Cases, why has no one designed a good one?

[garth4664]

I have just finished bringing my second Series bass to Beijing from Hong Kong in its Anvil case.  It's insanely heavy with the case alone in excess of 17kg (without bass).  It barely fitted in the taxi and I had to bribe the guy with additional fare in order to get him to take me. Why is no one making a real flight/gig case (light and protective and strong).
 
There have been good attempts by SKB (their new roller design) and Hiscox, England, but I have still heard horror stories about basses  being damaged in these due to internal fasteners if the foam inside moves.
 
The criteria as I see it is pretty simple:
1. build a case from plastic composites with fibres in them so that they are not prone to cracking.
2. make the opening on the end of the case instead of splitting it in the traditional way. The usual way of opening a case looks good for presenting the instrument but makes the case very weak.
3. Make sure that there are no protruding fasteners or stress raisers in the case that could damage a bass if the foam inside happens to move.
4. Make it the shape of a bigish bass (like a series 1 long scale), not the shape of a rectangle (why do case makers do this???)
5. Put many latches on it, so if one opens by accident it does not matter, and you have to really want to open the case to open it.
6. fit a comfortable handle where the bass balances.
7. make it as small as possible on the outside.
8. make it as light as possible.
9. make it water resistant/seal it up properly.
 
We are in a world where you can buy a fully functional bicycle that weighs 4.2kg - why do we put up with these lame excuses for cases?
 
Quick question.  If I start a company here in China that can build carbon fibre and kevlar cases to suit your Alembic, and it costs about $400 US upon arrival in America or your home country how many of you would be interested in buying one?
 
 
I want to solve my problem, but if others have the same issues then it makes sense to solve the problem for everyone.
 
Thoughts, ideas, questions?
 
Does anyone know of a good case builder?

[lbpesq]

Check out Calton Cases in Canada.  They meet most of your criteria, though I don't know if they have a mold long enough for a long scale Alembic.  They're not cheap.  I have one for my Further.  As for a carbon fiber or kevlar case for $400?  Sign me up, I'll probably take half a dozen!
 
Bill, tgo

[tbrannon]

Garth,  
 
I'd buy one if you could meet the criteria above.  
 
I'd be curious to see the design you have in your head.  I don't see how opening the case at the end and then sliding the bass out would be as functional, but perhaps I'm not thinking what you're thinking.

[jazzyvee]

There was a company in the UK called Scott Dixon cases who made cases from aircraft grade aluminium for fender and other usa guitar makers. They are very light and strong.
here is a link:
http://www.myspace.com/dixoncasesltd
 
Jazzyvee

[gregduboc]

Count me in!
 
Greg

[afrobeat_fool]

I would take 2, maybe 3. Bring it.

[jacko]

I'd take 2. Would they be custom built to fit each instrument?
 
Graeme

[cozmik_cowboy]

Martin offers a carbon fiber case; it costs a hair under $3K.  If you could do it for $400, I imagine you could sell them.
As to the shape, flight/road cases aren't designed for carrying, they're designed for shipping; having spent way too much of my  life loading and unloading trucks, I can assure you  that rectangular is better - it can easily be fit into a load in a stable position, while guitar-shaped can't be, and thus is likely to move, and movement is where damage comes from.
Your idea about an end-opening case is interesting, and you make good points in favor, but it seems to me that sliding the istrument in lengthwise has some drawbacks:
you would, of neccesity, be inserting it head first, thus leading with the weakest part of the instrument;
it seems to me that a space loose enough to accept the instrument in this way would be looser than the traditional clamshell opening, thus allowing the dreaded movement;
the tuning machines & string ends sliding against the foam would soon destroy it.
If you can get it going, it would definitely be a worthwhile project -  close to flightcase proctection with close to gigbag weight, at that price?  What more could you ask?
 
Peter

[jacko]

regarding the end-opening, I envisage some sort of drawer arrangement where a padded insert can be slid in and out on rails.  
 
