Cases

[liestman]

Ivan - No, the Sobell case I have ('77 vintage) has a seal on the bottom part of the case that is an h shape and is clearly rubber. The top part is a U shape that I THINK is shiny silver colored plastic, like really thick mylar. It is not aluminum (it is more flexible and super shiny). I will shoot a pic later. Both halves of the seal are flexible.

I actually make light weight flight type cases for pipes of various sorts using the extruded aluminum / case maker stuff similar to what you show on the link. Great stuff for making custom cases that don't weigh a ton if you can go with rectangular and do NOT intend to use it as an ATA aircraft baggage case.

[Steve Ostrander]

I think that once you build a case yourself, a good quality manufactured case will seem a bargain.

[mandroid]

Hard plastic foam (Builder's supply) was used to make the case for the Mandola, the Builder made .

Plush lined, integral zipper cover, I has garment zipper replaced with a #10 YKK coil zipper << highly recommended.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi John - It sounds very much like a plastic extrusion then. If that's the case(?),then when you come to form it to shape,maybe hot water or a lady's hair dryer could provide enough heat. Plastics like that usually don't require a great deal of heat as they'd distort & loose their cross sectional shape.
Maybe something on here ? :- https://www.flightcasefittings.co.uk...xtrusions.html
Ivan

[liestman]

Ivan, I think you are right. Probably a plastic extrusion was used - not the one from that link (I buy stuff from them already) but something similar. Thanks!

[Mandobart]

Check out this case candy and this by Tom Jessen. I have three custom instruments he built with accompanying custom cases. Yes they're heavy but very protective, and add a big coolness factor. I've had more than a few audience members who come up to see the case and then stay for the music.

[Timbofood]

Making a case would not be too miserable if you were driven.
People ask me if it's harder to play a mandolin than a guitar or banjo, my answer is much like this case thread.
If you WANT to, it's not any harder, just different!

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Timothy - "If you WANT to...". The answer to all the '' Can i ? '' questions !!. If you want to do something 'enough', you'll find a way,just like we all have to one degree or another.

I told myself many years back,that i didn't need to become another 'John Reischman' to enjoy playing a mandolin - however,i only told myself that because i know that as long as my ass point's South,i'll never be as good as John Reichman - but i still try. My wife says that i'm very trying,
Ivan

[William Smith]

I do know back in the golden years of Gibson, the case was extra cash, Gibson mandolins etc.. did not come with cases they cost extra cash..and some were not cheap back then such as the Geib rectangular cases that we vintage Gibson guys are after. I know there not cheap today if you CAN find one for sale. I luckily found one for my 36 Fern F-5, a rectangular Geib from a year later thats in almost perfect shape! but I believe it would've been the same case that you could've bought with it at the time in 1936. Its the same interior color as others I've seen. I paid 3500 for just the case. Some people would say thats nuts but hey try and find one that someone would even consider selling! Good luck. A lot of original F-5's came with a shaped Geib case cause they were a lot cheaper at that time in history. So I didn't hesitate when I found the rectangular vintage case, I know it housed a 37 F-5 and the guy kept the case when he let the F-5 flowerpot go. So someone out there I have your case, sell I won't!
But to me the best cases that are made if you want the vintage vibe is Paganoni cases all the way!, Not cheap but very Kool

[Timbofood]

Thanks Ivan, that's exactly the thought behind my statement. I wanted to learn how to play the banjo then I realized I really wanted to learn to play the mandolin. Playing the mandolin was a challenge and always will be. The reward in it is the learning.
Building cases might be fun but, I'm not interested enough to start doing it. Maybe one day when you guys send me my new mandolin, I will make a double case, my brother is really good at that kind of challenge, we shall see when the mandolin arrives!
My birthday is in August!

[liestman]

Back to the original question, this guy's personality is a bit much for me before coffee but I think his videos on making a custom form fit case that looks like a typical professional case are really good. Of course you have to design your own shape and size but the techniques are all there. (Mind you there are 7 videos - quite detailed.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce5AfQTEuE0

[Ivan Kelsall]

This design was pretty much the 'norm' way back in the Folk music era & i saw several. It must have been like hauling 6 guitars around. Home made from plywood,they were very heavy,
Ivan

[Dr H]

Dr H, please come over to the Facebook Vintage Case group and we'll be glad to share all the case building tips and tricks we know.

Steve

Heh, I should have know there was a whole group dedicated to cases, somewhere on the internet.
Thanks for the invitation, Steve. If I ever decided to do Facebook, I'll look you guys up.

[Loudloar]

Heh, I should have know there was a whole group dedicated to cases, somewhere on the internet. Thanks for the invitation, Steve. If I ever decided to do Facebook, I'll look you guys up.

It's possible to join Facebook just for one purpose such as the Vintage Case group, and not participate in all the other nonsense. You need an email address to sign up, and you could even get a separate email address just for this purpose. (Hotmail, etc.) You don't even have to use your real name. Then don't add any "friends" to your account. Just join the Vintage Case group only. Then the only posts that will show up will be those about cases.

Steve