Guitar Cases

[Bob Connor]

Does anyone know someone in Australia who can supply or make guitar cases.

Most of the usual suspects can supply a Dred, classical or jumbo case but
I'm after a supplier for cases for an 0-18 style guitar and the nano jumbo fat bottom girl in 12 string I think is going to be problematic to find one off the shelf.

The 12 strings have a 15 inch lower bout and 10 1/4 inch upper bout with full body width.

Cheers

Bob

[jackspira]

Hi Bob, and hello everyone as this is my first post here I think ( I'm a Melbourne based guitar maker)
I'm not aware of anyone making cases in Melbourne at present, so I am interested to hear any replies too. I've tried making them myself and I think I have a pretty good idea why no one takes it up as a business!
For the Jumbo body you've got, maybe the Hiscox GJ would do it? ( can i post a link?) The smaller one is trickier. There once was a Samick 00 case which was quite nice, but I'm not sure if they're still being imported. I'll try and find out during the week.
Jack

[graham mcdonald]

Presto Cases in WA make very good fiberglass cases for most instruments. Not cheap and delivery is slow (usually >3 months). Menno and Paula are the people and their email is prestocases@iprimus.com.au

cheers

graham

[Kim]

Presto Cases in WA make very good fiberglass cases for most instruments. Not cheap and delivery is slow (usually >3 months). Menno and Paula are the people and their email is prestocases@iprimus.com.au

cheers

graham

I have heard nothing of Presto Cases that they would not be proud to see written in a brochure. I have not contacted them as yet but intend to fairly soon feeling confident they can produce a first class case.

Cheers

Kim

[Serge]

Hi Jack, welcome to the forum mate!

[Allen]

I just got one for my 000 cypress and 0M Cutaway. It's a CNB but I can't find the model number. It has a finish that looks like old patchwork jeans. It fits these guitars perfectly. As I recall you said you were building to similar specs.

It's not the best case in the world, but quite functional for just over the $100 mark.

[Bob Connor]

Hi Jack and welcome to the forum.

Go ahead and post any links that you want to. The forum has been set up so us Australian builders can share ideas and vendors that'll save us money. If there's enough of us that require some items that we have to import at present we may be able to get someone local to stock or manufacture for us.

The little jumbo is a prototype and whilst some things may change, I'm fairly confident that the body dimensions won't move too much so I'll need this size case on an ongoing basis. Two of them are 12 strings so I'll need something a little longer in the neck department. I think custom built may be the only choice here.

The 00 case you mentioned would be fine I think, as the dimensions are not drastically different from the 0 model so if you've got any leads on that it would be appreciated.

I'll get in touch with Presto and see what they can do Graham. I don't mind paying for a quality product.

Allen - We've built 6 OM/000's this year and they fit perfectly in a classical case. We've been getting Rock Cases - I think they come through Lamberti's or Payton's. Arched top deluxe model retail is about $180 - bought in lots of 5 around $140.

Cheers

Bob

[Allen]

Thanks Bob, I'll check them out. And now that I'm building a jumbo style I might need something else, so I'm keen to see what develops.

On a side thought, wouldn't it be cool to have cases with our own logo/name on them.

[Kim]

Thanks Bob, I'll check them out. And now that I'm building a jumbo style I might need something else, so I'm keen to see what develops.

On a side thought, wouldn't it be cool to have cases with our own logo/name on them.

Great point Allen and this would be worth investigating with Presto. Hey Bob, when you make contact would you mind putting that to them and then letting the group know

Cheers

Kim

[Bob Connor]

I've been in touch with Ameritage Cases in the US.

For those of you who don't know them they come highly recommended, have inbuilt humidifiers and can supply custom logos.

Custom sizes in single lots are not a problem and they can provide their standard cases with a customised interior shape at a much lower cost than a custom case.

They do provide accounts for luthiers and their pricing for luthier accounts is very, very competitive even with shipping from the States.

They do ask that you don't disclose any pricing publicly which is why I'm not putting up prices here.

If you'd like an indication send me a PM.

You can email Nancy Worsfold

nancyw@gwwcases.com

if you would like to establish an account with them.

I have emailed Presto Cases in Western Australia but haven't had a reply yet. I believe one of their mandolin cases costs around $500AUD.

Bob

[Bob Connor]

I got a reply from Presto cases.

They don't do custom sizes but have a steel string case and a classical case. Dealer price on the steel is $478.50 and the classical is $445.50.





