Mandolin cases, very basic

[lastchair]

So on my new Collings, I was surprised to find that the default hard case is just a plain shaped case. #No neck-strap, no blanket, and a tiny pocket with a loose flap. #

Maybe I was spoiled, but the Eastman came with an oblong case, with neck strap, two compartments, a blanket and a soft padded strip down the middle on the underside of the lid to rest the bridge on. #It also has a jumbo music pocket, and two backpack straps, rain flap and a subway handle. #Just like high-end violin cases.

Do the rest of you worry about the thin shells and lack of padding in most mandolin cases? #Or is it just the mandolins are tougher? #The missng neckstrap had me most worried. #So guess who's sitting in the Eastman case until I get another Eastman case? #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[mandroid]

I Reccomend a Pegasus case, a storage pocket behind the headstock and another compartment behind the neck cradle.
Hand laid-up fibreglass, a couple layers.

Calton is the other one , excellent and strong.

I have a [made in Scotland]Peg F, and a [Canadian] Cal A.

[JeffD]

I dunno, perhaps some of that is overkill. A high-end violin case came with my fiddle, and its real nice, but is it all really needed. The case has everything described above, and its kind of fun to tuck the fiddle in there and put his little blankie on...

I suppose its better to error on the side of too protected. I have the Eastman cases for my bowlbacks, and I am sure they could survive a collision with a bus.

[EdSherry]

There are FAR more violins sold than there are mandolins sold, so the economies of scale in making and selling "high-end" cases come into play.

I personally prefer a standard wooden HSC to the Eastman fabric-covered cases (or to most modern "high-end" violin cases, which use the same technology as the Eastman), but YMMV.

Some of the difference is due to the fact that violins have historically been varnish-finished, which is a more delicate finish than the lacquer that has traditionally been used on mandolins. #Hence the "blanket."

You CAN buy very nice mandolin cases, but expect to pay more for them than you pay for a "basic" case. #The Pegasus and Calton cases are great, but pricey ($500 and up). #But a friend just paid $500 for her high-end fiberglass violin case.

You might check out the Bobelock mando cases: similar design to the violin case. (NFI.) There's currently an ad in the Classified Accessories section for them, or you can go here:

http://www.giannaviolins.com/Accessories/BobelockMando.html

I use an Eastman fiberglass case for around-town work and a Calton for road travel.

Shoulder straps can be added to any case.

Neckstraps are nice to protect against the possibility that the instrument will fall out of an open case if you (inadvertently) pick the case up without latching it, but (knock on wood!) I've never had that problem with a mando case. #

In fact, I much prefer the latches on a wooden HSC mando case to the zipper approach used on violin cases (or the Eastman you mention). #I find there's less risk of picking the case up thinking it's been fastened shut when it in fact hasn't.

On the space issue (pockets, etc.), there's inherently more room for such things inside an oblong (rectangular) case (like the Eastman or most violin cases) than there is inside a shaped case (like the one your Collings came in). #You can get rectangular mando cases, but they're bulkier.

I suspect that if you asked #Collings why their "default" case is the one they sell, rather than an Eastman-style case, they'd tell you that they think their "default" case is better protection for the instrument. #Another possibility, of course, is that people are used to having a shaped wooden HSC for mandolins, so that's what Collings ships as its "default" case.

[mythicfish]

Unless the case/instrument is subject to the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" ... baggage handlers, a case like a TKL
will do. In the event of a serious auto accident the fate of the instrument will be the least of your worries. There seem to be more than a few Calton and Pegasus cases that come up on the used market.

Curt

[DryBones]

I agree with Curt. My TKL Pro is perfect for everyday use with a good sized accessory compartment and the area under the head fits sheet music and books perfectly.

[jim_n_virginia]

Been carrying in a hardshell case for many years with no mishaps. I have a fiddle in a nice case with a banket and all that and it is a pain to strap everything in, tuck the hinge straps out of the way before I close and put the banket in so it doesn't stick out when I close it.

I agree if you travel or your mandolin will be handled by someone other than your self it probably would be a good idea to get a Calton or other high end case.

If you just carry it around normally you can get by.

I have checked out the Eastman fiberglass cases, or are they plastic? I pressed down on the top and it easily pushed in. I think my hard case has pretty good protection from crushes. But car accidents and hard jarring is another thing.

My former mandolin teacher Pete Frostic had a Apituius
<sp?> F style in a TKL case and dropped it just from out of a trunk of a car and it broke the scroll off the headstock. I could have cried with him! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[lastchair]

You're all right. The Eastman case I'm mentioning is only $80 and found at Gianna Violins (http://www.giannaviolins.com/esmando/case/CaseESoblong.html)

It's because Eastman was a violin maker before. To get an equivalent mandolin case from other makers (as mentioned) is like hundreds of dollars.

Now that more mandolins are varnished, perhaps Collings will step up and offer an Eastman like case with blanket, neckstrap and padding? After all, their mandolins are way more expensive than Eastman mandolins, so at least I expected a better default case. But if mando folks don't think it's necessary, than that's why they offer what they offer.

[Walter Newton]

Rather than violin cases I think the standard mando cases like the one that came with your Collings are modeled after guitar cases, which are essentially similar in construction and features.

[mandroid]

The arch top rectangular TKL has a more substantial feel to it.
though the top is not padded. tight fit kept the instrument in place, but as a belt and braces guy, I added a 3/4" thick piece of relatively low density foam into the lid, with the blanket there was a cozy safe home for the mando.
but rather heavy and difficult to carry other than hauling in the car the Peg replaced it, with resale of the TKL; Peg, used, was $450.

