# Instruments and Equipment > Equipment >  The Hoffee Carbon Fiber mandolin case, Anybody got one?

## f5loar

Since the used Mark Leaf mandolin case ended close to $1200 with shipping tonight on ebay I would like to read comments about the 2nd most expensive mandolin case being made today.  The Hoffee with a cover is around $920 from Janet Davis.  Can anyone who has one make comments on why you would pay that much for a mandolin case that barely has enough room to carry your strings?  
http://www.janetdavismusic.com/hoffe...olin_case.html

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## pjlama

I gotta say that's one beautiful case. Didn't Eastman make a carbon fiber case for a short time that looked a lot like that? I have a an Eastman fiberglass that's awesome except for the lack of storage.

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## Ivan Kelsall

From *pjlama* - _"I have a an Eastman fiberglass that's awesome except for the lack of storage."_. I agree,they're a stunning looking case but the lack of a decent bits & pieces compartment lets them down. I had a look at one about 15 months or so ago & was disappointed by the lack of storage space.
   As i've posted on here so many times,i don't really understand folk's constant fascination with CF cases. As an experienced CF design & manufacturing engineer,CF on it's own isn't a very good material for an 'impact resistant' case for anything.That's the reason it really needs to be combined with high impact resistant Kevlar. For a well designed case made from Carbon/Kevlar,you'd be talking BIG bucks & there's still _no guarantee_ that your Mandolin would be any safer than it would be in say,a Hiscox PBS case. 
    CF's big fault is that if it's banged hard,it will de-laminate. You can't see the damage as it's internal to the lay-up,but in the damaged area,the CF will have all the impact strength of wet cardboard. Check out the CF bicycle frame websites & take heed of the warnings about 'impact damage'. The same applies to any CF composite item - if it's impacted hard,it's waste !
                                                                                                                    Ivan

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## AlexanderL

I have a Hoffee guitar case for my '46 Gibson Southern Jumbo and I love it! And Jeff Hoffee is a great guy to deal with. Send him an e-mail if you have any questions...

Alex

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## Mandobar

I have a Hoffee mandolin case on order and have asked about a mandola case for my Collings.  The Hoffee's are certainly lighter, at least the guitar cases that I have seen.

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## f5loar

Wow, low impact resistance does not sound good for a high end travel case like this one.  Can anyone else comment on that aspect of the material?  I've seen the Eastman too and they look super but lack that storage space.

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## AlexanderL

Check out these videos here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/JeffHoffee

I'm no scientist, but they seem pretty durable to me...

Alex

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## Brian Court

Check out my thread - My Hoffee Case with my Roberts Octave Mandolin - It's a great case, super strong and super light - I'm very happy with it

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## Mandobar

Mr. Hoffee is an engineer, which means it's probably over-engineered…….which is a good thing.

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## evanreilly

I have an Eastman Carbon Fiber case.  Light as a feather.  I use a Colorado Case cover with a big pocket for all the 'stuff'.  Case cover also protects the case, as it should.

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## f5loar

It seems we have quite a few of the Eastman Carbon cases but not too many Hoffee owners out there.  While I understand Eastman no longer makes the Carbon case how much did it cost back when it was made?

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## Mike Bunting

When did Eastman make a carbon fibre case?

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## pjlama

See below, dupe post.

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## pjlama

> When did Eastman make a carbon fibre case?


It was just in the last couple years, they retailed for $750, street was $550 or so.  I'd love to find a used one.

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## Ivan Kelsall

I had a good look at an Eastman CF Violin case a couple of years back,shortly after i posted a note on the 'Cafe about how nice it would be if Eastman made a similar CF Mandolin case. After viewing the Violin case,i changed my mind. It was pretty flimsy to say the least (IMHO).Not on the same planet as a Calton FG case,it certainly wouldn't have filled me with any confidence in the safety of a Mandolin. I haven't seen an Eastman CF case,but hopefully they were more substantial that their Violin cases,
                                                                                                                                                         Ivan

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## AlexanderL

Here's my guitar case. The headstock support is very good!

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## evanreilly

My understanding is that Eastman made a trial run of a dozen CF cases made with the same forms as their fiberglass models.  I think only dealers received them, tho there is some trickle-down, obviously.
I like mine because is a very light-weight carry case.  I wouldn't consider it for a flight case tho; the Price-Nelson gets the call when bomb-proof is called for.

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## f5loar

case tho; the Price-Nelson gets the call when bomb-proof is called for.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]
Bomb proof sounds like a good idea for the world we live in today.  I'm still at a loss over why the CF cases cost so much more than fiberglass. A premium, sure, but double the price or more sounds ridculous.  For the price difference you would think there would be a few flakes of platnium in there for added strength.

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## Mandobar

a calton mando case new is almost 600 (although i've not heard good things about the new ones).  where is double the price?

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## mandobassman

I'm with f5loar on this.  I just don't understand paying $600 or $700, or more. for a mandolin case that has virtually no storage.  Protection is important, of course, but there's no reason why some storage space can't be included.  My Golden Gate case for my A model Breedlove has no storage, but it was $45.  I would like to get Breedlove's mandolin case.  Nicely made with a large storage area.  Why the Eastman's and Hoffee and similar cases don't have any storage is beyond me.

Price case


Breedlove case


Both have decent storage.  The price storage area next to the neck area can be opened without moving the mandolin.

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## almeriastrings

You can buy the Calton mandolin case for £246 in the UK. That's roughly $380 at today's exchange rate.

The $700 Hoffee is £449 using the same rate.

Neither would include shipping or taxes to import, of course if you live in the US and want the Calton or are in the UK and want the Hoffee. I see Hoffee has just released a teardrop shaped case. Looks kind of like a Calton.... 

CF looks nice, and is light. However, like everything, it also has disadvantages as Ivan says.

