Mandola case?

[JoeD]

I recently bought a Gibson H-1 Mandola that did not come with a case. I've spent a good deal of time looking around sources like Elderly, Musician's Friend, etc., and haven't found anyplace selling cases for mandolas. Does anyone know where one can be found? I prefer a hard shell case, but could use a gig bag as a second choice. I read somewhere that a gig bag for a tenor banjo will fit a 'dola. Has anyone tried that option?

Thanks

[Tavy]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I've heard that adjustable viola cases can work well - and are generally quite inexpensive compared to cases sold for mandolas.

HTH, John.

[Richard Moore]

I had to have one made (in UK). Thin Man Music used to do a hard mandola case but I think it is discontinued now and they do a gig bag instead:

http://www.thinmanmusic.com/MandCases_Bags.htm

[Bernie Daniel]

JoeD, check this string (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51224&highlight=mandola+case)out. As you can see I have one of the Thinman cases for my H-1 -- it works (barely) but they don't sell them any more. But there were some other ideas in the string.

[PJ Doland]

I had Glenn Cronkite make a custom leather gig-bag for a solidbody electric Klein-style guitar I built a few years ago. It was VERY well padded and protected the instrument quite well.

The leather was beautiful. That bag was probably the most beautiful thing I've ever owned.

http://www.glenncronkhite.com/

[Eddie Sheehy]

Check out the Rockbag gigbags.

[roundel325]

You might try a Weber mandola case. My teens A Gibson mandolin fits great in their mandolin case, but I have not tested the mandola setup. They make the nicest compact (shaped) cases south of a calton in my opinion. I bought mine direct from weber for $150. They used to be listed on their website, but I can't find them since they updated it. Maybe you'd have to get one through a dealer now?

Good luck!

[JoeD]

Thanks for the suggestions and the link to the prior thread. The Weber option in particular looks pretty interesting. Their Vintage A seems to be based on the H-1 and would probably be a good fit as you suggest. I sent them an e-mail to see if they'd be willing to sell me one directly or put me in touch with their supplier.

[Bernie Daniel]

Joe if you succeed in getting the Weber case please post the info on how it fits the Gibson H-1. I might just follow suit. The case I have is marginal for the job. :)

[Miko]

I had trouble finding a case for my H2. (The original case was falling apart.) I discovered that a Trinity College octave case (Their mandola case is too small) works well with the addition of a smal strip of foam around the butt end on the inside to make it snug. When I got my H4 I had a Calton made for it. It is an awesome case, virtually indestructible and fits like a glove, but it wasn't anywhere near cheap and it weighs a ton.

[David Newton]

I bought one of the thinman 'dola cases, and it won't fit a Gibson shape. It was made for the "trinity college" type dolas with the more teardrop shape, less shoulders than a Gibson A shape. (for sale if anyone is interested)

I've had to make rectangular wood box cases for my New-Navy Mandolas, which are about Gibson H-1 sized.

[Bernie Daniel]

I bought one of the thinman 'dola cases, and it won't fit a Gibson shape. It was made for the "trinity college" type dolas with the more teardrop shape, less shoulders than a Gibson A shape. (for sale if anyone is interested)

That's odd.

For my H-1 it ended up working fine and I still use it today. I had to remove the accesseries compartment and cover (just screws) and relocate it a bit more to the headstock end of the in the case to get the neck block to clear.

Of course maybe we did not buy exactly the same style case from Thinman? I think I paid $89 for it several years ago and it had one of those made in the PacRim labels on it -- cannot recall which country.

[David Newton]

Bernie.
Must be. When I bought it, he told me "it won't fit Gibson" but since I was going to try it for my own Dola, I thought I'd give it a try. Didn't fit.
Guess I'll have to build one just to fit the case!

[JoeD]

Joe if you succeed in getting the Weber case please post the info on how it fits the Gibson H-1. I might just follow suit. The case I have is marginal for the job. :)

It took a while, but Weber responded today that they only keep enough cases on hand for the instruments they have planned in production, and weren't able to sell me one. They did pass along the name of their supplier (www.gwwcases.com), and I've shot them an e-mail to see what it would take for them to make me one custom.

In the interim, I wonder if anyone has any experience with this option:

http://store.guitarcore.com/gsx2.html

Thanks again for the helpful comments.

[Johnozouk]

Let us know what they quote you for a case. I have been trying to find a case for my SOS mandolin, which is larger than a standard mando and is a two pointer. It is too big for any regular mandolin case, even if the interior is customized. I found a Protec hard case that it fits in, but the case is strangely much larger than it needs to be and fairly heavy. Mostly I carry it in a Blue Heron gig bag, which was custom made for me for my Davy Stuart mandola. I sold the mandola, but kept the case as it also works well for my Vega 17 fret tenor banjo. I like Blue Heron gig bags myself, but they are more expensive than a lot of other gig bags. For the time being, the tribal planet might work for you and it is pretty cheap. The backpack straps don't look to me to be very user friendly.

Good luck. Finding cases for a strange sized instrument can be difficult.

John

[catmandu2]

I'm sure those Tribal Planet bags will be sufficient for your dola. All the tenor banjo cases will have extra room, so they're not ideal, but in lieu of nothing, they're at least something. My favorite TB bags in order of preference are Reunion Blues, Rockbag, Blue Heron.

Also, in this thread is a photo of a pro-tec "bells" case I purchased at a parking lot sale for $5.00 that happens to be a good solution for one of my dolas: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?58061-Mandola-Case&highlight=mandola+cases

I've also used a standard Superior mando gigbag, inside of a Colorado case cover, for a dola bag which workerd very well. Also, A multi-racket bag (tennis) works.

[JoeD]

Hope so, as I went ahead and ordered the Tribal Planet bag this evening. I'll post a review when it arrives. I'd love to have gone with something like a Reunion Blues, but I didn't want to spend that kind of money. I hope I don't come to regret my frugality.

[catmandu2]

Hope so, as I went ahead and ordered the Tribal Planet bag this evening. I'll post a review when it arrives. I'd love to have gone with something like a Reunion Blues, but I didn't want to spend that kind of money. I hope I don't come to regret my frugality.

Nah...it'll be fine. If you were really frugal you'd have gone to the second-hand sporting goods shop and acquired a racket bag. ;)

[DerTiefster]

Let us know what they quote you for a case. I have been trying to find a case for my SOS mandolin, which is larger than a standard mando and is a two pointer. It is too big for any regular mandolin case, even if the interior is customized.....
JohnHmmm. I don't understand this. What is the bout size on your SOS (?), body length (button to heel), and overall length (button to headstock)? I really considered modifying a tenor banjo case for a mandola (just shy of 11" width, 28.5" overall length), but have settled on redoing the interior of a double mandolin case for the simple reason that I already own one.

[Johnozouk]

SOS is a bit over 27 in. length. Body is just over 13 3/4 in long and a tad over 11 in wide. But, it is about 8 in wide at the points (just above the soundhole. Mando cases I have looked at that I would consider, generally taper more toward the neck. There are some cheapo cases that might work, but I am not trusting this instrument to a cheap case. Hard to find a mandola case around here, and I am not ordering a case that I have not seen. I take it on planes in the Blue Heron gig bag, which fits any overhead bin. Once in the bin, I have to watch it closely so some idiot does not try to cram their suitcase into the same space--and I have stopped a few who were going to try to do just that.

I thought about a double mandolin case--like a Calton, but fear that it will then be too big for carry on.

John

John Conoboy