for any of my instruments.

 

[Relsom]

I like hard cases to store my basses in. So much easier to organize. Though I travel my Kubickis in Carvin SC8N soft cases. Anything else travels in a M80. I can't recall the last time I actually took a hard case out of the house for a rehearsal or a gig.

 

[Hot Rats]

Not where I come from. It's a cheap out of a fairly pricey instrument. More below...

It looked like an upgrade to me. I have two of the MM hardshell cases already.

 

[Confunk]

"Yeah, let us know how that works out for you."

Yeah, "EdO", it works out just fine for me. I guess I try & make it a point not to stumble around and hit my gear against a wall or something. Sorry you have that issue, and thanks so much for your concern

 

[sleddogn]

another get mad thread....