Softcase for an ES-335 like guitar?

**add4** · 05-13-2011, 04:18 AM

Hey all,
The strap of my softcase broke yesterday night when i came back from my guitar lesson.
I have looked around a bit and i can't seem to find any well protecting, useful, lightweight, not too expensive softcase for semi-hollow guitars.
What brand/models do you guys use?

i don't want to buy the old one because it's the second that brokes in 2 years, and this model is too tight for the semi hollow anyway, and has a bad protection too.
I found :: MONO :: , which seems great! but i find that a case that expensive should be made with unicorn blood to justify this price (with the dollar-> euros conversion it's a bit less expensive, but still double the 'normal price' that i already find expensive)

Thanks for your ideas
Peace

**whosgarethparry** · 05-13-2011, 04:30 AM

man, they are expensive, but it's a false economy. like you said, others break and need replacing. my mono case is amazing, and will last the nuclear winter by the look of it. flown all over europe with it, without a hitch. i think it offers more support than a badly fitting hard case. defo get one, you won't regret it...

**Jake Hanlon** · 05-13-2011, 07:14 AM

look at levy's cases. That's what I have been using for about 5 or 6 years and I have flown with that case (not checked) and taken it many many places, no damage to my 335, it's light, lots of padding and made of tough stuff, it almost still looks new.

**NiAg** · 05-13-2011, 07:43 AM

>>> it's a false economy. like you said, others break and need replacing.

Indeed. Skip the cheap ones. The Mono, or the Reunion Blues Continental are the non-silly way to go in my opinion.

The Reunion Blues Continental is a bit heavier than the Mono and has the backpack straps located too low on the case, but it is also a slightly more protective case than the Mono in my opinion.

But both are a big step forward vs. the classic padded bag.

For what I pay for lousy US medical insurance that I never use I could buy 6 to 8 new Mono or RB Continental cases each month.

**add4** · 05-13-2011, 08:00 AM

wow .. i had no idea medical insurance was SO expensive

i pay about .. 1/10 of mono each month to have a super complete one

(and i pay 55% of my salary to taxes too ....

)

Anyway, seems that the good cases protect your guitars AND do not break, which seems good.
i'll look at the levy ones, the guy at the local guitar store told me that the mono is quite heavy, any comment about that?
Thanks for helping out guys!

**NiAg** · 05-13-2011, 08:13 AM

I have a Mono and an RB Continental.

The Mono is rather light. I could weight the case this evening, but really, it is light. I have no explanation (but a few theories,...) about your local store guy's comment that it is heavy.

(Yeah, I have lived outside the US - so I remember great medical services at extremely low apparent cost, and about 1/2 the true total cost.)

The Levy bags are fine, but a step-and-a-half shy of the Mono and RB Continental, in my opinion.

**add4** · 05-13-2011, 08:24 AM

The RB continental seems good and it at 120$ + 30$ shipping on amazon now ..
what are your opinions about it?
Thanks

**NiAg** · 05-13-2011, 12:12 PM

>>> what are your opinions about [RB continental]

[Niag]>>> The Reunion Blues Continental is a bit heavier than the Mono and has the backpack straps located too low on the case, but it is also a slightly more protective case than the Mono in my opinion.

[Niag]>>>But both are a big step forward vs. the classic padded bag.

**jzucker** · 05-13-2011, 01:56 PM

i have the continental and it's a total pain in the butt to constantly be worrying about hitting the neck of the guitar on the top of the doorway or going up the steps, etc. Wish I had given that a higher priority prior to buying. Anyone want to buy mine? I have one for a 335, one for an archtop?

**mattymel** · 05-13-2011, 04:07 PM

+1 on the Mono. I too have a RB Continental and while I feel it is fine, the Mono design is way better.

**pingu** · 05-13-2011, 06:49 PM

will the Mono acoustic guitar case take a 175 size guit?

**NiAg** · 05-13-2011, 07:02 PM

>>> will the Mono acoustic guitar case take a 175 size guit?

Yes. It will fit just fine.

EDIT: That is to say that the Mono "Acoustic Dreadnought" will fit a 175. The Mono "Acoustic Classical" will not.

**pingu** · 05-13-2011, 07:48 PM

thanks yeah the dreadnought

funny word that

**NiAg** · 05-13-2011, 08:41 PM

>>> dreadnought

>>> funny word that

I am pretty sure it is your fault. Some sort of navy ship from way back when I thought.

Well, not your fault personally - but 'you people'. You know, stone lions in the front garden (OK, maybe you are not in Essex), funny football, funnier cricket, and that damned tea all the time,...

I have no idea why those funny flat-bottomed guitars are named after the HMS Godknowswhat.

