ESB-4 Cases

[king casey]

I can see what you mean though.
Part of the reason I modded my Squier Bronco headstock was so that it would fit in a case.
Having done it, I realise there is isn't the money (or in fact any reason or need) for a case.

cheers, Mark.

[Simon Barden]

There is always the 'sawing the end off the case' solution and adding an extension.

[fender3x]

Well it's got the enormous gigbag if I need to take it out of the house, bit it's case-less for the moment. Not a problem for the red bass that is unlikely to go out. Ironic that it's the blue bass that doesn't fit.

There is always the 'sawing the end off the case' solution and adding an extension.

I would actually consider that if I can find a cheap, used ES 335 case. One that is pre-ugly.Thi$ ca$e i$ too pretty for that treatment ;-)

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[JimC]

I actually thought about modding the headstock to fit the case...

Naaa, who would be silly enough to mod the guitar to fit the case... talk about backwards thinking...

[fender3x]

Naaa, who would be silly enough to mod the guitar to fit the case... talk about backwards thinking...

In general I try not to do dumb things. That does not keep dumb things from occurring to me. Bottom line is that I am not cutting either the bass or the case. In the words of the Irish philosopher, "I still haven't found what I'm looking for."

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[fender3x]

I have purchased a case...and I have modded it just enough that it is NOT going back to the Guitar Center. The cases that are *close* seem to come in two flavors... Either they are slightly too short, but otherwise fit almost perfectly. Or they too big in the body and to narrow for the headstock.

I never did find a case that fit overall as well as the Jack Casady case that fits the ESB-4 beautifully, big ears and all.

I finally reconciled myself to the fact that no one makes a case like the Jack Casady...just a tad longer. So I would need to mod a case. The one I decided to mod is a Road Runner RMMBA17 acoustic bass case. It had two issues. One is that the headstock area was a little too small for the E-string elephant ear. On the good side there was a good amount of space between the top of the headstock and the top of the case. In a well-fitting case, nothing touches the headstock with the case closed. The heastock would probably fit if I could remove some of the polystyrene-like foam next to the tuner. The solution turned out to be easier than that. When compressed, this foam stayed compressed. So, I clamped it overnight and got a good indentation around the E-tuning peg.



May not look like it in the pic, but the E-tuner does not touch the padding on the inside of the case.

Other changes to follow...

[McCreed]

Necessity is the Mother of invention!

[JimC]

Good thinking. I'd probably not have thought of that and done something more drastic, but that's minimum change to hit desired result.

[fender3x]

Necessity is, indeed, a mother. I figured it was worth a try, and was pleasantly surprised with the results. "Drastic" was the next thing on the agenda.

A little easier to deal with the body, since it's too big rather than two small. I found some egg carton foam that I put in the bottom, and some EP foam that I put behind the butt, to push the horn into the top of the case.




What I don't have a pic of is that I have found that if put a microfiber cloth in the gap behind the upper horn (lower in the pic) it keeps the headstock more immobile. I may eventually make a pad like that. I will also probably cover the foam with fur or microfiber or chamois cloth so that the bass is not resting on top of it. Not sure why it might be a problem to rest on the foam directly but case makers always seem to cover their foam...

[fender3x]

With all the padding in, the bass is held firmly, but without undue pressure, so it's a good fit. I have only ever had one other ABS case...for a trombone. It was made in the 60s I think, and is as solid today as it was then. The bass case seems fine, but the shell is not quite as thick. There are two kinds of foam under the fur... Mostly it seems to use a rigid polystyrene type foam; it's not soft to the touch. The exception is in the channel on the lid where the neck goes. This has nice soft foam that holds but does not press down too hard on the strings. So, overall a good fit. It'd prefer a bit more room around the headstock, but it should be fine unless I get a direct blow in just the wrong spot. But that's less of a danger than getting the butt of the body or top of the headstock whacked...and would be reparable even if it did.

You don't really see how big this thing is when it is just lying on the bed...



Where you really see it is when I put it on the shelf next to other hard cases. The new one is the one on the right. The one on the left is a Fender P-bass case from the 1970s. The one in the middle is an Italian knockoff of a strat case. You can see how huge the new case is. In fairness, that is partly because it uses WAY more padding than the those old fender cases that had VERY little in the sides. I suspect that the ABS shell and polystyrene foam offer a LOT more protection...yet the case, at 11 lbs, is not super heavy. I haven't weighed the P-bass case, but it is smaller and heavier for sure. Still...if I could design one myself it would be about two inches thinner...



Hardware is OK-not-great. PS innards have a kind of a cheap feel. Not quite as satisfying as my old beautiful Gretsch hard case. That said, I am pretty sure this will protect the instrument better than about anything but ATA case.

I feel a little bad that I did not build the case. After building the bass it seems like the case should be easier...but I am not sure I'd do a decent job, and I have no motivation to do it at all... So this may not be the best case scenario (pun intended) and I may mod it a bit more over time. But for now it'll do.