Excellent points Bob!
I get it! Kinda like a really top quality briefcase that is just a really exclusive type item; but certainly not made to be carted around a military war zone...completely different market.
JW Hulme Leather Briefcase
I agree with your "perfect world" as well though in my version I have an
1. Eastman shaped case as my travel around on foot for long periods/festivals (hard foam like the travelite)
2. Guardian (like a TKL)...which I'd love to upgrade to one of those new Collings cases if I could for home/around town
3. Calton - crush protection
I'll just be going Calton first monetarily before I probably eventually get to Collings....
1994 Gibson F5L - Weber signed
"Mandolin brands are a guide, not gospel! I don't drink koolaid and that Emperor is naked!"
"If you wanna get soul Baby, you gots to get the scroll..."
"I would rather play music anyday for the beggar, the thief, and the fool!"
"Perfection is not attainable; but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence" Vince Lombardi
Playing Style: RockMonRoll Desperado Bluegrass Desperado YT Channel
Following the philosophical, "All things can be reduced to one." The Collings case will do it for me. With the SD case cover and shoulder strap it fits under my seat or in any overhead. I'm pretty sure the Hoffee, with its greater than Calton thickness, won't fit into the overhead of some small regional turbo props. I had a guitar & mando in Caltons that survived a car crash that destroyed 2 cars and sent all passengers to hospital. Love them, but don't love the weight. My Collings guitar case will be seeing lots of service, including gate-checking.
Certainly wonderfully spirited discussion, here! Does the same enthusiastic debate happen in the guitar world? Violin world? I guess I'm really asking is this Collings case really such an innovation? I like the fancy briefcase, analogy. Makes sense to a certain market. I am also aware that the "right" vintage guitar case can go for insane money -- $5K for certain models. (I should add, insane to me, that is. And the case probably isn't worth $5K as a case, but is worth the money to "complete" a vintage guitar, adding to the originality -- or the illusion of originality!) It has also been mentioned that some feel a proper case should logically represent a certain percentage of the instruments worth -- I can also see that, to a degree. OTOH, I think of Anvil guitar cases I have owned which represented the state of the art 30+ years ago and now when I see them at guitar shows it is hard to give them away. Also, hard to lift them.......interesting debate.
I just don't get it...
For wooden musical fun that doesn't involve strumming, check out:
www.busmanwhistles.com
Handcrafted pennywhistles in exotic hardwoods.
1994 Gibson F5L - Weber signed
"Mandolin brands are a guide, not gospel! I don't drink koolaid and that Emperor is naked!"
"If you wanna get soul Baby, you gots to get the scroll..."
"I would rather play music anyday for the beggar, the thief, and the fool!"
"Perfection is not attainable; but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence" Vince Lombardi
Playing Style: RockMonRoll Desperado Bluegrass Desperado YT Channel
I'm just gonna leave this here....
Shaun Garrity
http://www.youtube.com/user/spgokc78
Shaun, is that a carbon fibre horse? Will it survive that kind of abuse?
Not without $750, you don't.
Hey, I'm not interested in spending that kind of money, but we often encourage people on the Cafe, to buy high-end instruments that they fall in love with. So, if you want a really nice case, this sure is one.
Why are you buying that Lexus, when a Honda will get you there just as well? Why designer jeans, instead of Walmart generics? Something about a well-made product that makes one feel better. You've got the money, so go for it.
Still, I've bought some very nice mandolins for less money. Priorities, choices -- always trade-offs...
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
It's expensive. It's beautifully made. It's not for everyone, and it's not a flight case.
Nothing more to see here, folks.
Mandobar - All wooden 'shaped' cases are made from plywood - not directly,but from wooden laminates which are formed to shape & then bonded together. If you tried to form actual plywood,i'd expect the already bonded plies to come apart.
Darly - The sort of case construction i have in mind is light years away from the 'Reunion Blues' case that you mentioned. What's needed to protect the mandolin is a compressible barrier between the mandolin & the case shell. The barrier compresses to cushion the blow in the same way that a car fender buckles to do the same thing,hopefully leaving the car itself un-damaged. The only case that does this already,but to a limited extent,is the Travelite with it's outer layer of padding under the Nylon covering. The padding will cushion some of the force of an impact,absorb it, & prevent the force being transferred to the case shell & thus to the mandolin. If the Travelite case had an interior covering,behind which was a good layer of Polystyrene 'chips' which could move to a limited extent,then it would approximate my idea re.a protective inner layer. To absorb an impact in any meaningful manner, the cushioning material must 'move'. If it's rigid,it will transfer the shock of an impact to the instrument inside. Most of the cases that i've seen attempt to do this with layers of padded 'plush' lining,& i haven't seen one, including my own TKL case,which, externally, is very strong,which i believed to be adequate.
No amount of external case construction made from any material that you can name,will be any good if the interior isn't right. In most of the cases that i've seen,all the emphasis has been on the case 'shell',with not too much between the shell & the mandolin to keep it safe,something that would be so easy to put right & at very little cost - again,IMHO.
TKL case 'latches' - The latches on my TKL banjo case are not the same type which are on my TKL "American Vintage" mandolin case. So,TKL either use a different type for each type of case,or,they may have changed their supplier. Either way,both types function perfectly,
Ivan
Weber F-5 'Fern'.
Lebeda F-5 "Special".
Stelling Bellflower BANJO
Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.
For wooden musical fun that doesn't involve strumming, check out:
www.busmanwhistles.com
Handcrafted pennywhistles in exotic hardwoods.