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## Ivan Kelsall

*F5* - The high cost of a CF case over a FG case is composed of several things. Firstly,the cost of the actual CF material is much higher that FG, CF being approx. 6 times as expensive per equivalent thickness & sheet size. Also,CF is very abrasive when it comes to cutting /drilling it,& requires very hard,sharp & _expensive_ cutting tools to cut or drill it cleanly. Even the specialised drills & cutting tools need frequent re-sharpening or replacement & this adds to the cost over a period of time. Pre-impregnated CF cloth (with the resin already in the cloth) can be used for such items.A CF lay-up using such material requires being placed in a vacuum bag,& all the air being pumped out of it to consolidate the lay-up into a single matrix. The resin in the layers flows together prior to the whole thing being cured in an oven. If a 'wet' lay-up is used ie. dry CF fabric & liquid resin,then it can be cold cured without the requirement to  vac-bag it & place it in an oven. The big problem with wet lay-ups it that it's a very messy procedure,but the resin being liquid, flows together naturally (with a bit of encouragement).
    The exact same procedures can be & are used with FG.The big differences being the material  & tooling costs,
                                                                                                                                                       Ivan

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## f5loar

Maybe I should have said "almost double" as it seems not everyone pays the same price for a Calton but right now the only source for the Hoffee I see is Janet Davis at $798 with shipping in USA.  I paid $385 for my Custom colored Calton and it even has my name engraved on the tag.  Bottom line from what is said here is the CF case is expensive to make and process.  Heck they even want an extra $100 if you want the exterior color in anything but grey/black.  While I can understand Cadillac charging an extra $1500 for the fancy Pearl Diamond White color I don't get a $100 color change on a little ole mandolin case.  I'm still waiting for the "ultimate" mandolin case to be built at a fair price for consumers and I dont' think this particular CF shape case fits the bill.
It also seems these high end case are hard to get.  Can you even get a Calton case today?  How long a wait on a Price or a Pegasas?  Forget waiting on a custom Loar style Paganoni case.  I guess I'll pull out and dust off my old 70's 8 ply Plywood/vinyl covered "Buck Rough Rider" rectangular box style case.  It got the job done with plenty of storage and protection for less then $200.

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## AlexanderL

I didn't want to bring this up, but read the warning on the top here: http://www.caltoncases.co.uk/

Then read this thread:
http://collingsforum.com/eve/forums/...2350021636/p/1

This is just one of many examples of how the guy who used to have the rights to use the Calton name and molds in Canada has been doing business. Check other forums if you want more. I don't want you to end up in a situation like this.

Keith Calton in the UK seems to be a great guy, but his list and waiting time is longer than a lot of luthiers'.

I ordered my case directly from Jeff Hoffee - http://www.carbonfibercases.com/ - he is quick and delivers a great product. I don't see anything wrong with that.

I must point out that my case is a guitar case. It's lighter than a similiar Calton, but I bet it is just as safe. I live in Norway and have no connection to Hoffee. Happy customer, that's all.

Alex

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## AlexanderL

BTW, did you see this?
http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/pub...s_001444.shtml

Attachment 83752

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## mandobassman

> BTW, did you see this?
> http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/pub...s_001444.shtml
> 
> Attachment 83752


Now that's nice.  Good storage area.  Plenty of room around the sides and headstock.  Expensive, but I like it more than the Calton or Eastman.

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## Mike Bunting

I'm more than happy with my Pegasus.

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## f5loar

Good going on changing the Hoffee mandolin case to a better design to hold some "stuff".  Has anyone here gotten one of the new styles yet?  I'd love to hear some feedback.  I'm thinking of ordering a custom color one myself.

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## foldedpath

> It also seems these high end case are hard to get.  Can you even get a Calton case today?  How long a wait on a Price or a Pegasas?


I just received my Pegasus mandolin case. Sam makes these in batches, so the delivery time depends on where he is in that process when you place the order. I made the initial inquiry back in September of last year. I think it was December when I got an email saying my case would be in the next batch. I sent my credit card info at that point, and we worked out the custom details (Sam helped me pick a specific tartan lining, that was fun). So that was about 3 months for actual production, or 6 months from initial contact to delivery. 

I couldn't be happier with the Pegasus case. It's not as heavy as I was expecting, and the fit and finish is very good. I like small cases like this. Aside from keeping the weight down with FG construction, it makes it easier to fit in odd spaces in the car when we're packing up for a gig. The accessory pocket is small, but at least there is one. I can fit a StroboClip tuner in there, and a few loose picks. Spare string packets go under the headstock. For me, that's enough for a casual jam or session, and on a gig we're carrying a bunch of other stuff anyway. My old Travelite had a big accessory pocket, and it's a bit lighter in weight, but harder to pack due to the size. 

Pegasus is a good option if you want a very solidly-built (and sexy looking!) fiberglass case with a bunch of custom options on colors and interiors, and don't need to be in a hurry to get it. I think the cost ($760 including insurance and delivery from Scotland to west coast USA) was also very reasonable, considering the personal attention via email during the order process. 

I do think that to the extent carbon fiber can keep the weight down, it might be a better option for large instruments like guitars and OM's, where fiberglass starts to get pretty heavy due to the size. One of these days I'd like to get a better case for my Weber OM... probably a classical or Tenor guitar case with extra padding, since nobody makes a custom fit for that body size and shape (AFAIK). At that point, I'll take a serious look at the Hoffee options. Or maybe just get another Pegasus, and live with the weight. It's fun to have color options.

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## Mandobar

Acoustic Music Works is about to get a shipment of Hoffee bullet-shaped mandolin cases.  If anyone is interested please contact them.

Calton North America is no more.  Take you chances with Workhorse although I have heard nothing by heartache.  I have a small collection of Calton mandolin cases.  The cheapest I ever bought a used one was for $350 used.  The last case I ordered from a dealer in Canada cost me close to $600 with shipping and another $50 when the state I was living in contacted me two years later and demanded I pay them sales tax plus a fine (which was much larger than the tax amount).  

We'll see when the Hoffee case arrives.

