Guitar case in Elcoda store
## A Guide to Guitar Cases at the Elkoda Store
Useful information for those who have decided to buy a guitar case.
Any guitar needs proper care and storage, and carrying a guitar without a case is very inconvenient. A highly necessary accessory is a gig bag or a guitar case. Many, especially non-professional musicians, use a soft gig bag for this purpose. But is it enough to simply buy a gig bag? Can it fully protect a wooden instrument? Let's figure this out.
### Gig bag or hard case for a guitar?
A guitar gig bag has several distinct advantages over a hard case. First and foremost are its compactness and light weight. It's convenient to carry or transport a guitar in a gig bag if you're sure the guitar is with you and that it won't fall into the wrong hands. A gig bag cannot protect a guitar from external mechanical damage; the thin material and soft padding won't protect the instrument from an unexpected impact or external pressure. But, if you don't risk being in a crowd and there's enough space for the instrument on public transport, a gig bag is very convenient. When flying, many airlines allow instruments in a soft gig bag to be carried on board without a problem and sometimes without extra charge. If you're flying and, after carefully studying the carrier's rules, know you won't be forced to check the instrument in the baggage compartment, use a gig bag. But you shouldn't forget that very low or very high relative humidity also has a harmful effect on a wooden instrument. In winter, as the air temperature drops, so does the relative humidity. A guitar, like any stringed wooden instrument, is built at a relative humidity of about 50%. To keep a guitar in good working condition for a long time, it should be stored in proper conditions, with a relative humidity ranging from 40% to 60%. Unfortunately, a soft guitar gig bag cannot maintain a humidity different from the outside environment. You should be especially careful about this if you live in or are planning to travel with a guitar to regions with a tropical or subtropical climate, where the humidity is high for most of the year. In these truly harsh conditions for a guitar, a gig bag cannot handle the tasks of proper instrument storage.
### Hard case for a guitar
The previous paragraph provided several compelling arguments for purchasing a hard guitar case. Guitar cases are made from various materials: wood, ABS plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), and modern composite materials such as fiberglass and carbon fiber.
### Wooden guitar case
The traditional classical guitar case is made of wood. In the past, cases for stringed instruments were made from solid, dense hardwoods. These cases were very heavy and impractical. In the early 19th century, a peeling lathe was invented, and from that time, the production of veneer began. By gluing specially prepared veneer, plywood was created. Modern wooden guitar cases are made from multi-layered plywood of lightweight wood species. Like a guitar, the case has a bottom, a lid, and glued sides that are connected by hinges and locks. A wooden case is very convenient and reliable for an instrument. It is strong, sturdy, and maintains warmth and humidity inside, creating a special microclimate. The top of the wooden case is covered with a durable fabric, natural, or artificial leather.
### ABS plastic guitar case
ABS plastic is cast from impact-resistant thermoplastic resin based on three components: acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene. To make a guitar case, two parts are molded: the bottom and the lid. These cases are usually not covered with additional materials. A specific surface structure can be set during molding, and if necessary, the surface can be polished. Special dyes can be added to the resin, or the surface can be covered with a layer of paint or colored varnish.
### Composite material guitar case
Composite materials are heterogeneous materials consisting of several components. The matrix of composites used for making guitar cases consists of a thin layer of thermoplastic resin. The plastic matrix is bonded during the production process with another component—fiberglass or hydrocarbon fabric: carbon, Kevlar, or fabric with glass, carbon, and Kevlar threads. Composite materials are highly durable, and with the most correct combination, they can meet the highest demands.
### Fiberglass guitar case
Fiberglass guitar cases have a modern, elegant look and are usually available in a variety of colors. These are quite strong cases and reliably protect the instrument from external mechanical damage. Fiberglass itself does not look particularly attractive, so the cases are coated with a layer of enamel and polished. Unfortunately, scratches are noticeable on the attractive glossy surface. Another disadvantage of fiberglass cases is their low heat capacity; the instrument cools down very quickly in the cold and heats up in hot weather.
### Carbon fiber guitar case
In addition to being very strong, carbon fiber cases are also exceptionally light. Carbon of various densities is used in the production of carbon fiber cases. The surface of carbon is sensitive to point impacts. Since the case body is composite, for example, it will remain intact if dropped, but a trace of the impact in the form of a spiderweb can be left on the surface of the carbon fabric. However, if Kevlar threads are added to the fabric, it becomes resistant to such external influences as well.
### GreenLine guitar cases
Not long ago, a couple of years ago, the German company Jakob Winter started the production of composite cases from natural fibers. These cases are made from pressed natural fibers: hemp, flax, and rapeseed. The cases are covered with natural fabric on top, and even in the bonding process, only organic, natural mixtures are used. These eco-friendly cases have a high degree of strength and an unusually high heat resistance. In such a case, the guitar stays warm in winter and cool in summer.
### Interior of a guitar case
The interior of a guitar case is finished with a soft, non-abrasive fabric, ideally plush, velvet, or velour. It's perfect for a guitar when there's a special cradle for the neck and a thick cushion glued to the case lid that firmly presses the neck against the cradle. With a properly made cradle and cushion, the guitar is held securely by the neck, and the guitar body doesn't hit the case walls as a result of external impacts. An accessory compartment is often located under the neck.
