How fragile are old rics?

[dswp]

I play ALL of my guitars and basses out.

For right or for wrong, my rule is anything that is worth over $10K, I buy a flight case for it.

[rickenbrother]

This could be a problem if an airbag opens you might feel how is it like to get a RIC case flying to your face at very high velocity.

Gil you can make the case wear the seatbelt just like it was a person sitting there, so it won't move.

[rikk]

My son has a gig bag for his Squire. When it's put down, no matter how gently, you can almost feel the resonance of the neck vibrating. I would be scared to death putting a RIC into a gig bag. If you have no other choice, just be careful.

[jingle_jangle]

In response to Shaun's aside:

By current exchange rates, it's a lot of dollars. But, the dollar-for-pound relationship has held in pricing in a number of areas, and since I'm not an American buying cases over there, it would seem to work in your favor as the dollar slides in value against foreign currencies...

[rickfan60]

I have heard it said that wood tends to become brittle with age. That seems a reasonable assumption. Perhaps as it dries out and the resins harden, the wood becomes less able to bend and spring back into shape as live or fresh wood can. In any event, older guitars should be protected. No sense in finding out the hard way.

[jps]

Hey, glad to see you around, Ted! Happy New Year!!!

[rickfan60]

Hi Jeff! Happy New Year to you too.

[s4001]

The reason I asked this in the first place is that:

1. I don't have enough place in my trunk for a hard case (Audi A3)
2. I don't want to destroy my leather seats in the rear with a hardcase (last time I put my 4003 with the SKB case - one of the metal parts did a nice scratch on the seats).
3. When I carry my bass - I only take it to rehearsals, I take it from my house, put it in the back seat with 2 seatbelts holding it, take it from my car to the rehearsal room and then back home.
4. The case is really pretty solid and padded.

So - is it still wrong to use a softcase? should I take an extra effort and put something on my rear seat and use a hard case?

I carried my basses in my Saab in gigbags, as well. However, one day while putting my CS into the car, I slipped and chipped the headstock right thru the case. Accidents happen, but I wish I would've had a hard case when it did. Now a Ric in a case rides shotgun.

[jingle_jangle]

Good to see you back, Ted...HNY!

[rickfan60]

Thanks Paul. Happy New Year to you and your family!

[henry5]

In response to Shaun's aside:

By current exchange rates, it's a lot of dollars. But, the dollar-for-pound relationship has held in pricing in a number of areas, and since I'm not an American buying cases over there, it would seem to work in your favor as the dollar slides in value against foreign currencies...

Its almost worth buying Rics from the US (used, of course) just to save money on the cases....

Seriously though, I have 3 Ric basses. To buy new cases for them (none have genuine Ric cases) would cost me approx $1320 US.....ouch.