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## Mike Bunting

> I just received my Pegasus mandolin case. Sam makes these in batches, so the delivery time depends on where he is in that process when you place the order. I made the initial inquiry back in September of last year. I think it was December when I got an email saying my case would be in the next batch. I sent my credit card info at that point, and we worked out the custom details (Sam helped me pick a specific tartan lining, that was fun). So that was about 3 months for actual production, or 6 months from initial contact to delivery. 
> 
> I couldn't be happier with the Pegasus case. It's not as heavy as I was expecting, and the fit and finish is very good. I like small cases like this. Aside from keeping the weight down with FG construction, it makes it easier to fit in odd spaces in the car when we're packing up for a gig. The accessory pocket is small, but at least there is one. I can fit a StroboClip tuner in there, and a few loose picks. Spare string packets go under the headstock. For me, that's enough for a casual jam or session, and on a gig we're carrying a bunch of other stuff anyway. My old Travelite had a big accessory pocket, and it's a bit lighter in weight, but harder to pack due to the size. 
> 
> Pegasus is a good option if you want a very solidly-built (and sexy looking!) fiberglass case with a bunch of custom options on colors and interiors, and don't need to be in a hurry to get it. I think the cost ($760 including insurance and delivery from Scotland to west coast USA) was also very reasonable, considering the personal attention via email during the order process. 
> 
> I do think that to the extent carbon fiber can keep the weight down, it might be a better option for large instruments like guitars and OM's, where fiberglass starts to get pretty heavy due to the size. One of these days I'd like to get a better case for my Weber OM... probably a classical or Tenor guitar case with extra padding, since nobody makes a custom fit for that body size and shape (AFAIK). At that point, I'll take a serious look at the Hoffee options. Or maybe just get another Pegasus, and live with the weight. It's fun to have color options.


I fully agree with your comments on the Peg. As to the timing, I must have hit the batch cycle at a better time. My shipping was a little late due to an error on my part, I believe that my delivery time turned out to be about four months. What colour is yours? Mine is a daffodil yellow exterior with a crimson interior.  :Smile: 
  I use Skype so I had several pleasant conversations with Sam and I'm happy to recommend these cases to anyone.

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## Mike Bunting

> Acoustic Music Works is about to get a shipment of Hoffee bullet-shaped mandolin cases.  If anyone is interested please contact them.
> 
> Calton North America is no more.  Take you chances with Workhorse although I have heard nothing by heartache.  I have a small collection of Calton mandolin cases.  The cheapest I ever bought a used one was for $350 used.  The last case I ordered from a dealer in Canada cost me close to $600 with shipping and another $50 when the state I was living in contacted me two years later and demanded I pay them sales tax plus a fine (which was much larger than the tax amount).  
> 
> We'll see when the Hoffee case arrives.


Having spoken with several people who have been directly involved with the Workhorse owner, I'd be pretty reticent about dealing with them.

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## foldedpath

> I fully agree with your comments on the Peg. As to the timing, I must have hit the batch cycle at a better time. My shipping was a little late due to an error on my part, I believe that my delivery time turned out to be about four months. What colour is yours? Mine is a daffodil yellow exterior with a crimson interior. 
>   I use Skype so I had several pleasant conversations with Sam and I'm happy to recommend these cases to anyone.


Mine is cream on the outside, and a dark green/purple tartan on the inside. That's a story in itself, and I should probably post a new Pegasus thread here after taking some pix. 

This is the first time I've ever ordered a custom instrument case, in 40-something years of playing various instruments. I've always considered cases just a necessary evil, and I must have 20 cases for various instruments around the house... all black. This time, I decided it wasn't going to be black!

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## Steve260

> Good going on changing the Hoffee mandolin case to a better design to hold some "stuff".  Has anyone here gotten one of the new styles yet?  I'd love to hear some feedback.  I'm thinking of ordering a custom color one myself.


I just received one of the "new design" teardrop Hoffee mandolin cases.  Yes, it was expensive.  But, it appears to be just about bulletproof.  Plenty of storage, and it fits my Collings MF perfectly.  I got it in "silver" (which is actually a pretty deep silver/gray color) with Thinsulate insulation and a red lining.  Absolutely top-notch.  Jeff Hoffee builds to order, so you have to have a little patience and wait your turn, but the wait was worth it. (Took about 2 months for mine).  He is also having custom Colorado Case Covers made for this case (but they haven't arrived yet).

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## Mandobar

Steve, can you share a pic or two? with the Collings in it?  Please.

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## f5loar

Do post a photo if you can.  And what is thinsulate insulation?  Does that cost extra?

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## Rosemary Philips

Yes, pictures please! Oh, and congratulations on the new case...

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## Steve260

> Steve, can you share a pic or two? with the Collings in it?  Please.


Sorry folks - feeling a little under the weather and haven't been up to doing much today.  I will try to get a couple of pics up this weekend.  My photo skills aren't very good, but I will give it a good try!

Thinsulate is a very thin, very efficient insulation material that is often used in lightweight outdoor clothing, jackets, etc.  It can be ordered as an option from Hoffee, and is installed between the outer shell and the liner fabric - you don't even know it's there.  The advantage of using Thinsulate is that your instrument will change temperature MUCH more slowly while in the case.  So, you don't really have to worry if your instrument ends up sitting on the tarmac in the blazing sun for awhile while the airline folks figure out which airplane to heave it in to.  The Hoffee YouTube videos explain it better - just seemed like smart protection to add at a pretty reasonable cost (I think it is an extra $75 or so).  Since I was prepared to spend $800 on a case for my instrument to protect it from rough handling, an extra $75 to give it some thermal protection seemed like a good idea to me!

Steve

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## dan in va

After doing extensive homework on CF and FG case construction, I decided on the Hiscox, even though I'm not planning to let several men stand on it together.  Plenty of storage and not too heavy.  After seeing Robin Mark's (Irish guitarist/singer/writer) old, well traveled Hiscox I knew I had chosen well.

Gotta admit the CF is a beauty queen, but pretty is as pretty does.

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## Ivan Kelsall

From *f5loar* - _"I'm still waiting for the "ultimate" mandolin case to be built at a fair price for consumers....."_ .If you want the very best material that comes with ease of manufacture & total toughness,then you'd go for Polycarbonate sheet for the outer mouldings (top & bottom). Polycarbonate is easily formed by a Vacuum moulding process & a 'finished' thickness of about 2mm would be sufficient for a case. However,the mouldings would flex & would require stiffening.This can be done by moulding stiffening 'ribs' into the top & bottom mouldings & bracing the interior with a rigid,foam. If this is begining to sound like the *Hiscox* case,then it's for a good reason. Next to Polycarbonate,(the material from which high impact resistant riot sheilds are made),ABS comes pretty close,without the huge cost of PC sheet. Also,in a well set up vac-forming facility,you can turn 'em out like Cornflakes,thus keeping the 'cycle time per unit' & the cost down. ABS is also easy to cut / drill etc. with standard tooling.
   I'm not saying that the Hiscox case is the 'ultimate' case,but it wouldn't need much 'tweaking' to make it so - maybe the outer case changed to PC & for the 'Calton lovers',a shape change.The only other case i'd _maybe_ put in the same class as a PC / ABS moulded case,is one of the Mark Leaf fiberglass type.That would come at a higher cost because of the labour intensive laying up process, & also with a higher weight penalty. My ML Banjo case cost me $500 US back in '92,so what a new one would cost now is anybody's guess,
                                                                 Ivan

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## Steve260

Here are some quick-n-dirty pics of my Hoffee Mandolin case.  The color is listed as "silver", but you can see it's a bit darker - almost like a blue/silver/gray - I like it.

