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Thread: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

  1. #26
    Registered User mandobassman's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by AlexanderL View Post
    Now that's nice. Good storage area. Plenty of room around the sides and headstock. Expensive, but I like it more than the Calton or Eastman.
    Larry Hunsberger

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  2. #27

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    I'm more than happy with my Pegasus.

  3. #28
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Good going on changing the Hoffee mandolin case to a better design to hold some "stuff". Has anyone here gotten one of the new styles yet? I'd love to hear some feedback. I'm thinking of ordering a custom color one myself.

  4. #29
    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by f5loar View Post
    It also seems these high end case are hard to get. Can you even get a Calton case today? How long a wait on a Price or a Pegasas?
    I just received my Pegasus mandolin case. Sam makes these in batches, so the delivery time depends on where he is in that process when you place the order. I made the initial inquiry back in September of last year. I think it was December when I got an email saying my case would be in the next batch. I sent my credit card info at that point, and we worked out the custom details (Sam helped me pick a specific tartan lining, that was fun). So that was about 3 months for actual production, or 6 months from initial contact to delivery.

    I couldn't be happier with the Pegasus case. It's not as heavy as I was expecting, and the fit and finish is very good. I like small cases like this. Aside from keeping the weight down with FG construction, it makes it easier to fit in odd spaces in the car when we're packing up for a gig. The accessory pocket is small, but at least there is one. I can fit a StroboClip tuner in there, and a few loose picks. Spare string packets go under the headstock. For me, that's enough for a casual jam or session, and on a gig we're carrying a bunch of other stuff anyway. My old Travelite had a big accessory pocket, and it's a bit lighter in weight, but harder to pack due to the size.

    Pegasus is a good option if you want a very solidly-built (and sexy looking!) fiberglass case with a bunch of custom options on colors and interiors, and don't need to be in a hurry to get it. I think the cost ($760 including insurance and delivery from Scotland to west coast USA) was also very reasonable, considering the personal attention via email during the order process.

    I do think that to the extent carbon fiber can keep the weight down, it might be a better option for large instruments like guitars and OM's, where fiberglass starts to get pretty heavy due to the size. One of these days I'd like to get a better case for my Weber OM... probably a classical or Tenor guitar case with extra padding, since nobody makes a custom fit for that body size and shape (AFAIK). At that point, I'll take a serious look at the Hoffee options. Or maybe just get another Pegasus, and live with the weight. It's fun to have color options.

  5. #30

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Acoustic Music Works is about to get a shipment of Hoffee bullet-shaped mandolin cases. If anyone is interested please contact them.

    Calton North America is no more. Take you chances with Workhorse although I have heard nothing by heartache. I have a small collection of Calton mandolin cases. The cheapest I ever bought a used one was for $350 used. The last case I ordered from a dealer in Canada cost me close to $600 with shipping and another $50 when the state I was living in contacted me two years later and demanded I pay them sales tax plus a fine (which was much larger than the tax amount).

    We'll see when the Hoffee case arrives.
    "your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."

  6. #31

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by foldedpath View Post
    I just received my Pegasus mandolin case. Sam makes these in batches, so the delivery time depends on where he is in that process when you place the order. I made the initial inquiry back in September of last year. I think it was December when I got an email saying my case would be in the next batch. I sent my credit card info at that point, and we worked out the custom details (Sam helped me pick a specific tartan lining, that was fun). So that was about 3 months for actual production, or 6 months from initial contact to delivery.

    I couldn't be happier with the Pegasus case. It's not as heavy as I was expecting, and the fit and finish is very good. I like small cases like this. Aside from keeping the weight down with FG construction, it makes it easier to fit in odd spaces in the car when we're packing up for a gig. The accessory pocket is small, but at least there is one. I can fit a StroboClip tuner in there, and a few loose picks. Spare string packets go under the headstock. For me, that's enough for a casual jam or session, and on a gig we're carrying a bunch of other stuff anyway. My old Travelite had a big accessory pocket, and it's a bit lighter in weight, but harder to pack due to the size.

    Pegasus is a good option if you want a very solidly-built (and sexy looking!) fiberglass case with a bunch of custom options on colors and interiors, and don't need to be in a hurry to get it. I think the cost ($760 including insurance and delivery from Scotland to west coast USA) was also very reasonable, considering the personal attention via email during the order process.

