Team hard case here, when purchasing a guitar. Having multiple instruments, I store them at home in their hard cases and I'll transfer to a Mono case(s) for gigs. I don't always take the same instrument(s) to gigs. I may rotate them or have a new "flavor of the week".
I do think hard cases should definitely be standard for the flagship models and above. It'll be a sad day if the Fender American Professional and Gibson Standards don't even come a hard case. A good hard case definitely helps me justify an expensive purchase and I feel having an included hard case helps a guitar retain it's value. When it comes to signature guitars, a hard case is another area the artist can inject their personality to the product. Plus, some hard cases just smell so darn good. The hard case from my Epiphone Les Paul Classic makes it feel like a more premium instrument than it really is even after all these years.
I bought a budget fender lead 2 back in the early 1990s for $150 bucks, it came with a fender hardcase. They can do it, its just they make a lot more profit margin by tossing in a glorified burlap sack than a protective case.
It is a real double edged sword. After accumulating numerous instruments, finding room for cases is a real pain. But, one doesn't want to put $1k to $5k in a soft shell for long term storage.
Yeah at some you gotta start selling old guitars. You're not playing more than 2 electric, 2 acoustic and 2 classical guitars. So why worry about 10 cases if 4 guitars are hanging on the stands and a two are stored in hard cases.
I hate this trend. It’s actually a deciding factor for me when I buy a guitar now. Might be dumb lol but I love all my hard cases. I’d rather buy a light gig case and store my guitars in hard cases.
Yep. So much love for soft cases + So many tears over broken necks and headstocks = Make it make sense. Properly fit hard cases provide the most protection period. If you don’t care about your guitar, then you do you. But its silly to try to convince anyone that soft cases protect better than hard cases.
@@Kur0y4m4 I think the trade off is ,if you have less protection you take less risks . I prefer gig bags as long as it is always in my care , if not a proper fitted flight case. ( Also I tend to go the fender route, gibson are a total different ball game)
The hardshell cases that came with almost every guitar back in the 90s/80s was great when you're living in the back of the van flopping around with all your gear. Gig bags were really only used if you were in a major city taking the train to rehearsals
Exactly gig bag is inadequate in nearly every single way. It cannot store a guitar properly for years. A case will within reason... off gassing taken into consideration which is not the case's fault.
I did not find nearly every guitar coming with a hard case. I found you had to buy cases separately. I like soft cases that are deluxe quality or forget it.
I appreciate having a hard case with a nicer acoustic because they help regulate the temperature and humidity, at least the ones I have seen come with nicer acoustics, but outside of that, I would prefer a soft case.
I love a hard case and when I bought a Thunderbird I couldn’t find one to fit so had to make my own and now I know how to make my own custom cases with custom vinyl and interior.
Just finished my collection (honestly) with a reduced AM PRO 2 Lefty Jazzmaster with a nice hard shell case. The new ones on order are now more money and listed on guitarguitar with only gig bags. I keep my guitars all in their cases to protect them from damage and temperature changes because in the uk we have a full run of the seasons in a day.
I just got a Music Man Darkray with the custom made Mono soft case. The fit is so perfect and it’s so well padded that no standard hard case could protect better. You’d have to have at least a $1000 hard case to protect better.
I just had to go out and hunt down a used case for my SG but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the vintage TKL, great latches and perfect form-fit! I believe the mid-tier manufacturers will bring the case back and make a killing because it will be the thing that sets them apart (hopefully!).🤞
Love gig bags, because I gig… I don’t want to lug a 15 pound wood case, along with an amp, and everything else to a gig. Granted, my #1 is a carbon fiber RainSong, ($3,200), that doesn’t need humidification, but I specifically asked the retailer to sub a gig bag for the factory hard case. It is not just me either… I have a friend here in Phoenix that brings his $11,000 McPherson to shows in a gig bag, and another that brings his Taylor PS to open mics in one. AND, I don’t want to fill up an entire room with hard “luggage”.
My issue is the non existent humidity in my apartment in the winter. When the furnace is regularly running, it will get down to 20-25%. So, I prefer to keep instruments in hard cases (I have a case rack to keep them all contained). In the spring - early fall, I keep my guitar on a stand, but by mid October it needs to be tucked away with a case humidifier. Unfortunately, my current guitar does not fit the hard case I already had.
I said this in a previous video on this topic you did a while back, but these companies already baked the cost of a hard case into the price of the guitar. They weren't just giving them away. So now what we have is them removing a feature and selling point that you are still paying for, but no longer get. We see this everywhere now (not just the guitar industry) in our day to day and I think it's a terrible thing on principle alone.
I remember the days of “soft-shell” cases. Looked like a hardshell but was flimsy, basically tolex over cardboard(?) rather than wood. What happened to those? Guess the gig bag replaced them? I’m still think everything above a budget guitar should come with a hardshell case, but I’m old...
I have a case like that that came with my 5-string banjo. The banjo was originally my dad's - he got it second hand in the early 70's. The banjo did eventually get a more trustworthy case.
I’ve been using my Mono Vertigo gig bag for over 10 years/500 plus gigs, and it’s still in almost the same condition as when I got it. I’ve used it even when on road trips in a van so I can carry it easily and inconspicuously into the hotel. The only time I use a hardshell is when I don’t have enough gig bags. However! I was seriously put off by not getting anything with my $1800 (3 years ago) EVH Frankenstein. My local dealer threw a decent one in though.
I wake up every morning and immediately pull up your RUclips channel to see what Baxter and John are talking about that day. Your sense of humor is terrific. So many other guitar shops take themselves so seriously as pro-musicians and come across sterile and boring. Baxter and Jonathan and the real deal! Thanks.
I have six guitars, a violin, and a drum set, so three hard cases and a lot of gig bags. I understand being frustrated with having to pay even more to protect that expensive guitar on the way home, but after a few guitars where you gonna keep the cases? Once you have a few you can bring a case or bag with you when buying the new guitar. That said, it’d be cool to have a tweed hard case to match my amp. I use gig bags most of the time anyway; hard cases are for the expensive guitars that I don’t want to take anywhere anyway
I've got a Gator hard case and several gig bags so at this point I don't even care if a new guitar comes with it. The one I use the most is the Kiesel bag. It fits just about any of my guitars, so whatever I want to take out, I can, and it's got nice rigid sides for a soft case.
If manufacturers eliminated hard cases to keep prices low, that would be one thing. But companies have increased guitar prices by hundreds of dollars AND started using junk wood and Chinese components AND stopped including cases. It's cost cutting without any savings.
then stop buying guitars and the makers will change their behavoir. Supply and Demand is an economic law that seems to be in effect. I stopped buying new guitars when fenders sucked and they eventually got better.
