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Thread: TKL Vectra Cases

  1. #1

    Default TKL Vectra Cases

    Anyone see one in person? They look like an low cost alternative to Calton/Hoffee.

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  3. #2
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    From the TKL web page :- https://reverb.com/item/6200344-tkl-...-mandolin-case

    They're a 'moulded' case - presumably in some form of plastic ie - they're not a 'composite' case in the way that the Calton & Hoffee cases are. So for me,it would all come down to how rigid the top & bottom are,but they certainly look very smart,
    Ivan
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    Registered User almeriastrings's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    US street price on these seems to be around $250.

    That probably means £250 or €250 in Europe.... at the very least, not including any shipping. They look quite nice, but it is pushing the envelope for a thermoplastic type case.
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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    From Almeriastrings - "...but it is pushing the envelope for a thermoplastic type case." The price is way over the top IMO.
    I have a 'Gator' moulded ABS case for my Weber "Fern". Ok ,it's not the world's best case,but it's plenty good enough & it cost me £72 UK ($92 US) - but - the new TKL is very pretty !,
    Ivan
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  7. #5
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    From Almeriastrings - "...but it is pushing the envelope for a thermoplastic type case." The price is way over the top IMO.
    I have a 'Gator' moulded ABS case for my Weber "Fern". Ok ,it's not the world's best case,but it's plenty good enough & it cost me £72 UK ($92 US) - but - the new TKL is very pretty !,
    Ivan
    They look VERY similar to the Prucha cases made in the Czech republic (by Schuster cases). But at almost twice the price...
    I'd like to know what are all those patented or trademarked features in the list.
    " TKL's Patented Advanced Interlink Construction™ " sounds cool, but what the heck is it?
    Adrian

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    From Adrian - "" TKL's Patented Advanced Interlink Construction™ " sounds cool, but what the heck is it ?" You have to buy one to find out !!.

    Such 'jargon' needs explaining if it's to have any credence these days. Other than that,it's simply meaningless hype. TKL are a premier case making company,& i'd expect them to give some meaning to such terms.
    The photo. of the case interior doesn't really show how the mandolin would fit in the same way as this one of a Schuster case,which to me,looks far nicer.

    I suppose that with it being a new case,more info. will become available over time,
    Ivan
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    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Ivan, after the previous discussion about the ABS cases I checked the Schuster case and the seal is kind of asymmetric M shape (when flipped the two seals fit together) with two notches on the underside, one goes on the shell and the other has glued in strip of same ABS material as shell (approx 3mm thick). That makes it very strong. No need to use aluminum for strength and rubber is much safer against edges of instruments IMO.
    Adrian

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    Registered User almeriastrings's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    I saw one of those Schuster cases a while back... I liked it. Looked very well made. I'd say it offered at least the same level of protection as the Hiscox mandolin case, but was far less bulky. If I ever needed an ABS case, they would be top of my list.
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  14. #9
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    I agree with Almeira - the Schuster cases look very nice indeed. I know that Jiri Lebeda used to ship his mandolins in them at one time,but when Jiri ceased building as he had done,those cases faded out of the picture. I knew that they were available as the ''Matchbox' cases from ''Streichholtz Schactel'' in Germany,but when i tried (many times) to contact them,i got no reply.

    If i was looking for another case,they'd be my first choice - if i could make contact with Schuster - wherever they are. Maybe their name & contact details could be added to the Cafe directory in some way ?.

    Many thanks for the additional information Adrian,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Prucha CZ sells Schuster cases -- I have a couple for my banjos -- they are very well made
    Jens

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Jens - I did an I/net search for the Schuster cases under the Schuster name,but found nothing. So i suppose buying one would have to be via Jaroslav Prucha,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    I was able to buy one of the TKL Vectra cases for my banjo on the last day of a NAMM show a few years ago. It's a good strong ABS exterior case, well made, light, nicely sculpted. My biggest complaints were that the banjo case didn't have much of a storage pocket, that there wasn't space inside for the strap, and that the case, being so nicely sculpted, didn't seem to physically fit anywhere among other not-so-sculpted cases. As far as the storage pocket and the strap are concerned, I modified the case so the storage pocket is bigger and so the strap fit.

