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5 String users, which gig bag do you use?
- Thread starter colin0154
- Start date
- Aug 21, 2003
- 10,808
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- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
I have three 4+1 basses with repective gig bags:
Gator Icon - solid protection, quality materials, but on the heavy side; plenty of room around the headstock. I also fill the voids around the neck with small gear pouches (couple pedals, strap, extra cables, wireless kit, light jacket.
Reunion Blues RBX Oxford - Good padding with enough room around the headstock, but can get floppy when partially zipped. Used to house my Guild Pilot 605 which has a long, pointy headstock and exaggerated "super J" body, currently use it for a Fender Jazz V.
Sadowsky Portabag Express - not to be confused with the non-Express version which I presume is more on the level of the bags above, I'm guessing this is the included bag for the RSD line. Roomy enough to fit the pointy Guild 605 but materials and overall structural integrity are so-so. But I picked it up for ~$50 new on Reverb and it came with a set of straplocks and some tools so it's a good value in that sense (not a good value if you damage your bass).
Gator Icon - solid protection, quality materials, but on the heavy side; plenty of room around the headstock. I also fill the voids around the neck with small gear pouches (couple pedals, strap, extra cables, wireless kit, light jacket.
Reunion Blues RBX Oxford - Good padding with enough room around the headstock, but can get floppy when partially zipped. Used to house my Guild Pilot 605 which has a long, pointy headstock and exaggerated "super J" body, currently use it for a Fender Jazz V.
Sadowsky Portabag Express - not to be confused with the non-Express version which I presume is more on the level of the bags above, I'm guessing this is the included bag for the RSD line. Roomy enough to fit the pointy Guild 605 but materials and overall structural integrity are so-so. But I picked it up for ~$50 new on Reverb and it came with a set of straplocks and some tools so it's a good value in that sense (not a good value if you damage your bass).
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I do not use a padded gig bag for either of my Five-string Fender Jazz Basses (4+1 and 5 in-line). Sorry. I use hard shell cases. Very interesting topic, however. Thanks.
So, here's an alternate take if you haven't considered it: A mono bag is super expensive...a lot more expensive than a new tuning machine, no? ..possibly more expensive still than a whole set of new tuning machines.
If it's a new instrument, and tuners aren't scarce or need to be patina-matched or anything like that...it wouldn't be crazy to just see if anything bad happens and worse case replace a tuner or two. It may never happen. If it does, maybe you'll have a better idea of whether you just need a hard case, or if another shape/brand would do the trick.
This line of reasoning misses the whole point of reducing anxiety about damage to the instrument!
..but might be worth considering along with other options
I use a very old iGig bag.
Cons:
- A very small company that’s been out of business for quite a few years so you’d only be able to find one on the used market and there’s no manufacturer’s support.
- Even empty the bag is quite heavy.
Pros:
- Very roomy interior and can handle very long instruments.
- Great, roomy pockets for cables, sheet music, accessories, etc…
- Plush, padded straps.
- Semi-rigid design offers very good protection.
- Pert near indestructible.
I’m not sure you’d be able to find a used one anywhere. The closest bag to it that I can think of would probably be the Fusion bags, which I think are made in the UK.
EDIT: It looks like the Protec Contego is a very, very similar bag. The straps appear to be a little less plush and one of the front pockets is a bit smaller but it's otherwise almost identical to my old iGig.
Cons:
- A very small company that’s been out of business for quite a few years so you’d only be able to find one on the used market and there’s no manufacturer’s support.
- Even empty the bag is quite heavy.
Pros:
- Very roomy interior and can handle very long instruments.
- Great, roomy pockets for cables, sheet music, accessories, etc…
- Plush, padded straps.
- Semi-rigid design offers very good protection.
- Pert near indestructible.
I’m not sure you’d be able to find a used one anywhere. The closest bag to it that I can think of would probably be the Fusion bags, which I think are made in the UK.
EDIT: It looks like the Protec Contego is a very, very similar bag. The straps appear to be a little less plush and one of the front pockets is a bit smaller but it's otherwise almost identical to my old iGig.
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See my post above and the edit about the Protec Contego. I haven't seen the Protec in person but it appears to be a strikingly similar bag. And yeah, World Beating is a good description. My iGig 515 has to be close to 20 years old and is still holding up great. The padding in the straps has gotten a little flat but that's about it. And that bag has been used A LOT!
Well that's a really good way to think about it. And thankfully the tuner on my atelier isn't something custom build, but gotoh's standard product, which can be easily purchased and replaced. Maybe I can give it a try and see how it goes...
I carry my Fender Ultra Jazz V in one of these
It does the job for me.
It does the job for me.
I have a cheaper Gator bag that came with velcro-attached padding for the headstock, the tail end of the body and neck support that could be moved as needed to fit different basses. My AmStd J5 (4+1) is just large enough that I removed the extra headstock padding to make it fit. Of course, any J has a larger body than a P and a 5er body is larger than a 4. Both my 4 string Ps fit with room to spare even with the headstock padding.
I used to carry it in a Mooradian bag with no customizable padding, the J5 fits that fine, go figure.
I used to carry it in a Mooradian bag with no customizable padding, the J5 fits that fine, go figure.
Always this: ACCESS Stage Five Electric Bass Bag - the Ultimate Hybrid Bag for your Bass
If I don't like the case or bag my axes come with, they get one of these.
If I don't like the case or bag my axes come with, they get one of these.
I wore my original Lakland gigi bag out to the point where it was still secure, but looked like crap. I tried to replace it, but no one including Lakland had them available.
I recently check back and found this:
The Lakland Semi Rigid Gig Case.
I like it a lot! Plenty of room and a bit more sturdy than the original gig bag.
I recently check back and found this:
The Lakland Semi Rigid Gig Case.
I like it a lot! Plenty of room and a bit more sturdy than the original gig bag.
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I tend to think of a case as not just protecting the instrument but also protecting your ability to do the job with the tool. So I’d calculate risk more like:
((loss of gig pay) + (damage to reputation) + (lost gigs until bass is fixed) + (cost of repair)) x (percentage chance of damage)= (value of bag)
Still might not make an expensive gig bag worth the price tag, though, depending on your situation.
For basses with wider necks, the Mono Classic (formerly the M80) is usually a better fit, as it has a flat neck block.
- Aug 21, 2003
- 10,808
- 15,446
- 5,281
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
I use the same ones that I use for my 4-string basses. Kaces III, RB, and the ones that came with my Martin Keith basses (no idea what brand).
They are the perfect bags for those of us who gig a lot. An iGig double with a Puma 900 in the pocket as a backup amp is a beautiful thing. The Contego is nice, I got one with a bass I bought recently, and it has good storage too, but I really dig the ‘Gig