Too true! My Godin 5th Ave 1600CAD, no case. Yet there were cheaper Godins that did come with the TRIC case. When I queried Godin they got a little snippy.
Unfortunately, its probably a situation where the price WOULD have gone up even more, had the manufacturer not made substitutions. If you think grocery costs have gone crazy in the last few years, you should take a look at the increases in costs of materials that manufacturers have been dealing with.
Easier to store a bunch of guitars in hard cases as opposed to soft cases. Plus, in the winter, I need the hard cases to properly store/ humidify my guitars. Soft case don’t hold any moisture. I do have two really nice soft cases (one guitar, one bass) for when I’m taking an instrument outside the house.
I got a hard shell case when I bought my Ric bass. Together, they weigh a lot. I move most of my guitars around in gig bags, just because of the weight factor. But I really think the industry has gotten us to accept gig bags, or nothing at all, to top up the profit margin. If you're no longer going to give us hard shell cases, even on expensive guitars, at least give me a decent gig bag. Usually you can bargain to have a decent gig bag thrown in when you buy a guitar, depending on it's price. I bought my Squire P-bass and it came with no case, no gig bag, not even one of those cheap nylon 'covers' with no padding. I asked my sales associate if he could see that I got a decent quality gig bag, and he made it happen. I think if you ask, at time of purchase maybe you too can have a gig bag. You get a gig bag! And you get a gig bag! And you get a gig bag.....
I got a Fender branded gig bag thrown in with a guitar I bought a couple of years ago. The price tag was still on it, and they wanted $80 (Canadian) for it. An $80 Freebie is quite a bit on - well in my case a $550 (CDN) guitar. Rough translation is to multiply by .7, so a $56 Freebie on a $385 guitar in Yankee land. It could be the shop cost on the gig bag is like $20, and in that case I can see why they wouldn't mind throwing it in.
I have a Taylor GT Koa. 5k+. Came in one of those Aero Cases. At first I assumed I’d get a fancy case but then I saw YOUR video where you tossed one off the roof. Decided the Aero was Ok. Two years later, no issues. Thank you.
it only takes one headstock/neck repair to convert you to a case believer. Some of the TSA cases made of ABS are almost (not quite) as light as the bag and are nearly (not quite...lol) bulletproof. Thanks for the vid, gentlemen...interesting topic.
Seriously y'all kill me! I totally agree, but its a profit thing, right? Corporations in the states today don't really care about the players as much as they do the money... Thanks as always for the laughs!
My silver sky came with a gig bag… it’s a nice bag but I was super disappointed in that. Lucky I got hooked up and got the guiter new along with a hard case for a little less than what it would have cost without it.
I despise gig bags and even soft shell cases. The hardshell cases take up a lot of space but I even use them for room treatment. I get the taxi cab, NYC guys like the gig bag and their micro combo but I’m a fullstack and hardshell guy. I just feel better taking it to a show and I also have some nostalgia for a fucked up looking case and there’s something about popping the latches that gets me ready to switch into musician mode.
When I bought my first PRS from y’all I was so shocked about the soft case! Now, on The Weekends, I have my bass for church, guitar for gigs, acoustic backup all in soft cases. I even took my Custom Shop out and put it right in a mono bag. The technology is there. Damn a hard case. I see the need for hard cases but the soft ones are so handy, and secure nowadays.
I prefer a hard case as the default... then if you want a "gig bag" get one. But I like the protection that the hard case gives my guitars when not on a wall hook or stand. Most of the time my guitars are out in the open which promotes actually playing them. Not a day goes by without me picking up one of them and playing... most of the time it's multiple times a day. I will get a song in my head and.... grab the guitar. LOL I DO like a lot of the features the nicer gig bags have though. Still... default to hard shell. But both would be best. ;)
I think it really depends on the quality of the gigbag. If it’s a high quality well-protective one that costs simmilar to a case, then sure, if the guitar frequently gets moved around (unless on a flight). If not a case is a better idea
Not a gig bag story but it reminded me, I dropped my Gibson SG square on it's head a few years back at a gig. dropped probably 2 or 3 feet and survived completely unscathed. Dodged a bullet on that one.
I will speak from personal experience...I have a bunch of hard cases, but I bought a JB24 from Kiesel at the factory, and they threw in a hard or soft case, and he recommneded the soft for carry on flights...it's awesome, fits like a backpack, and yes, you can carry it on (definitely not a "gig" bag). That said, it doesn't "feel" as nice, but it works much better for travel situations.
I bought a mono guitar bag to transport my guitar to and from gigs and rehearsals. I don't need a huge hard case for every guitar I own. If a guitar lives in it's case it's not being played enough imho
I ordered an EVH Frankenstein relic and it didn't even come with a gig bag. I thought that was pretty crappy for a guitar that costs around 2k. That was really my only complaint with that purchase.
It's good to have at least one (or two) hard cases for travel or long term storage. When going to a Jam or Lesson a well padded gig bag with backpack straps is what I prefer. Hard cases definitely for acoustics, but for electrics it's gig bags for me.
An SKB case is about £150 in the UK. A Hiscox about £140. A Mono bass sleeve is £150 - all ball-park figures. For me, I'd much rather have really good quality soft case than a cheap hard case and I think a lot of musicians are the same.
The convenience of a soft case has overtaken most of my hard cases (that’s what she said). When I bought a tremonti prs years ago the prs soft case that I got with it changed the game.
Twenty plus years ago I bought a C1C Tacoma Chief which came with a beautiful hard shell case embossed with the company name but it was so heavy it was not practical. I bought a good gig bag for the guitar when I was still playing out. My Collings and 700 series Taylors both came with hard shell but both guitars ended up mostly in good quality gig bags. I recently bought a Sheeran/Lowden and an Enya Nova Go Electric for a guitar student of mine and both came in really high quality gig bags. I am happy to have hard shell cases for my expensive guitars but prefer gig bags overall but only if they are not crap bags. I realize owning original hard shell cases appeals to my vanity but are not a necessity at all.
I hate the fact my silver sky came in that gig bag. It's a very nice bag, but man I would rather have a hard case that I can put humidity control bags in. I mean I have hard cases for my custom shop relics. It isn't even about keeping it nice it's controlling humidity so the the setup doesn't have to be adjusted every season change. I live in Michigan so we have like 2516 seasons of humidity levels.
I only started learning how to play the guitar a little over a month ago & I'm documenting my entire journey on here so watching this was super interesting!
I used to hate getting a hard case because it takes too much room to store. But now I’d be fine with not hanging my guitars and storing them properly under a bed or in a closet.