First the exterior - very sleek, and the fit/finish is top notch.  All hardware seems to be very sturdy.  The padded leather-wrapped handle is very comfortable and seems like it should last a long time.  The case looks heavy, but it is actually very light - significantly lighter than an equivalent Calton teardrop-style mandolin case.




Next the interior - my Collings MF5 (with ToneGard attached) fits like a glove.  Snug, but not too tight.  Plenty of clearance for the tuning machines, and room for a strap without crowding anything.  I chose red lining, but you can choose from a bunch of other colors on the Hoffee website.  The case comes with a nylon shoulder strap/rubber pad that attaches to the D-rings on the case.





Even the accessory pocket is plenty big enough - I keep 3 sets of strings, a truss rod wrench, Snark tuner, extra picks, etc. in it, and there is room to spare.  Not yet sure how I will deal with humidification next winter - I have an Oasis case humidifier, but I'm just not sure yet where I will put it in the case.


Hope this helps if anyone is considering a Hoffee case.

All the best,
Steve

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## Shelagh Moore

It's certainly a beautiful and nicely-designed case and looks very durable. But way too expensive for me so I'll have to stick to my Hiscox for my more demanding travel needs.

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## Rosemary Philips

It's just so darn sexy...

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## Mandobar

very nice

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## Jim Roberts

> I'm more than happy with my Pegasus.


I am not happy with my Pegasus.  It is falling apart.

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## Jim Roberts

Hope this helps if anyone is considering a Hoffee case.

All the best,
Steve[/QUOTE]

Steve...great looking case and stellar looking Collings!  

Thanks for sharing.

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## Mike Bunting

> I am not happy with my Pegasus.  It is falling apart.


Sorry to hear this.

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## Mandobar

Mike, I have to say, so is mine.  I just reglued the lining.

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## foldedpath

> I am not happy with my Pegasus.  It is falling apart.


Is it just the lining coming loose? Or something more structural with the case shell or hardware? "Falling apart" sounds kind of dire...

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## Mike Bunting

K


> Mike, I have to say, so is mine.  I just reglued the lining.


How old are these? Mine is three years old.

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## Mandobar

Mine's probably about 5/6 years old.  the lining, (tartan), keeps coming loose.  It is only on the lid, but it is annoying.  I've got all kinds of cases, including a Modern Case, and I am using a gig bag to go to rehearsals lately.  My Caltons are the storage closet.

I'm hoping Bill Collings pursues his interest in mandolin cases.

I'm hoping I love the Hoffee.  and if so, then I'm hoping he'll start making a mandola case.

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## Mike Bunting

> Mine's probably about 5/6 years old.  the lining, (tartan), keeps coming loose.  It is only on the lid, but it is annoying.  I've got all kinds of cases, including a Modern Case, and I am using a gig bag to go to rehearsals lately.  My Caltons are the storage closet.
> 
> I'm hoping Bill Collings pursues his interest in mandolin cases.
> 
> I'm hoping I love the Hoffee.  and if so, then I'm hoping he'll start making a mandola case.


What is the Yanocsko tartan? :Smile:

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## Jim Roberts

Here's a picture of the neck cradle of my Pegasus...when I first got the case the neck of the mandolin rested snug as a bug in a rug.  Now it's loose as a goose (click on the pic to enlarge and you'll see how much of a gap there is). Also, as is the case with Mary, the interior lining keeps coming unglued in different locations.  My hot glue gun takes care of the problem but it keeps failing in different locations.  Also, one of the case latches is failing and will probably, in time, break.  My case is a 2010.

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## Mandobar

Yanocsko is a borrowed name.......my maiden name is Argentine........not sure there's any tartan there.  What's the color of a good Malbec?   :Smile: 

Jim, you are right.....no matter where I glue, there's more falling.  Reminds me of the ceiling in my first house.  No matter where you patched or replastered......you'd come home to yet another new area falling down.  I hate to take the whole lining out and reglue, but maybe it is time.

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## almeriastrings

That's why I don't have one (Pegasus). I know of two others personally where this has happened. Now, I would probably not complain too much on a $100 case... but at the price these are, it sure put me off. I have 4 of the 'Superior' / GG FG cases and for a compact, fairly tough but fair-priced case, they seem to hold up really well. Certainly good value, and a thicker shell lay-up than on the Eastmans. I got some of those for $90 each in a blow-out sale....I would not be happy at all if I had lining failures in a $400+ case.

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## foldedpath

Well, I just received a Pegasus and I'll report back if it happens to this one. Frankly, if the worst that happens is I have to re-glue the lining in a year or two, I wouldn't consider that a disastrous failing of the case. It would just be a minor annoyance. In every other respect, this is exactly the case I was looking for.

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## Jim Roberts

Hope the neck cradle and latch(es) on your Peg don't fail as it has on mine (see previous post).  Keep us posted.

Cheers.




> Well, I just received a Pegasus and I'll report back if it happens to this one. Frankly, if the worst that happens is I have to re-glue the lining in a year or two, I wouldn't consider that a disastrous failing of the case. It would just be a minor annoyance. In every other respect, this is exactly the case I was looking for.

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## Mike Bunting

Has anybody contacted Sam about these problems?

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## Jim Roberts

Mike...feel free to contact me by PM and I can answer your question with regards to my experience.  

Jim




> Has anybody contacted Sam about these problems?

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## Mandobar

My Hoffee is in......

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## Mandobar

Got mine a few days ago.  My back says, "ahhhhhhh, relief. ". Nice case.  We'll see how it holds up.