Bob

[Allen]

I've been in contact with Nancy and she was very prompt responding to my inquires. I've sent off the specs of one of my OOO's and they have been forwarded to engineering so they can check to see if an off the shelf case will work, or if something needs to be modified. I'll keep you up to date with the results.

And if the $US keeps dropping we're really gonna get a deal .

[kiwigeo]

When are case builders going to supply cases with support along the entire length of the neck??

The way I see it if your case gets dropped from a great height and the neck is only supported under the nut, when the case hits the ground the neck under the nut will stop but the headstock and rest of the neck will still have intertia resulting in a break right around the neck support.

Am I way out with my thinking here?

[Bob Connor]

Am I way out with my thinking here?

Makes total sense to me.

I wonder if Ameritage would do that modification to the cases.

I know I'd be interested.

[Kim]

I got a reply from Presto cases.

They don't do custom sizes but have a steel string case and a classical case. Dealer price on the steel is $478.50 and the classical is $445.50.
Bob

I can see a bright future for anyone going into the case making game who offers a reasonable product at a reasonable price. In my opinion, these quotes clearly show that there is no one doing so in this country at the moment.

Being that they are located in WA, I had high hopes for Presto cases Looks like still more of our AU's will be heading OS. The lesson here for local producers and retailers is that if they cannot be reasonable with their margins, they cannot seriously expect people to listen as they jump up and down bleating about job losses and people being unpatriotic when they buy from outside this country.

Some other examples of Aussie extortion. A set of standard $6.00 a pack landed, acoustic guitar strings for $20.00AU from a music shop! Why would anyone do that to themselves? A set of standard gold M6 Schallers for $180 or even $220! You would need rocks in your head to pay that but some pea brains do. A $200 Festo sander for $600!! What sort of drugs would you need to be on to think that any sander is worth 5 or 6 hundred bucks? Hey I got one secondhand for $150, great sander and all, but really 600!.

I am ever so grateful to the Internet, it has reshaped the way we do business in AU. A lot of things are still quite expensive here but the net has given people and option which has only just started to force local suppliers to become more competitive. Don't get me wrong folks, I don't begrudge a business making a fair cop at all, it's tough out there and people need to be paid for their efforts, so I continue to first of all seek out those locals who are fair and reasonable and encourage you to do the same. But if all you can find is greedy crooks willing to gouge people finding it perfectly acceptable to charge the kind of margins in the examples I mentioned above, then I support anyone who gives them the flick and buys off shore. It really is just another form of natural selection, get realistic or get lost.

Off me box

Cheers

Kim

[Bob Connor]

Spot on Kim.

The gouge for Festool is going straight into Festools pocket . Same with the Elixir strings.

I reckon Allen will jump in here and support me on this one but the guys at Ameritage can't do enough to help you out.

We've been putting our guitars in cases we source from the local music shop. Retail is $180 and we get them for $140 if we buy in lots of five.

Fine if you just build Dre@dnoughts. For OM's we get classical cases and they fit perfectly. Want to buy a case for an 0-18, 00-18, small jumbo? Forget it.

Buying Ameritage is going to put another 100 bucks on but there is just no comparison in the standard of the case. The Ameritage ones come with an electronic hygrometer as standard fare plus facility to to hydrate/dehydrate the case as required.

It's a no brainer really.

As far as tuners go, Grover Statites (open back) are 50 bucks. Gotoh enclosed machines for the same price. Double the price for gold plate.

These are imported by Lamberti Brothers in Melbourne. Get an account with them and you can take 30% off that.

These are as good a machinehead as you'll get (unless you want Waverlies)

Rant over.

Bob

[Allen]

You bet, this gets my blood boiling. I'm not sure of the reason that we're getting gouged here. I've only lived in Oz for just over 5 years now, but it seems to me that we are so isolated here that the local market place has just developed an attitude of "charge whatever the traffic will bear because where else will the go!"

Thankfully the internet has changed all that, but I fear that local business might still be years away from figuring out that they are loosing sales due to there inflated prices.

And don't even get me started on the telephone and internet service and prices here. My basic phone bill just doubled because Optus could. Nothing changed....they just doubled the price without notice and said I was free to go to another company if I liked. The problem is that the other players are even worse, and I suspect the marketing guys know this, so they just padded their bottom line big time.

Ok...I got that off my chest

[Kim]

Allen,

If you have broadband, you need to look at VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol). I was with Optus for everything, same deal they done the double up on charges, so I gave them the flick and changed ISP's. This was out of spite (could have kept them as my ISP and still changed to VOIP but was determine to give them no more of my mo...NOTH'IN!)

