[ChadWick]

I often play and attend events that involve camping and other rough conditions. I only bring out the horn when I can keep it reasonably well protected, but transporting and storage can be wet or otherwise difficult.
Rather than mess up my shiny new Kessler curved soprano, I decided to go right for a Pelican case.

After a lot of searching and measuring, I decided it could be possible to get the horn, accessories, and wireless mic rig all into the smallest Air case Pelican makes, the 1485. I did it, so I thought I’d share.

In this case:

-Curved soprano body + neck
-mouthpiece/ligature/cap
-reeds/cork grease/neck strap/swab/polish cloth/AA batteries (all in front left compartment)
-wireless mic
-wireless receiver
-AC adapter
-wireless belt pack
-2 foot mic cable

 

[milandro]

Nice, but an overkill, in my opinion, Pelican ( I am very familiar with them being a Photographer) are very heavy cases and unless you are going to places with pouring rainiy and muddy connditions ( which may be your case... ) you wouldn’t be much better off with this as I always was with a Protec.

 

[MusicSean]

That's a very sweet case for all your gear in one place. It reminds me of the Lomax cases for clarinet. Would you consider flying with that as a checked bag?

 

[milandro]

if you are into traveling with heavy cases on a boat ( pelicans float and are waterproof so they may be used as a floatation device) and even come with a pressure compensation exhaust valve (necessary to open them after you have been in a plane), pelicans are great, it you like a small and informal , rather fetchy ( and not quite so flashy as in “ look at me I contain some high tech gear ” ) case which may pass for your small personal luggage, you want a Protec.

That's a very sweet case for all your gear in one place. It reminds me of the Lomax cases for clarinet. Would you consider flying with that as a checked bag?

I am not sure if you were talking of a Protec. If so, I theory you may do that (it is a hardshell case after all).

In practice it is that small that easily fits inside a cabin case (I’ve done that) and you can add your clothes too)

Pelican are technically capable to withstand more abuse but I am not sure that the content will (even thought the foam is great). Then there is the small detail of a pelican saying: " I have expensive gear in me” which may arise the curiosity of the less scrupulous among the luggage handlers in smaller airports.

Great to carry some thing but not so great to carry musical instruments (Again, I have used Pelican cases).

 

[ErikJon]

Thank you for sharing.

In fact, that answers the question I had regarding which Pelican case might work for a curved soprano. In fact, for you it seems to work well, but I need a hardshell case slightly more compact.

Most of the Pro-tec imitation cases coming from Asia these days (e.g., Tenon Instruments, Chateau, Kessler Custom) wreak of chemicals, and even seem to fill the air with microdust that you can feel accumulating in your throat, after a few hours. Besides the odor, I've even got headaches lately, and the case is the only possible culprit. Additionally, they have VERY little space inside for accessories, and the existing space is very shallow,and without any lid to it.

Nevertheless, GL Cases has no distributor in the U.S. right now, so their excellent curvie cases (GLC-CS, GLC-CS23, GLC-CS(J01), GLC-CS(J10)) are unavailable except in Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Russia, as far as I can tell, or by importing.

It seems that all the other brands are in the U.K. alone.

But to buy a Pro-tec case for over $130, similar to the imitations, just to avoid the odors, and to get slightly more accessory space, seems to be unreasonable.

 

[Sigmund451]

Nice case. The name makes me think its the official soprano case of the NBA

 

[ErikJon]

Ha ha.

I appreciate Milandro's helpful comments, but I don't know where people get off thinking that Pro-tec is really the BEST option for protecting a curvie. Maybe if all you want to do is take it in your back-pack, on a hiking trip, fine, but just imagine having to check your instrument at the gate of an airport, just before you board, because an airline agent insists that it does not meet the requirements for a carry-on, because your other "personal item" is a little too big or unusual, or a little too "thick" for regulations. Would you really want them to tuck your curvie into the cargo area if all you had was a Pro-tec to protect it?

Once I had a regulation-sized carrry-on suitcase with my laptop and electronics inside, but had inadvertently packed the outer zipper pocket a little too much, making the overall case too "thick" to fit into the measuring guide. The American Airlines agent forced me to give it to him, to check it into the cargo area until we landed.

I think that homemade hardshell curvie cases can be the safest way to go sometimes.

 

[Merlin]

Well, not that a curvy should need to be checked, but it would certainly survive in that case!

 

[ErikJon]

Really? It looks a lot like the case that Ten-on Industrial, Ltd. is producing for Chateau, Kessler, and other brands, these days: in other words, the outer shell is firm, but not "hard", and the interior is of soft foam lines with a plush fabric.

