Hard case or posh gig bag?

Christophe

Would welcome thoughts/experience on the above as cases can be a pain. Are the Mono super duper bags worth the price?

guitars4you

Christophe said:

Would welcome thoughts/experience on the above as cases can be a pain. Are the Mono super duper bags worth the price?

Totally worth it certainly from an ease point of view - great for flights, if required on overhead lockers - Would I put it in the van with pa rigs and everything ? - probably not - but if it is me looking after it, transporting it etc etc then totally fine - Sling it over your shoulder and have 2 hands still free for other bits etc

ICBM

Monos are very good, although I'm not sure I would fly with one if there was a risk of it ending up in the hold if it won't fit in the cabin. Although that applies to anything short of a full-on flightcase. (They're called that for a reason.)

I use one for my Rickenbacker bass and it's definitely a lot better protection than the old plywood hard case it came in - although I wouldn't put either of them in a van with heavy cabinets etc - and is far more practical for normal use, especially on public transport.

They do wear a bit worse than I expected though - I've also acquired a second-hand guitar one, and while I don't know how hard it's been used (possibly very) it's a bit disappointing to see the amount of damage, especially the wear around the seams and the broken zips on the outer pocket. It still protects the guitar perfectly well though.

Christophe

ICBM said:

Monos are very good, although I'm not sure I would fly with one if there was a risk of it ending up in the hold if it won't fit in the cabin. Although that applies to anything short of a full-on flightcase. (They're called that for a reason.)

I use one for my Rickenbacker bass and it's definitely a lot better protection than the old plywood hard case it came in - although I wouldn't put either of them in a van with heavy cabinets etc - and is far more practical for normal use, especially on public transport.

They do wear a bit worse than I expected though - I've also acquired a second-hand guitar one, and while I don't know how hard it's been used (possibly very) it's a bit disappointing to see the amount of damage, especially the wear around the seams and the broken zips on the outer pocket. It still protects the guitar perfectly well though.

Cheers. Sounds like the bag might be a good option for my non gigging exploits!

Schnozz

I like to have both, but the posh gigbag is soooo much easier for most trips

digitalkettle

Posh gig-bag is also kinder to the things it hits!

Christophe

digitalkettle said:

Posh gig-bag is also kinder to the things it hits!

Yes, very good point. It's a right old faff getting the paint out every other time I take the geetar upstairs in the case. Fairly sure I'm sold now!

ICBM

That reminds me, a couple of weeks ago my Mono fell down the stairs with my Rick bass inside it. Due to a bit of monumental berkishness on my part, leaving it leaning against the wall where the door of the walk-in loft space I keep my gear in then knocked it over when I went in and pushed the door open further than usual... OK it was more of a sideways topple followed by a gentle slide down the stairs than an actual 'fall', but as I heard it go it honestly never worried me that it would be damaged, and of course it wasn't. I would not have liked to try that in its hard case.

richalderandash

As Schnozz says, a gig bag is so much easier, especially if you're on a train / bus.  If you've got space, I tend for the hard case though.  I find they're more reliable, and don't have straps to break.

That said, working at GAK I saw / used a lot of Mono bags, and for 'soft' cases, they're damn tough!  Plus they do a double case; 2 guitars, one bag. Great for sessions and gigging.

jeztone2

I swear by hiscox liteflight. For me that's the benchmark of tough. Especially in terms of size & weight. I had a stupid woman run a child's buggy over my Telecaster in a McDonalds a few years ago. It strained my Fender abs case. It still works but it's not so airtight at the rear anymore 

Kade1301

How well do hardcases actually protect the contents? I have a bit of experience with crash helmets (more than I want...), and the point of them is for the padding to deform (or even break) and thus absorb and diffuse the energy that would otherwise have given you a concussion or worse. From what I've seen of hardcases (only on photos, mind), they seem more like the bone around the brain (=guitar) - great for stopping not-too-hard hits, but not much else. Right or wrong?

Second question: What are the high-quality, protective gig bag brands? I've checked out Mom, Gator and Hiscox and neither seem to have a bag/case that fits my parlor guitar (Faith Mercury).

cbakay

Ive got the mono, been on a dozen flights with it and even more Eurostars. Zero issues.

As long as you board the plane last, they will find a place for it as the cargo door would be long closed and signed off. Might piss them off, but it'll make it. Mine once made its way into the pilots/crews closet..

bluechargeboy

I would have thought it depends on the guitar.

Angled Gibson-y headstocks: hard case.
Dreadnought: hard case.
Strat: padded gig bag.
Teles: Sainsbury's Bag for Life (in case it rains).

ZenOvertone

Mono are great, I've used a double guitar bag for several years (bought slightly used), no faults so far...I had the Tribal Planet ones before that, similar build and may be still around in shops but were way cheaper, they just didn't make a dual guitar bag.

Nick

Love the Mono bags. Incredibly tough and light - an excellent alternative to a standard hard case for travelling or light storage (where other, heavier things are not placed on top).

Would still probably go with a hard case if you were planning on throwing the thing in the back of a van etc.