hard case VS. high quality gigbag

[metalheadUK]

Logic says hard case.

 

But in practice, when I gig, the hard cases stay home, and the guitars go out in gigbags. (Decent gigbags though, as CSM mentioned)

 

I can carry 3 guitars in bags, but 3 hard cases gets a bit unmanageable....

 

I also pack them carefully.

 

 

[Kap'n]

Yep. I've got hard shell cases for all of my good guitars, and gig bags when it's just me, a solidbody and an amp travelling.

 

My hollow instruments always travel in a hard case.

[stormin1155]

I use both, but prefer gig bags because they are easier to handle. Amp in one hand, pedal board case in the other, guitar thrown over my shoulder... just one trip from the car. I use hard cases for guitars that are more fragile like acoustics, semi-hollows or anything with Gibson's headstock design. Fenders are pretty much indestructable.

[Mr. Awesome]

For me it would depend more on the guitar.

 

Strat or Tele - either way

 

Guitar with tilt back headstock - no way am I getting a gig bag

 

I only have hard cases because that's how they came.

[mrbrown49]

 

For me it would depend more on the guitar. Strat or Tele - either way Guitar with tilt back headstock - no way am I getting a gig bag I only have hard cases because that's how they came.

 

 

good point!

[Special J]

I would say it also depends on mode of transportation. If you're in the city and mostly going to be using public transit to get to gigs, I'd say high quality gig bag is the way to go. If you're traveling by car, van, etc., I'd say hard case, and if you're flying or your guitar will be traveling with lots of other heavy gear, I'd take it a step further and go with a flight case.

[nighthawk15]

Definitely the hard case. Especially if you gig. I don't know about there, but the places I go see local acts around here theres a lot of careless people and I wouldn't want to have any of my guitars around those places in anything but a hard case.

[Belva]

 

As a non-driver. I use public transport a lot and gigbags are a lot easier to manage. Get good ones, though ... a crap one does little more than keep the rain off (and a REALLY crap one can't even be relied upon to do that).

 

This is a good point to ponder. A good bag has shoulder straps. I haven't seen a polyfoam case yet that does. My camp guitar lives in a gigbag behind the seat of my truck. But I don't much care if it gets dinged up.

[photon9]

My vote is hard case. Just can't trust a gig bag.

[bdegrande]

 

As a non-driver. I use public transport a lot and gigbags are a lot easier to manage. Get good ones, though ... a crap one does little more than keep the rain off (and a REALLY crap one can't even be relied upon to do that).

 

 

Yep, if you actually carry the guitar rather than simply move it from place to place in a car, the gig bag gives you a lot more flexibility, you can't strap a hard case to your back.

[guitarman3001]

Logic says hard case. But in practice, when I gig, the hard cases stay home, and the guitars go out in gigbags. (Decent gigbags though, as CSM mentioned) I can carry 3 guitars in bags, but 3 hard cases gets a bit unmanageable.... I also pack them carefully.

 

This. I'd buy one of each. I like having the hardcases for longer trips or situations where I know the guitar is going to get bounced around a little but for local bar gigs which is pretty much all I play, I'd say I use a gig bag 95% of the time. They're just so much easier to manage and take up less space, which for me is at a premium with my tiny 2-seater car with no trunk.

[Acid Test]

+1 for hard cases

[Ferdinandstrat]

Thing is that I dont travel distances.

 

I think a case is a tad impractical...

[mrbrown49]

 

Thing is that I dont travel distances. I think a case is a tad impractical...

 

 

Depends on your situation. In my music space storing my guitars in gig bags would be impractical because I couldn't neatly stack or lean them together like I do with my HSCs.

[Ferdinandstrat]

 

Depends on your situation. In my music space storing my guitars in gig bags would be impractical because I couldn't neatly stack or lean them together like I do with my HSCs.

 

 

I have 1 guitar.

[mrbrown49]

 

I have 1 guitar.

 

 

Then that's not an issue for you. Get what works best.

[thehikingdude]

It's not cheap, but anytime I take my guitars out to gig they go in a Reunion Blues Continental Gig Bag. If anything, they protect the guitar better than a hard case. You'd have to see one in person to really get the full picture of how good it is.

 

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Reunion-Blues-Continental-Classical-Guitar-Case-620860-i1472435.gc

[guitarman3001]

 

I have 1 guitar.

 

 

For my LP I have both a case and a gig bag. The gigbag is a cheap Gibson one and the case is one of the new SKB ones with the new latches that are TSA approved. Makes a good flight case if I ever need it.

[headstash]

depnds on the guitar too. I'd throw my strat into a gig bag without worry but if it were a hollow or semi hollow, I'd be a lot more comfortable with a HSC.

[Mav64]

It's not cheap, but anytime I take my guitars out to gig they go in a Reunion Blues Continental Gig Bag. If anything, they protect the guitar better than a hard case. You'd have to see one in person to really get the full picture of how good it is. http://www.guitarcenter.com/Reunion-Blues-Continental-Classical-Guitar-Case-620860-i1472435.gc

 

Thanks man, we were aiming for the best of both worlds. Here's a more informative and propaganda laden page to get a better feel for the RBC

 

http://www.rbcontinental.com/index.html If you're interested in reading my road test blog where I actually checked a guitar in as baggage in the baggage hold with US Air then click here http://www.reunionblues.com/blog/2009/09/on-the-road-with-the-rbc/

We also make some awesome polyfoam cases www.kaces.com .

Thanks in advance...

[thehikingdude]

I think someone would have to drive over it to do any actual damage to the guitar inside. Part of the issue for me was that my PRS cases were yelling "Steal Me!". Not that the Continental looks cheap by any means.

 

Hey if you want a photo of one with a PRS Private Stock sitting safely inside just let me know.

 

Note: I do not have any affiliation with Reunion Blues whatsoever. At least nothing other than an owner.

[Brewski]

I have three knock off cases for my PRS's so they don;t say "Steal Me"

 

 

I think someone would have to drive over it to do any actual damage to the guitar inside. Part of the issue for me was that my PRS cases were yelling "Steal Me!". Not that the Continental looks cheap by any means. Hey if you want a photo of one with a PRS Private Stock sitting safely inside just let me know. Note: I do not have any affiliation with Reunion Blues whatsoever. At least nothing other than an owner.

 

[Mav64]

 

I think someone would have to drive over it to do any actual damage to the guitar inside. Part of the issue for me was that my PRS cases were yelling "Steal Me!". Not that the Continental looks cheap by any means. Hey if you want a photo of one with a PRS Private Stock sitting safely inside just let me know. Note: I do not have any affiliation with Reunion Blues whatsoever. At least nothing other than an owner.

 

 

Rumor has it that Mr. PRS himself carries his own guitars in one. The list of prominent guitarists using RBC's is growing fast. The latest is Tommy Emmanuel...

[GAS Man]

If you already have hard cases for other guitars that will work for your new guitar, then I recommend that the incremental purchases be gigbags. They take up less space and rarely mar your walls.

 

But if you don't have any hardcases around to trade off with your guitars, then I'd go hardcase.

 

Or not.

 

Basically, I like a good gigbag.

 

Most of my expensive guitars have their own hard cases and most of the mid and lower priced guitars have their own hardshell cases.

[PunkKitty]

This is a good point to ponder. A good bag has shoulder straps. I haven't seen a polyfoam case yet that does. My camp guitar lives in a gigbag behind the seat of my truck. But I don't much care if it gets dinged up.

My Gator LP polyfoam case has shoulder straps. I believe most of their polyfoam cases do.