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## f5loar

What color combo did you get?

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## Mandobar

Gold interior, grey exterior.  Tons of storage space. Plenty of room for the headstock.

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## AlanN

> Plenty of room for the headstock.


Now, there's a novel idea.

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## mandroid

FWIW, I noted there is an  Australian Tourist Board Tartan,
 so maybe my friend in Scotland is right 
 they will have one for the Japanese tourists too.  

 Maldives ?  Falklands single malt?

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## nobullmando74

My Hoffee case made it today. Natural carbon exterior and green interior. Its fits the Campanella F like a glove.  :Cool:

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## nobullmando74

One other thing. My 3 yr. old daughter decided to jump up and down on the Hoffee after I put the mandolin in. So, it survived her putting the case to the test.  :Popcorn:

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## mandroid

So the Peg CF case  startup still has no motor in it,
 or wheels to go anywhere? :Confused:

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## f5loar

Jeff Hoffee has been busy lately.  My new custom ordered Hoffee case arrived by FEDEx today too.  It even came packed in it's special made to fit with extra support heavymade cardboard box.  It's all it's cracked up to be.  Nice look, excellent quality, high end materials and lightweight with plenty of storage space.  I ordered mine in dark blue graphite exterior with royal blue interior.  It compares more to the Price teardrop then a Calton.  It is 2 inches shorter than the Price and a little over 3 pounds lighter.  Mine might be a pound or so heavier as it has the optional Thinsulate insulation in it.  It fits my F5 like a glove with excellent top pressure points to hold it snug.   I also got the custom Colorado Case cover which is similar to the Price case cover except it has an outer pocket on the top which is nice.  With Calton cases really hard to find new and Pegasas so far away with extra shipping charges, and Price cases slow in production, the Hoffee is the way to go today for USA buyers.  While the price is high it is in line with what the other high end case makers are charging.  I couldn't be happier.

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## hank

Are you guys and gals with these new Hoffee cases actually using them as checked luggage or just being prepared if it comes down to being forced to by an airline(ex. Turbo prop commuter flights, etc.)?

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## f5loar

In my experience which is not that much flying with mandolins, a mandolin usually has never been a problem as most any shape style or teardrop case will go overhead.  However with each airline having different polices or stupid by the hour employees that don't know their own rules and regulations it does make sense to have that option to check the case and not be worried about your mandolin.  You see more problems with banjos and guitars.  I use high end cases/covers more for temperature changes in a car trunk.  The more protection you have the better chance of not doing damage to necks, end blocks, varnish finishes, etc.

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## banjoboy

> Jeff Hoffee has been busy lately.  My new custom ordered Hoffee case arrived by FEDEx today too.  It even came packed in it's special made to fit with extra support heavymade cardboard box.  It's all it's cracked up to be.  Nice look, excellent quality, high end materials and lightweight with plenty of storage space.  I ordered mine in dark blue graphite exterior with royal blue interior.  It compares more to the Price teardrop then a Calton.  It is 2 inches shorter than the Price and a little over 3 pounds lighter.  Mine might be a pound or so heavier as it has the optional Thinsulate insulation in it.  It fits my F5 like a glove with excellent top pressure points to hold it snug.   I also got the custom Colorado Case cover which is similar to the Price case cover except it has an outer pocket on the top which is nice.  With Calton cases really hard to find new and Pegasas so far away with extra shipping charges, and Price cases slow in production, the Hoffee is the way to go today for USA buyers.  While the price is high it is in line with what the other high end case makers are charging.  I couldn't be happier.


I'm assuming that since the Hoffee case is put together based upon customer's specs, it will hold a mandolin with a Toneguard. The Price case I saw would not.

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## nobullmando74

> I'm assuming that since the Hoffee case is put together based upon customer's specs, it will hold a mandolin with a Toneguard. The Price case I saw would not.


The Hoffee was made to the specs of my Campanella mandolin. I tried it with the tone guard and it still fits. Its just a little tight.

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## hank

Are you speaking primarily about the sides or both the sides and amount the instrument is raised up in it's cradle increasing the downward pressure frome the cover when closed and latched.  Anyone have a dialog with Mr. Hoffee about using a tone guard in a custom fit without it figured in?

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## hank

I guess the picture Jim showed us of his looseness of the neck cradle over a short period of time on his Peg. has me wondering if using a tone guard would permanently alter the interior making it loose if the instrument were installed without the tone guard. The only other consideration is pressure being put on the top and bridge of the instrument when the guard is installed?

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## nobullmando74

> Are you speaking primarily about the sides or both the sides and amount the instrument is raised up in it's cradle increasing the downward pressure frome the cover when closed and latched.  Anyone have a dialog with Mr. Hoffee about using a tone guard in a custom fit without it figured in?


Just from the sides. I didn't notice any increased pressure when closing.

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## sblock

Hello all,

Ive been a watcher on the Mandolin Café for some time now, but this is my maiden post. 

I recently acquired a new Hoffee Carbon Fiber teardrop-shaped mandolin case, and given all thats come before in this thread, I thought Id write a review about it, including some pictures showing various details (these are cell-phone photos, so the resolution isnt fabulous, but they suffice for my purpose).  This case is, arguably, one of the very finest  if not THE finest  now available for an A- or F-model mandolin.

Overall, my experience with Jeff Hoffee and his company has been extremely positive, and I was impressed by his responding personally (and very quickly) to all my emails, and also by the level of detail represented in his many responses. Before committing to a purchase, I asked, and he answered, a whole lot of questions! Encouraged by what Id read, I eventually decided to commit and I ordered a custom case in mid-March of this year, with an anticipated build schedule of around three weeks, plus an additional week for shipping out to California. However, I received a message from Jeff about three weeks later, telling me that hed run out of stock on the gold plush fabric that Id requested for the case lining. He offered to line the case in another color of fabric, or he told me that it would otherwise take another 3 to 4 weeks for my original color choice to arrive. I elected to wait a bit longer, since I wanted this to be something special, and I didnt really need the case until some trips planned for June. To compensate me for the trouble associated with this unforeseen delay, however, Jeff Hoffee agreed to throw in the Thinsulite lining option for my case, which goes (invisibly) between the shell and the foam lining (this is an extra insulation option, and it normally costs an additional $75 or so). Hows THAT for customer service?! I was happy to wait. And, true to his word, the case was eventually completed and shipped on May 25, arriving by FedEx ground service on June 1. So it was about eleven weeks from start to finish, even with the delay.  I was surprised that I wasn't even asked to place a down-payment on this custom case when I first ordered it (although I was prepared to do so). Instead, I paid for it, in full, on the day that it was shipped, using PayPal. My bottom-line expense came to $790, including the shipping costs.