**NiAg** · 05-14-2011, 10:55 AM

Hi Ping,

I went and looked it up. It seems that Dreadnought is a little more modern a term (for ships) than I thought. I have no idea how it came into common use for the ubiquitous folk-strummer midsize flat top.

And sorry to make fun of cricket.

**pingu** · 05-14-2011, 12:37 PM

mmmmm ....... tea all the time ....... wonderland

Dreadnought , scared of nothing ?
that can be taken two ways , my cat gets scared of nothing sometimes

**NiAg** · 05-14-2011, 01:15 PM

>>> Dreadnought , scared of nothing ?

I guess so. But I am confused often. I once landed at Narita (Tokyo) and as we walked toward customs and immigration some guy kept pointing and yelling "Grow of dare!"

I assumed he meant that we would need some sort of 'increased audacity' to make it through. It turned out that he was saying "Go over there [stupid]!"

Edit: Good thing I did not yell back the Tottenham motto, "Audere est facere!" That would have been confusing,...

Has this drifted off-topic?

**RoyaleT** · 05-15-2011, 05:36 AM

Originally Posted by jzucker

i have the continental and it's a total pain in the butt to constantly be worrying about hitting the neck of the guitar on the top of the doorway or going up the steps, etc. Wish I had given that a higher priority prior to buying. Anyone want to buy mine? I have one for a 335, one for an archtop?

I e-mailed RB, and they said they had no bag for an archtop. Will yours fit a 17" Aria FA71?

**AlohaJoe** · 05-21-2011, 04:17 AM

Levys makes a nice bag for a 17" guitar.

I just got a Mono... I hated the price, but I looked at everything and in the end it was the weight and level of protection that won out. I mean, it's a gigbag... if I wanted to carry around something heavy I'd keep it in the hard case. Anyway, it's very well made and my guitars are safer. I broke the neck on an irreplaceable guitar (since fixed at great expense) when I did something stupid and the cheap gigbag it was in fell on its face. A good bag is well worth it and cheaper than a major repair.

**msr13** · 05-21-2011, 07:54 PM

I am a big fan of the Mono bags. I did have an RB for a few weeks. The big difference for me between the Mono and RB was where the straps rested on my shoulders. With the Mono, the neck of the guitar is just above my head-- so no real worry about clipping it going thru a doorway, or hopping onto a subway. The RB rested pretty high up and I worried about the neck. I also felt the Mono straps were more comfortable, but that is totally personal opinion.

**D'Aquisto Fan** · 05-21-2011, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by msr13

I am a big fan of the Mono bags. I did have an RB for a few weeks. The big difference for me between the Mono and RB was where the straps rested on my shoulders. With the Mono, the neck of the guitar is just above my head-- so no real worry about clipping it going thru a doorway, or hopping onto a subway. The RB rested pretty high up and I worried about the neck. I also felt the Mono straps were more comfortable, but that is totally personal opinion.

Hi, there. I understand the issue about the straps, but which bag do you think provides the most protection? Mono or RB? Those YouTube clips of the RB where they throw guitars off a four story building are very impressive.

**jbear** · 05-22-2011, 01:16 AM

I have two RB Continentals and like them a lot. Pocket is not as roomy as I'd like, but I never worry about damage and very comfortable to carry...for me. I have a Probag and while it is beautiful to look at, I would not trust it to offer any significant protection. I use Protec Contegos for my solidbodies, and I sure wish they would make a semibag. I use an SKB polyfoam backpack acoustic case for 175 profile hollowbodies. Inexpensive, protective, fairly well made, and carries decently.

**msr13** · 05-22-2011, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by D'Aquisto Fan

Hi, there. I understand the issue about the straps, but which bag do you think provides the most protection? Mono or RB? Those YouTube clips of the RB where they throw guitars off a four story building are very impressive.

I feel pretty confident with both bags. I returned the RB for comfort reasons, not a lack of safety confidence. The Mono has been all over NYC-- subways, cabs, walking (rain and snow), carousal doors, etc. carrying my Collings I-35. Mind you, I wouldn't toss any guitar I owned off a building, regardless of case

. I also don't let others handle my guitar, don't toss it in the back of a trunk with lots of other stuff that could crush it, or drop. I am still careful-- but nonetheless, it takes a shot now and then. So far, the guitar has always been fine.

**Little Jay** · 05-23-2011, 02:25 PM

I always put my ES-333 in it's leather ProBag agains the wall next to the front door before I take it out of the house. My almost 2 year old daughter likes to push it over, so it falls on it's side or even flat on the floor, strings down.

It has never even gone out of tune because of that.

(not my bags by the way, but mine looks like the one on the right)