I have a John Mayer signature strat that came with a in case gig bag that I love. If you travel you can carry your guitar on in a soft case but not a hard case. Now I see those Mayer models w the soft case selling for more than the ones w a hard case. But, if I’m buying a guitar, I want a hard case from the manufacturer
I'm a service technician, have done a ton of flying. If they wreck my Pelican toolbox, what would they do to a guitar in a soft case. I do see people pick them off the belt at the luggage claim. I like my gator cases.
I have two mono-bags - one is an electric sleeve and one is a dreadnought bag. I really like both of them. Definitely prefer the sleeve over hard cases for electrics. You both are right that mono bags are not a cost savings to a hard case. Instead they increase convenience of carrying your instrument out in a very secure and high quality hybrid bag/case. Are mono bags expensive for what you get? I really don't think so, especially for the quality. I have noticed most other gig bags have gone up a good bit over the last few years, and I firmly believe that mono currently has the competition beat on quality. Access is probably a second one I would consider as well, although I have never actually looked closely at an access bag.
I had a gig on Saturday. My Taylor came with a really great gig bag. So, I put my Taylor in a really good Gator hardshell case. But that gig bag is really cool to look at.
When I had the pleasure of meeting Paul at a dealer event he came walking in with the original PAULs guitar the one all are modeled after and he pulled it out of one of the paul reed smith gig bags.
Gig bags are pretty convenient for many applications. If you need a hard case for travel, there are lots of reasonable options and some really pricey cool looking ones with paint splatters. I purchased an absolutely great Epiphone case at Sweetwater that was made in China for $125 which perfectly fit a vintage Joe Pass Emperor II that came in an beat up old hard shell case that had a broken latch and lacked sufficient padding.
NGL, I had a hard case for a bass and was glad that I had to replace it and chose a well-padded gig bag. Hard cases have one use: Shipping your instrument. For everything else, they are extremely heavy overkill with no practical protection benefits. They probably won't protect your gear from a car tire. They probably won't give extra protection from an ordinary-height drop, and there's no guarantee that a multi-story fall won't destroy your guitar and hard case together. However, if you're stacking stuff on top of your guitar, then hard case all day, and hence why they are useful for shipping.
I agree with you about hard cases not being better than a good gig bag with one exception. The ABS molded cases really are more robust than any gig bag. But if it’s just between a regular wooden case and a Mono or Gator, give me the gig bag all day long.
Tip of the day: get a big ugly, cheap, flimsy acoustic gig bag, preferably with a cheap guitar brand logo on it. When you travel with a fancy guitar in it's fancy case, put the fancy guitar and case inside that cheap gig bag so no one knows what is actually inside. It will keep that pricey case pristine and help protect you from thieves.
I have 2 of the Levy’s bags from the early 2000’s that are still good. The soft cases now being produced are light years better. I now use a Gator Transit case and absolutely love it. Hard shell cases are great for long term storage but for gigging, a soft shell for me now.
I saw a ‘57 Stratocaster at Gruhns that came with the original case, the owner got it as a gift when he was a teen. It was a bit battered, yet to think that tweed case carried that guitar to countless shows and gigs for so many years was very inspiring. It carried that Strat from the factory, to school and college, all the places that the owner has lived and protected it all the way. This is why I keep mine in the case whenever it leaves the house, you never know what is going to happen!
1) Many of today’s highest priced vintage guitars didn’t come with cases when they were new. A $250 guitar in the early 50s is roughly $3K today, so it was a similar story then. 2) I don’t have a problem with an expensive guitar in a gig bag, but I do have a problem with an angled headstock in a gig bag.
True, my 61 SG special has a Gator (softshell) case with a red felt interior and a plastic handle. I keep it in a TKL case. It just seems safer in there.
Got a free hard case with my PRS Angelous. A lot of guitarists say the hard cases just end up in the attic. If you're travelling, you need a proper flight case anyway, wood cases are a bit heavy for airlines! I would like a good gigbag though please.
Gig bags have some use but a hard case is the way to go. Preferably rectangle version no matter which guitar which kind of puts me in the position of buying overpriced accessory manufacturers cases but when they are all the same shape they are much easier to store. At least for those of us who can't afford a warehouse or have enough of them to need one.
If your a $600 and under guitar owner mostly, then cases might cut into your funds too much. For premium guitars that can be sold used for at least $1000 dollars, I'm all about hardcases for keeping them ready to play. Especially set neck construction like LesPauls.
Don’t mind a gig bag. The issue is the quality of the gig bag in terms of how well it suspends the guitar, the padding levels, and how well it supports the headstock and immobilizes the neck. Fender gig bags are pretty chintzy but they get they get a bit of a break (pardon the pun) because bolt-on guitars are more durable anyway and easier to repair. Gibson’s gig bags are very nice but they should be given the cost of their instruments and the more delicate nature of their design and build. Really every gig bag for premium instruments should be up to the level of the Momos that come with Harmony guitars. Otherwise the ABS plastic hard shell cases that come with Fender American Pro IIs should be standard for anything over $2000.
It really depends on the guitar, for me. My Fenders and PRS, with their straight(ish) maple headstocks, are perfectly fine in a decent gigbag. My Les Paul, Gretsch, and classicals require well-fitted, archtop hard cases. That said, I hate the rectangular hard cases for solid body electrics; unnecessarily huge, heavy, and awkward. Thermometers are cool.
I have the Ernie Ball Gig Bag with the Marshall Amp built in (permanent resident Danelectro Pro) and this thing is a tank! Even w/o amp. It's an example of how to male a gig bag.
My ideal soft case would be made with the same kind of high-pressure dropstitch chambers as paddle boards, so it could be protective for transporting but still folded up and put away easily. It’d also float in an emergency skinny dipping situation.
I was really impressed by the quality of the hard case that my PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo arrived in, but it would be really neat if there was a way to sling it over your shoulder to give you an extra hand for lugging other gear. It shouldn't involve rocket-science to add a shoulder strap option to a hard case...
It's not like the cost case (or bag) isn't being factored into what you're paying for the guitar. Surely spending slightly less on the guitar is preferable - if you need a case just buy one separately.
I personally like it. When I wanna go jam with my friends and pick up my bro; both our gig bags fit in the trunk. Plus i bang hard cases on walls and doors more. Gig bags fit on your shoulders and duck under doors easily
I prefer hard cases, even for gigging and practice. I don't mind carrying the hard case and i prefer the extra protection. My Explorer case is huge and it's heavy, I think I could fit in inside of it. It's such a nice case though, and it came with the guitar, probably worth a couple hundred bucks by itself. And as big as it is, I still prefer it over a gig bag.
