New Crafter owner hoping for some help from Ovation owners

[roxynoodle]

Hi folks,
I have been reading your forum quite a bit over the past few months. I'm a 37 year guitar player who has been dabbling (badly) with mandolin on and off for the past 15 years or so. Mandolin 1 is a no name A style that appears to be an unbranded Rogue. I know, awful, but it helped me learn some things and to decide I wanted to continue. And I learned how to set up and intonate a mando on it.

Someday I hope to have a nicer F style classic type wood mandolin, but in the meantime...

I wanted something with electronics that wasn't expensive. And I bought a Crafter M80E (I think). I received it yesterday and am very much enjoying it. It has a bubinga top and several small sound holes like an Ovation. Also the composite bowl back. I do have an Ovation guitar and have always enjoyed it, especially amplified.

And now we come to my question that I am hoping Ovation owners can help me with. Neither Crafter nor Tyler Mountain make cases for these Crafter mandolins anymore. I have no idea if this will fit in the Ovation case or not because I can't find any dimensions for the Ovation mandolin, nor the inside of the case. I am hoping a kind person here can help me with the dimensions I would need to know. I am thinking I need:

1. Both lower and upper bout widths
2. Length of body
3. Waist (between bouts) width
4. Length from bottom to middle of waist
5. Overall length

If the case can't fit then I think my options are to either make a case for it, or to find a used Ovation case that I don't mind reworking.

[Jon Hall]

Depending on your budget, you could find a Reunion Blues case that will accommodate your Crafter. I've had a couple of students that played Crafter mandolins. They were good instruments.

[MikeEdgerton]

How about posting a picture of your mandolin with the dimensions. There are some options for non F and A style shapes.

[roxynoodle]

I'll take some pics. All I know right now is what the seller posted the measurements as, which is not a complete list:

Lower bout 11.75"
Upper bout 9"
Depth 4"

Oh and I found a label inside that says it's an M85E.

I will check all measurements and take pics.

[roxynoodle]

Measurements and photos

Body length164019

Total length

164018

Lower bout width

164020

[roxynoodle]

More

Upper bout width

164021

Waist

164022

Length from bottom to waist

164023

[roxynoodle]

Whole mandolin although the lighting makes the top look strange.

164024

[roxynoodle]

It looks like my text and pics are reversed on my first pic post. Total length is 27 inches and body length is 13 inches.

[Chief]

I have an Ovation that came with a heavily padded gig bag. I would think that if you found a fairly large padded gig bag at Elderly, your Crafter would fit. You could call them and give your measurements, and they would find one for you. They're really good that way.

[Dave Bradford]

I'll take some pics. All I know right now is what the seller posted the measurements as, which is not a complete list:

Lower bout 11.75"
Upper bout 9"
Depth 4"

Oh and I found a label inside that says it's an M85E.

I will check all measurements and take pics.

Hi, I have some Ovation Mandolins and based on your measurements, I think the Crafter might be too large. Some approximate measurements of the Ovation are:

Lower bout 10.5"
Upper bout 7.5"
Depth 3.5"

If you are handy, the Ovation case could work if you are able to do some custom fitting and modifications if you need them. They make very durable cases so it would be a good starting point. The total length of 27” and body length of 13” are the same as your Crafter, but you also have to take into consideration that the heel extends from the body which might require additional mods. (I had a Crafter Mandolin for many years and it was my main camping and travel mandolin and I used a gigbag with it before I sold it and moved to the Ovations.)

[roxynoodle]

Thanks, guys. I would rather not do a gig bag because my cats climb on them. They are still kind of kittens.

I'm a good carpenter so I will make a hard case. Thanks though for checking for me on the measurements so I know the Ovation case doesn't work. I'm quite sure building one will cost the same so was hoping I could just buy one :)

[roxynoodle]

Hi, I have some Ovation Mandolins and based on your measurements, I think the Crafter might be too large. Some approximate measurements of the Ovation are:

Lower bout 10.5"
Upper bout 7.5"
Depth 3.5"

If you are handy, the Ovation case could work if you are able to do some custom fitting and modifications if you need them. They make very durable cases so it would be a good starting point. The total length of 27” and body length of 13” are the same as your Crafter, but you also have to take into consideration that the heel extends from the body which might require additional mods. (I had a Crafter Mandolin for many years and it was my main camping and travel mandolin and I used a gigbag with it before I sold it and moved to the Ovations.)

Do you think I can make the depth? If so then yes, I could rework one by removing the liner in the bottom part, cutting the foam to size for my Crafter and relining the case.

[MikeEdgerton]

I was thinking that the hard shell case I bought for my Kala U-Bass might fit but it's about a quarter inch shy on the width. Look for a square mandolin case that isn't form fitting. There are also some guitar shaped mandolin cases that pop up now and agaian. I don't know about the depth of those.

[MikeEdgerton]

This (https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Tone-HDMI23-MicroBass-Hardshell/dp/B00T9VO1GK) is the case for a Goldtone M-bass. Has anyone got the dimensions?

[MikeEdgerton]

Check your dimensions against this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Mandolin-F5-A5-Case-Mint-Key-lock-99-shipping-in/202179749555?hash=item2f12da26b3:g:UJYAAOSw409ZxXJ n

[MikeEdgerton]

Here's one of the mandolins in the case. You know what the original looks like now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CRAFTER-M70E-electric-acoustic-Mandolin-with-hard-case-comparable-to-Ovation/272994315373?hash=item3f8fbaac6d:g:ffAAAOSwED5ZyTd E

[Dave Bradford]

Do you think I can make the depth? If so then yes, I could rework one by removing the liner in the bottom part, cutting the foam to size for my Crafter and relining the case.

I would think so since the depth that I measured included the height with the bridge and fingerboard, and there is good padding on top and bottom of the case. Since it is not a wood back, there is less concern than with a wood one.

[roxynoodle]

Here's one of the mandolins in the case. You know what the original looks like now.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CRAFTER-M70E-electric-acoustic-Mandolin-with-hard-case-comparable-to-Ovation/272994315373?hash=item3f8fbaac6d:g:ffAAAOSwED5ZyTd E

I thought about buying that one! His case is the one that Crafter used to make. I asked him some questions about the mando and case.

[roxynoodle]

Check your dimensions against this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Mandolin-F5-A5-Case-Mint-Key-lock-99-shipping-in/202179749555?hash=item2f12da26b3:g:UJYAAOSw409ZxXJ n

One inch shy on the top bout and no extra room to work with it from what it looks like on the inside, but it sure looks like a nice case.

[PhilUSAFRet]

I just ordered this one for my Crafter after much, much research: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Guardian-CG-100-M-Padded-Mandolin-Gig-Bag-for-F-A-body-New/141833407859?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649