 

[lydian]

Really? It looks a lot like the case that Ten-on Industrial, Ltd. is producing for Chateau, Kessler, and other brands, these days: in other words, the outer shell is firm, but not "hard", and the interior is of soft foam lines with a plush fabric.

The Protec may appear to be a soft gig bag type of case. But it actually has a hard wood shell frame and firm padding just like their other cases. It wouldn't survive a sledge hammer like the Pelican, but it would survive the cargo hold and rough handling just fine.

 

[skeller047]

Why not buy a case from Yanagisawa? Theirs are well made, and I flew with mine with the case in a backpack along with my laptop and a couple underwear, sock and shirt changes. (It was a 3-day conference). Fit in the overhead bin with no issues.

 

[Guto]

I use a Pelican for my fixed neck curvy as well. perfect fit. pics here:

ProTec ProPac for Curved Soprano work for Conn/Buescher...

well, then DEG it is... Nah, they don't make 'em anymore. Not for curved sopranos.

www.saxontheweb.net

Sax on the Web Forum

www.saxontheweb.net

 

[milandro]

I have never found a more practical case than Protec, which is , by the way, not the same than “ copies” most of which ar indeed soft cases unlike the protec.

Protec is way more practical than the Yanagisawa case, which is good for the show, will scratch easily and won’t contain as much stuff as the protec

 

[ErikJon]

Apparently all Yanagisawa cases cost upwards of $300, according to several sources, so that's a bit over my budget.

thank you for the details about the Pro-tec. It sounds harder than I thought.

I don't know which I like more, Guto's horn, or the case he has for it!

O.K. I will look into the Pro-tec option. Where is the best place to get one, even used? Do they have models designed specifically for removable-neck curvies?

 

[ErikJon]

While Guto's case is perfect for local traveling, I'm afraid I need an even tighter fit, so that the case, itself, will also fit into my back-pack.

 

[milandro]

there is no doubt that a Yanagisawa case would cost a lot more and will offer a lot less confort.

Pelicans are heavy and I think that their weight is justifiable only if you need their maun characteristic , which is that they will float in water.

There are other cases for curves soprano ( such as the Marco Magi very chic chic and expensive but you can’t put anything in there)

 

[Guto]

Pelicans are heavy and I think that their weight is justifiable only if you need their maun characteristic , which is that they will float in water.

I beg to disagree. Pelicans are only heavy in larger sizes. Not a factor in this small size. With the sax inside, it's still quite lighter than my alto case with sax inside.

The 4 reasons I like the Pelican for a curvy:

1. its double action latch. won't open accidentally. I'm yet to see any commercial sax case with such a feature (Manning custom is the only other option I know of).
2. it's the sturdiest you can have. Anvil is the usual standard to transport stage equipment. Pelicans are the next level of sturdiness.
3. affordable price. easily configurable inside foam.
4. commercial alternatives for fixed neck curvies are virtually inexistent.

Floating in the water is irrelevant in this application.

 

[milandro]

Then I suppose we have to agree to disagree

Marco Magi makes a case for a curves soprano with a fixed neck

What is the smallest curved soprano hard case?

I have a cannonball curved soprano . Looking for something to throw in the backpack.

www.saxontheweb.net

 

[Guto]

Then I suppose we have to agree to disagree

Marco Magi makes a case for a curves soprano with a fixed neck

What is the smallest curved soprano hard case?

I have a cannonball curved soprano . Looking for something to throw in the backpack.

www.saxontheweb.net

I didn't know they did but I personally crossed out that brand a few years ago. Aside from being quite expensive (and arguably ugly IMHO), the interior soft foam in the Marco Magi's provides zero protection to the sax. They're no better than a gig bag in protecting the sax.
My Borgani tenor was shipped to me in one. The palm D key arrived bent 45 degrees from banging against the bottom shell. The inside foam is so soft that it lets the body move around with the keys hitting the shell on impact.

 

[ErikJon]

Hey, guys, I had a bit of an emergency yesterday, so I'll have to stop in and read your comments when I have more time. Meanwhile, let me just leave you this link to what is an even BETTER Pelican case than the one suggested, for those of you looking for the most compact solution possible (for curved sopranos with a removable neck only). Correct me if I'm wrong, but check out the nearly ideal dimensions of this baby:

1485 Air Case | Pelican

Buy 1485 Air Case Available with trekpak divider system, padded dividers, no foam, foam. Up to 40% lighter protective waterproof cases. Interior: 17.8

www.pelican.com