    I took this case to an outdoor festival where it sat empty and un-latched in the hot sun and the ABS top warped, causing the case to not close with it's natural tight fit anymore. This might not happen with the mandolin case, as the mandolin case doesn't appear to be as sculptured as far as the exterior shape is concerned. Despite the warp, this banjo case still does close and latch and it's a useful case, but it probably will never close nicely again. I use it for storing and carrying my backup banjo now.

    ABS has two disadvantages in cases: one, ABS is naturally slippery, and two, ABS fractures with extreme compression. That combination can be a problem in carrying ABS cases in your car or possibly in shipping. I wouldn't recommend them for going in the airline baggage compartments.

    That said, we're using Gator ABS cases for our main playing instruments now, although we do not fly with our nice instruments. Gator cases are strong enough for ground travel, and from my personal experience, they are built to give their lives protecting the instruments inside. And they're inexpensive enough that if they do fracture, they can be replaced without a lot of heartache.
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    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    Jens - I did an I/net search for the Schuster cases under the Schuster name,but found nothing. So i suppose buying one would have to be via Jaroslav Prucha,
    Ivan
    Just google "schuster cases" and the very first result is schuster.cz. Web is in Czech but simple enough to find the cases.
    http://shuster.cz/sortiment/nggaller...adni-sortiment
    I believe they are mostly making guitar cases for Furch and other instrument makers or retailers so they didn't invest into sophisticated web presence with on line sales and many pictures are of older version of cases. My friend called them and they told him they will even customize case to fit your instrument if you provide measurements.
    Adrian

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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

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    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Quote Originally Posted by dhergert View Post
    ABS has two disadvantages in cases: one, ABS is naturally slippery, and two, ABS fractures with extreme compression. That combination can be a problem in carrying ABS cases in your car or possibly in shipping. I wouldn't recommend them for going in the airline baggage compartments.
    Any case material will fracture with extreme compression. CF and GF composites will shatter if hit with sharp object or hit hard enough. I wonder why case producer don't use polycarbonate, its easy to vacuum mold and is one of the toughest materials that won't break easily. There are also other modern materials that are stronger than CF or GF composites.
    Quote Originally Posted by dhergert View Post
    That said, we're using Gator ABS cases for our main playing instruments now, although we do not fly with our nice instruments. Gator cases are strong enough for ground travel, and from my personal experience, they are built to give their lives protecting the instruments inside. And they're inexpensive enough that if they do fracture, they can be replaced without a lot of heartache.
    Most common damage to instrument inside hard case is nearly always result of poor design of the case padding. How many times headstock breaks without any damage to shell? If the case has correct padding that will absosrb shock your instrument is safe. That is the key IMO.
    Typically the more expensive CF/GF cases have the interior design executed to higher standard and that's why they are safer.
    Adrian

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Hi Adrian - I searched for ''Schuster'' - Germanic spelling rather than plain 'Shuster''. Many thanks. Would any enquiry in English be understood ?.

    I have a lot of experience in Vac-forming Polycarb. panels & i've mentioned on here many times that IMHO,it's 'the' material for case shells - but !. It can be very expensive. The 3 mm thick DuPont (USA) Lexan PC in a 4ft x 6ft sheet,cost £650 20 years back.
    However,that was for aircraft grade PC,with specific 'flame /smoke / toxicity' attributes. 'Commercial grade' PC might be far less expensive.

    Adrian - Your ideas regarding the importance of a good case interior are the same as mine. IMO,the best padding is one that's super shock absorbent,one that's used to transport highly fragile objects - Polystyrene chips (or whatever you want to call them).
    I can imagine a PC case shell,not much larger than say a 'Hiscox' case,lined with packets of PT chips,behind a loose lining,with the mandolin being surrounded top/bottom & sides. It's the fact that the 'chips' move that absorbs the energy of any impact.
    However,even a PC case shell will compress,so the top & bottom would have to be reinforced. That could simply be done my moulding in 'stiffening ridges' or by bonding stiffeners to the inside of the top/bottom.

