ESB-4 Cases

[McCreed]

I had to "customise" a case for my PRS-1TS kit build. Because of the angled headstock, it didn't sit in a standard rectangular strat case without putting too much pressure on the headstock/neck.

I was able re-position some of the factory padding as well as adding some extra foam and now it sits comfortably and safely in the case.
I also got some black faux fur to cover the foam, and you wouldn't notice it without a close inspection. It looks like a bought one!

[fender3x]

I also got some black faux fur to cover the foam, and you wouldn't notice it without a close inspection. It looks like a bought one!

That's great...It's sort of what I want to do with the Italian case in the shelf pic if I ever finish my strat-tele hybrid. Hmmm.... going to have to shop for some grey fur...

[JimC]

I feel a little bad that I did not build the case.

I've built a few instrument cases this last coupla years. Also modified the internals of a couple of guitar cases. The one for my Ibanez acoustic that's doubling for my ESB got a load of extra padding in the bottom because it was far too deep for the Ibanez. I would have liked to make it shallower, but when I considered the job I decided it was too hard. Happily there was enough soft padding that the ESB doesn't rattle about either, so once I'd modded the guitar to fit the case I didn't have to mod the case again.

I reckon guitar cases really are kinda boring and unsatisfying, and spraying up furry fabric with aerosol impact adhesive is messy and irritating. Also the glue and stuff is expensive and it seems like a lot of money for no saving. The only one that was kinda interesting was a case for my concertina... But also a pain in a different way because six sided... But the thing that really puts me off guitar cases are they are so damn big.

[Simon Barden]

..and heavy, if you make them from plywood or similar. I don't use the wooden Fender case my Dave Gilmour Strat came in because it weighs about 3x the weight of the guitar, so it resides in a nice lightweight ABS one.

[fender3x]

I would never have guessed that was a concertina case!

Simon, that made me curious, so I just weighed the box cases on the shelf in the pic with the new ABS case. The Italian "strat" case is reasonably light at 10.5 lbs, but it is much smaller than the new case, and has next to no padding in it at all. Fortunately there is a bit of room inside so I'll be able to add padding pretty easily.

The Fender case is another story. Funny how I thought it was so cool when I was in my late teens...rectangular, orange fur, Fender logo....but today I'd never buy it. It weighs 14.5 lbs. It is just barely long enough for the Precision it came with (if you don't mind the end of the headstock bumping up against the end of the case). There is hardly any padding. Nothing at all where the bass touches the sides or the headstock touches the end. And it's too short for my FrankenJazz bass.

So, thanks. I feel much better now. ;-)

[Simon Barden]

16.9lbs for my Fender Strat case (which is obviously smaller than precision case). So that's 2x the guitar weight, making 24-25lbs overall. Which is why it's been set aside to keep in pristine condition. I can't see why anyone would chose such a heavy case if there was an option of a much lighter and more protective case.

My bass case is around 50" long, the Strat case around 41", so scaling up the weight (very approximate I know), if it was bass case, it would be 21lbs!

[fender3x]

The sad irony is that for all that weight, my Fender case is not all that protective. Without having done some research and thinking about how to build or buy a case, l don't think I'd have realized how truly inadequate it is.

I confess that my Fender case rarely comes off of that shelf. Nor does the Precision. I have other basses that sound as good or better and play better. I keep thinking I should sell it...but it's hard to part with an axe I've had for 40 years...

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