Durable case for price?
I am really in need of a new case. The one im using is my fathers and is over 20 years old. Its an old American case company model. Unfortunately, the bow spinners over time scratch up the violin so I have to be very careful and protect it. But looking around for cases I've seen that there is a design of cases where the shoulder rest compartment is on the opposite side so the bow spinners dont loom over the violin. One case I've been considering is this:
http://www.violincase.net/gw309510.htm
But my question is, is he "thermo shell" of the Gewa cases durable and safe? Would it not bang around a 15-30k instrument? Another possibility would be this case: It has a "5 layer plywood construction"
https://www.fisherviolins.com/Store/Detail.aspx?Item=BOB1047
My only three requirements are the bow spinners being out of reach of the instrument, the instrument being well protected, and that the case costs under 300 dollars. Does anyone else have some case suggestions/recommendations?
Replies (16)
I have a Gewa Venetian, which I love. Basically its a pimped out Maestro frfom the same manufacturer. Its made in Germany, has a fiberglass shell, nice locks and strap rings, velvet and silk interiors, plenty of pocket space, large outter music pocket, hydration system, very nice bow spinners, and most importantly , the spinners close over the inner pocket, not over the body of the violin. It only weighs about 6 lbs. I looked long and hard to find a case that was set up that way. I don't understand why they all aren't. I have heard several comments from our luthiers here about spinners that have gone through the body of the instrument.
You can get the Venetian from http://beststudentviolins.com/GEWA_cases.html for $285, or the Maestro, same case just a little less decore, for $215. This is the best price I was able to find for these cases.
Gewa/Jaeger make really excellent stuff..
Good luck with your hunt.
Steven-
Bobelock cases are quite good and relatively inexpensive.
On the fiberglass note, that case has the the bow spinners over the violin, but I see there is a half moon version
http://www.bobelock.com/violinCases/1047-fiberglass.html#
I think that might work, any other suggestions?
I had the Gewa half moon case for one year. It literally fell apart. I would not get another one.
---Ann Marie
A GEWA half moon? Becase the one im looking at is a bobelock half moon....
And the fiberglass one looks durable, but there is no music pocket:(
I have a Bobelock half-moon case (the plywood kind), and I am quite pleased with it.
The spinners themselves are over the accessory pocket. Also, the violin is completely suspended, and there's a block of foam that extends from the lid of the case onto the instrument, and there's a blanket as well - I don't see how the spinners in this case could go through the instrument.
I'm leaning towards the bobelock half moon now. Thanks to all for the help.
Yes, mine was a GEWA half-moon. But I should tell you that I travel a bit and I take my violin with me. On my third trip, I noticed that one of the zippers had a metal piece that snapped off, making that zipper -catcher virtually useless. So I had only 1 functional zipper left to close the case with. On my 4th trip, one of the D-rings that held the strap broke. I installed another one. Then the fabric ripped where the D-ring was sewn in. The rip could not be sewn, so I used plumbers glue to put it back.
Just taking my instrument back and forth to work with me took its toll on this case. The fabric started shredding from around the shell, exposing the wood skeleton. When the handle finally snapped off, that was it. I got another case and tossed my GEWA in the trash.....not before my husband noticed that several of the teeth in the zipper were literally coming out of the fabric in the zipper. But, hopefully, the Bobelock will be a better buy.
---Ann Marie
If you've got a $15-30K violin, don't mess around. Spend the extra money and get a Musafia.
I was look at tonareli music supplies which had an ad on the side of this thread. It had some nice cases worth checking out. I own a gewa Venetian and it's very nice case. Only had it for couple months tho because my last case only lasted less then two years.
I've had a Gewa Maestro case for a year and a half now, and it's holding up well. In a lot of pictures you can't see it, but the Maestro does have suspension cushioning - the padding in the bottom is curved to blend in. There is no velcro neck restraint, but it's also unnecessary since there are two restraint pads in the lid - one for the tailpiece, and one for the neck.
The Maestro is a very slim case, and the unique design of the lid with the bow plates makes it incredibly strong and rigid. With most wood or fiberglass cases, if you have the lid open and you push on it, the lid will flex and wobble considerably. With the Gewa, that doesn't happen at all - under the area for the bows, the lid is about an inch thick compared to a few millimeters with most wood or fiberglass cases. This is also important because it ensures that when the lid is closed, there are no gaps between the two halves of the shell, which is a problem that often plagues both foam and wood cases.
Onto the shell - the case is "thermo" shell, and out of curiosity, I have unscrewed a portion of the cover to see exactly what material it is. The material is rock-hard, and slightly yellow-ish in color, leading me to believe that it is a type of high-density, structural polyurethane. Not foam.
The bow spinners are very nice and have a very secure 'lock' position. The bow ribbons are firmly attached to the lid, preventing the problem of having them come loose and flop around.
The accessory pockets don't have elastic restraints, but they're also unnecessary. For the main pocket, when the lid is closed, the tailpiece restraint and bow spinners in the lid actually contact the pocket lid, securing it. For the side pockets, when the lid is closed, their pull tabs contact the lid between the bow ribbons, securing them.
CORRECTION:
I've just been informed by an extremely reliable source that the Gewa Venetian case is actually made in China rather than Germany as I previously assumed.
Sorry for the misinformation.
I still like it though <grin>
One of our cases is a bobelock half moon and it is very nice. Sturdy, nicely made, elegant interior. A great value for the $$$ (or should I say $).
I've decided to go with these guys:
http://www.hiscoxcases.com/index.htm
Their cases use an unusual construction developed for strength. There's a detailed video here, which I found pretty convincing - gives you a lot of information on what to look for in a well-engineered case:
http://www.hiscoxcases.com/products_hiscox.htm
They are well known in the guitar and cello communities for producing an unusually robust case. Because it uses the same construction and is so much smaller, their fiddle case seems to be exceptionally strong. There's a small weight penalty, but I for one am happy with this in return for the extra protection.
Prices are reasonable, and the sales team are very helpful if you have any technical questions. They were the only case manufacturer I contacted who were prepared to stand by their cello case for use in an aircraft hold...
Selling a Musafia Luxury Ultralight which are legendary for their durability and protection:
http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=21838
This case also has tropicalization (extra insulation) and pacific blue interior which is stunning. No doubt it would last someone a lifetime. Sadly I have to sell for financial reasons. Let me know if you're interested. Thanks
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July 7, 2009 at 08:25 AM ·
Hi,
I have a white Bobelock Fiberglass case
(http://www.bobelock.com/violinCases/1060.html)
for my 15k violin and I like it very much (there are many aah's an ooh's when I appear with it ;-) It's cheaper than 300$ and very sturdy. I can absolutely recommend it. The material, in my opinion, is in the long term more durable than wood or plastic foam aka "thermo shell".
The interior is very fine: four stable bow holders, the instrument doesn't touch the top or bottom, it's supported at the ends of the body. There's an extra clip for the shoulder rest and a lot of space. It only smelled bad when it was new, seems it came freshly out of production. The smell is gone now, no problem.