I live in a small house in Japan with my wife and kids. My hard case keeps the guitar safe from any kind of accident at home, but when I am out and about I have a great padded soft case with backpack style straps. The soft case is so much more comfortable for getting around. 🎸
It just feels weird walking out of the shop with a guitar and no case. Noppers…I’m a grown up and need my guitars in a grown ups case! Have you ever seen a violinist or cellist dragging their instruments down the street with no case. We are civilized members of a modern society and We needs an adults case.
I’m pretty sure it’s a mental thing, but I always feel like a guitar should have a hard case. Technology and manufacturing have made leaps and bounds over the past few decades and I’m sure there are some really, really great soft cases out there but I just haven’t branched out.
I like a hardshell case. The guitars I’m not currently playing are in them right now. Have a hardshell for each one. Had to buy then all separately, because I play mostly cheap stuff.
one of my worst memories from tour was at an airport, waiting to board. I walked up to the bass player, who was watching them load the luggage on the plane thru the window when i said good morning to him. At that same moment we both watched a crew guy take his hardcase with his, i think it was a Tobias, the guy launches it from about 10 feet away and it just bounces and slams on the conveyor belt up to the plane. I think we both just gasped...I mean what do you say even. I felt horrible but luckily the bass was okey.
Firebirds, Explorers, Les Pauls, 335's ANYTHING GIbson NEEDS a hardshell. The headstock is vulnerable. I bought a PRS CE24 and was really irritated that it comes with a gig bag at almost 2k. Yes its essentially a Strat but at that price point a hardshell should be a given. I have been on the road and stuff gets thrown into the van and a gig bag isnt gonna cut it. Fenders I am actually ok with a gig bag (not custom shop pricing or American models) mostly because they are interchangeable. You cant really "break" a Fender
"Let's decrease our costs by not giving the consumer a hard case to protect their multi-thousand dollar instrument/investment, but then charge them more for the overall decontented package."
2 days ago my three-year-old lifted up one of my 25 lb dumbbells and dropped it onto a hard shell case which contains my Taylor 914 CE. I said a little prayer before I opened the case to assess the damage. Thankfully, not a scratch. Bless those hard shell cases.
The plush soft-shell case that came with my 2020 Gibson Les Paul Tribute is a state-of-the-art package in terms of the protection it affords, the classic aesthetics, and the ergonomics.
I get why they don't include hardshell cases but it drives me crazy. A hardshell case should be included with $1000+ guitars, especially "higher end" instruments.
I’ve had similar experience as you Jonathan ,..with airport luggage 🧳 dudes tossing my strat!!😬like a lunitic…thank god it was in a hard shell ….company’s are just being cheap !!keep hard cases coming,everyone s got a soft case around if needed (rule of thumb,if the price is over 1000$ should come with hard cases)!!✌️❤️🎸by the way I’ll take any unwanted guitar cases,send em on my way 🤗
Wow, this is a topic that really resonates with me, not because I have a strong opinion one way or the other, but because it raises various emotional and practical issues.
Not a comment about cases, but what to drink if you ever do come to Buffalo. Suggest that you don't ask for a Miller Light, around here, Labatt's and Molsens are considered to be "domestic" beer and there are a number of local breweries and distilleries making vary nice products. You would be doing yourself a disservice not to "drink local" if you ever get up here.
When I bought my caparison guitar, I was really upset that several thousand dollar guitar didn't even come with a hard case. Then I saw the soft shell case it came with, and I changed my mind. Those things are bulletproof and dead smart. I use that case for all of my guitars.
The John Mayer Incase bags I think started this whole change. There were a few iterations of that Incase over the Mayer signature line but they were all incredible hybrid bags that really had quality and utility down to a T.
