| Author | Message | ||
| oddmetersam
Junior Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 25 Registered: 7-2008 |
Hi, Gang! I'm totally loving my MK Signature Deluxe except for one thing: I was cautioned not to put any weight on the tips of the omega cut out at the bottom of the body, so I've always carried her around in the factory hardshell case. But not only does it weigh a ton this way (and I'm getting old!), but the huge slab sided case becomes a giant weather vane when I'm outdoors; spinning me around like a top! Plus, the case is so long I'm constantly banging it on stuff around the house and at gigs. It's a royal pain. I'm accustomed to using gig bags and want to continue to do so. A friend (who's a real life MacGyver) thinks he can modify the bottom of a suitable gig bag so that it's sufficiently padded to offer total protection for those omega tips. I've been thinking of a Mono bag, for this purpose: http://www.monocase.com/mono-bass-guitar.asp Anybody have experience with these? Or does anyone have advice for protecting omega tips when using gig bags in general (besides the obvious about not setting it down in a way that puts weight on them)? Thanks! | ||
| serialnumber12
Senior Member Username: serialnumber12 Post Number: 545 Registered: 12-2004 |
omega tips & headstocks are the two most vulnerable points on an alembic so to be honest there's ONLY one thing that will protect those areas & that's a hard shell case alembic designed their basses so that we dont get careless with them......trust me i've been decapitated 3 times!  | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1314 Registered: 9-2002 |
Spend your 'bag money' on something else. I have an Omega cut body, went thru the same 'geez this big-ass case is killing me' phase, could NOT find any kind of bag that would protect that tender part of its anatomy, and . . . . . have gotten used to 'this big ass case is killing me' ! | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8869 Registered: 5-2002 |
My opinion is that you should always use a hard shell case. | ||
| briant
Advanced Member Username: briant Post Number: 373 Registered: 12-2004 |
I have one of THESE that I use for my Rogue and Essence. Your Signature Deluxe might fit in there though the body may be a bit too long with the omega points. My JPJ Custom doesn't fit in that gig bag but that's due to the body being too wide - not too long. I really like that Incase bag. Not only does it offer a lot of protection for the instrument but it also has a lot of little places to put stuff (tools, sheet music, tuner, strings, etc...) but it also has that "backpack" option for carrying it. Which is wonderful. | ||
| bassilisk
Member Username: bassilisk Post Number: 59 Registered: 4-2009 |
I have an MK Std and quite simply, I cannot deal with the HSC (good as it is). I'm a gig bagger for all my basses, have been gigging for 20+ years and have never had an instrument suffer any damage because it was in a bag (my current single and double bags are Undercover which I feel are excellent). If your bass is in a bag you have to use some modicum of common sense. The bag is either on my shoulder, in the back seat of the car or carried by me to a safe location onstage. That's it. It's not meant to take the abuse a HSC can take and it shouldn't be subjected to it. Be a little careful and there won't be any issues ever. The MK is currently in the only thing I found that would fit it - a double acoustic guitar bag with extra towels/padding added by me. Being the most precarious of all my bags protection-wise it gets extra care when handled (I'm still batting 1000 over 10 years of having it). I have been looking a long time for a bag specifically for this bass (primarily because of its width) and I think I may have found it - an iGig G515 bass bag. It is currently on backorder and I'm told it should be shipping in a week or two max (they're clearing Customs). If it doesn't fit I'll use it for my Rogue. I looked at the Mono bags and they are quite excellent - if I thought it would suit the MK I would've grabbed it. If you want comparable protection but need pockets the iGig bags are tough to beat. The press sounds like you practically live out of them. As good as I felt the Undercover bags are, and I've used them for years, both of these new brands are the best non-hardshell protection available at the moment IMO. Serious attention to detail with stiffener reinforcing in the protection. I'll post a review when I get the iGig. P.S. I forgot about Incase - also top shelf. My Sadowsky had one and they're very nice indeed. (Message edited by bassilisk on October 12, 2009) | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4117 Registered: 7-2004 |
Body Glove makes (or used to make?) the most protective gig bag I've ever encountered. Well made with hard sides. Bill, tgo | ||
| wayne
Intermediate Member Username: wayne Post Number: 180 Registered: 5-2002 |
The Unicorn travels regularly in one of the leather bags that Alembic had designed specifically. Care and common sense --- In the bag, it's either in my hand or laying on a bench/chair. Never on the floor. Never standing. Never far away. C-Ya...........wayne | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1112 Registered: 11-2004 |
Hardcase only oddmetersam, I know they are a pain the ass but it does it's job and can you imagine the absolute distress if it got broke like serialnumber12's bass. I have noticed that my case is for the full scale bass and my MK is medium so there is a few inches length there. My original case is looking battered, hence it has done it's job but when it finally is unusable I am getting one made to fit the bass. Soft cases..nice and easy but not for a upper range instrument like an Alembic. | ||
| briant
Advanced Member Username: briant Post Number: 375 Registered: 12-2004 |
You guys who are anti-gig bag need to stop being so paranoid. A good gig bag is PLENTY of protection for ANY instrument as long as you use a bit of common sense. It also dawns on me that some people may have never seen a "real" gig bag before and are just thinking of the cheap things you find at Guitard Center for $25. Breaks like the headless #12 above tend to happen when things are knocked off a stand. Which is also just carelessness on the part of the owner. I brought my Rogue home in the hardcase. I am fairly sure it hasn't been back inside it since. Same with my Essence. The supplied hardcase is fine at protecting the instrument. But it isn't the end all be all for doing so. | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4121 Registered: 7-2004 |
