Case Question

[mandoman15]

i just got a brand new sammick bowlback mandolin case from lark in the morning which as far a cheap cases are concerned really well made. BUT the top has to be forced (and when i say forced, i mean slight -to- medium pressure) the top already has some old cracks in it but i'm afraid of closing the case. The bowl fits fine, and so does the neck but the case dosen't compensate for the headstock angle, so the neck is too high. unfortunately i cant tell if the case is crushing the top or if it's just bending the neck away from the body, or if the headstock is being bent the wrong way... what should i do. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Jim Garber]

Was that the $60 case they sell? Most of my vintage bowlbacks fit fine in there, in fact there is too much room usually and I put some cloths in so they don't rattle around.

What instrument are you putting in there?

Jim

[Bob A]

Yeah, a washcloth or something under the bowl will fix the angle and give you something to wipe strings etc with if necessary.

[Martin Jonas]

What Jim and Bob said: these cases are made for fairly large Korean instruments. Most old bowlbacks are smaller and if anything are too loose in there. I agree with Bob that your problem can probably be resolved by putting a folded cloth underneath the bowl. This will lift the bowl and thereby lower the headstock when the instrument rests in the case. One of my bowlbacks will also have the headstock sticking up without a cloth but is fine with it.

Martin