I get that it saves companies money but I also think from a storage perspective it makes more sense for most people. As long as the gig bag is high quality I don’t care. Chances are if I need a hard case I’m gonna buy something actual sturdy anyway
bought a 2019 LP Studio Tribute and it came with a leather gig bag and I asked to trade it in on a Gibson hard shell case. The hard shell case was cheaper and I paid less for the rig with a hard case.
What frustrates me is the quality of a lot of the soft cases seems to be going down, ive got some cases from a few years back and then one from now and they obviously used less padding and less of the internal guard stuff to stop from ripping from sharp strings. The whole pay for more than you get in america is really making learn how to instead build guitars, amps, and cases.
Some of the modern soft cases are extremely good for protection however they're also the price of a hard case or more. I do however like a nice hardshell case, especially those like the FCS with the embroidered interior.
Hard case is critical for super expensive guitars if you have any humidity or temp swings in your home.. unless you have a room that is humidity controlled. I live in MD. And have humidifiers and dehumidifiers and still keep all my expensive guitars in hard case which help prevent damage. Also people that don’t travel w guitars soft case is ridiculous.
I like to have HSCs for my guitars. A lot are stored and used when necessary…..However, I have a few gig bags for guitars that I play out with. One is a Martin HD-28v, and another For my 67 Martin 000-18 all have survived gig abuse. When I play out electric it’s usually bass and all of the are cased except my one Squier bass vi. When it’s not in use it hangs on wall or in a stand. It’s indestructible.
I've long suspected that it's partly a generational thing, partly a less age-specific question of "What do guitars mean to you?". When I used to play live regularly before 2020, all the bands with gray in their beards came lugging hardshell cases with their guitars. Anyone younger was sticking strictly to gigbags. Fast-forward a few years, and I now see even many of the older folks are taking their instruments out of gigbags shortly before soundcheck. However, that's gigging. Of COURSE a tool designed to make gigging better for the musician would get used at gigs. When I've seen the homes of people who treat guitars more as collector's items, rather than as tools for performing music, they certainly love their hard cases - even the folks my age. A lot of them would even have at least one token display case to help make their treasured items really pop and tie the room together. A gigbag may be simply better for gigging than a hard case, but that doesn't mean that the entire concept of a hard case should be written off, because the desires of collectors should not be roundly dismissed as invalid. Furthermore, there's a big difference in how cost-cutting affects gigbags vs hard cases. If a guitar comes in a crappy gigbag, I'm not going to use that bag. I'm going to bring it to a gig in a nicer, safer gigbag. But if a guitar comes in a crappy hardshell case, that doesn't necessarily feel like as much of a waste. I wouldn't bother bringing a hard case to a gig in the first place, since the value of a hard case is that you can stack them in storage. A low-quality case will usually be just as suitable for storage as a nice case, so it doesn't feel like an insult when a guitar comes in a bad case. I receive a terrible gigbag with a guitar purchase, on the other hand, and I know for a fact that it will NEVER get any use, even for the purpose of storage.
Excellent point. I don't mind a lower end hard case at all, because it still does the job I need it to at home. For a gig bag I'd rather pick my own and spend on something nice like Mono or RB. I only need a few of them anyways. If they want to cut costs that's the way to do it.
I have a 74 guild in a case. Ive had it since the late 80s. Guitars just last longer in a hard case. These guys are right its about money the actual point of a guitar company. I keep a pirtion of stuff in hard cases Some in bags but i do rotate that
My SG came in a “Chainsaw” case. It’s like putting your guitar in a tank. I bout a Mex Strat. They told me I had to buy a case for it. My jaw dropped. I hate soft cases.
Guitar manufacturers don’t make cases so maybe the case manufacturers have a large part to play in why guitars don’t come with cases at certain price points. Also, maybe it’s easier/safer for guitar manufacturers to not do cases/bags at certain prices bc consumers then consumers review them along with the guitar. The case has a QC issue (which the guitar company didn’t make) or isn’t “good enough” then the guitar gets a lesser review etc.
6 grand for an axe, but not $10 for a movie. At least you've got your priorities straight. I was looking for guidance on offering hardshell cases with my guitar builds. There are valid points to both sides. But as mentioned elsewhere in the comments, special guitars deserve a case. I have 8 recent builds that deserve cases. But I only have 3 cases. I keep the best 3 of those 8 builds in the cases. Purple satin lined custom cases.
I ordered BOTH my Sadowsky NYC basses with Roger’s gig bag even though they offer a hard case at no up charge. They are fantastic. I do have flight cases when I need them.
I use Reunion Blues, Mono M80, Taylor Aero, and Gator Transit I trust all of these. My Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard came with a case ( I presume) the same case as the Gibsons. That case is nicking up in unwanted ways. I don't have a car as it is almost pointless living in Chicago ( a money pit for auto ownership), so no more carrying that thin-skinned hardcase. My old Road Runner Hardcase (Tele) is much tougher. I am looking at some SKB and Gator hardcase ( flight cases). So the jury will be out indefinitely on H v. Ultra Gig Bags.
Team Hardcase! When I buy a rather expensive guitar I do expect a decent case.
Same!
Team hard case here, when purchasing a guitar. Having multiple instruments, I store them at home in their hard cases and I'll transfer to a Mono case(s) for gigs. I don't always take the same instrument(s) to gigs. I may rotate them or have a new "flavor of the week".
I do think hard cases should definitely be standard for the flagship models and above. It'll be a sad day if the Fender American Professional and Gibson Standards don't even come a hard case. A good hard case definitely helps me justify an expensive purchase and I feel having an included hard case helps a guitar retain it's value. When it comes to signature guitars, a hard case is another area the artist can inject their personality to the product.
Plus, some hard cases just smell so darn good. The hard case from my Epiphone Les Paul Classic makes it feel like a more premium instrument than it really is even after all these years.
I bought a budget fender lead 2 back in the early 1990s for $150 bucks, it came with a fender hardcase. They can do it, its just they make a lot more profit margin by tossing in a glorified burlap sack than a protective case.
It is a real double edged sword. After accumulating numerous instruments, finding room for cases is a real pain. But, one doesn't want to put $1k to $5k in a soft shell for long term storage.
Good reason to have a tall 4 poster queen bed with lots of space under it. Prolly fit 15 cases if you can stack em 2 high.
this is my dilemma. I'm saving to have Calton do me a case for my custom instrument.
Yeah at some you gotta start selling old guitars. You're not playing more than 2 electric, 2 acoustic and 2 classical guitars. So why worry about 10 cases if 4 guitars are hanging on the stands and a two are stored in hard cases.
@@itisWhatitis12345 Your argument about selling old guitars is valid, splitting them from the cases is a bad idea.
I hate this trend. It’s actually a deciding factor for me when I buy a guitar now. Might be dumb lol but I love all my hard cases. I’d rather buy a light gig case and store my guitars in hard cases.
