Case question for Pava / Ellis A-style mandolin owners

[jljohn]

For those of you out there that own a Pava or Ellis A-style mandolin: Do any of you store you mandolin with a Tone-Gard on it in a TKL Case ( either the Prestige: http://www.guitarcenter.com/TKL/Pres...75776905593.gc or the LTD: https://www.elderly.com/accessories/...dolin-case.htm )? If so, does it fit ok without any undo pressure on the Bridge?

Basically, I have a Pava in a Hiscox case, but I'm thinking I'd like a smaller case. It came with a white Superior case, which I didn't care for and sold, and I believe that Tom and Pava have supplied TKL cases in the past, so I'm curious about the fit.

If you used a Tone-Gard and don't use a TKL case, what are you using (in the small case department) that you like?

Thanks so much!

jljohn

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

If I remember correctly, the TKL case is actually a tad big for the Pava, so there's some room inside the case (both in length and width) to accommodate a Tone Guard. And though I had never tried it before, I would expect some clearance on the top for the tone guard to fit as well. I no longer have a TKL case; otherwise I'd test it out and let you know.

On the other hand, I wouldn't recommend leaving the Tone Guard on when using a Superior case (A or F style) or a Travelite case. The Pava fits snug in all of those in my experience.

[Ivan Kelsall]

My Ellis "A" style is housed in a Travelite case,in which it fits perfectly. Whether it would fit if it had a Tone-Gard attached i don't know,i don't need a Tone-Gard anyway,but the sides of a Travelite do have a degree of 'give' in them - so................ !,
Ivan

[5bassman]

I recently received a brand new Pava number 225 with the TKL case. I was curious too so I tried it with my Tone gard and it fits fine. This isn't the case with my Collings MT and the TKL (Collings) case that it came with. It's snug with the MT alone. The weird thing is is that the Tone gard is snug fitting on the Pava but a little loose on the Collings. Seems the Pava body is a tad bigger.

[Canoedad]

I have a Pava in a custom fitted Calton. I did not have the Calton made to keep a Tone Gard on because I didn't use one at the time. But it fits just fine with the TG and I keep it on.

[jljohn]

Thanks all,

I just found a gently used TKL LTD, so I'll report back after receiving it. Hopefully it fits well.


5bassman,

I actually had to get the larger Tone-Gard ("Vintage-Gard") for the Pava for it to fit right. The smaller, more typical, one wouldn't fit.

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

I just found a gently used TKL LTD, so I'll report back after receiving it.

Good score. keep us posted.

Seems the Pava body is a tad bigger.

The Pava does have a slightly larger body than an MT, a Northfield M, and a Flatiron A5 . I think that's how it got its slightly deeper voice in comparison.

[Stop]

I find the Ellis A5 is a slightly tight fit in a standard 'TKL Collings ' I have...at least mine is. I prefer a nice n' easy slide in to it's less robust but original Superior.

[pheffernan]

The Pava does have a slightly larger body than an MT, a Northfield M, and a Flatiron A5 . I think that's how it got its slightly deeper voice in comparison.

I think that Ellis shop A5's were patterned off of one of Tom's old Gibson A-styles. I know that on my old Pava, I found the VintageGard a better fit than the SunriseGard.

[jmkatcher]

I find the Ellis A5 is a slightly tight fit in a standard 'TKL Collings ' I have...at least mine is. I prefer a nice n' easy slide in to it's less robust but original Superior.

My newish Ellis A5 is also a slightly tight fit in a TKL Collings. Also in a newer, non-custom, F5 Calton.