Shaped violin cases (Gewa or Bam??)
I'm looking to buy a new violin case, but I need it to be light weight because I often have to lug my violin around. I'm looking at shaped cases which are often lighter and their size means they are better for travel on planes. Are shaped cases ok for good violins? I know professionals etc prefer the oblong cases mostly..
I have the Gewa strato super light weight in mind, or the more expensive Bam contoured case. My worries about the Gewa are that it has no neck restraint, and I have heard that the Bam contoured case is not very good in the heat or the cold and that it melts and gets scratched up easily!! i live in Australia so it gets pretty hot here so that might be a problem. Can anyone recommend a shaped case to me, or comment on the ones I have mentioned? it will be protecting a $10K (Aus) violin. .
Replies (14)
Another vote for Musafia. I suggest you consider the extra insulation available; keeps the contents of the case more stable despite external temperature. If the case is being refurbished it can be added at that time. Drop the company a line; they may have a case in the works that would suit your requirements. They are a very service-oriented company. Highly recommended.
I've owned a BAM high-tech contoured for just under a year now and it does tend to get scratched up a bit but it has yet to melt on me :) Judging from the design, I do think the BAM may be limited in it's ability to protect from extreme temperatures, but it's worth noting that the case has a "hermetic seal", which is to say that it is airtight for all practical purposes. I've yet to have any problems with temperature issues, but I would never leave my violin somplace especially hot or cold for any significant lenght of time anyway. Overall I've been happy with it. It's a good case for everyday use and has great backpack straps that are comfortable and sturdy. It's light-weight, yet strong enough that I feel comfortable carrying around my multi-thousand dollar violin in it.
For a $10,000 violin -- Musafia, Musafia, Musafia. Basic case goodness is good thermal insulation, good impact protection, and good impact energy absorption. Wood's the best choice (until you get to larger cases like cello cases where the weight becomes a huge issue) and Musafia is the gold standard.
Energy absorption under impact is a, maybe the key issue. You want a case that will aborb impact energy instead of transferring it all to the instrument. Wood will hold up, then gives way aborbing energy the entire way -- as opposed to say many composites that hold up for a while and then basically shatter or an unbreakable case that will transfer essentially all the energy of a sudden stop to the instrument inside.. Wood is also consistent in a wide range of temperature extremes. It doesn't soften under high temps and doesn't get brittle in cold temps the way some composite/plastics/resins do. Now the BAM sandwich may do all the things that wood does. But that's an awful lot of rigorous testing they'd have to do. Me -- I prefer to play it safe and just get wood. And Musafia is definitely the gold standard for wood cases.
I'll second the recommendation for Musafia. I actually "killed" mine but it did it's job! The BAM I'm lugging around now would most likely not have survived the impact.
Waiting till next month for some finances to roll in so I can mail it back to Italy for repairs. :)
Thanks guys! I have just ordered a Musafia superleggero so I'll see how it is when it arrives! I'm very excited, thanks again for the recommendation!
Good for you! And good for your violin.
Great decision Sophie - I am sure you and your violin will love it!
I got a Gewa Strato on clearance for $99. It's not at all bad as far as I can tell, although it does lack the neck restraint (what were they thinking?) and the in-case humidifier. Perhaps a luggage repair place can deal with the former.
Anyway, it doesn't feel nearly as good as a Musafia, BUT...
it's incredibly light, even in the oblong shape
and it's cheap.
Good for certain situations but not as a primary case.
Hi Guys,
how much is roughly a violin case from Musafia??
Hi Guys,
how much is roughly a violin case from Musafia??
Starts somewhere north of $500 and can go over $2,000. Check their website.
I bought a new dart-shaped Musafia 8 years ago for just north of $300. I bought it because I was planning an airplane trip with violin for a family wedding performance and the Musafia was the most compact case I could find. It was just a bit thinner and narrower than anything else (more expensive too). 09/11/01 happened between the purchase and the wedding and I did not attempt to fly with the new travel conditions. It is a handy case (holds 2 bows) and has the very secure Musafia latch; the only drawback I have found is that the tab on the accessory area tends to get caught in the zipper at the narrow end of the case unless I am very careful.
Andy
Did I read Ray Chen as a v.com member in this thread! As the winner of this year's Queen Elizabeth competition : )
Anne-Marie
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April 24, 2009 at 04:13 PM ·
May I suggest you take look at the Musafia webpage. The Superleggero dart is a very good shaped case, lightweight and also strong. It is a bit more expencive than Gewa or Bam but since it is a 10k violin you want to protect it would be well worth the money!