    Some careful thought & design could produce a high quality,high impact resistant case - but the size,weight & cost would possibly be a bit OTT for most folk,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Adrian and Ivan, one of the problems related to instrument cases that I've observed with ABS is how naturally slippery it is. How is PC in that regard?
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  24. #18
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Wow Ivan you beat me! So only now I found out it is not SCHUSTER with C but SHUSTER... I've been searching for Schuster all the time and google just did find the correct thing for me anyway without even mentioning "did you mean ...." so I never noticed... LOL. The eyes see what they want to see sometimes.

    The case on their webpage shows older style of case with two latches, plastic handle and less sophisticated padding inside. The new version is what Prucha sells (with his logo formed in the shell) with thick leather handle three latches and better interior.

    I looked at some pricelists and 3mm Makrolon PC costs somewhere between 30-50EUR per square meter depending on exact type of sheet (from small scale supplier) so the prices probably went quite a bit down over last decade. Even if it was more expensive, the ease of vacuum heat forming and machining would win over CF (VOC, nasty dust nad costly tools, need for careful layup etc...).
    I think it would be as rigid as CF if shape was well thought.
    Lexan is PC, so surface would be similar to that. There are also textured types of PC just like the ABS that mimic various textures (leather, fabric etc...)
    Adrian

  25. #19
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Don - The Lexan PC that i'm familiar with had a ''self texured surface'' because it was for use as an aircraft interior decor item. It was pretty typical for 'plastics' in general,being smooth & yes,you could call it 'slippery' as per ABS - although nothing like PTFE (Teflon).

    'Makrolon' is a common form of PC & is used in the manufacture of riot shields & other items that need to withstand high impact.

    I agree Adrian - PC would be a great material to use for case shells,but,as you say,some careful thought would be needed in the design to achieve all the requirements. The interior would also have to be well designed to cushion any impact better than the majority of current case designs. I'm not saying current cases are inadequate,but if we're aiming for ''better than'',the inside possibly needs more thought than the outside,which, if well designed would take care of itself.

    Here's a pic. of a Hiscox case after being dropped from an aircraft bagage hold. I don't know what the physical properties of un-formed (heated) ABS are,but some 'plastics' can become more brittle after having heat applied to them - PC isn't one of them,
    Ivan
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    Registered User mcgroup53's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    I saw one at Morgan Music last week. Very nice molded case, light and stiff and well-made. What I didn't like about it was the interior, some kind of molded foam that was way too hard and stiff IMO. I ended up buying a used Northfield Airloom case, which I like better than the Hoffee I owned

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  29. #21
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Many thanks for that observation David. It makes one wonder if any of the manufacturers have anybody working for them who actually own/play a mandolin !. You can make the exterior as tough as hell (by one means or another), but if the interior is too hard & unyeilding, it's pretty useless (IMHO).

    It seems as if 'another' potentially good case has a drawback because of a lack of thought,
    Ivan
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  30. #22
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    I wonder how stiff is the shell?
    I just have both Gator and Shuster ABS case and I can depress top of Gator by 1/4" just with my thumb easily while I can stand (150lb) on the Shuster and it barely gives 1/8" or so.
    Adrian

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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    I've spied these online over the last few years and have always been intrigued. I kinda like the '70s Samsonite briefcase vibe and the compactness for no-questions-asked airplane overhead storage. Just one problem: they don't fit an F-5 with a standard Loar-style pickguard! The case lid hits the bracket and won't close. Oh well...

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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Mark the area where the pickguard hits the case top and using a small hammer or something with a flat surface tap the spot to compress the foam. Just do it enough to compress the foam so the lid shuts.
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  33. #25
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: TKL Vectra Cases

    Polycarbonate sheet would need a much higher oven temperature before it goes 'limp enough' for vacuum molding processes, than ABS.

    & so there is $ involved..
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