It stays dry in there carried on the bike in the rain.

[EdSherry]

Lastchair -- you don't mention whether you have an A-style or an F-style. #

If the latter, I think these are amazing value for the price: #arched-top, flat-back, but fine protection:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product....=541967 (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Musicians-Gear-F-Style-Mandolin-Hardshell-Case?sku=541967)

For $29, you can afford to add a blanket, neckstrap, backpack straps, etc., and still come out WAY ahead of the game.

I'm not as much a fan of the "comparable" A-style cases, which are flat-top, flat-back:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product....=544411 (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Musicians-Gear-Hardshell-AStyle-Mandolin-Case?sku=544411)

[mandroid]

OTOH The $40 EPS/styro-foam and fabric mandolin case [Musicians friend/Johnson]
is generous sized inslde and for an A Style.
extra, soft mattress foam
can be added,
[nylon out , plush inside]and they come with 3 D rings on the back and 2 straps with
metal hooks.'
tougher than a gig bag, but still really light,
since its a variety of a couple types of plastic foam.
DIY sewing on a plush liner for the new smaller size, inside.

"Durafoam-Shaped-AStyle-Mandolin-Case?sku=540613"

[pager]

My 'expensive' mando came in a TKL case. My Eastman 515 came in that great oblong Eastman case. I'll take that Eastman case anyday over that TKL. Keep your eyes open and you can pick up another Eastman case. The storage in those is such a great feature, and for the money those are really great cases.

[OldMan1]

IMHO, consider your mando and it's case as you would yourself in a car. Your first line of defense in an accident is the exterior...not only the material, but crush zones, etc. the second line of defense is your seatbelt and and airbag.
Does it really matter how many map pockets, cup holders, heated seats, etc.
The TKL cases usually come in 3 ply and 5 ply strengths. IMHO, one of these, at the least is a necessity for travelling. Even if you put your mando in an overhead case an then someone throws their laptop or rollon luggage on top of it? (This can even happen in the trunk or backseat of a car)
Caltons and Pegasus are built to be crushproof. (Some materials added to them will do more harm than protection). However the main thing to remember is that almost none of these cases provide support for the headstock or scroll (like headrests do in a car) That is why it not only a good idea, but almost essential that you pack something under the head stock or scroll. This prevents a whiplash effect on that area which is often what makes it break. At least pack your xtra strings, cleaning cloth, strap, etc under there.
Coming from a guitar background, when I travel even in a car, my guitars go in their hard cases and my clothes in a gig bag. Get to the festival or wherever and you can through a lightweight gigbag over your shoulder to carry around. Just make sure that there is something under that scroll, because in case of a drop, that is the point of highest impact and least resistance.
Just my $.02 Art

[lastchair]

Hey thanks for pointing out the TKL cases. The $80 Eastman oblong is plywood and arched top also. Does the TKL have a neck strap? This will prevent whiplash as a neckstrap holds the neck so that the headstock does not bounce around. In the Eastman, the mandolin is suspended. There are pads under the shoulder and tailarea of the mandolin. The plush bar that runs down the center of the underside of the lid holds the fretboard down onto the neck ledge, where the nect rests, held with a neckstrap. This way, even if the case is dropped the mandolin does not bounce up and then down onto the head.

[mandroid]

a block of foam behind the headstock should keep the worry of whiplash off the fear list.
my Peg has another storage area behind the headstock.
only case Ive ever seen with a strap is the $90 one for my flattish Fender FM61 a rectangular flat top .
but I dont get out much.

perhaps only a DIY case will have all the features in one place.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[BlueMountain]

1. I disagree about padding the headstock. I think that's a very bad idea, in fact. The ideal mandolin case supports the mandolin body around the edges, where it's strongest, and uses soft foam padding, if that, over the middle of the front and back. Then it cradles the neck along most of its length at the correct angle and has a pad that presses gently on the string side of the neck over most of its length. The headstock should have an inch of clearance on all sides. Done this way, mandolins can withstand quite a shock, especially if the strings are loosened. If the body and neck can rattle around an inch (as in many old cases), that shock can cause a lot more damage. But the solution is correct padding where I mentioned above. If you put something under the end of the headstock, then if the mandolin case is upright but falls straight back, a lot more pressure is put on the headstock by the impact. Consider a car accident: in a head-on collision, you are more likely to be injured if you don't have support for your shoulders and neck and the bottom of your skull but have a headrest that hits you halfway up your skull than vice versa because it puts a lot of pressure on your neck.

2. A mandolin-shaped case is inherently stronger than a rectangular case UNLESS there is a sort of mandolin shaped stiff divider inside that runs from the back to the top. I've just sold an mandolin with a great GWW case that has that sort of divider, and it's very strong. I think some of the 20s Gibson rectangular cases also had that. Also, a curvy wall (as in mandolin shaped) is inherently stonger than a straight wall of the same construction. So unless one needs a rectangular case to hold little extras, a mandolin-shaped case is fine.

3. A case with, say, laminated top and back that are arched is of course inherently MUCH stronger than one with a flat top. (If this weren't so, than why do flat-topped and backed mandolins need more bracing than arched ones?) The sides of a flat-topped case may be sturdy, but an arched case is much stronger. So long as those arches are far enough away from the front and back of the mandolin, you're in good shape.

4. I have a Calton case I use when traveling on planes--definitely super-sturdy and correctly made. But when I'm driving to jams, I use a little bright yellow Eastman shaped case, and most of my mandolins are in shaped, arched cases. You can buy sturdy ones for $70 without difficulty, such as TKL.