Ric cases & handles

[ozover50]

Geez.... you guys!!

"Traaa-aaa-aaaans Canada Highway........"

[tony_carey]

The black case in the picture is also formed inside to the shape of a 330. The only other case I have seen like this was with a 230. I was always under the impression that the plastic cases protected the gtr better than the vintage type cases, but not this one. The forming really holds the gtr nice & snug & it is a more substantial case than the new re-issues.
SO....when did Ric form the inside of the cases & when did they stop?

[jingle_jangle]

So, according to Ed, we should strip the (non-breathing) Tolex vinyl from our wooden deluxe cases? What bulls**t.

He is right about plastic cases warping if left in a really hot trunk. By then your precious Rick would have suffered pretty badly, too--the case would be the least of your problems and cheap to remedy. The plastic standard cases are heat-formed anyway, so of course they're gonna heat-deform.

[admin]

I like the tolex cases unless you are shipping guitars in them. The instruments can get a beating inside them and have to be packed inside and outside the case to be "safe."

Also, the latches on the newer cases can be formidable weapons for your guitars as they go in an out of the case.

I received on older Rickenbacker 1960s case in which the lyric "the vandals took the handles" seemed most appropriate.

[ken_j]

Brian,
When I needed a latch for a tolex case I got the exact replacement through RIC. My local dealer called and I had it in a week.

Another option is Elderly Instruments. They have leather handles that will buckle onto the existing brackets.

[winston]

Thanks Ken,

That's an option that I will certainly look into.

[brian]

I haven't had any shipping damage to a guitar shipped in a tolex case. However I have had two incidents with the molded cases. In one the instrument received some damage in shipping, in the other the case was damaged, but it did an excellent job of protecting the instrument. I would recommend Peter's suggestion of packing the instrument inside the case no matter what type of case. And then packing the case as well.

[ken_j]

Here is the link. Go to the bottom of the page.
http://www.elderly.com/accessories/cats/MISC.htm

[winston]

Thanks Ken,

You have been a great help.

[admin]

Sometimes, it almost seems that some courier folks see an extra good packaging and then feel that they must put it to the test. Oh yeah, fragile, glass, sensitive materials, this side up, right!

[brammy]

Brian, thanks for the Ed Roman link.... I think the old boy is getting a little carried away with himself. For some reason he's got a MAJOR bug in his bonnet about Ric plastic cases.

>>>All plastic molded construction, sometimes can warp within 3 months

Mine is a number of years old and it seems just fine.

>>>Cheap hairy interior with not much real protection inside

hogwash. "hairy"???? gimme a break. The padding surface is just fine, and there is no "shedding" at all.

>>>Case forms a tight moisture seal. at least until it warps

his main point seems to be the retention of moisture. Perhaps he has a point here, but I use this Ric regularly for practice and gigs so it is not stored away for long periods. I certainly haven't noticed any condensation. Besides, I'd be willing to bet him about the "moisture proof" thing. This is a simple guitar case for chrissakes. The edges touch and there are 3 simple latches. It is not a hermetically sealed scientific instrument which would use o-rings and such.

>>>Looks cheap and cheesy

eh???? its simple black plastic no more no less. No, it doesn't look like the cases carried around in "A Hard Days Night", but jeeeezzzzz..... I actually like the look. Besides, who notices cases anyways? Once you're set up on stage, the case is hiding somewhere else where nobody can see it.

>Hard molded case transfers energy well which results in damage

Both hard shells, wood and plastic, will transfer the energy very well. Perhaps Ed would win his point in a lab setting, but the MAIN thing that will protect the guitar from shock damage is the padding inside and that seems just fine to me.

A couple of things that Old Ed doesn't mention is the fact that a tolex case will get dinged/ripped up over time while the plastic one holds up much better. Also the plastic case is LIGHTER, which for me is a definite factor.

If I were ordering a new Ric I'd be sure to SPECIFY a plastic case.

[jingle_jangle]

And, as I said in my post, Tolex does not breathe, either, being a vinyl product. And the difference in lining is premium crushed velour vs long pile velour (I'm sure there are trade names for these materials, too). Hairy? Um...OK, Ed.

Throw both cases into a lake and both will leak like a seive. They are most definitely NOT Halliburtons, with the rubber gaskets that these feature. So what's Ed's point, except as an excuse for another inaccurate and prejudiced rant? "I live in LV, but I hate gambling", etc...

[brammy]

>Throw both cases into a lake and both will leak like a seive.

haaaa.... yup! (I threw Ed's rant into a lake and it leaked too).

I think the only real regit reason to want an older wooden/tolex case is looks/retro/tradition .... and THAT is certainly a legitimate reason.

[qmoder]

I was attempting to bench 300 once. I made it once but not twice. The left hand side of the bar hit the top of my Malmsteen plastic Strat case. It pentrated the top but not the next layer.
The guitar did'nt get a scratch. I super jetted that piece back on. Works fine. I've got wooden tweed case for it now. Looks strikes again. I use that plastic one for my twelve string now.

[FINTEETH]

Hi, I also have wondered about rickenbacker case history. I recently obtained two Rickenbacker "briefcases" of unknown origin and history I would love to learn more about. They are both typical grey with stitched leather black ends and handles, blue interiors and logos, very similar to guitar cases. , except both are approx 19x14 inches with different shades/ textures of dark blue interior. Crazy thing is one is approx 4 inches deep and the other approx. 5 inches deep. I think they must be briefcases as they both have folio pockets in the inner lid that snap. I was thinking they may have been salesman briefcases vs accessories as it seems odd they would make two different size accessory cases. I e-mailed the company but, not suprizingly, got no reply. Regarding ricks i own , i have had some nice ones over the years , but now just have a late 50's 3 pickup Capri with Kaufman vibrato , and two late 60's Transonic 100 and Transonic 200 amps. They are solid state, but were high grade and really sound good. Several top acts used them for a time, including Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Steppenwolf, so pretty good endorsements. I think Page still has his. Any help on my briefcases will be appreciated.