Hey thomas,
It sounds like you should buy a hiscox either in the pro II or the artist.you could buy and order from sax.co.uk

good luck,
Jack

 

SKB 440. Great case. especially for around $100

 

If you want a very light and small contour hard shell lightweight case, I agree, Skb is a very good one , I doubt it would cost so little in Germany because it doesn't in Holland , Alternatively but more difficult to find try a GL case.

 

I have an SKB contoured Alto case and I like it very much. Seems just to be more nicely built unit than my Gator tenor contoured case. The only weak part of the SKB is no storage (except within the bag for he bell).

 

Doesn't get any better than a Hiscox Artist Series. I have owned several different kinds over the years. If you want to do it right the 1st time - Go Hiscox. They are pricey, but the quality is worth it. The others (SKB - Gator - Protec) are nice cases but not in the same league at all as the hiscox.

Charlie

 

If you are ever going to put it through "checked baggage" I would not use anything already mentioned. I'd only use Anvil cases for checked.

RJ

 

A protec contour case has storage , is heavier and bulkier than a SKB and offesr more than adequate protection even for checking you horn in as baggage

 

"more than adequate protection even for checking you horn in as baggage " you must have some different kind of local baggage handlers...that's a pipe dream.

 

been there, done that . I like Hiscox but there is nothing wrong with solidity and padding of the Protec coutour hard shell cases

 

thanks very much everyone!

sounds like it's either skb or hiscox then.

most people seem to agree that hiscox make pretty much the best cases on the market at the moment, but skb is easier to find, and cheaper. let's see.

i'll report back when i've had the chance to see and hold some of these in real life.

thanks again!

 

The new BAM contoured Cabin cases seem to be very nice and protective. The seem to be fashioned after the old Selmer Flight Cases which, IMO, were tough and highly protective. Saxquest.com has the new BAM cases on their site.

 

What I do not like about Cabin's. Love Protec's. Use them and Selmer.



I have almost every case available in the market.

The only thing I do not like about the Cabin BAM cases is that the slot they have for the mouthpiece may harm the ligature if it is an Optimum Lig. The screw, this is. There is no way to put it in... and I did not like the way it may travel inside the bell with the neck. Other ligs with exposed big single screw just do not fit there and may bend.

I do like Protec's very much. Very. They are great cases.

I will never, never check in a saxophone.

What I use is either a Protec Countoured or a Selmer Flight which I know is made by BAM. I have tried everything. SKB included.

My horn was once really protected by Protec. It did its job. It was in Los Cabos where a couple of kids passed running and pulled it from me. It fell down hard. Stairs down. That night, the horn was perfect at stage.

All the best,

JI

 

I disagree on the SKB. I had a car pull out in front of me, slammed onthe brakes - case was in the back seat - moved about a foot, hit the back of the front seat, which is leather, and cracked in the bow area. I subsequently bought a hiscox.

 

Hiscox

 

I'd go for a Hiscox.
I used to sell them years ago when I had a shop - my technique was to put the customer's horn in the case, put it on the floor...and jump on it.
Used to scare the living daylights out of them...but they always bought one.

If you get one it's worth taking some time to augment the padding to suit your own horn. Having a protective shell is only half the battle - you need to ensure the horn is held snug when the case is closed.

I'm quite happy with the standard case - from what I've seen of the pro case it's just a bit thicker. As my cases have lasted over 20 years and are still going strong I think I can live without a few extra millimetres of wall thickness.

Regards,

 

"Having a protective shell is only half the battle - you need to ensure the horn is held snug when the case is closed".

I agree entirely. Once the exterior case reaches a certain strength (your jump on it check is more than adequate Stephen), it's what's inside that matters most. The exterior will only be subject to moderate forces, and there's not much point in having a case with an exterior that will withstand a traincrash if the interior material permits too much movement or is too firm, permitting none to take up the impact.

 

With all respect to you, I like them, the Protecs and I respectfully disagree from being half stup up from what you said. IMHO they are great cases.

JI

Are you kidding me???? A ProTec case is basically 1/2 of a step UP from a "gig bag"! I cannot believe you just posted this statement. Wow!....

 

thomas,
Coming back to your question, here is your dilemma "strong enough to occasionally travel as checked baggage on a plane without extra protection". What I suspect is that most here that do ever check a sax case have been very lucky (or really do not fly with their horns at all) do it very seldom and have not yet had the law of averages catch up with them. Could you check a sax in the cases mentioned and have it come through OK...yes but you would be lucky. I always carry my tenor with me (I use the BAM Softpack) that way no matter what happens with my checked items I can still perform. Most all of the time my alto and soprano (a second tenor goes in also on longer tours) are in an Anvil case that gets checked and it's size prevents it from being able to be "tossed" by any handlers, that in its self is the best protection! I'd recommend if your situation is indeed "occasionally" just use a case that will work as a carry on and forget about ever checking it.

