New Calton (Austin) opinions?

[Rosemary Philips]

I'm wondering who's got one of the newer Calton cases and what you think of them? The finish and shape are somewhat different from the older ones and I'd like to know people's opinions. Pictures would be cool, too...

Thanks!

[Doug Freeman]

I bought a new one recently and promptly returned it. I was shocked that one of the reputedly best mandolin cases would place the F model rear body point within a quarter inch of the interior hard shell with no insulation whatsoever. The remaining perimeter of the body is otherwise well insulated, and I'm sure if mandolins were sustaining damage from this shortcoming we'd have heard about it--as we have with the F model headstock (the clearance for which has been improved). But still, for the price, it creeps me out. I also didn't love the overwhelming smell of resin and glue--not a quality I want an expensive instrument to take on--though I imagine that would dissipate over time.

[Mark Wilson]

I have a newer one that I bought used. I only have the A5 to put in it so no idea how an F5 fits or not.
Pros:
good looking case - I like the shell
well made - good hardware and materials
my A5 fits fine and snug
latches with rubber boot surrounds seem secure for travel
nice shoulder strap
heavy duty rubber feet on bottom, side, and end for storing standing up
padding and feels extreme in a good way
Cons:
doesn't have much storage - but same as small form cases go
heavy enough not to want for lugging around all day (my Hiscox rectangular case feels lighter)
pricey new
does still have a faint wiff of glue scent (I haven't left the case open at all tho)

So... nice case - but glad I found it on a resell

[AlanN]

I bought a new one recently and promptly returned it. I was shocked that one of the reputedly best mandolin cases would place the F model rear body point within a quarter inch of the interior hard shell with no insulation whatsoever. The remaining perimeter of the body is otherwise well insulated, and I'm sure if mandolins were sustaining damage from this shortcoming we'd have heard about it--as we have with the F model headstock (the clearance for which has been improved). But still, for the price, it creeps me out. I also didn't love the overwhelming smell of resin and glue--not a quality I want an expensive instrument to take on--though I imagine that would dissipate over time.

tsk tsk

That situation would do me in, as well. And how much has the headstock clearance issue been improved? Does the ear touch at all? How far away is the padding/shell?

[Ivan Kelsall]

Over the 10 years or so that i've been a Cafe member,the Calton cases have come if for some criticism for 'fit'. The original UK built ones had the headstock scroll placed too close to the side of the case in that area & consequently a few headstock scrolls were damaged. I think that Calton UK did address that specific problem, & when manufacture transferred to the USA,it was hoped that new tooling would eliminate any such problems of ''too close proximity'' to the case sides - apparently that hasn't been done to everyone's satisfaction as witnessed by the OP here.

IMHO - Calton should have gone for a case with at least 1" of firm padding between 'any part' of the mandolin & the actual case shell. Even my relativley cheap moulded ABS 'Gator' case has more padding in that area than shown in Doug's photo. It's still not as good as i'd like,so if i'm ''playing out'',i put any mandolin in the safest case i own - my 'Travelite'.
In a case as expensive & otherwise excellent,Calton should have added more padding to ensure that no single part of the mandolin is less than 1" away from the case shell.

The Calton company had adequate chance to build a case with protection as good as any - why didn't they ??. The 'similarly' shaped Hoffee cases haven't been criticised in this way.

Were Calton simply afraid of making a case that was too large / heavy ? - maybe. But if Doug's experience is repeated too often, Calton are going to loose reputation & sales.
It's simply a shame that an otherwise excellent case,still exhibits this continued design flaw - IMHO,
Ivan

[HoGo]

I wouldn't fear about the body corner if it was 1/2" from the shell if the grip of the padding was fim enough so the body could not move. There is large area of ribs against the padding the will prevent moving (unless the padding is loose in the first place). Neck is different story, lots of weigth at the end of lever (headstock/tuners) so if case gets dropped it's teh neck that gets most inertia while body that is relatively light and has large areas of contact with case will not move as much.
I would suggest manufacturer to move the body slightly towards bass side, there's no need for almost 2" of padding on the bass side and barely 1/4" of clearance at the point.

[Doug Freeman]

And how much has the headstock clearance issue been improved? Does the ear touch at all? How far away is the padding/shell?

I would suggest manufacturer to move the body slightly towards bass side, there's no need for almost 2" of padding on the bass side and barely 1/4" of clearance at the point.

I'm guessing they shifted the body toward the TREBLE side to give better clearance on the scroll side of the headstock. Here's what that clearance looks like now:

[AlanN]

Well...