That is pretty dumb , it's what I do as well.
All the best
@@marcel-jt3dy 😂😂🤙🏻🤙🏻
I’m with ya!
Yep. So much love for soft cases + So many tears over broken necks and headstocks = Make it make sense. Properly fit hard cases provide the most protection period. If you don’t care about your guitar, then you do you. But its silly to try to convince anyone that soft cases protect better than hard cases.
@@Kur0y4m4 I think the trade off is ,if you have less protection you take less risks . I prefer gig bags as long as it is always in my care , if not a proper fitted flight case. ( Also I tend to go the fender route, gibson are a total different ball game)
The hardshell cases that came with almost every guitar back in the 90s/80s was great when you're living in the back of the van flopping around with all your gear. Gig bags were really only used if you were in a major city taking the train to rehearsals
Exactly gig bag is inadequate in nearly every single way. It cannot store a guitar properly for years. A case will within reason... off gassing taken into consideration which is not the case's fault.
I did not find nearly every guitar coming with a hard case. I found you had to buy cases separately. I like soft cases that are deluxe quality or forget it.
And 70s and 60s and 50s .
I began in the mid nineties, and I gotta say, all guitars then that where the USA level all of them came cased up full of case candy.
I appreciate having a hard case with a nicer acoustic because they help regulate the temperature and humidity, at least the ones I have seen come with nicer acoustics, but outside of that, I would prefer a soft case.
I love a hard case and when I bought a Thunderbird I couldn’t find one to fit so had to make my own and now I know how to make my own custom cases with custom vinyl and interior.
Just finished my collection (honestly) with a reduced AM PRO 2 Lefty Jazzmaster with a nice hard shell case. The new ones on order are now more money and listed on guitarguitar with only gig bags. I keep my guitars all in their cases to protect them from damage and temperature changes because in the uk we have a full run of the seasons in a day.
I hated this trend until I got my Novo with Mono gig bag. Now it doesn’t matter what guitar I take out, it goes into the Mono bag.
I was a case guy too until I bought a dual gtr Mono. Safe, convenient, lighter, easy to stow out of the way at gigs. It’s a win-win.
I just got a Music Man Darkray with the custom made Mono soft case. The fit is so perfect and it’s so well padded that no standard hard case could protect better. You’d have to have at least a $1000 hard case to protect better.
I just had to go out and hunt down a used case for my SG but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the vintage TKL, great latches and perfect form-fit! I believe the mid-tier manufacturers will bring the case back and make a killing because it will be the thing that sets them apart (hopefully!).🤞
Love gig bags, because I gig… I don’t want to lug a 15 pound wood case, along with an amp, and everything else to a gig. Granted, my #1 is a carbon fiber RainSong, ($3,200), that doesn’t need humidification, but I specifically asked the retailer to sub a gig bag for the factory hard case. It is not just me either… I have a friend here in Phoenix that brings his $11,000 McPherson to shows in a gig bag, and another that brings his Taylor PS to open mics in one.
AND, I don’t want to fill up an entire room with hard “luggage”.
My issue is the non existent humidity in my apartment in the winter. When the furnace is regularly running, it will get down to 20-25%. So, I prefer to keep instruments in hard cases (I have a case rack to keep them all contained). In the spring - early fall, I keep my guitar on a stand, but by mid October it needs to be tucked away with a case humidifier. Unfortunately, my current guitar does not fit the hard case I already had.
I love my MONO case and feel my guitar is safe & protected.
I said this in a previous video on this topic you did a while back, but these companies already baked the cost of a hard case into the price of the guitar. They weren't just giving them away. So now what we have is them removing a feature and selling point that you are still paying for, but no longer get.
We see this everywhere now (not just the guitar industry) in our day to day and I think it's a terrible thing on principle alone.
I remember the days of “soft-shell” cases. Looked like a hardshell but was flimsy, basically tolex over cardboard(?) rather than wood. What happened to those? Guess the gig bag replaced them? I’m still think everything above a budget guitar should come with a hardshell case, but I’m old...
Old and wise, sir.
I have a case like that that came with my 5-string banjo. The banjo was originally my dad's - he got it second hand in the early 70's. The banjo did eventually get a more trustworthy case.
Good ole chip board cases😅
The way the back fill lighting is glistening off of Baxters hair is beautiful.
He spends hours getting that effect lol
Finally met Baxter in person today. Cross that off the bucket list! Got a sweet Two Rock Studio Signature too.
I’ve been using my Mono Vertigo gig bag for over 10 years/500 plus gigs, and it’s still in almost the same condition as when I got it. I’ve used it even when on road trips in a van so I can carry it easily and inconspicuously into the hotel. The only time I use a hardshell is when I don’t have enough gig bags. However! I was seriously put off by not getting anything with my $1800 (3 years ago) EVH Frankenstein. My local dealer threw a decent one in though.
I wake up every morning and immediately pull up your RUclips channel to see what Baxter and John are talking about that day. Your sense of humor is terrific. So many other guitar shops take themselves so seriously as pro-musicians and come across sterile and boring. Baxter and Jonathan and the real deal! Thanks.
I like the new lighting. Makes Baxter look angelic.
I have six guitars, a violin, and a drum set, so three hard cases and a lot of gig bags.
I understand being frustrated with having to pay even more to protect that expensive guitar on the way home, but after a few guitars where you gonna keep the cases? Once you have a few you can bring a case or bag with you when buying the new guitar.
That said, it’d be cool to have a tweed hard case to match my amp. I use gig bags most of the time anyway; hard cases are for the expensive guitars that I don’t want to take anywhere anyway
I've got a Gator hard case and several gig bags so at this point I don't even care if a new guitar comes with it. The one I use the most is the Kiesel bag. It fits just about any of my guitars, so whatever I want to take out, I can, and it's got nice rigid sides for a soft case.
If manufacturers eliminated hard cases to keep prices low, that would be one thing. But companies have increased guitar prices by hundreds of dollars AND started using junk wood and Chinese components AND stopped including cases. It's cost cutting without any savings.
then stop buying guitars and the makers will change their behavoir. Supply and Demand is an economic law that seems to be in effect. I stopped buying new guitars when fenders sucked and they eventually got better.
Too true! My Godin 5th Ave 1600CAD, no case. Yet there were cheaper Godins that did come with the TRIC case. When I queried Godin they got a little snippy.
Unfortunately, its probably a situation where the price WOULD have gone up even more, had the manufacturer not made substitutions. If you think grocery costs have gone crazy in the last few years, you should take a look at the increases in costs of materials that manufacturers have been dealing with.
Easier to store a bunch of guitars in hard cases as opposed to soft cases.
Plus, in the winter, I need the hard cases to properly store/ humidify my guitars. Soft case don’t hold any moisture.