When I carry my instrument to practice, I often use a gig bag. When I load it in the back of the SUV along with my amp and P.A. gear for a gig (where it's more likely to get bounced around and smack up against another heavy item), I always use a hard case. If I'm flying with it, I use a flight case. I've got nothing against gig bags, so long as they are used in the appropriate circumstances. Bill, tgo | ||
| pas
Advanced Member Username: pas Post Number: 214 Registered: 3-2003 |
A hard shell case will protect one's bass better than a gig bag EVERY time - always err on the side of caution. It may not be as convenient, but it's much better than heading home muttering to yourself "If only I'd put it in it's case..." | ||
| jet_powers
Senior Member Username: jet_powers Post Number: 474 Registered: 2-2003 |
When I first acquired my Exploiter it came with a cheesey gig bag. I moved it once or twice and didn't move it again until I got a hardshell case. That case is the size of a ping pong table and a pain in the ass but I haven't put any dings in the Exploiter since... JP | ||
| pauldo
Advanced Member Username: pauldo Post Number: 306 Registered: 6-2006 |
I've always said: "The safest place for a bass is in it's case." (hard or soft). Keavin everytime I see the picture of the decapitated #12 it hurts. . . | ||
| oddmetersam
Junior Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 26 Registered: 7-2008 |
I appreciate all the feedback guys. Just to further clarify some points: I have basses as varied as a $250 Rogue 6-string (I know, I know -- what can I say?!); '72 Fender Jazz; Line 6 Variax 4-string; Spector 5-string; and now my MK Sig Dlx. I have always treated those first four equally carefully -- regardless of worth, so I haven't had to learn to be "more" careful with my Alembic. Obviously, if I were traveling on a plane and/or over long distances in a gear-laden car I'd use the HSC. But I've used gig bags for years without problem and not only is the HSC too heavy, but the hard, unpadded plastic handle also chafes my hand when I have to carry it any appreciable distance and I'm not tall enough to easily keep the case from banging on every single step on typical stairways (I live up 4 flights of stairs). Yeah, such a sad story all around...! In the original thread I forgot to mention my Alembic is a 5-string with a 35" scale. How about an adjustable shoulder harness that holds a HSC vertically on your back like a heavy duty gig bag? I'd buy one! I should also add that I've seen Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller and several other prominent players at gigs and the NAMM show with their basses in gig bags. | ||
| jazzyvee
Senior Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 1715 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hey Samuel, what about one of these? I was at a folk music festival earlier this year and saw one of the guitarists carrying his instrument with one of these so got the details. http://www.berkshire.net/~mmipro/gtr.html Jazzyvee | ||
| oddmetersam
Junior Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 28 Registered: 7-2008 |
Yessssss. I've emailed the company for more info and pricing. Thanks, Jazzyvee! | ||
| gare
Senior Member Username: gare Post Number: 459 Registered: 11-2003 |
Like Bill, I carry my instruments in heavily padded leather gig bags for practice etc. But if they get loaded with everyone elses gear I use an SKB Bass Safe..bag an all goes into it, and it has wheels. They're about $100. | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 1414 Registered: 2-2005 |
Keep in mind Sam's bass has the omega cutout. The tips on these are quite fragile compared to other body styles. Any case needs to keep pressure off of the tips and distribute it to the main body. I just don't see how a gig bag can provide this support. Keith | ||
| oddmetersam
Junior Username: oddmetersam Post Number: 29 Registered: 7-2008 |
I believe my MacGyver buddy envisions a padded contoured insert at the bottom of the bag that "floats" the bass so that the omega tips never come into contact with anything. We'll do some mockups and spec things out; if things look dubious it will simply be a no-go. Frankly, as popular as omega cutouts on the one hand and gig bags on the other seem to be, I'm surprised this hasn't come up as an issue more often. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 8879 Registered: 5-2002 |
I know that the shop has had to make repairs on broken tips; and over the years there have been sightings of basses with broken tips on Ebay. So it can happen; and my guess is that those unfortunate owners never thought it would. Accidents do happen, and of course trying to do everything you can to avoid accidents can at times become untenable; for instance, you might never drive an automobile in city traffic if you wish to avoid all risk. So it's a matter of choosing how much risk you are comfortable with. For me, I can't see me putting my bass in a gig bag. But then there are lots of thing I wouldn't do that others do without hesitation, and there are things that I do that others wouldn't. | ||
| terryc
Senior Member Username: terryc Post Number: 1115 Registered: 11-2004 |
Maybe I am overcautious but my Boss ME50B goes in an aluminium padded case(the ones that normally carry small engieering tools) with a cylinder of bubble wrap wedged in to stop it moving around. I rescued an old Toshiba laptop case which carries my Zoom unit and radio transmitter gear. In the past when I was younger(and naive), too much gear got bust because of my carelessness..not anymore | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Senior Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 491 Registered: 5-2007 |
Any reunion blues fans out there? | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4123 Registered: 7-2004 |
I have a couple of these Travelite cases, one for my FerLembic guitar and one for an acoustic dreadnaught. Hard foam with a tough fabric (synthetic?) cover. Snaps and zippers shut. Perhaps the best compromise between weight and protection. I don't know if they have one to fit a bass or not, but they are a steal for the money. Bill, tgo |