I went out and bought a Billion 7404 VPG VOIP enabled wireless router/modem for $225.00, could have gone much cheaper to achieve same but this model allowed me to networked my house with 2 PC's and an Xbox and have a spare port for when any mates drop in with a laptop. Anyhow, back to VOIP, I plugged my standard cordless handset into the back of the modem, spent and afternoon working out who I wanted to use as a VOIP server, ended up with the prepaid no access fee, no flag fall service offered by https://www.pennytel.com/index.html, I configured a dial plan into the modem to match, and now pay VERY little for phone calls whether they be local, interstate or international.

Only difference between VOIP and normal phone service, other than cost of course is that sometimes the calls can start out a little echoey, but this only last for the first minute and then settles out pretty quick. It is more annoying than an issue but indicates to me that a good adsl speed gives best results. As an example on call cast, my Sister In-law lives in China, my Wife calls her mobile phone from our land line for a good long chin wag every other day, typical cost as cut and pasted (phone number deleted for obvious reasons) from my Pennytel account: 2007-11-02 12:01:53 China Mobile Normal 45:52 min 0.62700. Yep that's right 63 cents for a 3/4 hr chat to a mobile in China

Cheers

Kim

[Craig]

Maybe I'm missing something here , and you guys already know of Hiscox cases . They are made in England by a Luthier who became pissed off with all the cases available.

You can stand on these !! . Their blurb says the lid can take around 180 pound . They are heavily insulated ( a bit like an Esky ). The neck is well supported , and extra matching pads are available at little cost. They are available in Australia and bought in via ProMusic.

I'm pretty sure Lowden uses these on all their instruments . I recently bought one from an agreeable music store salesman for $230. They retail for $259.

I think they are brilliant IMO. The only down side is that I find I have to be careful I don't bump the guitar on the interlocking aluminium rim, but the plus' outweigh this IMO.

[Craig]

Incidently , their standard 6 string case fits my 12 string

[willcall]

Old thread I know but it's a good question.
I just found these guys.

http://www.prestocases.com.au/index.htm

http://www.cases.com.au/

[demonx]

There is a place in Melbourne that makes custom cases. I've never seen them in person but have heard good things.

http://www.caseman.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/candccases

[Jim watts]

While Ameritage cases are very nice they weigh a ton, several traveling player have told me just don't want to deal with the weight lugging the thing through airports and such. I'll second the recommendation above for Hiscox cases, IMO they're the sweet spot in the world of cases. Light in weight, good neck support, good protection and you can get them in white to help with thermal protection when left in cars.

[rocket]

Tony Vilianti ,, over Rosanna way has made cases for me Bob, he makes anything from flute to double bass cases in fibreglass ,affordable too.All you need to do is send a paper cut out and the critical measurements in the mail .
Cheers.

Rod.

[peter.coombe]

Cases, cases, long ongoing nightmare. One would think that a mandolin is pretty standard. The Chinese case makers don't seem to think so. They are able to make cases that fit perfectly in one batch, the next don't fit at all. Only solution has been to use Presto and Cedar Creek, but that does not solve the problem of cases for my flattop mandolins that are made to a lowest as I can get it price. Ebay has been my friend for that, but the vast majority of cases are either too big or too small.

Guitars - Presto cases are wonderful. OM size will fit in their classical mold, and they are nicely balanced when carrying. Hiscox cases are also very good, perfect fit and the OM case comes in an Ivory colour, cheaper too. However, not as nice a case to carry as the Presto. I have just started making tenor guitars which is another case nightmare. Nothing fits. I went through Better Music's entire case collection, several hundred cases and came up with something that just fitted, but rather poorely. Cedar Creek will do a case, but I want to sell these things and the cost of Cedar Creek or Presto puts it in the unlikely to sell range. Presto need to fit instruments into a set number of standard fibreglass molds, so anything unusual can be a problem. Anyway, I think I have found a reasonable solution to the tenor guitar problem. It arrived on the doorstep today just before we left for Port Fairy FF. It fitted (finally, phew) but in the rush have not had a chance to check it out properly.

Presto cases have had a change of ownership. Menno sold the business, so he is no longer involved. The new owner seems to be eager to please and to reduce the delivery times. I waited over 12 months for non delivery of a mandolin case from Menno, but the new owner got onto it as soon as he could. The new owner is learning the business so the cases I got from him are not quite the perfect fit I am used to, but he will get it right.

Cedar Creek have been good, but the exchange rate is now a problem, and the last case had an issue I was not happy with. They are making a new case for me, but I would much prefer the issue was not there in the first place. The new case is going to take a while for them to make. So, the case nightmare continues.