Improved? Yes, somewhat. The large scroll appears to not touch the side/padding. Now, however, the small scroll side is compromised, to the point where the uppermost D string tuner appears to actually be a bit imbedded in the cushion. <sigh>

I find this configuration to be flawed. Others may not.

Neither Hoffee nor Leaf cases sport this config. And what I've seen of Pegasus and Presto, they don't either (although I own neither).

[sblock]

I bought a new one recently and promptly returned it. I was shocked that one of the reputedly best mandolin cases would place the F model rear body point within a quarter inch of the interior hard shell with no insulation whatsoever. The remaining perimeter of the body is otherwise well insulated, and I'm sure if mandolins were sustaining damage from this shortcoming we'd have heard about it--as we have with the F model headstock (the clearance for which has been improved). But still, for the price, it creeps me out. I also didn't love the overwhelming smell of resin and glue--not a quality I want an expensive instrument to take on--though I imagine that would dissipate over time.

OK -- So here's my Hoffee case, for comparison purposes, photographed from a similar perspective. Notice that the lower point has much more padding than for the Calton, and that the thickness of the case padding around the tip of the point is roughly equal to the depth of the point itself. The Hoffee case also has better clearance around the fragile headstock scroll, and it doesn't have to place the mandolin body at an angle--thereby compromising the protection of the lower point!--in order to do that. I'd argue that the Hoffee case offers better overall protection than the latest version of the Calton, and with seemingly fewer compromises -- although the hinge/latch protection on the new Calton cases seems vastly superior! I don't understand why the shapes of Calton cases have only had comparatively minor tweaks, rather than major upgrades, over a very long time. Perhaps no one in the company wants to tackle the prospect of re-making those fiberglass molds? That's a pity, because they have not managed to keep up with several aspects of the competition, in my opinion. In its day, the Calton was the top case. Perhaps that's no longer true?

[fatt-dad]

I received the only Gilchrist I've ever bought in a Calton. It was damaged in transit, double wrapped in packing bubbles.

Sure, the box must have fallen from the airplane. Problem was, the movement of the mandolin in the case allowed the foam to compress and the mandolin slid from inertia. During such movement, the back plate (up by the neck) hit the underlayment of the accessory pocket.

I'd never buy a Calton as long as you can feel the underlayment of the accessory pocket at a higher elevation than the overall case.

Now this may or may not make any sense, but it led to a large damage claim that wouldn't have realized if only. . .

f-d

[jmkatcher]

I bought a new Calton (Austin) as the home for my Ellis A5 Special. Fit and finish are very nice and the hardware if anything is nicer than my older Canadian Calton in which my Rigel G110 lives happily. My only quibble, which was a surprise, is that the inside storage has been significantly reduced, enough not to be very useful. To the limited degree there was a glue smell, it dissipated very quickly and now doesn't smell at all.

[AlanN]

That was indeed a plus, the generous under-the-neck stuff box. Too bad. And I always liked the neck cradle/support in the older Caltons.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I had a look at my Weber in my 'Gator' case yesterday to reassure myself that it fitted as i'd said in my last post. The 'fit' at the lower body point is exactly as shown in 'sblock's' photo.

I know that they're a fairly inexpensive case,but does 'padding' get better than in a Travelite case ?. It's 'firm' & as such,supports the mandolin,however,it's still soft enough to cushion a fall,
Ivan
Cafe member Ron McMillan's ''mystery'' mandolin in it's Travelite.

[Rosemary Philips]

Is the inside storage compartment big enough to hold a set of strings?

[jmkatcher]

That would depend on your package of strings. Definitely not the standard square pack of J74s though.

[George R. Lane]

I have my Weber Yellowstone in a Travelite for 7 years now, no problems at all. The storage compartment has plenty of room for strings, a tuner and a few small items. I think for the money it can't be beat.

[AlanN]

That would depend on your package of strings. Definitely not the standard square pack of J74s though.

This, frankly, is just unbelievable.

[jmkatcher]

This, frankly, is just unbelievable.

Unbelievable as in pitiful (yes, I agree) or as in, "that's not so"? That's not to say it's not a well-made, protective and attractive case - it very much is.

But, the older Calton - I have one too - storage has plenty of room for strings by comparison.

[AlanN]

Unbelievable as in pitiful

This

or perhaps

wrong
poor
crazy

[Rosemary Philips]

This

or perhaps

wrong
poor
crazy

...and bizarre.