The case arrived with simply SUPERB packaging:  it came inside an inner cardboard carton that was fully suspended in an outer cardboard carton. I saved these materials for the future, to ship a mandolin in someday! The case itself was also wrapped in a thin foam sheet for a third level of protection. It was spotless. However, it initially smelled a little (but only a little), probably from the adhesives that were used and still curing a bit, but airing the open case out for just a day took care entirely of that minor issue. To put this in perspective, I have a Golden Gate fiberglass case thats two years old which still smells, and also an American Case hard-foam case that smells, despite numerous attempts to eliminate these odors.  When I open my case, I only want to smell --- wooden mandolin!

I had decided to take a chance with the color scheme that I ordered. Rather than go with, say, a more traditional choice of a silver/grey or perhaps a dark blue exterior with a green or blue plush lining (call this a cool color scheme), I had decided to go with a red exterior and a gold plush lining (call this a warm color scheme).  The reason I had worried was that I certainly didnt want to wind up with some bright-red case with a vivid yellow lining: yikes, that would have looked incredibly garish! I shouldnt have worried, though. In fact, the darkness of the grey carbon fiber cloth mutes the red color (in the Kevlar) so that the result is a much darker, almost wine-colored (burgundy) red.  Very tasteful. And the gold plush fabric lining that Jeff Hoffee selected isnt some bright yellow, but quite a bit more brownish, similar to the amber color of the coat of a Golden Retriever dog. Together, these red and gold colors go together beautifully, and I couldnt be happier with my color choices. It was certainly worth it to wait the extra time.

*Note to readers*:  This review was too long for a single post, so I'm breaking it up into two halves.  I will try to post the second half of this review separately, immediately following this.

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## sblock

*A Review of the Hoffee Carbon Fiber case, Part II
*
_continued from previous post...._
I already own a Calton fiberglass mandolin case, so I thought Id offer some direct comparisons, for those who are interested. 

*Case exterior*:  The teardrop shapes of the Hoffee and the Calton cases are quite similar, overall. There can be little doubt that the Hoffee design was influenced by the Calton (while addressing some of its drawbacks, see below).  The Hoffee case shape is a bit more rounded, though, and looks a bit like an oversized jelly bean. Being made of carbon fiber and not fiberglass, it just a tad lighter with a mandolin in it, but I dont happen to think that difference is very significant. The lengths of the two cases are nearly identical at 30.5, which is the most relevant distance when considering overhead storage on an aircraft. Their widths (at maximum) are also similar, and I measured 12 for the Calton and 13 for the Hoffee.  In making this determination, I included the extra distance subtended by the bumper feet on the two cases, but I did not include any extra width associated with the handles. As to overall depth, I measured 5.5 for the Calton and 7 for the Hoffee (again, including the feet).  So the Hoffee case is just a bit bigger in its maximum dimensions, but not a lot.

The Hoffee case uses oversized black rubber (elastomer) feet, and these are larger and far more compressible than the hard black feet found in the Calton case. I prefer the Hoffee feet. There are 8 feet found on the Hoffee case:  4 to rest on while its situated horizontally, and 4 more for when its placed on its side (with the handle up).  The Hoffee case, however, lacks any rubber foot on its very bottom (unlike the Calton!), which serves to protect the bottom latch if the case is ever stood up vertically on its bottom end, or if it gets compressed against a barrier on that end.  I think this is a minor failing.

*Case interior*:  Inside, however, is a different story!  Here, the Hoffee case really shines, and it seems to have addressed many of the issues reported for Caltons. The padding is ample all around (about an inch, even in the areas where the F5 points are located).  Both cases seem to use the same crushed-velvet lining fabric, and both employ a time-test and excellent suspension system to float the mandolin, making contact over the tailpiece area with a pad that comes down from the lid, and supporting the neck-body junction with a pad underneath, followed by additional support along the entire neck. The most significant improvements made in the Hoffee case, in my view, are found in the headstock region. The Hoffee case is significantly wider at the top, and lateral clearance on the inside is much greater than in the Calton case, reducing fears that a side blow to the case exterior might knock off the F5 scroll inside (see Pete Martins profile picture for an example). Also, the headstock is supported fully by padding on its underside (no need to put a sock or bubble wrap there!), as well as by a pad that comes down from the top of the case to sandwich it in on both sides, reducing fears of whiplash-type injury inside the case. The neck is fully supported by a soft pad, just as in the Calton case, which lifts up with a tag to reveal a compartment for storage.  However, the Hoffee compartment is much deeper than in the Calton, and this makes a big difference to me. Inside the generous Hoffee case, Im able to store at least three sets of strings, all my picks, a polishing cloth, some extra coin-cell batteries, a truss rod tool, PLUS two electronic tuners, including a red Snark and an Intellitouch PT-1!  The compartment of my Calton case, by contrast, is too shallow to fit my Snark tuner inside.  By the way, I have a Tone-Gard from Tony Pires on my F5 mandolin and it fits into the case easily on the mandolin, since the foam padding is very compressible, with a lot of give.  I tried this case with a Weber F5, a Pomeroy F5 (see pictures), a Northfield F5, and so on:  they all fit without issues.

*Hardware*.  Both my Calton and Hoffee cases have three latches (in very similar places) attached by rivets, D-rings and a shoulder strap with swivel hook attachments, and the heavy-duty hardware seems fairly rugged all around.  On the Hoffee, all three of these latches can be locked. However, the hardware on the Hoffee was painted black (Im not very sure how long this paint will last before it flakes off, which it does fairly easily, and it has already started to do so in tiny spots; see the photo).  This same paint also made it very hard to insert the keys into the lock keyways. I eventually got the keys in and the locks to turn and work, but it was quite a struggle, and they still dont operate very smoothly at all. Also, when in the locked position, the latch tabs protrude outwards just a bit, too, which I dont like. Theres clearly some room for future improvement, here. That said, I seldom plan to use the locks, anyway. Theyre mainly to keep the latches from accidentally being opened accidentally by others who might handle the case.  However, these days, you cant routinely lock them down anyway, if youre going to be forced to check the case on a flight (which I hope to avoid, anyway, by bringing my case with me onboard whenever possible!) because TSA opens bags for inspection and wants these to be unlocked.