Calton, Hoffee could make cases that hold the Collings case. Then when you get there, you can sport the Collings.
Since we appear to be nearing the end, I thought I'd throw that out there.
while this thread roils on, these cases are selling one after the other. You could not buy advertising exposure like this....anywhere
"your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."
Too wise
It looks nice, but since I have a Calton already it's probably not for me. I'm always glad to see manufacturers putting more effort into mandolins and accessories than less though! It's only good for the market as a whole.
I just hope that the flight case folks don't see the price of this and think in turn that they can raise their prices even higher for the additional protection.
I wonder if there are forums where ladies discuss high end hand bags like this? Well, probably not. They just buy them all!
I did like the Northfield case Gabe Wiseman was sporting a couple of weeks ago because the shape allowed much more storage than my Calton. I get the appeal here of this one for some folks, but not for me, and that's OK! Now maybe if I ever get that new Collings guitar I've been lusting over for a few years and it comes with one.....
Drew
2020 Northfield 4th Gen F5
2022 Northfield NFS-F5E
2019 Northfield Flat Top Octave
2021 Gold Tone Mando Cello
https://www.instagram.com/pilotdrew85
The Travelite case doesn't really work like that because the "shell" isn't rigid. One reason I decided to get a Pegasus a few years ago, was that I realized that if I slowly pushed down with increasing strength on the lid of my Travelite, the shell would depress under my hand. This was with the mandolin out of the case, natch. It's just rigid foam, so naturally it will move if you push on it hard enough. So while the Travelite has probably a little better shock protection for falling off a table, it's not as good as a fiberglass case for sitting between heavy PA gear when packed in a car. Or a drunk tripping and falling on the case at a session.
You pays your money and you takes your chances. I'm more worried about PA gear slowly crushing the case than it falling off a table. I don't leave the case in situations like that with a mandolin inside.
I agree with your description of an ideal design being a tough (immovable) shell with a moveable/crushable interior. That's how an Anvil ATA flight case is designed, with many inches of soft, compressible foam around the object inside. It's just that nobody except a touring musician with roadies wants to deal with the size and weight.
I doubt that will happen. The main economic pressure on people making composite cases like Calton, Pegasus, Hiscox, etc. are local environmental regulations that require careful handling and disposal of the hazardous materials involved. As it gets more difficult to work with the stuff, the prices go up to compensate. The cost of a nicely made composite case like these brands I mentioned is actually pretty reasonable for the quality you're getting.
Also, I wish we would stop calling cases like Calton, Pegasus, Hiscox etc. "flight cases." They're not, regardless of how Calton likes to market their cases. A flight case is ATA rated, like an Anvil case with recessed latches and handles, foam cushioning inside, etc. Few of us actually want or need that.
I think I'd choose to miss a flight rather than check my Pegasus case as baggage if I couldn't board with it. The statistical risk for damage might be acceptable, but I'd be afraid the case is so small and pretty that someone would be tempted to scamper with it, before I could pull it off the baggage carousel.
Don't go by what is listed on websites. I have found that dealers just can't keep the pace with their websites. I called a dealer I do business with frequently. They had one. I bought it.
"your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."
"I think I'd choose to miss a flight rather than check my Pegasus case as baggage if I couldn't board with it. The statistical risk for damage might be acceptable, but I'd be afraid the case is so small and pretty that someone would be tempted to scamper with it, before I could pull it off the baggage carousel."
Amen foldedpath!
If I didn't know any better I'd think this was a Blue Chip thread.
NK......Could be the Tonerite or Toneguard too....
Bernie
____
Due to current budgetary restrictions the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off -- sorry about the inconvenience.
FP - The actual 'shell' of the Travelite cases is wood,i know because at one point i removed the outer cover to sort out a zipper problem.The outer cover is padded giving the 'whole' thing a soft feel. Anybody with a Travelite case can prove that for themselves.
I agree that you can press the shell of a Travelite & make it deform because the wooden shell isn't very thick,but who's going to do that in real life ?. In some circumstances that could happen,but i'd avoid those situations with any case.
Quote - "I think I'd choose to miss a flight rather than check my Pegasus case as baggage if I couldn't board with it." Me too & with any of my 3 cases. The case might be fine,but as i've been trying to point out,it's the INTERNAL cushioning that keeps the mandolin safe, & i haven't found a case with what i'd call adequate internal protection.
As for oddball situations such as drunks stumbling & falling on it,it'll never happen. My mandolin is either in it's case in my hand,or i'm playing it. I learned 50 years ago not to leave my instrument un-attended after a guy knocked my banjo over. I'd been in a Folk Club playing on stage, & left it propped up against the edge of a table. A guy brushed past it & knocked it over. I honestly thought that the neck just behind headstock would snap. Fortunately the 140+ year old Rosewood neck was strong enough to withstand the fall. That was the last time i left my instrument un-attended.
As it is & always will be,''you pays your money & makes your choice'' - but price isn't always an arbiter of ''safety''. I won't say quality as the Collings case is obvously of high quality,but is your mandolin realistically any safer inside it than in any other case,& isn't safety & protection what it's all about ?. The highest build quality in the world isn't any use if the internal protection isn't good enough,& that's my main point in all this.
One point - if owning a high cost case makes us treat it with more care,then that's a good thing - but we could do that with any case,
Ivan
Weber F-5 'Fern'.
Lebeda F-5 "Special".
Stelling Bellflower BANJO
Tokai - 'Tele-alike'.
Ellis DeLuxe "A" style.
Bookmarks