Re-sizing a Calton case?

[sidmando]

Does anyone have experience with reupholstering or re-sizing a Calton case? I have a beautiful Calton that is made for a Martin dreadnought and would like to use it for my J-45, but it doesn't quite fit. Given how hard it is these days to buy a new Calton, I would like to see if there's anyway to adjust the one I've got. Any advice or information would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Ivan Kelsall]

The Calton cases are beautifully made,inside & out. Personally,i'd give a great deal of thought to maybe finding a good furniture upholsterer who could do the job for you,or you might end up damaging a top quality case. I get the impression that the J-45 is too large ?. If it were smaller,then you could simply put some extra padding in. If it means removing the lining to get the extra room,then consider the fact that the protection might suffer to a degree. It might be time to sell the Calton & buy another case suitable for the J-45.I know that the Hiscox cases don't look as glamorous as a Calton,but their 'Artist' range of cases is superb,& you can get them in an 'Ivory' colour as well as black. Bottom line - if you can find somebody skilled enough to do the job,get it done,but don't ruin a good case that has a value now,but might not if a DIY job goes wrong,
Ivan
87780 Picture courtesy of Cafe member 'Almeirastrings'

[mtucker]

i'd give a great deal of thought to maybe finding a good furniture upholsterer who could do the job for you

good idea...i'd probably go the car interior route, however. ... knoxville has a fairly active car scene/culture, so i'd ask some of the car guys like Bobby Alloway or custom car shops around there about good auto upholsterers. They do custom sculpting with foam etc all day long.

[Loudloar]

Ivan,

This should be entirely doable. As you know, the Calton shell will accommodate either a dreadnaught or jumbo. It should be a matter of pulling out the padding around the sides, re-cutting the foam, and gluing it back. The trick is cutting the opening the right size. You want the guitar snug but not so tight you have to push hard to get it in the case. Insist on water-based contact cement, as solvent-based contact cement can destroy finishes.

Steve

[mikeyes]

I resized a five string case to fit a tenor banjo (keeping the same length of the case.) The main task was moving the neck support towards the pot to fit the shorter tenor neck and support it properly. It is a little longer than a Calton tenor case but still worth $400 or so used to a five string player. It was very doable and I filled in the empty spot with the foam that I had to move. I used Bondo with the short fiberglass fibers to reglue the box and to strengthen any weak spots. If you have to move the neck support you can do it easily.

I also filled the space between the headstock and the bottom of the case with packing bubbles to soften any sudden blow that could break the headstock. The case weighs a ton now but I am confident when I travel.

A little travel hint, the TSA allows passengers to carry on instruments so I always carry my 35 lb banjo/case through security and then gate check it if I have to. Very often they will put it in a closet rather than gate check but I bypass the conveyor belt and nasty gorillas in the process. The instrument has never been handled badly (so far) this way and I don't pay an extra baggage charge.

Mike Keyes

[sidmando]

Thanks, everyone, for the comments. Ivan, you hit the nail on the head in terms of the risk of damaging the value of a case that I could easily sell as-is for $700-800. The thing is, I absolutely love the colors of the case I've got, and it's in virtually mint condition. I would hate to damage it, but I would also be bummed to just sell it and then have to settle for a case I don't like the look of as much. I think the idea of going to a professional reupholsterer sounds like the most promising route.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Sidmando - I'm terrific at stating the screaming obvious !. I'd have exactly the same dilema if it was my case.In the past i've had my share of botched DIY bits & pieces,too many to think that i can personally do 'everything' that it takes my fancy to do.Seek out a good upholsterer -but - as Steve (Loudloar) mentions,don't allow 'whoever' to use 'solvent' based adhesives.Even the fumes from that type of adhesive can have an horrific effect on an instrument's finish over time. 'Water based' is IT !.
Keep us posted,
Ivan;)

[Steve G]

I wanted to do the same thing. I have a '59 J45 and it's too wide at the bout for a Calton dread. No way to change that. I got it in but there's no way it would close even if reupholstered. Just too wide.

[Ivan Kelsall]

It is a dilemma for folks that have super cases like the Calton if they buy a new instrument that won't fit.Ultimately,which is more important,the case or the instrument - it has to be the instrument. I used to own one of the best banjo cases ever made,a Mark Leaf case that i bought in Owensboro back in '92. When i began to suffer with chronic back pain & it became too heavy (31lbs with my banjo) to haul around too much,i had to sell it & buy a much lighter case. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet & make a decision that you don't want to,but it's for the good of your instrument in this case (or my back in my case).Personally,i'd go for an Ivory coloured top flight Hiscox case suited specifically for a J-45. Hiscox will tell you which case is suitable if you contact them.On the other hand,you could contact Calton in the UK & ask if they make a case fitted for a J-45.If so you could no doubt sell your case & go for another Calton,but you'd be paying the import duty & tax on it (as we all have to do), & that would stump up the price by quite a bit. A hard decision to make,:(
Ivan

[barrymac]

Just joined this site and saw your inquiry. I have a Calton made to fit a J-45/50 but have a Martin dreadnought (the reverse of your situation) and the Martin is loose-fitting in the case. I emailed Keith Calton (UK) with this question and he said it can be done but advised against taking it to the unlicensed Canadian company (Workhorse Cases). I WILL NOT take my case to anyone but Calton and hopefully a North American franchise will not be far off. Interested in a trade?

[jim simpson]

If you want to make your guitar fit better without permanently modifying your case, you might try this: make a template of the areas that need filled, transfer that to some medium density foam and cut the foam to the shape of the template x the depth of the case. Do a dry fit to see if the inserts do the job then have covers sewn to cover the inserts. You might be able to sew hook velcro on the side of the inserts so they stay in place in the case. This would preserve the case and be reversable.