Light case suggestions for Traveler or other pancakes

[Jim MacDaniel]

Wow, that Breedlove case couldn't fit these mandolins any better -- and Tom's "mystery wood" mandolin is turning out great!

(BTW, someone just posted one of those Concord adjustable cases in the classifieds for half the price of a new one: http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/...uery=retrieval)

[Jim MacDaniel]

moderator -- please remove duplicate post (due to flaky ISP issues this AM)

[Jim MacDaniel]

(moderator -- please remove triplicate post)

[pjlama]

I have a couple of shaped travelight style cases that fit pancakes (I think) that I was going to put in the classifieds today. PM me you dimensions and I'll measure them. One is new the other used, I bought one for an impending A and one came with an A but they don't fit and look perfect for a pancake.

[pjlama]

I'm not so sure now, I just measured it against the Redline dimensions on the first page and it's not a perfect fit but I'd rather try putting an Army Navy in there and see if she goes.

[Steevarino]

Hi PJ and all --

Yeah, I think either here, or there, or somewhere, someone mentioned that the Travelite was not a good fit for these Travelers. Too bad, really, as the names sort of match...

Not to over-complicate this case/gig bag thing, but I just got 4 cases in today that seem to be another fine option. As mentioned above, I was working with the nice folks over at Access about a case similar to the one that Breedlove used to use, and I noticed these Stage 3 mandolin gig bags. Anyway, they just came in, I put a Traveler in, and once again, a perfect fit!

I'll put some pictures at the bottom of this post. The retail price on these is $109. I'll be selling them for $75, or for a smaller upgrade price if ordered with one of my mandolins. They seem to be real nice gig bags. Not as compact as the Alpine Boulder mando. bags I carry, but they do offer good protection of the instrument, along with plenty of storage space, with handles, straps, and stashes all over the place.

Steve Smith
www.CumberlandAcoustic.com
www.RedLineReso.com

[Jill McAuley]

I've been looking on ebay for those Breedlove cases and can't seem to find them - did a search for both "Breedlove" and "Mandolin cases" - for you guys who've purchased them, how did you find them there? I also did a search for one of the dealers, Music Warehouse USA as listed by a previous poster, and came up blank there too. Any help greatly appreciated....

Cheers,
Jill

[Jim MacDaniel]

I think I found it here.

[Jill McAuley]

Thanks a million Jim, you're a star! I swear I looked thru every single mandolin related listing on ebay today and couldn't find that one! Just pulled the trigger on one of those cases a minute ago - as a pancake fan I just couldn't pass it up!

Cheers,
Jill

[Jim MacDaniel]

I just received a Pro-Tec Pro Pac case I ordered from Ted's team at Dietz's Music, and it works out well for the Traveler. Thanks to the padding insert below the tailpiece, and the padding in the lid above the tailpiece and neck, the mandolin is nicely cradled with the lid closed. It is a pretty sturdy case for a light case, but it is a little bulkier and heavier than I expected, and its weight seems to be somewhere between a Travellite and a conventional HSC. It doesn't fit it like a glove, as does the Breedlove HSC in the above pics, but it has tons of room for storage in the outside pocket, as well as in the interior gear compartment and in various nooks and crannies inside the case.

Comparing it against the Breedlove case, the Breedlove case has a smaller footprint, and its padding is a better fit for the Traveler; but the Pro Pac has way more room for storage, and I suspect is slightly lighter.

[Steevarino]

Hey Jim,

That looks like a fine case. Your mention of weight caused me to reach for my shipping scale, and since I have two of the cases we have been discussing, here is how they weigh out...

The Access case that Tom bought as Breedlove old stock (the flat-top hard shell case) weighs in at 6 lbs. 3 oz. and the Access Stage 3 soft case, or I guess gig bag, weighs in at 4 lb. 6 oz.

What the heck, while I was at it, I just went ahead and also weighed the Boulder Alpine gig bag, which tips the scale right at two pounds even.

There you have it, pound for pound, some of the best protection around.

Steve Smith
www.CumberlandAcoustic.com
www.RedLineReso.com

[Jim MacDaniel]

I just weighed my Pro-Tec, and it weighs in at 6 lbs 14-1/2 oz -- so I guess I can no longer call it a "light case", since the Access/Breedlove HSC weighs less.

[LVH]

how much does a calton weigh?