I do have two really nice soft cases (one guitar, one bass) for when I’m taking an instrument outside the house.
I use a Hiscox case for my ES-335 '59 reissue. Its a solid choice.
I got a hard shell case when I bought my Ric bass. Together, they weigh a lot. I move most of my guitars around in gig bags, just because of the weight factor. But I really think the industry has gotten us to accept gig bags, or nothing at all, to top up the profit margin. If you're no longer going to give us hard shell cases, even on expensive guitars, at least give me a decent gig bag. Usually you can bargain to have a decent gig bag thrown in when you buy a guitar, depending on it's price. I bought my Squire P-bass and it came with no case, no gig bag, not even one of those cheap nylon 'covers' with no padding. I asked my sales associate if he could see that I got a decent quality gig bag, and he made it happen. I think if you ask, at time of purchase maybe you too can have a gig bag. You get a gig bag! And you get a gig bag! And you get a gig bag.....
I got a Fender branded gig bag thrown in with a guitar I bought a couple of years ago. The price tag was still on it, and they wanted $80 (Canadian) for it. An $80 Freebie is quite a bit on - well in my case a $550 (CDN) guitar. Rough translation is to multiply by .7, so a $56 Freebie on a $385 guitar in Yankee land. It could be the shop cost on the gig bag is like $20, and in that case I can see why they wouldn't mind throwing it in.
I've paid $175 on a Fender Heartfield at a pawn shop and got a hardshell case. Very, very nice guitar even wth the superglue headstock repair.
I have a Taylor GT Koa. 5k+. Came in one of those Aero Cases. At first I assumed I’d get a fancy case but then I saw YOUR video where you tossed one off the roof. Decided the Aero was Ok. Two years later, no issues. Thank you.
it only takes one headstock/neck repair to convert you to a case believer. Some of the TSA cases made of ABS are almost (not quite) as light as the bag and are nearly (not quite...lol) bulletproof. Thanks for the vid, gentlemen...interesting topic.
Sounds like a Les Paul owner with that concern.
Seriously y'all kill me! I totally agree, but its a profit thing, right? Corporations in the states today don't really care about the players as much as they do the money... Thanks as always for the laughs!
My silver sky came with a gig bag… it’s a nice bag but I was super disappointed in that. Lucky I got hooked up and got the guiter new along with a hard case for a little less than what it would have cost without it.
I despise gig bags and even soft shell cases. The hardshell cases take up a lot of space but I even use them for room treatment. I get the taxi cab, NYC guys like the gig bag and their micro combo but I’m a fullstack and hardshell guy. I just feel better taking it to a show and I also have some nostalgia for a fucked up looking case and there’s something about popping the latches that gets me ready to switch into musician mode.
the dual mono m80 is so useful and very durable. Carry 2 guitars in one bag?? yes please!
When I bought my first PRS from y’all I was so shocked about the soft case! Now, on The Weekends, I have my bass for church, guitar for gigs, acoustic backup all in soft cases. I even took my Custom Shop out and put it right in a mono bag. The technology is there. Damn a hard case. I see the need for hard cases but the soft ones are so handy, and secure nowadays.
I prefer a hard case as the default... then if you want a "gig bag" get one. But I like the protection that the hard case gives my guitars when not on a wall hook or stand. Most of the time my guitars are out in the open which promotes actually playing them. Not a day goes by without me picking up one of them and playing... most of the time it's multiple times a day. I will get a song in my head and.... grab the guitar. LOL
I DO like a lot of the features the nicer gig bags have though.
Still... default to hard shell. But both would be best. ;)
I have a Hemp Levy's gig bag that has lasted over 20 years.
I always take my backup guitar in a hard case.
The hard cases for storage are unbeatable.
I think it really depends on the quality of the gigbag. If it’s a high quality well-protective one that costs simmilar to a case, then sure, if the guitar frequently gets moved around (unless on a flight). If not a case is a better idea
I own a couple of high end soft cases. One for 335 Type guitars and one for Strat Tele type guitars. They were not cheap, but they are great! WooF!
I also have an attic full of cases. Have a double gig bag I use all the time . If going in a trailer hard shell case for sure. Common sense prevails.
Not a gig bag story but it reminded me, I dropped my Gibson SG square on it's head a few years back at a gig. dropped probably 2 or 3 feet and survived completely unscathed. Dodged a bullet on that one.
I will speak from personal experience...I have a bunch of hard cases, but I bought a JB24 from Kiesel at the factory, and they threw in a hard or soft case, and he recommneded the soft for carry on flights...it's awesome, fits like a backpack, and yes, you can carry it on (definitely not a "gig" bag). That said, it doesn't "feel" as nice, but it works much better for travel situations.
I bought a mono guitar bag to transport my guitar to and from gigs and rehearsals. I don't need a huge hard case for every guitar I own. If a guitar lives in it's case it's not being played enough imho
I ordered an EVH Frankenstein relic and it didn't even come with a gig bag. I thought that was pretty crappy for a guitar that costs around 2k. That was really my only complaint with that purchase.
It's good to have at least one (or two) hard cases for travel or long term storage. When going to a Jam or Lesson a well padded gig bag with backpack straps is what I prefer. Hard cases definitely for acoustics, but for electrics it's gig bags for me.
An SKB case is about £150 in the UK. A Hiscox about £140. A Mono bass sleeve is £150 - all ball-park figures. For me, I'd much rather have really good quality soft case than a cheap hard case and I think a lot of musicians are the same.
The convenience of a soft case has overtaken most of my hard cases (that’s what she said). When I bought a tremonti prs years ago the prs soft case that I got with it changed the game.
Twenty plus years ago I bought a C1C Tacoma Chief which came with a beautiful hard shell case embossed with the company name but it was so heavy it was not practical. I bought a good gig bag for the guitar when I was still playing out. My Collings and 700 series Taylors both came with hard shell but both guitars ended up mostly in good quality gig bags. I recently bought a Sheeran/Lowden and an Enya Nova Go Electric for a guitar student of mine and both came in really high quality gig bags. I am happy to have hard shell cases for my expensive guitars but prefer gig bags overall but only if they are not crap bags. I realize owning original hard shell cases appeals to my vanity but are not a necessity at all.
Mono bags are great, hard cases are a hassle.
I hate the fact my silver sky came in that gig bag. It's a very nice bag, but man I would rather have a hard case that I can put humidity control bags in. I mean I have hard cases for my custom shop relics. It isn't even about keeping it nice it's controlling humidity so the the setup doesn't have to be adjusted every season change. I live in Michigan so we have like 2516 seasons of humidity levels.