*Strength and Seals*: Both these cases are incredibly strong! I can stand on either my Calton or Hoffee case without fear of crushing my mandolin, and I weigh close to 200 lbs. The strength of carbon-fiber is legendary, of course. Both cases have very similar, tongue-in-groove watertight seals made of a black rubberized material all around the perimeter of the lid, which is a plus when youre caught out in the rain with your case. The seal of the Calton case, however, is cut away slightly in the regions where it passes by the three latches on the lid. The latches on the Hoffee case, however, are situated so that this seal doesnt need to be cut anywhere:  it runs all the way around, uninterrupted.  Another improvement. I would also highly recommend the Thinsulite lining option, if youre worried about your case being left too long under the summer sun in the trunk of someones car, or out on the tarmac before being loaded into a waiting aircraft. That should buy you some precious extra time before the hide glue joints of your instrument begin to melt!
*
Bottom line*:  This is certainly not an inexpensive case: in fact, its one of the more costly cases you can buy these days. However, its by no means the most expensive! If youre just looking for the status conferred by that sort of thing, then you might enjoy going to http://www.calderoriginals.com and seeing what they offer, for prices that start at several thousands of dollars! The Hoffee Carbon Fiber case, however, is a simply first-rate product from a comparatively new company that (so far, and in my own personal experience) is providing just fabulous customer service and is innovating its design to address known issues with all the other mandolin cases. Lets face it, $750 is a lot for a case, but it simply pales compared to the prices of the musical instruments that some Mandolin Café viewers are lucky enough to own, many of these made by well-known luthiers whom were always writing about! If you love your mandolin, and you travel and take it with you, and if your instrument is worth several thousand dollars, then you ought to spring for a top-of-the-line case -- and maybe some insurance, too? Anyway, I just got a Hoffee case, and Im very happy with my purchase thus far.  I may have more to report once its been on several trips planned for this summer, so stay tuned.

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Denman John, 

Imran

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## Rosemary Philips

Awesome review and pictures--thanks!

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## hank

Thanks for taking the time to post this excellent review.  It really looks good if Jeff can get some better operating and fitting when closed latches and hardware with a more durable finish. The rivet heads are easy enough to touch up but the latches themselves are another matter.  Is the the shell made of layers of carbon fiber cloth and Kevlar cloth(the Kevlar cloth being red)?

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## Bill Baldridge

Thanks for sharing.  I'm sold.

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## sblock

Yes, my understanding of this (which could be wrong; feel free to check with Jeff at Hoffee) is that carbon fiber itself is black and does not accept pigments or dyes, but that the fabric used to laminate these composite cases is a blend of Kevlar and carbon fiber, and the Kevlar and its surrounding matrix hold the color pigment.  I also believe that, if you want a solid, uniform color of any kind, instead, Jeff can encapsulate the entire case in a colored resin of some sort (this is probably an epoxy).  Doing so adds just a little to the weight of the case, obviously, so there's a trade-off involved.  I myself opted for the lighter, and -- to me, visually stunning -- red carbon fiber composite. Hope that's helpful.

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## almeriastrings

Certainly a superb looking case. I would be (am) seriously tempted, but right now, with exchange rates, shipping + import taxes just way, way expensive. I can get Calton (UK) cases for under $400.... by the time I got a Hoffee here it would be the equivalent of around $1100..... ouch.

Maybe one day.

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## hank

Thanks again for the explanation sblock, weaving the two materials together in one cloth explains a lot in weight, strength, rigidity and impact resistance.  In aerospace materials I'm familiar with of the past you had both materials but not combined in a single cloth.  A little bit off topic here but are any of the cover makers using thinsolate in their case covers?

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## sblock

> Thanks again for the explanation sblock, weaving the two materials together in one cloth explains a lot in weight, strength, rigidity and impact resistance.  In aerospace materials I'm familiar with of the past you had both materials but not combined in a single cloth.  A little bit off topic here but are any of the cover makers using thinsolate in their case covers?


I'm not sure about mandolin case covers made with Thinsulate lining. These definitely exist for violins/violas, though, and -- depending on the shape of your mando case, might work just fine, esp. for a rectangular mando case.  See, for example, this one, which has backpack straps, as well (a real plus for me):

http://www.altieribags.com/strings.html

And I'm pretty sure you could get one made up as a custom job by one of the smaller case cover companies.

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## wildpikr

sblock - great review - thanks!

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## hank

Here's another insulated case cover. http://coloradocase.com/caltonmandol...casecover.aspx

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## f5loar

If I had the time I would have written the exact same review for my Hoffee case only I would have compared it to the Price case.  So thanks for doing it for me!  Great case.

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## hank

I was on the fence about investing in one of these cases until yesterday.  I was carrying my(new to me) F4 down to our local insurance office to get it on our coverage.  I didn't have a bill of sale only a copy of the certified check used to purchase so proof of purchase was the reason I carried the instrument. I noticed the sound of it flopping around in the case as I walked and the gap at the case center gave me visions of a latch failure. Anyway all involved had fun with the way I carried the case like a new born infant.  I think it took this for me to fully realize how badly I needed a new case. I contacted Jeff to start the ball rolling. During our discussion I mentioned my concern with the finish on the case hardware.  Jeff told me the hardware finish is powder baked(not painted).  Looking back at sblock's photo it appears the rivet heads are loosing the finish not the hardware.  The important thing to me is the insulation and the care Jeff takes in fitting the case to the particular instruments neck configuration instead of one size fits all.  The biggest hurdle I was facing was that look you get from your better half when they are straining to find a reason why you haven't gone completely mad. Well, this post is proof that I survived the look and am looking forward to the new crib.

