Unless it is a flight case, I believe most hard cases give you false sense of security . Have always used gig bags.
My $.02
My $.02
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Musicman no longer including hardshell cases?
- Thread starter jd56hawk
- Start date
I use (and prefer) Mono cases to “hardshell” cases.Starting later this year, Ernie Ball Music Man will make a transition from hardshell cases to MONO Cases. MONO has a long history of design-driven innovative case manufacturing, so it was a natural collaboration. Inside each case, the foam was custom molded to fit the instruments like a glove. It’s finished with soft plush lining, providing outstanding protection and a lush feel. The handle is reinforced with MONO-branded metal rivet, with MONO’s signature orange trim as the finishing touch. An extra-large zippered storage compartment with a built-in organizer is easily accessible without opening the case. The average MONO case is over 2 lbs lighter than a traditional hardshell case. Watch the official MONO case trailer video here.
Totally my mistake, but I’ve never dropped a bass out onto an asphalt parking lot using a hardshell case.
But this is personal preference, not universal truth.
I will wish I could have subbed a Mono case for my Taylor hard case. Nice case but still LESS convenient than a Mono case. But that’s not a universal truth either, just my personal preference.
Happy the ones I have came with hard cases, protected them securely while being shipped, solid secure and no worries in general about guitars being crushed. Plus they are really nice cases imho.
It’s never too late to start.
Huh?
I gather you mean it’s never too late to drop a bass out of a hardshell case?
I’ve been using hardshell cases for almost 46 years, and I’ve never dropped a bass out of one.
Gig bag? Different story. Like I said, it was my fault, but I didn’t fully zip up a gig bag. The bass made it all the way out to my pickup truck. Once I tipped the bass upright, it slid out of the unzipped bottom of the gig bag, and it slammed onto the asphalt.
$650.00 to have my bass professionally refinished. Costly lesson learned.
Question for the gig bag people: If you’ve ever put your bass into the band equipment trailer for a 150 mile trip home, do you feel it’s 100% safe amongst trap cases, speaker cabinets, racks, and drum cases?
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A universal truth is that a hard case will protect the bass better. They also cost more. My deduction is that musicman is cutting expenses but not profits and therefore not price. They're being cheap. Mono bags may be awesome, but they cost less and that's the point I was making. I appreciate your input.
I've flown plenty of basses back and forth from the States to Lima, always in hard cases and usually in the luggage, never had any damage done to one.
This thread has inspired me to a great solution regarding my ongoing gig bag/HSC dilemma.
I have a pricey custom made uke bass that is oddly shaped. I bought a case for it by a company called Pelican which is well known for making very durable cases, and I was very confident having the bass shipped in it a few times. Other positives are the ability to lock it with 4 padlocks, wheels and handle so I can roll it along if necessary, pick-n-pluck foam to customize the interior to the shape of the bass (augmented with black velvet), and lots of space to put stickers. But like any hard case it is bulky and heavy, so I began thinking about a gig bag and selling the Pelican.
I wanted to get a Mono case, which I have used previously with my standard scale basses and have been very impressed with their M80 and Vertigo lines. The big problem was finding a case to fit the smaller form factor of the uke bass and they only had cases that were too big or way too small (i.e. the parlor guitar case). I ended up buying the keyboard case and with the included padded blocks I was sort of able to make it work, but I still didn't feel comfortable with the bass so loosey goosey inside the case.
I don't know why it never occurred to me during the few months I've had the Mono case, but the idea came up to take the padding of the Pelican case and see if it would fit inside the Mono case, which it did! The uke bass is much more snug and secure now and is much lighter and easier to carry around. Yay!
I am having another custom uke bass being built, so I will keep both cases. I will buy another set of foam inserts to custom fit the new uke bass and I should be able to interchange the two different inserts between the Pelican and Mono cases depending on the gig/transportation sitch.
Regarding the Musicman Mono case, its kind of hard to tell is the case is the same build quality as the M80 or Vertigos. Even if so, it truly is a bummer they don't have the backpack straps.
