Being part of the musical industry, Gianna has the opportunity to see and evaluate many, many styles of stringed
instrument cases. Through this process Gianna has come to look for certain basic features that she feels are the what
makes a case what it should be, something to protect the instrument. Here's the criteria she looks for:
- Suspension. A case that has nice padding on both the top and back of the instrument to literally "suspend" it
within the case. This also prevents rubbed areas in the varnish that results from storage in older cases where the
instrument rattles around inside.
- Accessory compartment placement. Gianna feels the smartest location for the accessory compartment is on
the RIGHT side of the case. This places the accessory compartment lid (not the instrument!) beneath the bow
spinners located inside the lid.... on the right side. There's absolutely nothing worse than an accident where the
case has been compressed and a bow spinner has impacted and cracked the instrument! If you ship your
instrument or travel frequently, this is an important consideration. Or, ask us how to protect your instrument from
bow spinner damage.
- Latch. A good quality latch that lines up well and is easy to operate. "I don't like seeing just velcro to close and
latch the case, it's too easy to fail and fall open." It's that simple.
- Hardware. Feet that are well placed on the case but don't stick out too far. Rounded feet that attach directly to
the wood veneer are best as they don't catch and tear off. Gianna also likes to see solid quality hardware that
promises to last through years of service.
- Shell construction. Gianna is not so particular about shell construction. Anything run over by a car is not going
to fare very well. It's more a matter of personal preference, lightweight hard foam or the slightly heavier wood shell
construction. Both seem to be well made these days.... at least in the line of cases we offer. There's also the
newer fiberglass shells. These are very nice. Though they may show more wear over years of use than the
traditional cordura covers, they look great and work well. Heck, just use a sharpy marker to cover up those marks!
- Covers. It's more a matter of how the cover is styled then anything. Gianna likes to see covers attached with
screws which makes for easy repairs later on in life. Rain flaps are a matter of personal preference, though
Gianna will be the first to say, "snaps are much better than magnets!" when it comes to how the rain flap attaches
to the body of the case. Magnetic snaps tend to grab quickly and make it more of a challenge to get in the case,
but by the same token they "snap" shut, and help to avoid accidents if the case wasn't latched properly before
being picked up. Snaps give you the choice of being open or closed, magnets are always engaged and need to
be dealt with. Covers with a nice fabric trim seem to last longer than those with piping that will crack over time.
- Handles. Gianna likes the simple, single handle preferably covered in leather or faux leather for hand comfort.
Hard plastic handles can cause discomfort if carrying your case a long way. Double fabric handles are a bit more
cumbersome to deal with, but you know you're holding the case shut when you pick it up, thus reducing chances
for accidents.
- Neck Restraints. If a case offers superior suspension it generally won't have a restraint system at the neck,
which is nice on the instrument, but if you're not use to it it'll take some getting use to. Velcro is the most popular
and seems to work well as is easy to use. Some higher quality cases offer leather tie restraints which are a tiny bit
cumbersome to use, but work very nicely. We simply do a simple slip knot (like beginning to tie a shoe) and it
holds in place nicely.
- Blanket. Most cases offer instrument blankets which offer some insulating properties to reduce sudden
temperature changes on the instrument, protect the case interior from rosin (as in bowed strings) and offer some
protection from the bow, spinners, string tubes, hygrometer and other "stuff" inside the case should there be any
sort of accident where things can come loose. Some blankets offer velcro attachments to keep them in place
inside the case; this is a nice feature if you're prone to removing and loosing blankets but otherwise not
necessary. Gianna doesn't particularly like the velcro inside the same area as the instrument as misalignment
could promote rubbing and removal of varnish. High quality blankets are those where the interior padding is sewn
to the edging to hold it in place and prevent "creeping".
- Interior Fabric. Plush: The longer fiber stuff most commonly found in fretted instrument cases. It's thicker pile
is touted as "cradling" the instrument to prevent fabric wear on the finish of the instrument and it may help insulate
it as well. Plush tends to trap odors more easily than other fabrics - which is evident if you spend a lot of time
jamming in a smoky environment. Velour: Less plush than velvet and prone to attract and trap lint. Velour can
be easily cleaned with packing tape wiped on it to pick up any debris. Velvet: By far the most common among
bowed string instrument cases. Stays relatively clean, looks nice and holds up a long time. Easily cleaned with
packing tape or a stiff, clean brush. Sometimes available with a pattern or "crushed", both of which look very nice
and mask minor lint and debris. Silk: An option on some higher end bowed string cases. Long lasting, durable,
gentle on the instrument and very attractive.
Not all cases come with all the desired components. You have to decide what you like and what works for you. These
are just general guidelines that Gianna looks for in a good case.
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