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## sblock

> ...I contacted Jeff to start the ball rolling. During our discussion I mentioned my concern with the finish on the case hardware.  Jeff told me the hardware finish is powder baked(not painted).  Looking back at sblock's photo it appears the rivet heads are loosing the finish not the hardware.  The important thing to me is the insulation and the care Jeff takes in fitting the case to the particular instruments neck configuration instead of one size fits all...


I'm glad you had a chance to chat with Jeff about this. Yes, I think the hardware has a black powder-coat finish, which is something that's baked on and quite durable. And yes, the small bit of paint flaking I've observed thus far on my case seems confined to just two areas:  (1) the rivets and (2) the keyways on the locks.  It's possible that the rivets were not painted in quite the same way.  As for the keyways, the paint likely flaked there because the key only fit into the lock with some difficulty. On the whole, I'd have to say that these flaws are truly minor, but they are real.  In writing my review, I tried to point out all the best -- and the worst -- features of the case that I identified. Except for the lack of a rubber bumper to protect the latch at the very bottom of the case (so that it can be balanced vertically, headstock up), and for some tiny flecks of lost paint, this case is the best I've ever seen for a mandolin.  The rest of my review details many of the ways in which this case improves upon its rivals.  I am glad most most folks are reading the review with a broad perspective.

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## Ivan Kelsall

From sblock - _"The strength of carbon-fiber is legendary, of course.."_. As a now retired carbon composite's design & manufacturing engineer,specialising in carbon/carbon-glass/carbon-kevlar composite designs,i can say that unfortunately it's CF's 'lack of strength' which is legendary. CF is strong in 'tension', in other modes it's pretty weak as the CF strands are very brittle. In the case of the Hoffee cases,it seems that they have 'got it right' by using the CF/Kevlar cloth.That's where the impact strength comes from. Carbon /Kevlar is pretty tuff stuff ( in most respects) if looked after.
   The outer shiny surface is a Gel-coat resin,which in itself has little strength,that comes from the CF/Kevlar.The Gel-coat can be coloured by the introduction of coloured pigments,but you'll loose the CF 'look' & it'll look very similar to the Calton f/glass cases.
  Apart from that - congratulations on your new case,but be careful with it,
                                                                                                     Ivan :Wink:

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## hank

I wanted to wake this thread back up with a Big thumbs up on my new Hoffee case.  Mine looks flawless with blue exterior and interior.  I also got the thermal protection with 3M Thinsulate.  The record breaking temps here are beginning to make that option more and more important.  Jeff custom fitted the interior to body tracings, neck/peghead dimension questionaire and photos of my 23 F4. He also did a jamup job of recontouring the storage compartment to fit the shorter neck without compartment area loss. The only negative is a slight loss of hardware black color.  The black hardware looks so good as opposed to chrome that IMO it's worth the slight touch up that might be needed occasionally.  I also recently purchased a like new used Pegasus case from Charles Johnson for my 06 F5 Goldrush.  This is another fantastic case that is only .2 lbs heavier(me holding the cases on our house scales).  Not sure how accurate that is but FWIW the Peg came in at 9.2 lbs. and the Hoffee came in at an even 9 lbs.  If Pegasus can get it together with their glue failures they are in the same league as the Hoffee.  So far this one hasn't had this problem.  I have also heard some complain about the 6 hinges on the Peg but they are one hand latches that are easily opened and closed in sets of two so it takes no more time to latch or unlatch them than the Hoffee's 3 latches that require two hands each.  Both of these cases are top quality cases that do a superb job of supporting and padding your instrument.  Both have a lot of storage space and neck/peghead support.  So far as strength or lack of it your guess is as good as mine but Hoffee has some guitar case destructive testing videos on UTube that are fun to watch.  He throws them in a pond, out of a speeding car,off of a tall building and back on top of it with his mini van.

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## foldedpath

> I also recently purchased a like new used Pegasus case from Charles Johnson for my 06 F5 Goldrush.  This is another fantastic case that is only .2 lbs heavier(me holding the cases on our house scales).  Not sure how accurate that is but FWIW the Peg came in at 9.2 lbs. and the Hoffee came in at an even 9 lbs.  If Pegasus can get it together with their glue failures they are in the same league as the Hoffee.  So far this one hasn't had this problem.


I've had my new(ish) Pegasus case for almost 5 months now, used frequently for gigs and sessions. I haven't had any issues with the lining coming unglued. I know there were one or two reports of that here, but it could be either a temporary issue that Sam has dealt with, or just a few rare cases of failure. I guess I'll know for sure after a few more years, and if the lining gets loose I can always re-glue it. I'm mainly just a fan of the case design and durability. Probably not "throw it off a moving car" durabilty, but for the regular slings and arrows of gigs and sessions, it's fine. 

Compared to the Hoffee and other options, I was also attracted by the customization in colors and linings. I figured if I was going to spend this much, then it might as well be little special.... the first case I've ever owned that wasn't black! And with a cool interior lining. I've been meaning to take some photos and post it here. I'll do that later on, in a separate thread with a Pegasus header so we don't derail the Hoffee conversation too much. 




> I have also heard some complain about the 6 hinges on the Peg but they are one hand latches that are easily opened and closed in sets of two so it takes no more time to latch or unlatch them than the Hoffee's 3 latches that require two hands each.


Yeah, that was the one thing that I wasn't thrilled with, when I first unpacked the shipping box and tried out the case and mandolin fit. Six latches seems like overkill. But as you said, it's easy to get into the routine of unlatching them in pairs, using both hands. It can be done very quickly with practice.

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## Mike Bunting

I've had a Peg now for 3 years and have had no problem regarding the glue. It's great case.

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## mtucker

> I've had a Peg now for 3 years and have had no problem regarding the glue. It's great case.


me neither...still the most indestructible and sharpest looking case available today. :Cool:

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## hank

Glad to hear no more problems with Pegasus interior adhesive. I don't think you can go wrong with either case I really like them both.  Two different designs as different as the F4 & F5 within them. I'm glad they don't all look alike. I really liked Jeff's first design and hope he continues it as well as the current one.   See Hoffee Love thread for pictures, it looks kind of like the old Gibson shaped case with a more pronounced center stiffening ridge.

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## MLT

My Hoffee arrived just yesterday.  I commented over on this thread:  http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ghlight=Hoffee

Hank--coincidently mine is just like yours, blue/blue with thinsulate, although we don't have the heat here.

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