I have a pricey custom made uke bass that is oddly shaped. I bought a case for it by a company called Pelican which is well known for making very durable cases, and I was very confident having the bass shipped in it a few times. Other positives are the ability to lock it with 4 padlocks, wheels and handle so I can roll it along if necessary, pick-n-pluck foam to customize the interior to the shape of the bass (augmented with black velvet), and lots of space to put stickers. But like any hard case it is bulky and heavy, so I began thinking about a gig bag and selling the Pelican.
I wanted to get a Mono case, which I have used previously with my standard scale basses and have been very impressed with their M80 and Vertigo lines. The big problem was finding a case to fit the smaller form factor of the uke bass and they only had cases that were too big or way too small (i.e. the parlor guitar case). I ended up buying the keyboard case and with the included padded blocks I was sort of able to make it work, but I still didn't feel comfortable with the bass so loosey goosey inside the case.
I don't know why it never occurred to me during the few months I've had the Mono case, but the idea came up to take the padding of the Pelican case and see if it would fit inside the Mono case, which it did! The uke bass is much more snug and secure now and is much lighter and easier to carry around. Yay!
I am having another custom uke bass being built, so I will keep both cases. I will buy another set of foam inserts to custom fit the new uke bass and I should be able to interchange the two different inserts between the Pelican and Mono cases depending on the gig/transportation sitch.
Regarding the Musicman Mono case, its kind of hard to tell is the case is the same build quality as the M80 or Vertigos. Even if so, it truly is a bummer they don't have the backpack straps.
If this is the biggest complaint we have with EBMM they're still doing a dang good job.
They fixed fret spout on my Axis for free despite the fact that it was caused by poor humidity in my old place.
They fixed fret spout on my Axis for free despite the fact that it was caused by poor humidity in my old place.
Agreed so let’s call things using words actually representing them that is “cuts”
Folks let’s keep this in perspective. Anyone ever see the junk gig bags that come with $3k Spector Euros? That doesn’t seem controversial.
For me a molded case is better protection, but I never use them. Ever. Oversized pita. This Mono is something I would actually use. It might be a downgrade from the HSC if the instrument is in a car accident or run over, but I think they know lots of people closet the molded cases and use bags anyway.
I’m not sure it’s a cost saving measure. How much cheaper can the Mono really be? Their products are very expensive. Super nice stuff though.
This is intended to be an upgrade. Seems fine to me.
For me a molded case is better protection, but I never use them. Ever. Oversized pita. This Mono is something I would actually use. It might be a downgrade from the HSC if the instrument is in a car accident or run over, but I think they know lots of people closet the molded cases and use bags anyway.
I’m not sure it’s a cost saving measure. How much cheaper can the Mono really be? Their products are very expensive. Super nice stuff though.
This is intended to be an upgrade. Seems fine to me.
Look, if you use a vintage style Fender case (just to avoid making direct references to MM competitors) in a plane, it will likely be broken (it happened to me, fortunately without consequences for the bass inside).
However, the new generation of Fender molded cases, for not to talk about SKB cases, are built like tanks and they will provide the same degree of protection as of flight cases.
They will be scratched of course (not a lot however) but that’s what they are intended for while protecting your instrument.
Indeed. I have a bunch of hard cases and gig bags that I would have never chosen to buy and I do not use, but they came with an instrument. They're rarely good enough, I feel. The hard cases can be ok, but often they're heavier or bulkier than I want, or do not have suitable storage space. The gig bags are little more than dust covers, for the most part. The only gigbag I take outside home is a Fusion F1: bulky but light, good protection, very comfortable (designed with proper straps and weight load distribution like a good quality back pack), lots and lots of storage of different sizes, top loader... The Mono ones are not bad either (although I do prefer Fusion for comfort/space) but the version they show for the MusicMan guitars is not one of the good ones. More waste.
A hardshell protects the bass from something falling on it, for sure. But drop the case: a good padded gigbag like a Fusion has tons of energy-absorbing material and it's arguably better than the vast majority of hard cases out there in that respect.
Can't generalise really.