[Jill McAuley]

Well my Breedlove case arrived today. I'm quite pleased with it, definitely provides a nice snug fit for pancake type mandolins. My Flatiron 2M fit in it perfectly. I don't actually have another mandolin to live in it yet (the 2M came with it's original case) so this one will either be back up to my 2M's case, home to another pancake type mandolin, or possibly home to an actual Breedlove (I have my eye on a Quartz OF at the moment - played it this weekend and was really impressed...). I have a feeling these cases may have been dumped by Breedlove as "seconds" - some of the glue attaching the lining/foam padding was either under-applied in some spots or sloppily applied in others. Maybe it's just my particular case, who knows. By and large I still feel like it's a quality case and I'm sure I'll get good use out of it, one way or another.

Cheers,
Jill

[Jim MacDaniel]

Good news Jill -- I think I may end up ordering one of those as well, although I am trying to find padding inserts to customize the ProTec to my Traveler.

how much does a calton weigh?

Not sure about the Calton, but I understand the Bobelock shaped fiberglass case weighs in at about 6-1/2 lbs.

[Steevarino]

I was real impressed with the Breedlove case Tom sent me. I didn't notice any flaws on this particular case, only a little bit of the flat black paint had flaked off of the Breedlove badge they had attached to the case. It could probably be fixed with a Sharpie pen.

Since I had heard that Breedlove switched from this style case to one with an arched top, I called them to see if they had, and would be interested in selling old stock. The lady I talked to said they were all gone.

Then, I got back with the Access people, to see if they would make this exact case for me, except maybe with a cool Red Line badge on it. They said that they would be glad to, but I would have to order at least 100 cases. Not out of my range of thought, but a bit past my range of reality at the moment, as this purchase would involve many thousands of dollars.

Luke -- It was a pleasure meeting you at SPBGMA. I have a Calton case at home, but I keep forgetting to bring it to the shop, or bring my scale home to weigh it for you. I'll get that weight to you soon, though, if my scale goes that high!

Jill -- A Red Line Traveler would fit quite nicely in that new case...!

[Jim MacDaniel]

Steve -- would Access sell you a smaller quantity of those cases without the Red Line badge? (If so, maybe you could have someone create the badges for you elsewhere or locally, and then you could add them after you receive the the cases?)

[Steevarino]

Hi Jim --

BADGES..?
We ain't got no BADGES.
We don't need no BADGES.
We don't got to show you no STINKING BADGES!!!

(Sorry, couldn't help myself there)

Good idea, but they threw the 100 minimum on me before we even talked about badges. Actually, they started talking about a full container at first, as this sort of thing comes from Over There, you know. Actually, I could live without the badge. Either way, what they did at Breedlove was to commit to a large number, and have so many sent every once in a while. These Traveler's are selling quite briskly, but not fast enough for me to commit to a huge amount of these cases.

Speaking of cases, Travelers, and such, here's a shot of one that I sent on its way yesterday, snug-as-a-bug in its new, recycled Breedlove case...

[Jill McAuley]

Steve,
I agree - a Redline Traveler would look good in my new Breedlove case! Just sent you an email with a color scheme idea....

Cheers,
Jill

[Jim MacDaniel]

I still have not found the perfect light case for these mandolins, but Mickey Cochran is selling the Breedlove cases on eBay now from his old Folk of the Wood stock for only $39.95 plus $15 S&H, so I just ordered one. (I purchased it via auction # 130291541733, but Mickey indicated he still has 5 left, so I suspect he will be posting another such auction now that I bought the single one he had listed.)

I'll still keep working on a light case option, and will keep you posted if I am successful. I suspect I may end up going with a dart/arrow shaped viola case if I can find one that provides a decent fit. (Sometime when I have a day to kill, I plan to make the rounds at the local violin shops to see what I can find.)

[Nate]

I still plan to put some pictures up of my mandolin-banjo in the Breedlove case, but I had to order a USB cord.

[Jill McAuley]

Wow, what a deal on that Breedlove case - well done!

Cheers,
Jill

[Jim MacDaniel]

For that price I couldn't pass it up, and though it has less storage than my Pro Tec, it weighs a little less than the Pro Tec, and has a much smaller profile.

[Jim MacDaniel]

Epilogue:

As mentioned earlier in this thread, the Breedlove case was a perfect fit for my Traveler, as in the first pic below. After getting the case, I did a little cutom work on it: I flipped the Breedlove badge over, discovering that it was brass plated on the back as well, so I asked Steve to send me a Redline headstock decal, which I affixed to the badge, and then sprayed a few coats of clearcoat on top to protect it -- so now I have the world's first Redline badged mandolin case!...

[Steevarino]

Jim! That is awesome!! You did it pretty fast too. It seems that I just sent you that decal a couple of days ago.

Hey Jill, do you want me to try doing that on your case too? (Jill bought a case just like this and sent it to me to put her new RedLine Gold Top Traveler in).