Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I'm looking to purchase a nice heavy duty ATA flight case for my 4002. I spoke with Chis at PoTR and he may not be able to get his line of flight cases. If this is the case, no pun intended, what brands do you guys use?

I called Calzone (not the Italian meal) and they offer one that will fit a 4000 series Rickenbacker interior. I do not store my basses inside their cases. What types of interiors are better than others? What brands are better than others? Back in the day Anvil was top of the heap. Is that still the case, again, no pun intended.

Sepp

Kopfjaeger wrote:I'm looking to purchase a nice heavy duty ATA flight case for my 4002. I spoke with Chis at PoTR and he may not be able to get his line of flight cases. If this is the case, no pun intended, what brands do you guys use?

I called Calzone (not the Italian meal) and they offer one that will fit a 4000 series Rickenbacker interior. I do not store my basses inside their cases. What types of interiors are better than others? What brands are better than others? Back in the day Anvil was top of the heap. Is that still the case, again, no pun intended.

Sepp

Still, all in all, pretty good puns.

Are you planning to fly with it? Those things are a huge pain for anything else. I'm barely willing to schlep the standard hardcase sometimes.

I think Calzone and Anvil are or were affiliated. I agree with Joshua, if you're not flying with it, their flight cases are bulky, heavy and a pain to move. I'd put it in a form fitting Rick bass case from the 70's (which I assume you already have) for it or get a new vintage style case.
If you want the flight case protection without all the weight and bulk, you might consider this:
SKB Universal Fit Bass Guitar Flight Case
or
Gator Universal Fit Bass Guitar Flight Case
If the fit is loose around the body, rolled up 100% white cotton socks and diapers would keep your Rick from moving around in the Rick vintage style, SKB or Gator cases.

cassius987 wrote:Are you planning to fly with it? Those things are a huge pain for anything else. I'm barely willing to schlep the standard hardcase sometimes.

Agree with this. Unless you plan to fly (and I would add "regularly"), or take your bass with you in a demolition derby, I would say "don't bother".

I did get one. I sold it soon after realising it was way too cumbersome for my taste. To give you an idea, I flew weekly with my basses in their normal case for three years. Call me the luckiest guy in the world but I never had a problem. But I must also admit what I brought was either a late 70ies 4001, a Precision or a Jazz. Not a 4002...

Joey,

I do have two of the "form fitted" RIC cases as well as two vintage cases, and two that are none RIC. I hate to place any of my basses in those last two since they are so sloppy.
Lately I've been taking two basses to rehearsals and it's a pain to carry two bass cases, a pedal board, a stand, and my TB500 Terror bass head up to the second floor of our rehearsal studio. I feel like a pack mule!! The two guitards in the band have suggested gig bags but I'm not comfortable going that route. At all!!

I do need another case or two since I discarded a few that I had received with basses. Those cases were so beat they were not able to be saved.

The only cases I feel comfortable shipping in are the form fitted ones but the two I have are not without their issues.

I will be needed to ship my 4002 to Larry Davis in a month or so so I will need a case I can trust a very expensive instruments to make it there and back in as well as not to worry about shlepping back and forth to practice when I start to bring 3 basses to practice.. Thanks to all the different tunings of the songs we play.

I realize an "Anvil" may be overkill but I'm not in the market for another ill fitting case that will minimally protect.

Sepp

Quite probably the best money you will ever spend relating to your basses.

I have my old A&S custom case, that I bought many years ago. Been back and forth over the Atlantic many times, and has been sent to buy and sell nearly all of my vintage Ric's over the years. Never a problem, and way more peace of mind than anything else.

Kopfjaeger wrote:I will be needed to ship my 4002 to Larry Davis in a month or so so I will need a case I can trust a very expensive instruments to make it there and back in as well as not to worry about shlepping back and forth to practice when I start to bring 3 basses to practice.. Thanks to all the different tunings of the songs we play.

Sepp

Only 3? I know the feeling! With one of my bands, I have two fretted 4 stringers, a 5 string, a fretless and my 12 string bass on hand for different tunings and musical genres, plus originals.

Joey,

I'm holding the line now at 2. The guitards have 3 and counting. We added "No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age and that song is C-F-A#-D#. I reconfigured it to work on either my E-A-D-G or my D-A-D-G bass. No way I was tuning to that! Another way low tuned song and I'll be adding the Modulus Q5.

Anyway, It would be a huge piece of mind to house my 4002 in something a bit more substantial than a standard tolex or plastic case going back and forth and going to and returning from Larry.

Sepp