I only started learning how to play the guitar a little over a month ago & I'm documenting my entire journey on here so watching this was super interesting!
don't waste your time
@@richardroyster6631 That bad is it?
I used to hate getting a hard case because it takes too much room to store. But now I’d be fine with not hanging my guitars and storing them properly under a bed or in a closet.
I have a John Mayer signature strat that came with a in case gig bag that I love. If you travel you can carry your guitar on in a soft case but not a hard case. Now I see those Mayer models w the soft case selling for more than the ones w a hard case. But, if I’m buying a guitar, I want a hard case from the manufacturer
the dragon's breathe scene in john wick 4 was insane. my jaw was on the floor for the entire sequence. they spent like 3 weeks filming that one scene
Just ordered a Fender Vintage II 57 ash blonde, about $2,500. It comes with a HSC.
I'm a service technician, have done a ton of flying. If they wreck my Pelican toolbox, what would they do to a guitar in a soft case. I do see people pick them off the belt at the luggage claim. I like my gator cases.
I have both and love my gig bag.
I have two mono-bags - one is an electric sleeve and one is a dreadnought bag. I really like both of them. Definitely prefer the sleeve over hard cases for electrics. You both are right that mono bags are not a cost savings to a hard case. Instead they increase convenience of carrying your instrument out in a very secure and high quality hybrid bag/case. Are mono bags expensive for what you get? I really don't think so, especially for the quality. I have noticed most other gig bags have gone up a good bit over the last few years, and I firmly believe that mono currently has the competition beat on quality. Access is probably a second one I would consider as well, although I have never actually looked closely at an access bag.
I had a gig on Saturday. My Taylor came with a really great gig bag. So, I put my Taylor in a really good Gator hardshell case. But that gig bag is really cool to look at.
I have a lot of R.B.X supper. Deluxe gig bags hard but soft cases for my guitars and bass guitars....❤
When I had the pleasure of meeting Paul at a dealer event he came walking in with the original PAULs guitar the one all are modeled after and he pulled it out of one of the paul reed smith gig bags.
Gig bags are pretty convenient for many applications. If you need a hard case for travel, there are lots of reasonable options and some really pricey cool looking ones with paint splatters. I purchased an absolutely great Epiphone case at Sweetwater that was made in China for $125 which perfectly fit a vintage Joe Pass Emperor II that came in an beat up old hard shell case that had a broken latch and lacked sufficient padding.
NGL, I had a hard case for a bass and was glad that I had to replace it and chose a well-padded gig bag. Hard cases have one use: Shipping your instrument. For everything else, they are extremely heavy overkill with no practical protection benefits. They probably won't protect your gear from a car tire. They probably won't give extra protection from an ordinary-height drop, and there's no guarantee that a multi-story fall won't destroy your guitar and hard case together. However, if you're stacking stuff on top of your guitar, then hard case all day, and hence why they are useful for shipping.
I agree with you about hard cases not being better than a good gig bag with one exception. The ABS molded cases really are more robust than any gig bag. But if it’s just between a regular wooden case and a Mono or Gator, give me the gig bag all day long.
Tip of the day: get a big ugly, cheap, flimsy acoustic gig bag, preferably with a cheap guitar brand logo on it. When you travel with a fancy guitar in it's fancy case, put the fancy guitar and case inside that cheap gig bag so no one knows what is actually inside. It will keep that pricey case pristine and help protect you from thieves.
I have 2 of the Levy’s bags from the early 2000’s that are still good. The soft cases now being produced are light years better. I now use a Gator Transit case and absolutely love it. Hard shell cases are great for long term storage but for gigging, a soft shell for me now.
Love my Mono 2 bass gig bag!!
I saw a ‘57 Stratocaster at Gruhns that came with the original case, the owner got it as a gift when he was a teen. It was a bit battered, yet to think that tweed case carried that guitar to countless shows and gigs for so many years was very inspiring. It carried that Strat from the factory, to school and college, all the places that the owner has lived and protected it all the way. This is why I keep mine in the case whenever it leaves the house, you never know what is going to happen!
1) Many of today’s highest priced vintage guitars didn’t come with cases when they were new. A $250 guitar in the early 50s is roughly $3K today, so it was a similar story then.
2) I don’t have a problem with an expensive guitar in a gig bag, but I do have a problem with an angled headstock in a gig bag.
True, my 61 SG special has a Gator (softshell) case with a red felt interior and a plastic handle. I keep it in a TKL case. It just seems safer in there.
Most did actually. I think you're mistaken.
Both of my "Vintage" guitars have hard cases! 1990 Charvel 275 Deluxe and an Ovation Acoustic Baladeer from 2000 lol!
Got a free hard case with my PRS Angelous. A lot of guitarists say the hard cases just end up in the attic. If you're travelling, you need a proper flight case anyway, wood cases are a bit heavy for airlines! I would like a good gigbag though please.
Gig bags have some use but a hard case is the way to go. Preferably rectangle version no matter which guitar which kind of puts me in the position of buying overpriced accessory manufacturers cases but when they are all the same shape they are much easier to store. At least for those of us who can't afford a warehouse or have enough of them to need one.
If your a $600 and under guitar owner mostly, then cases might cut into your funds too much. For premium guitars that can be sold used for at least $1000 dollars, I'm all about hardcases for keeping them ready to play. Especially set neck construction like LesPauls.
My Fender bullet strat came with a gig bag in 2012. The same gig bag that comes with expensive Fender’s now.
Don’t mind a gig bag. The issue is the quality of the gig bag in terms of how well it suspends the guitar, the padding levels, and how well it supports the headstock and immobilizes the neck. Fender gig bags are pretty chintzy but they get they get a bit of a break (pardon the pun)
because bolt-on guitars are more durable anyway and easier to repair. Gibson’s gig bags are very nice but they should be given the cost of their instruments and the more delicate nature of their design and build. Really every gig bag for premium instruments should be up to the level of the Momos that come with Harmony guitars. Otherwise the ABS plastic hard shell cases that come with Fender American Pro IIs should be standard for anything over $2000.
It really depends on the guitar, for me. My Fenders and PRS, with their straight(ish) maple headstocks, are perfectly fine in a decent gigbag. My Les Paul, Gretsch, and classicals require well-fitted, archtop hard cases. That said, I hate the rectangular hard cases for solid body electrics; unnecessarily huge, heavy, and awkward. Thermometers are cool.
I have the Ernie Ball Gig Bag with the Marshall Amp built in (permanent resident Danelectro Pro) and this thing is a tank! Even w/o amp. It's an example of how to male a gig bag.
My ideal soft case would be made with the same kind of high-pressure dropstitch chambers as paddle boards, so it could be protective for transporting but still folded up and put away easily. It’d also float in an emergency skinny dipping situation.