    I do think that to the extent carbon fiber can keep the weight down, it might be a better option for large instruments like guitars and OM's, where fiberglass starts to get pretty heavy due to the size. One of these days I'd like to get a better case for my Weber OM... probably a classical or Tenor guitar case with extra padding, since nobody makes a custom fit for that body size and shape (AFAIK). At that point, I'll take a serious look at the Hoffee options. Or maybe just get another Pegasus, and live with the weight. It's fun to have color options.
    I fully agree with your comments on the Peg. As to the timing, I must have hit the batch cycle at a better time. My shipping was a little late due to an error on my part, I believe that my delivery time turned out to be about four months. What colour is yours? Mine is a daffodil yellow exterior with a crimson interior.
    I use Skype so I had several pleasant conversations with Sam and I'm happy to recommend these cases to anyone.

  7. #32

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandobar View Post
    Acoustic Music Works is about to get a shipment of Hoffee bullet-shaped mandolin cases. If anyone is interested please contact them.

    Calton North America is no more. Take you chances with Workhorse although I have heard nothing by heartache. I have a small collection of Calton mandolin cases. The cheapest I ever bought a used one was for $350 used. The last case I ordered from a dealer in Canada cost me close to $600 with shipping and another $50 when the state I was living in contacted me two years later and demanded I pay them sales tax plus a fine (which was much larger than the tax amount).

    We'll see when the Hoffee case arrives.
    Having spoken with several people who have been directly involved with the Workhorse owner, I'd be pretty reticent about dealing with them.

  8. #33
    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Bunting View Post
    I fully agree with your comments on the Peg. As to the timing, I must have hit the batch cycle at a better time. My shipping was a little late due to an error on my part, I believe that my delivery time turned out to be about four months. What colour is yours? Mine is a daffodil yellow exterior with a crimson interior.
    I use Skype so I had several pleasant conversations with Sam and I'm happy to recommend these cases to anyone.
    Mine is cream on the outside, and a dark green/purple tartan on the inside. That's a story in itself, and I should probably post a new Pegasus thread here after taking some pix.

    This is the first time I've ever ordered a custom instrument case, in 40-something years of playing various instruments. I've always considered cases just a necessary evil, and I must have 20 cases for various instruments around the house... all black. This time, I decided it wasn't going to be black!

  9. #34

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by f5loar View Post
    Good going on changing the Hoffee mandolin case to a better design to hold some "stuff". Has anyone here gotten one of the new styles yet? I'd love to hear some feedback. I'm thinking of ordering a custom color one myself.
    I just received one of the "new design" teardrop Hoffee mandolin cases. Yes, it was expensive. But, it appears to be just about bulletproof. Plenty of storage, and it fits my Collings MF perfectly. I got it in "silver" (which is actually a pretty deep silver/gray color) with Thinsulate insulation and a red lining. Absolutely top-notch. Jeff Hoffee builds to order, so you have to have a little patience and wait your turn, but the wait was worth it. (Took about 2 months for mine). He is also having custom Colorado Case Covers made for this case (but they haven't arrived yet).

  10. #35

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Steve, can you share a pic or two? with the Collings in it? Please.
    "your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."

  11. #36
    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Do post a photo if you can. And what is thinsulate insulation? Does that cost extra?

  12. #37
    Registered User Rosemary Philips's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Yes, pictures please! Oh, and congratulations on the new case...

  13. #38

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandobar View Post
    Steve, can you share a pic or two? with the Collings in it? Please.
    Sorry folks - feeling a little under the weather and haven't been up to doing much today. I will try to get a couple of pics up this weekend. My photo skills aren't very good, but I will give it a good try!

    Thinsulate is a very thin, very efficient insulation material that is often used in lightweight outdoor clothing, jackets, etc. It can be ordered as an option from Hoffee, and is installed between the outer shell and the liner fabric - you don't even know it's there. The advantage of using Thinsulate is that your instrument will change temperature MUCH more slowly while in the case. So, you don't really have to worry if your instrument ends up sitting on the tarmac in the blazing sun for awhile while the airline folks figure out which airplane to heave it in to. The Hoffee YouTube videos explain it better - just seemed like smart protection to add at a pretty reasonable cost (I think it is an extra $75 or so). Since I was prepared to spend $800 on a case for my instrument to protect it from rough handling, an extra $75 to give it some thermal protection seemed like a good idea to me!

