Hard Cases

[wazkelly]

When taking photos to load a post about Bass Gig Bags I was dragging some Basses out of their hard cases and when I realised my J Bass was too fat around the bum to fit into a particular gig bag it made me wonder if it fitted into the other hard case which the MMB4 lives in?

The answer was definitely not, but only 5 mm to 10 mm too much too big in a few places including overall length.

This got me thinking as when looking for a hard case online there are so many to choose from and lots of the sellers imply that theirs will fit 'All F types' or something similar. I can safely say that a J Bass will not fit into an Artist Bass Hard Case. Their website product description states 'Will suit Fender P-bass (or equivalent) ,Fender Jazz Bass, Fender Bass VI, and any shape equivalent. It will also fit a Rickenbacker 4003 / 4003S Bass guitar. It has a accessories compartment inside the case.' If I struggle getting a J Bass to fit inside there is no chance for any Riccy shape.

If a Bass hard case is on your wish list I would suggest checking all relevant measurements before ordering one sight unseen. Maybe when doing initial mock build that could be a good time to write down those measurements to assist with researching which case has the best fit.

6 string electric guitar cases do not seem to be as tight fitting as the bodies are generally smaller than a Bass, with exceptions for odd shapes such as V's, Explorers, Firebird, and some of those angry pointy BC Rich looking ones where a more open large rectangular box seems to be the more common way of housing them. I paid $149 for a genuine Epiphone Explorer Hard Case where they are now currently retailing from $199 discounted down to $159 and there is that much spare space for it to flop around inside, the PIT BULL GUITARS DELUXE GUITAR CASE (FOR FV AND EX STYLE GUITARS) at $109.95 is a better buy. The rest of the PBG hard case stock looks the goods too and worth checking them out.

Cheers, Waz

[Andyxlh]

I have bought 2 of the Pitbull guitar cases for Telecasters and they are outstanding quality and value, I'll be buying a bass one soon. Highly recommend them if they fit your instruments.

[Dedman]

I have 2 pitbull cases arriving today. I can say that the Bass 6 fits in a Pitbull Bass case, I also had the Graveyard in it and for some reason my Jazzmaster didn't fit any other cases so it lived in it for a while. I now have tweed cases for all my Fenders and black pitbull cases for the rest.
I do wish Pitbull could get some different coverings from time to time. GFS do some cool cases but the freight makes them out of the question.

[Marcel]

Not all Strats and Tele's are created equal.

I found a deal and got a couple of real dinky-die Fender original hard cases. One for my Fender Deluxe and a second one just because. The Deluxe fits perfectly, nice and snug and nil flopping about.

But as for the other Fender style guitars that should fit it's surprising on which ones don't. My partscaster Denim and Pearl Tele fits nice, as does my '70's era Ason plywood Strat and that's about it. I have 3 other Strat builds and two Tele builds that cannot be shoehorned into those Fender cases. I can excuse the TLA-12 build due the larger headstock to accommodate for 12 strings but the rest it seems only approximate what they try to be with more headstock or a thicker or longer body girth. Maybe I didn't sand them enough when I built them although 10mm to 20mm is a lot of sanding. Yes all the builds are in some inconvenient way bigger.

One that does have me baffled is though for two partscasters I got the parts (neck and body) through the same suppliers being for the Denim Tele and one of the Strats, the Tele fits yet the Strat doesn't. I'm confused and at a loss, and what makes it worse is the pickups in that particular Strat are worth more than any other individual build has cost me. Sad to say and despite its tone that Strat with its fatter more bulbous Alder body is now a stay at home guitar.

Haven't tried a PBG case. Might be more wriggle room in one of those, not like a Fender original case...

[wazkelly]

Yeah Marcel, that may be just a bit too much sanding to make things fit.
I bought a couple of ABS moulded ones for my 2 Tele's and the Yammy Pacifica fitted which is practically a Strat shape. Might check tonight if the Artist Grungemaster fits as it is an offset shape similar to PBG JMA.

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[DarkMark]

Given the can do nature of the community I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone building their own cases. I expect it wouldn’t be a money saving exercise but I might give it go in the future.

[Dedman]

I did think of it Mark but there is just no way you can make them for any where near what you can buy one for.

[wazkelly]

Not to mention how heavy it may end up.

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[corsair]

I've built 2 cases for weirdly shaped guitars and can attest to both the cost factor, and the weight of a ply/pine case. I used 3 ply for the top and bottom, with 2x1" and 2 x 1/2" for the sides and other framing. A bit of acoustic foam and sheet foam for the padding/shaped internals and some sort of faux-velvet completed the construction. I acquired the case hardware from Cliff Electronics out of Brisbane - highly recommended, by the way! - and covered with some vinyl bought cheaply off eBay...

Monstrously heavy, even without a guitar onboard, but immensely strong; I'd need roadies if I was to use the guitar on tour, eh!!

[wazkelly]

As mentioned earlier today I have a couple of Tele hard cases and wondered if my offset shaped guitar would fit?


The Grungemaster just fits around body section however due to offset shape it is too long with headstock protruding inner foam by 12 mm - 13 mm, therefore you would need at least 20 mm more space in overall length.