Bags for sax

[haonhien]

I ride a motorcycle, so I bought a bag to put my sax in. The bag has the main chamber that's padded, for the sax, and an outside zippered pocket to put everything else.

My question is, do I need to do anything special to protect the neck, or can I just toss it in the outside pocket with the rest of my stuff?

Are there some kind of bags that are better than others, or are they all pretty much the same?

I play the viola and violin and, to me, pretty much all fiddle cases are the same in terms of protecting the instrument. Some are just prettier than others, or maybe more convenient in ways totally unrelated to the instrument....

[Blackwolf42]

Is it a soft bag? If so, it most definitely will not provide nearly enough protection for your saxophone.

[sycc]

Put neck in KIWI neck sock(bag). Place KIWI sock in bell of sax.

[hgrail]

I'm assuming its an alto or tenor & you're strapping it across the seat?

I've done that on my bike with my alto for trips. Horns are too big for the saddlebags.
I would love to take the bari with me - but have yet to find a good way.

SO... I bought a trailer kit for the bike & will start using that this summer.
Let me know what has worked for you.

Thanks,
John

[haonhien]

Thanks for all your responses.

It is a soft bag. Do you suggest I ought to get something else?

sycc: I will buy a neck bag and put it in the bell like you suggest. I saw this little draw-string bag that's advertised as a saxophone neck bag.

hgrail: It's an alto, and I'm just carrying the bag on the back like a back pack. I ride a Ninja 250cc and I just don't like things strapped across the gas tank.....

[tbone]

I love sax bags! :D Sax bags = broken/banged up saxes = repair work needed = more money in my wallet.

Seriously, put your horn in a hard case with a padded neck bag for the neck. Find a backpack that the horn (case and all) will fit into and transport it that way. just MHO

[altoblues]

Pro Tec make some very good hard-sided cases that come with backpack straps. There is one that is sort of square and has the straps built in, and there is a shaped one that takes a harness sold seperately. Both have decent storage, and both will do a MUCH better job of protecting your horn than any soft bag.

[DirkW]

I'd definitely go with a Pro Tec. I've known two guys that regularly used gig bags. One was an older Yani which ended up with a series of small dings all over the horn. He was constantly putting it in the shop for regulation. The other was carrying his brand-new Selmer SA80 II. The guy really pampered his horn and was always quite careful with it. One day, without thinking, he took it off his shoulder and dropped it about 2' onto a hard floor. He put a nice crease into the lip of the bell. Not surprisingly, he immediately stopped using his gig bag.

As far as neck storage, I use the Kiwi brand which is well padded and stores both the neck and the mouthpiece. I use them for alto, tenor, and bari.

http://www.wwbw.com/search/?src=kiwi+neck

[Carl H.]

All violin cases are not the same. Suspension cases are the ONLY way to go. Take it from someone who played for a living and grew up in the violin business. If it isn't a suspension case you might as well put it in a bag if you ride.

[haonhien]

Guys!

If you're trying to scare me out using my bag, you've succeeded.

I'm putting a belt (the military style fabric belt) around the square case and carrying it across my body that way.

(That's how I used to carry my violin case when I was riding bicycles.

All violin cases are not the same. Suspension cases are the ONLY way to go. Take it from someone who played for a living and grew up in the violin business. If it isn't a suspension case you might as well put it in a bag if you ride.

I know we're getting way off topic of saxophones here, but just as a side comment I've always wondered at people who buy cases with a hygrometer in it. If they're in a room that's too humid and they don't know it, they should be ashamed. And if the hygrometer is telling them it's too humid where they're playing, it's not like they can get up and leave! :D

But, as I said, I digress. We now return to our regular program.

[Carl H.]

I know we're getting way off topic of saxophones here, but just as a side comment I've always wondered at people who buy cases with a hygrometer in it. If they're in a room that's too humid and they don't know it, they should be ashamed. And if the hygrometer is telling them it's too humid where they're playing, it's not like they can get up and leave! :D




It is not about too much humidity, but too little.

[DirkW]

I'm putting a belt (the military style fabric belt) around the square case and carrying it across my body that way.Is that one of those wood cases? How's the weight?

Below is my case; light and compact. It has a place for the neck, and I keep two mouthpieces and a few reeds inside the bell using a Kiwi NeckPack. I also bought a sturdy strap to carry it on my shoulder. You should be able to secure it well using one of those military-style web belts. I take along a camera bag and clip it to my shoulder strap when I need more accessories. I sometimes carry a cloth briefcase-like bag to carry music and a few accessories.

http://www.wwbw.com/SKB-SKB-440-Contoured-Pro-Alto-Sax-Case-i16483.music

[haonhien]

It's your normal everyday plastic case. It's a little on the heavy side but I guess it's ok....

Thanks for all your input.