Bon Route in the New Year,
JR

 

It seems to me that there is a flaw in the original goal. As Randy reminded us above, "strong enough to occasionally travel as checked baggage on a plane without extra protection". IMO, if it's strong enough to resist rough handling and packing situations in the luggage hold of an airplane, that automatically cancels out the goal of getting a case that is compact and light. OTOH, a case that is compact and light and perfect for using as carry-on luggage, or for putting in one's suitcase, one doesn't need a strong case. I see this as an either-or, not a both-and goal.

Here's my experience. With alto I always carry it on board and, because I do that in a compact case (Selmer flight case or Berkeley case) which appears to conform to airline size rules. I have never put an alto in the baggage hold.
- I have put a tenor in the baggage hold, first time in the stock, chesterfield-type case,:shock: and then in Johnson case. However, I usually carry tenor on board in a compact, black, unobtrusive VGV case. However these were exceptions. The first time I was inexperienced and didn't know any better. The second time my instrument was part of a special palletized cargo load that included all the instruments of a wind ensemble I was touring Estonia with.

Another thought about putting the alto in a suitcase. I have considered that before but I then recalled the times baggage sections have misplaced my luggage and I've gone as long as three or four days without it. The only reason I've traveled with my sax is because I intend to use it at my destination. I can't do that if it's buried somewhere in Milano airport.

 

I really dig the contoured SKB cases. I've got a model for both alto and tenor that have pouches for storage on the outside. As far as the movement goes, it depends greatly on the horn; if it fits well with plenty of padding, awesome. If not, I don't see why some foam bought (or salvaged) from another source then hot-glued into the case for a custom fit then covered with the same material as the rest of the inside of the case wouldn't suffice. The prettiness of the finished product of such a project is totally subject to the work one is willing to put into it,though. I love my SKB cases, and I trust my horns in them 100%, and they've been dropped (not be me) several time, including one particularly jarring impact at the hands of an employee of an airline which will not be named here.

 

If I can't go to Mike Manning in New York for a custom fit case, I would probably go buy a Hiscox Artist, and do what Jaared suggested which is bring it to a tech with some closed cell foam, and get him to hot glue it in properly, then I would go with Randy J's advice and get a anvil case, and get that custom fit for the 2 Hiscox (1 for alto 1 for tenor), and probably my Soprano as well, so it will be totally protected.

I doubt the airlines will have a monkey big enough to toss it around

 

...then I would go with Randy J's advice and get a anvil case, and get that custom fit for the 2 Hiscox (1 for alto 1 for tenor), and probably my Soprano as well, so it will be totally protected.

When you get that mega case custom made . . . don't forget the wheels on it, unless you're built like King Kong. :shock:

p.s. what do you suppose is going to be the supplemental charges by the airline for such a case?

 

Hiscox are nice but they are not compact; that's my point. It seems it's an either-or, not a both-and (see OP) proposition.

 

I love my protec tenor case. I've had it for years, and aside from the shoulder strap breaking due to the stitching, the case itself is solid and protective, but not overly bulky.

 

Agreed. But as you said Gary, since it's an "alto" case we're talking about on this post, there truly is no reason why the sax shouldn't be taken on the plane. That really needs to be the most important point here in my opinion.

Yep. I just added that because incredibly, after 20-30 something posts there are some who seemingly stll don't understand the original question.

 

Same problem I had with my older ProTec Contoured case 7+ years ago when it broke and my case hit the floor....damaging my sax by bending the body tube. And definitely NOT solid and protective enough to go under a plane!

Yeah, I never trust should straps on any bags, whether it's the bag for my super-heavy 17" MacBook Pro, or a musical instrument case. But you're right, that is super-lame for the strap breakage to be a chronic problem with ProTec.

 

you're pretty much a fool if you use anything less than a hiscox.

packed inside a pelican case, nestled in an anvil case, then lowered into the ark of the covenant, padded with scarlett johansson's underwear, sealed inside of king tut's sarcophagus and then suspended inside of an international shipping container filled with high expansion foam.

it's pretty much the only way I travel.

 

you're pretty much a fool if you use anything less than a hiscox.

packed inside a pelican case, nestled in an anvil case, then lowered into the ark of the covenant, padded with scarlett johansson's underwear, sealed inside of king tut's sarcophagus and then suspended inside of an international shipping container filled with high expansion foam.

I would be very keen to buy all of your equipment. Could you sell me everything except for the hiscox, the pelican case, the anvil case, the ark of the covenant, king tut's sarcophagus and the international shipping container?