    Steve

  14. #39
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    After doing extensive homework on CF and FG case construction, I decided on the Hiscox, even though I'm not planning to let several men stand on it together. Plenty of storage and not too heavy. After seeing Robin Mark's (Irish guitarist/singer/writer) old, well traveled Hiscox I knew I had chosen well.

    Gotta admit the CF is a beauty queen, but pretty is as pretty does.

  15. #40
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    From f5loar - "I'm still waiting for the "ultimate" mandolin case to be built at a fair price for consumers....." .If you want the very best material that comes with ease of manufacture & total toughness,then you'd go for Polycarbonate sheet for the outer mouldings (top & bottom). Polycarbonate is easily formed by a Vacuum moulding process & a 'finished' thickness of about 2mm would be sufficient for a case. However,the mouldings would flex & would require stiffening.This can be done by moulding stiffening 'ribs' into the top & bottom mouldings & bracing the interior with a rigid,foam. If this is begining to sound like the Hiscox case,then it's for a good reason. Next to Polycarbonate,(the material from which high impact resistant riot sheilds are made),ABS comes pretty close,without the huge cost of PC sheet. Also,in a well set up vac-forming facility,you can turn 'em out like Cornflakes,thus keeping the 'cycle time per unit' & the cost down. ABS is also easy to cut / drill etc. with standard tooling.
    I'm not saying that the Hiscox case is the 'ultimate' case,but it wouldn't need much 'tweaking' to make it so - maybe the outer case changed to PC & for the 'Calton lovers',a shape change.The only other case i'd maybe put in the same class as a PC / ABS moulded case,is one of the Mark Leaf fiberglass type.That would come at a higher cost because of the labour intensive laying up process, & also with a higher weight penalty. My ML Banjo case cost me $500 US back in '92,so what a new one would cost now is anybody's guess,
    Ivan
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  16. #41

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Here are some quick-n-dirty pics of my Hoffee Mandolin case. The color is listed as "silver", but you can see it's a bit darker - almost like a blue/silver/gray - I like it.

    First the exterior - very sleek, and the fit/finish is top notch. All hardware seems to be very sturdy. The padded leather-wrapped handle is very comfortable and seems like it should last a long time. The case looks heavy, but it is actually very light - significantly lighter than an equivalent Calton teardrop-style mandolin case.
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    Next the interior - my Collings MF5 (with ToneGard attached) fits like a glove. Snug, but not too tight. Plenty of clearance for the tuning machines, and room for a strap without crowding anything. I chose red lining, but you can choose from a bunch of other colors on the Hoffee website. The case comes with a nylon shoulder strap/rubber pad that attaches to the D-rings on the case.
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    Even the accessory pocket is plenty big enough - I keep 3 sets of strings, a truss rod wrench, Snark tuner, extra picks, etc. in it, and there is room to spare. Not yet sure how I will deal with humidification next winter - I have an Oasis case humidifier, but I'm just not sure yet where I will put it in the case.
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    Hope this helps if anyone is considering a Hoffee case.

    All the best,
    Steve

  17. #42
    Mandolin Botherer Shelagh Moore's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    It's certainly a beautiful and nicely-designed case and looks very durable. But way too expensive for me so I'll have to stick to my Hiscox for my more demanding travel needs.

  18. #43
    Registered User Rosemary Philips's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    It's just so darn sexy...

  19. #44

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    very nice
    "your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."

  20. #45
    Registered User Jim Roberts's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Bunting View Post
    I'm more than happy with my Pegasus.
    I am not happy with my Pegasus. It is falling apart.

  21. #46
    Registered User Jim Roberts's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Hope this helps if anyone is considering a Hoffee case.

    All the best,
    Steve[/QUOTE]

    Steve...great looking case and stellar looking Collings!

    Thanks for sharing.

  22. #47

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Roberts View Post
    I am not happy with my Pegasus. It is falling apart.
    Sorry to hear this.

  23. #48

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Mike, I have to say, so is mine. I just reglued the lining.
    "your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."

  24. #49
    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Roberts View Post
    I am not happy with my Pegasus. It is falling apart.
    Is it just the lining coming loose? Or something more structural with the case shell or hardware? "Falling apart" sounds kind of dire...

  25. #50

    Default Re: The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

    K
    Quote Originally Posted by Mandobar View Post
    Mike, I have to say, so is mine. I just reglued the lining.
    How old are these? Mine is three years old.

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