Cases For Your Instruments

Cases are designed to protect your guitar, mandolin, banjo or whatever from various levels of abuse. The level of protection that a case gives is directly related to convenience and expense. The quality of case that you use - meaning how light it is and how much you spend on it - should be related to how your instrument is used.

If your guitar never leaves the house, hang it on the wall with a secure hanger, or keep it flat on the floor under your bed in a hard or soft case. If you play out, you'll want a hard case for protection - or if you do not value your instrument highly, a gig bag will work. With a gig bag you'll need to be aware of its vulnerability to being kicked or bashed. A hard case should be strong enough to stand on without damaging the instrument inside. If your case doesn't pass this standard you should treat it as if it were a gig bag or soft case.

If you are, or plan to be, in a road band you need a "traveling case" such as the Calton, Leaf, and Anvil. This type of case is heavy and expensive but they guarantee that your instrument will be in as good shape when you pull it out as it was when you put it in the night before. The object of a case is to protect you from unpleasant surprises when you open the case. As a musician your job is to play and to avoid unnecessary downtime.