I guy that I used to play with had a Deering Banjo that he got cheap. It was stolen, and was recovered floating down the Oldman river.
Hard shell quality cases are a must.
I was really impressed by the quality of the hard case that my PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo arrived in, but it would be really neat if there was a way to sling it over your shoulder to give you an extra hand for lugging other gear. It shouldn't involve rocket-science to add a shoulder strap option to a hard case...
It's not like the cost case (or bag) isn't being factored into what you're paying for the guitar. Surely spending slightly less on the guitar is preferable - if you need a case just buy one separately.
I personally like it. When I wanna go jam with my friends and pick up my bro; both our gig bags fit in the trunk. Plus i bang hard cases on walls and doors more. Gig bags fit on your shoulders and duck under doors easily
CD 60 shipped in a case, in a box, with zero padding or bubble or foam.
Just the guitar in a case in a box.
Zero damage.
I prefer hard cases, even for gigging and practice. I don't mind carrying the hard case and i prefer the extra protection. My Explorer case is huge and it's heavy, I think I could fit in inside of it. It's such a nice case though, and it came with the guitar, probably worth a couple hundred bucks by itself. And as big as it is, I still prefer it over a gig bag.
I get that it saves companies money but I also think from a storage perspective it makes more sense for most people. As long as the gig bag is high quality I don’t care. Chances are if I need a hard case I’m gonna buy something actual sturdy anyway
bought a 2019 LP Studio Tribute and it came with a leather gig bag and I asked to trade it in on a Gibson hard shell case. The hard shell case was cheaper and I paid less for the rig with a hard case.
What frustrates me is the quality of a lot of the soft cases seems to be going down, ive got some cases from a few years back and then one from now and they obviously used less padding and less of the internal guard stuff to stop from
ripping from sharp strings. The whole pay for more than you get in america is really making learn how to instead build guitars, amps, and cases.
Some of the modern soft cases are extremely good for protection however they're also the price of a hard case or more. I do however like a nice hardshell case, especially those like the FCS with the embroidered interior.
Hard case is critical for super expensive guitars if you have any humidity or temp swings in your home.. unless you have a room that is humidity controlled. I live in MD. And have humidifiers and dehumidifiers and still keep all my expensive guitars in hard case which help prevent damage. Also people that don’t travel w guitars soft case is ridiculous.
I was shocked when my Kauer Banshee came in a Mono Bag. Now it's all I use when I gig with any of my guitars. convenient
I like to have HSCs for my guitars. A lot are stored and used when necessary…..However, I have a few gig bags for guitars that I play out with. One is a Martin HD-28v, and another For my 67 Martin 000-18 all have survived gig abuse. When I play out electric it’s usually bass and all of the are cased except my one Squier bass vi. When it’s not in use it hangs on wall or in a stand. It’s indestructible.
Just built an Amazon double neck 12-6. Fathers Day gift. Case?? Bought a Donner Keyboard case (bag) perfect.
I've long suspected that it's partly a generational thing, partly a less age-specific question of "What do guitars mean to you?".
When I used to play live regularly before 2020, all the bands with gray in their beards came lugging hardshell cases with their guitars. Anyone younger was sticking strictly to gigbags. Fast-forward a few years, and I now see even many of the older folks are taking their instruments out of gigbags shortly before soundcheck. However, that's gigging. Of COURSE a tool designed to make gigging better for the musician would get used at gigs.
When I've seen the homes of people who treat guitars more as collector's items, rather than as tools for performing music, they certainly love their hard cases - even the folks my age. A lot of them would even have at least one token display case to help make their treasured items really pop and tie the room together. A gigbag may be simply better for gigging than a hard case, but that doesn't mean that the entire concept of a hard case should be written off, because the desires of collectors should not be roundly dismissed as invalid.
Furthermore, there's a big difference in how cost-cutting affects gigbags vs hard cases.
If a guitar comes in a crappy gigbag, I'm not going to use that bag. I'm going to bring it to a gig in a nicer, safer gigbag. But if a guitar comes in a crappy hardshell case, that doesn't necessarily feel like as much of a waste. I wouldn't bother bringing a hard case to a gig in the first place, since the value of a hard case is that you can stack them in storage. A low-quality case will usually be just as suitable for storage as a nice case, so it doesn't feel like an insult when a guitar comes in a bad case. I receive a terrible gigbag with a guitar purchase, on the other hand, and I know for a fact that it will NEVER get any use, even for the purpose of storage.
Excellent point. I don't mind a lower end hard case at all, because it still does the job I need it to at home. For a gig bag I'd rather pick my own and spend on something nice like Mono or RB. I only need a few of them anyways.
If they want to cut costs that's the way to do it.
I have a 74 guild in a case. Ive had it since the late 80s. Guitars just last longer in a hard case. These guys are right its about money the actual point of a guitar company. I keep a pirtion of stuff in hard cases
Some in bags but i do rotate that
My SG came in a “Chainsaw” case.
It’s like putting your guitar in a tank.
I bout a Mex Strat.
They told me I had to buy a case for it.
My jaw dropped.
I hate soft cases.
Gig bag for a solid body electric and a hard shell case for an acoustic/semi-hollow electric/hollow body electric guitar.
This was based on a Gear Page thread, wasn't it? ;)
Guitar manufacturers don’t make cases so maybe the case manufacturers have a large part to play in why guitars don’t come with cases at certain price points.
Also, maybe it’s easier/safer for guitar manufacturers to not do cases/bags at certain prices bc consumers then consumers review them along with the guitar. The case has a QC issue (which the guitar company didn’t make) or isn’t “good enough” then the guitar gets a lesser review etc.
6 grand for an axe, but not $10 for a movie. At least you've got your priorities straight. I was looking for guidance on offering hardshell cases with my guitar builds. There are valid points to both sides. But as mentioned elsewhere in the comments, special guitars deserve a case. I have 8 recent builds that deserve cases. But I only have 3 cases. I keep the best 3 of those 8 builds in the cases. Purple satin lined custom cases.
I ordered BOTH my Sadowsky NYC basses with Roger’s gig bag even though they offer a hard case at no up charge. They are fantastic. I do have flight cases when I need them.
I also have a nice double gig bag when I need (or want) to take 2.
I use Reunion Blues, Mono M80, Taylor Aero, and Gator Transit I trust all of these. My Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard came with a case ( I presume) the same case as the Gibsons. That case is nicking up in unwanted ways. I don't have a car as it is almost pointless living in Chicago ( a money pit for auto ownership), so no more carrying that thin-skinned hardcase. My old Road Runner Hardcase (Tele) is much tougher.
I am looking at some SKB and Gator hardcase ( flight cases). So the jury will be out indefinitely on H v. Ultra Gig Bags.