Graeme

[sonicus]

I will concur with Peter ( cozmik cowboy ) i too have spent have spent too much time in the logistics of equipment and material handling and what Peter wrote makes 100 % sense to me  as far as maintaining an unshifting compact load.
    Regarding  the end-opening case ; I think that a traditional  clamshell  is the way to go. This basic design will have the least amount of mechanical complications. The last thing that you want  on a LARGE multi - million $ tour world is for the road crew/instrument tech not to able to get the instrument out of the case because of a jammed /stuckmechanisim. Anything that can go wrong on these ordeals will_____ at the worst possible time .  Last minute frenzies are NO FUN, I have seen too many.  
  All in all ___     I think that this case idea is awesome  . Like stated before in this thread;
 
      close to  flight-case protection At close to gigbag weight  I think that a good target would be too surpass ATA 300 specs;      http://www.anvilcase.com/info/ataspecs.html
 
     Wolf .

[toma_hawk01]

I use Guardian Featherweight Electric Guitar Case for local travel (Like when it's my turn to walk across the street) over to my guitar friend's house... (under $80.00)  I love this case, for it only weighs about 4-lbs of fish, and yet it's a hard case without all that metal.

 

  I also like this GUARDIAN Hard shell cases (shown below) for major travel situation, and when someone else might be required to handle my basses. Emphasis on "required" and thus the normal protocol ensues: Insurance; Tag Number; Chains of Custody; and everything else, to assure all liabilities are to my complete satisfaction.      (Under $160.00)  Peace and Love,  Hal-

[toma_hawk01]

Here's an option that still put's you under 40-lbs.
 
This option is clever, if you happen to be stuck at the gate, and can't carry-on your guitar on a commercial airline.  
 
If you're stopped, and you have the hard shell case with you, just put the soft case (bass encapsulated) into the reinforced hard-shell case and everything is cool.
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-    
 

 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on August 11, 2010)

[toma_hawk01]

The best solution I could think of, is to enclose your bass in a case object, and while the bass is inside, it's held by tension straps which suspends the bass completely from its own weight, working almost like a hammock, thus preventing the bass from touching the inner walls of the case. The tension could be adjusted for a variety of sizes and shapes. If the case is knocked around, the impact is absorbed and released evenly (lessening the impact...).  
 
Where can I buy such a case?
 
I remember a school project, we were assigned to build a supportive structure for a raw chicken egg, that would withstand the shock dropping it above 5 floors.  I seen some wonderful unconventional ideas that worked successfully.  
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-
 
(Message edited by toma_hawk01 on August 11, 2010)

[masterofmanystrings]

... Since this is a good idea, and clearly many people are interested, I'll share a brief idea here.
 
I agree with the concerns about the concept of opening a case the long way; but howz about this thought: what about a case opening IN THE MIDDLE... to either side?  Let me clarify, in case this isn't clear.  You sit down & put the case in front of you, lengthwise going side-to-side; you undo let's say two latchs (which run from side to side on the short side) and then probably 2 more latches on each side (10 latches total) and then lift up the left side and lift up the right side, and lift up the instrument.
 
Obviously there would be pro's and cons, but this seems like a way to achieve your objective while also circumventing the concerns others voiced here.  The downside would be that more hinges & latches would be required.  But, structurally, it would be very sound.
 
This would also allow you to open up just one side at a time... though it's not clear what advantage if any that would offer.  But it would make it impossible for the case to open unless BOTH the middle/center latches were released, and also both sides of latches on both sides... if you get the thought.
 
Under such a system, a lock would probably logically belong either between the two center latches or on both of them.  It would probably be fairly simple to create something to deal with that.
 
Anyway, perhaps this idea may be of value.

[toma_hawk01]

I don't know, but I like the idea of opening my case like one does; when they open up a treasure chest...  
 
I smile every time I opens my case.  
 
Aesthetics play a major part too, I guess.  
 
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-