"The hardshell case is dead" - People without kids
I live in a small house in Japan with my wife and kids. My hard case keeps the guitar safe from any kind of accident at home, but when I am out and about I have a great padded soft case with backpack style straps. The soft case is so much more comfortable for getting around. 🎸
It just feels weird walking out of the shop with a guitar and no case. Noppers…I’m a grown up and need my guitars in a grown ups case! Have you ever seen a violinist or cellist dragging their instruments down the street with no case. We are civilized members of a modern society and We needs an adults case.
I’m pretty sure it’s a mental thing, but I always feel like a guitar should have a hard case. Technology and manufacturing have made leaps and bounds over the past few decades and I’m sure there are some really, really great soft cases out there but I just haven’t branched out.
I like a hardshell case. The guitars I’m not currently playing are in them right now. Have a hardshell for each one. Had to buy then all separately, because I play mostly cheap stuff.
one of my worst memories from tour was at an airport, waiting to board. I walked up to the bass player, who was watching them load the luggage on the plane thru the window when i said good morning to him. At that same moment we both watched a crew guy take his hardcase with his, i think it was a Tobias, the guy launches it from about 10 feet away and it just bounces and slams on the conveyor belt up to the plane. I think we both just gasped...I mean what do you say even. I felt horrible but luckily the bass was okey.
Saying the Silver Sky shipping with a soft case ruffled some feathers is an understatement lol. PRS hardshells are heavy as hell though.
Firebirds, Explorers, Les Pauls, 335's ANYTHING GIbson NEEDS a hardshell. The headstock is vulnerable. I bought a PRS CE24 and was really irritated that it comes with a gig bag at almost 2k. Yes its essentially a Strat but at that price point a hardshell should be a given. I have been on the road and stuff gets thrown into the van and a gig bag isnt gonna cut it. Fenders I am actually ok with a gig bag (not custom shop pricing or American models) mostly because they are interchangeable. You cant really "break" a Fender
"Let's decrease our costs by not giving the consumer a hard case to protect their multi-thousand dollar instrument/investment, but then charge them more for the overall decontented package."
2 days ago my three-year-old lifted up one of my 25 lb dumbbells and dropped it onto a hard shell case which contains my Taylor 914 CE. I said a little prayer before I opened the case to assess the damage. Thankfully, not a scratch. Bless those hard shell cases.
The plush soft-shell case that came with my 2020 Gibson Les Paul Tribute is a state-of-the-art package in terms of the protection it affords, the classic aesthetics, and the ergonomics.
I used my hard shell cases 6 months ago when I
Yes the Fender John Mayer Model came with a gig bag that was very similar to the Gator Icon
I get why they don't include hardshell cases but it drives me crazy. A hardshell case should be included with $1000+ guitars, especially "higher end" instruments.
I’ve had similar experience as you Jonathan ,..with airport luggage 🧳 dudes tossing my strat!!😬like a lunitic…thank god it was in a hard shell ….company’s are just being cheap !!keep hard cases coming,everyone s got a soft case around if needed (rule of thumb,if the price is over 1000$ should come with hard cases)!!✌️❤️🎸by the way I’ll take any unwanted guitar cases,send em on my way 🤗
I don't need a hard case, I play a strat. You could probably throw it down a flight of stairs deliberately and still have a playable instrument.
Wow, this is a topic that really resonates with me, not because I have a strong opinion one way or the other, but because it raises various emotional and practical issues.
Not a comment about cases, but what to drink if you ever do come to Buffalo. Suggest that you don't ask for a Miller Light, around here, Labatt's and Molsens are considered to be "domestic" beer and there are a number of local breweries and distilleries making vary nice products. You would be doing yourself a disservice not to "drink local" if you ever get up here.
When I bought my caparison guitar, I was really upset that several thousand dollar guitar didn't even come with a hard case. Then I saw the soft shell case it came with, and I changed my mind. Those things are bulletproof and dead smart. I use that case for all of my guitars.
The John Mayer Incase bags I think started this whole change. There were a few iterations of that Incase over the Mayer signature line but they were all incredible hybrid bags that really had quality and utility down to a T.