Boy, you're gonna carry that weight.

October 28, 2009 5:24 AM

Where can I find affordable travel cases for my musical equipment?

So, I play shows sometimes, and I have a bunch of equipment -

Korg Microkorg
Realistic Concertmate MG-1
Roland SP-404
Alesis SR-16
Mackie 1202 mixer

I'd like to get cases for these (The roland, Alesis, and Mackie can probably fit in one case) but the cases available at music stores are usually so expensive! Is there anywhere I can get something cheap that fits my specifications, or some way to cheaply make them myself? Keep in mind that I am the guy who asked this question, so I'm not all that handy when it comes to building things.

Thanks for your he

posted by orville sash to sports, hobbies, & recreation (4 comments total)

I'm familiar with some of the equipment listed, here is my go-to cheap DIY case solution. Craigslist, ebay, or local music store for the cheapest hard-shell guitar case you can find. They are usually just hard styrofoam with a furry blue covering. Pull up the "carpet" and box cutter some groves to fit equipment. Re-glue "carpet" (covering any other exposed areas with duct tape). The only down side is the occasional clingy foam bit on some equipment. You could also probably just pull all the foam out and fill it with egg crate foam or similar. Look for cases designed for pointy or weird guitars they usually have huge cases (Mine was from a jackson kelley)

I've also had good luck on craiglist and ebay for used DJ coffins, the huge kind no one wants (not the fancy slim ones).
posted by syntheticfaith at 5:54 AM on October 28

Old suitcases from Goodwill/Salvation Army/your local variant. Measure the Korg and Realistic b/c those will be hardest to find cases for. Take a tape measure to the stores with you. Old suitcases are made with good materials... especially the Samsonite stuff :)


Get some foam from a local fabric store: take measurements of the case and the store will happily cut to fit. Or check with furniture refinishing people (upholsterers): they'll have appropriate foam. Line the cases with foam and you're done!

There are people on ebay who make cases from coroplast that are good and inexpensive, but not nearly as cheap as old suitcases.
posted by jdfan at 6:34 AM on October 28

Places like Musician's Friend will have those same gear cases for less than the local store.

Check out the 'for sale' boards at local music stores -- there may be somebody getting rid of their old cases, or a swap meet/flea market coming up.
posted by jlkr at 7:28 AM on October 28

I had a local guy build a very nice, very solid padded flightcase for a small computer for 20.000 ISK, around $130. Flightcases are also pretty easy to DIY, and there are suppliers of flightcase materials. It's lego-like. If you have time and no $130, build a flightcase.
posted by krilli at 7:32 AM on October 28