Gigbags

[clef360]

Looking for a really nice one. Any recommendations? Budget is $100. If there aren't any that are very protective then I'll just get a hard case, but I don't really like hard cases either.

[knockwood]

Just one guy's opinion, but I hate the idea of gig bags - if you care about the instrument. The protection they provide is virtually nil. They're easier to carry, I guess, but if that were a major consideration for me I'd switch to kazoo. For $100, you can get a very good hard case. On the other hand, if we're talking about a relatively inexpensive guitar you're just using as a beater and you don't really care what happens to it... please disregard...

[Kap'n]

Yep. For a "campfire" acoustic, maybe, but I'd never consider one for a guitar worth over $500.

[Cldplytkmn]

i can't warm up to the idea of a gigbag for any acoustic, maybe a travel size or something...

[riovine]

You might want to check out Ritter bags. I've looked at several bag makers. Ritter offers a large selection, their quality seems good.

 

Also, FWIW, I gig a LOT, to me a gig bag is indespensible, and yes, I do use it for my expensive guitars (Goodall, L5 etc.). You do have to be more careful than a HSC, you can't just throw your guitar around (not that you should do that with a HSC either).

 

To have an extra hand is indespensible for opening doors, reducing the # of trips back to the car etc. Especially if you're pressed for time, running late, as I often am. I can put the guitar on my back, my amp, guitar stand, stool, music stand, music bag etc on a small folding luggage dolly, and make one trip, using my free hand for any doors, etc. that I need to. I pretty much use them exclusivley for gigs around town.

[daklander]

Levy makes a very nice, thick and heavy duty gig bag.

 

There's also the light weight rigid foam case. More protection than a gig bag but much lighter than a hard shell case. I can't remember the name of them now, maybe something like Air-Lite...???

There's a local shop here that carries them and I think the get about $70.00 for them.

 

 

 

Oh, Gator makes them too. About $50.00 at Music123, plus shipping.

[knockwood]

 

Originally posted by riovine Also, FWIW, I gig a LOT, to me a gig bag is indespensible, and yes, I do use it for my expensive guitars (Goodall, L5 etc.).

 

 

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuude... You carry a Goodall in a gig bag? You are a much braver - and richer - man than I...

[riovine]

 

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuude... You carry a Goodall in a gig bag? You are a much braver - and richer - man than I...

 

 

Well, I wouldn't go on the road with a gig bag for sure, but for around town stuff it's great. It doesn't get caught in doors when it's snugly against your back with two backpack type straps.

 

But check this out, way back when, the first really nice guitar I bought was a used D28. One day I was getting out of my car to go play at a friends house. I leaned the guitar against the car (headstock against the car, body on the ground) & closed the door. The vibration from closing the door caused the guitar to slide off the car & fall down on the pavement. It was in it's form fitted HSC case. Well, even though it didn't seem to hit that hard, it was hard enough to snap off the headstock right off, so go figure.

 

I was despondent. Got it fixed, it still played & sounded great but it killed the resale value ruined its beauty. Maybe if I had it strapped to my back?? Who knows...

 

Either way, the lesson learned is nothing is foolproof, I try to be careful about doing anything stupid like that again. Hope my luck holds up...

[35fingerpicker]

The main function of a gig bag is to avoid losing any pieces when the guitar in it gets mangled; and sooner or later, it'll do its job.

 

High end guitars come with a hard case for a reason; and how far it is from home has no bearing on the results.

[rockfan]

For a high end guitar use a hardcase; they're less than $100.

If not, use the gigbag.

[clef360]

Apparently there are a lot of people that don't like gigbags, but has anyone actually had or heard any stories about a guitar that was damaged while it was in a gigbag?

[riovine]

The main function of a gig bag is to avoid losing any pieces when the guitar in it gets mangled; and sooner or later, it'll do its job.

 

My HSC also did a very fine job of not loosing any of the pieces of my mangled Martin,

[Cldplytkmn]

 

Originally posted by clef360 Apparently there are a lot of people that don't like gigbags, but has anyone actually had or heard any stories about a guitar that was damaged while it was in a gigbag?

 

 

I went to a private high school that had chapel services every thursday morning, and i played bass and a little acoustic... a guy walking backwards carrying a bass drum stepped onto another guys acoustic as it sat on the stage... the guitar was 'bagged' and the top was mangled. I know i can walk all over my HSCed acoustics with no problem.

[brahmz118]

I have a Reunion Blues gigbag for my Rainsong, and the padding is about 1" thick on all sides. There is also a foam block inside bracing a good portion of the neck below the headstock. The guitar came with a nice TKL hardshell case, but it seemed to weigh more than the guitar!

 

The RB bag fell over once -- just like in riovine's post above, it slid over while leaning against a car. I saw it happen, and wasn't worried. Not that I don't care about my gear, but this gigbag is like a giant pillow. And with the light weight and rounded bottom edges, it fell over gently if that makes any sense. A hardshell case on the other hand seems like it would fall hard every time, and transmit some shock to the guitar.

 

The RB bag wasn't cheap at $250, but after an exhaustive search for a jumbo gigbag I figured it was the best quality I could get. I gave up on my initial Ritter quest after getting the runaround from the company for months.

 

brahmz118

[strat2]

 

Originally posted by clef360 Looking for a really nice one. Any recommendations? Budget is $100. If there aren't any that are very protective then I'll just get a hard case, but I don't really like hard cases either.

 

 

I use a Roadrunner from GC , I think it was 40 somethin(cushie, and lots of pockets).

I wouldn't dream of using my hardshell cases unless I was to send it on a train or plane unaccompanied.

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[bdegrande]

 

Originally posted by 35fingerpicker The main function of a gig bag is to avoid losing any pieces when the guitar in it gets mangled; and sooner or later, it'll do its job. High end guitars come with a hard case for a reason; and how far it is from home has no bearing on the results.

 

 

How far it is from home has everything to do with it. In cities, many people walk to gigs rather than taking cars, and the inability to strap a hard case to your back makes it a non-starter. Also, gig bags will sometimes fit in airline overhead bins where a hard case won't, particularly on smaller planes. (Checking a guitar, even in a hard case, is nuts). I use hard cases only for trips in cars/vans/whatever.

[Preacher Will]

 

Originally posted by strat2 I use a Roadrunner from GC , I think it was 40 somethin(cushie, and lots of pockets). I wouldn't dream of using my hardshell cases unless I was to send it on a train or plane unaccompanied. - - -

 

 

i use a Roadrunner for my beater. For years i was dead-set against gig bags. Not nearly enough protection. i finally got tired of lugging my guitar to the park where i play/walk the dog. Got a Roadrunner case and it is so much easier to carry that i take the guitar just about everywhere now. it also takes up less space in the trunk of my car than a HSC so its easier on road trips. Haven't gotten up enough courage to put my Taylor in there yet but i'm thinking about it.

[Kap'n]

 

Originally posted by brahmz118 I have a Reunion Blues gigbag for my Rainsong, and the padding is about 1" thick on all sides. There is also a foam block inside bracing a good portion of the neck below the headstock. The guitar came with a nice TKL hardshell case, but it seemed to weigh more than the guitar!

 

 

Other quality gig bags are made by Tough Traveller

 

http://www.toughtraveler.com/ttds.asp

[dave251]

For band practice, where I know there will just be a few people, and I'm by myself while traveling...the gig bag. When it's a jam, or a party with drinking involved(not necessarily me), lots of people, lots of instruments in cases, etc....I take the hard case.

 

It's a tool, and each style has it's uses.