Beg Steel of Borrow?? No Thanks!!!

[ricky22]

well just when you think everythings ideal and you feel comfatable, things always have to come along and make life on edge again. Im at 6th form at the moment, studying music, double music technology, and art. I have a very good relationship with our music department, and have a part time job as studio assistant in our recording studio (very extensive for a school). However things seem to be getting shaken up. Last week my peavey practice amp went missing (thank the lord my swr stack weighs a ton!) 3 days later my friends 5 grand tuba went missing, since then another tuba, a claranet and various string instruments have gone missing, by a stroke of luck i found them all in a bits and pieces shop in lincoln city, and the police have now stepped in. Not just is it worring things are getting stolen, but it is very disturbing that members of the public, including what it now seems is a drug adict can get into a school and roam round freely.

My main problem is that each day i always bring my rick in, amoungst other guitars, my gibson fender etc. i have now decided i dont want to leave my bass and its hardcase in the music department, so im in the market for a softcase so i can keep it on me at all times. Any of you guys recomend a good softcase that will protect my bass from anything a school can throw at it. I only have an acoustic gig bag, its a good ritter, but i doubt it will do. The softcase thatr came with my les paul dc has a great sturdy tight feel to it, anty recomendations for one sutable for my 4003?

xx

[gshadoan]

I like the Fender softbags, more padding.

[incubus2432]

Along with the gig bag I recommend one of these......just in case (works great BTW).

http://www.taser.com/products/law/Pages/TASERX26.aspx

[ricky22]

haha, if only, i think i would end up getting most of the kids as well as the robber, ha

[jakeox]

If you want something a little sturdier than a gig bag, a Sadowsky ultralight case is sort of a hybrid between a gig bag and a hard case. It's pretty light, soft-sided, but with a rigid interior. I think new versions have backpack straps too. It's not quite as convenient as a gig bag though -- still carry it case-style (but it's light). The trick is finding one, but they're not too expensive. Less expensive than a really good gig bag (Reunion Blues type).

[wints]

Friends don't let friends carry Ric basses in gig bags....

I'd carry that baby around in the hard case everywhere!

[rickenbrother]

I prefer to keep my Ricks in a hardshell case, but I am one RIC bass case short, so one of them is in a Kases Polyfoam softcase. I like it. It's another one of those cases that's a cross between a hard case and a gig bag. They are making them even nicer now than the one I have.

http://www.kaces.com

Gator makes a nice one also:

http://www.gatorcases.com/productsmodel ... =15&MID=14

[antipodean]

I have two top-of-the-line Ritter gig bags (one for solid-body guitars, one for basses) and they have been great. I carry my pristine instruments in hard cases but I'm happy for the relics to go in the bags...

http://www.ritter-bags.com/music.html

I also have a cool Fender suede bag but I believe they're out of production.

[jps]

I have been very happy with my Reunion Blues double bag, RB is not inexpensive but there is a reason for that.

[jingle_jangle]

Any of you guys recomend a good softcase that will protect my bass from anything a school can throw at it.

No.

Seriously though, after a number of incidents in my university building, in which several $5K computer projectors went missing under the watchful eye of a complete video surveillence system (pics of the hard drive were useless; now we've upgraded to higher resolution), the thief was caught in the act stealing a fourth, chased and tackled--literally.

We've installed a magnetic card passkey system piggybacked onto our student ID cards. Everybody feels much safer, and we're aware of a lot less curious foot traffic in the building. Your school should consider this solution.

[whojamfan]

A coated bicycle cable/chain, wrapped ariund the case and through the handle twice, than locked to something else is a great deterrent to someone stealing it. If they cant get it open, chances are they won't take it, and you can leave the chain at school.

[prismacolor2]

I gig around Boston all the time and hard cases are a major PITA - i use gig bags for everything. I have a couple Reunion Blues bags, a Mooradian, an Undercover and some others. The Mooradian is the best for a Rick - the Reunion Blues bag is a little tighter at the headstock than I'm comfortable with (i have flat grovers so I worry). The Mooradian is cushier and perfect for a Rick.

[espidog]

...it is very disturbing that members of the public, including what it now seems is a drug adict can get into a school and roam round freely.

No, James: they're called TEACHING STAFF.

Seriously though, if you can afford to part with £45 (or you can persuade your family to... ), have a look at the TKL 6036 "Zero Gravity" case.

Link to TKL website

Product details

It's the same shape as a hard case and offers just as much protection, but it weighs ALMOST NOTHING! I use one for my Mania VTB-4BS: that's a hefty instrument made mostly of Bubinga, but it's a lot lighter to lug around in the TKL case than the 4003 is in its own RIC hard case - and of course, you've got the safety advantage that nobody will know it's a Rickenbacker you've got in there. Officially, the 6036 is designed to fit Fender P/J basses, but - as you can see - my 4003 slots into it very nicely:



The 6036 is available in the UK from Digital Village for £44.99 LINK TO PRODUCT PAGE

[jakeox]

That TKL looks a lot like the Sadowsky ultralight case I was talking about, and sounds a lot easier to track down. Looks nice.

[jwr2]

This is my favorite gig bag for a bass here ...

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=543058