Gator is now offering a hard case for Thunderbirds

[BTL]

A Quick PSA:

I just received an email that Gator is now offering a hard case for Thunderbirds.

It's in their GWE series, so it should be pretty economical:

http://www.gatorcases.com/p/16136-2545/gwe-tbird-bass

[Bionic-Joe]

Wish it had More Neck support. I wonder if if will fit Vintage Birds...My favorites are the '76 cases....the ones with the neck support...those were great! I think G&G made those.

[Granny Gremlin]

yeah, it's actually mind boggling that they didn't do that. I mean, it's the most notorious problem with birds.  Major product fail.

[BTL]

I imagine the foam on the face of the case is substantial enough to prevent the body from rocking forward enough to put any pressure on the headstock.

This is not Gator's first rodeo building cases for Gibson instruments.

[66Atlas]

Doesnt look like it offers much more support than the 60s cases and that's not saying much.

[Aussie Mark]

The Stagg RB2 ABS hard case fits my Greco Thunderbirds perfectly - it's very light but sturdy - as good as any of the SKB ABS cases.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Stagg-ABS-RB-2-Bass-Guitar-Square-Case-/351741694185?hash=item51e57050e9:g:NpYAAOSwSWJXRDwj

[BTL]

So, perhaps we're talking semantics here, and I don't have a ton of experience with vintage Thunderbirds, but this is my thought.

If the body is stable and secured in its compartment, the neck (headstock) doesn't need support, it needs protection.

Did the 60's cases allow the body to shift front to back and put pressure on the headstock?

If so, I can see why that would be problematic.

Now I'm intrigued.

I don't have a Thunderluxe in the queue right now, otherwise I would just buy one to see how it checks out.

[66Atlas]

Yes, the 60's case had a rectangular compartment for the body similar to the gator case & it lets it shift.  On top of that if you remove the covers (like a lot of people do) it's even less secure. 

The gator case does look like does a better job of putting pressure on the strings to hold it in place so my comment comparing it to the 60's version was probably a tad unfair.  I guess I just really prefer the late-model Gibson style case the contours to the body and doesn't allow for any movement at all.  I have nightmares of opening my case to see the headstock detached!

Gator makes some nice stuff though, I have one of their cases for my Vigier and I love it.

[dadagoboi]

I imagine the foam on the face of the case is substantial enough to prevent the body from rocking forward enough to put any pressure on the headstock.

This is not Gator's first rodeo building cases for Gibson instruments.

The stated Gator dimensions are almost exactly the same as Chromacast's bass case except for a fourth latch, four extra screws on the compartment sides, and an additional top strap.

You can shoehorn an Epi bolt on in one but there's no room for error due to the 13.8 inch internal width/15.3 external width.  I'm assuming a 'modern' Gibson TBird is around the same dimensions.



I guess I could remove a few inches from the headstock on my vintage 'birds...



Cataldos, including NRs with 2+2 headstocks, do fit in the Chromacast cases with around an inch to spare at the headstock end.


They also fit just about anything that fits in a Fender sized case.  I buy them two or three at a time from DPS music, $55 including shipping when you use a 15% discount code, $65 without.

http://www.godpsmusic.com/products/chromacast-cc-bhc-bass-guitar-hard-case-1

They're light with better tolex than the discontinued Epi cases but also not as wide, deep, or long.  Not form fitting either. YMMV.

IMO Gator doesn't 'build' those cases, they source them with their spec'd improvements from whoever supplies Chromacast.  It will be interesting to see what the cost will be.

[Granny Gremlin]

That first bird there is gonna get broke if that case gets manhandled at all.  Due to the long 4 in line + swept back headstock of vintage (and modern, if less so) birds, you really need ample space around it and support under the neck (around the nut) as well as pressure from above as mentioned.  The headstock will always be vulnerable to some degree, but that's better then a break just south of the nut as is possible when there's no support under there; the angled headstock makes a fulcrum.

[dadagoboi]

That first bird there is gonna get broke if that case gets manhandled at all.  Due to the long 4 in line + swept back headstock of vintage (and modern, if less so) birds, you really need ample space around it and support under the neck (around the nut) as well as pressure from above as mentioned.  The headstock will always be vulnerable to some degree, but that's better then a break just south of the nut as is possible when there's no support under there; the angled headstock makes a fulcrum.

2 1/2" total interior depth also doesn't help.  Perhaps Gator just cut and pasted the Chromacast specs and the actual case they'll be selling will be more like Epi's, which addressed headstock issues with more depth, length, and more neck support from a longer compartment.  A support under the first fret does seem a no brainer.





Only 3 latches, though.

[FrankieTbird]

Those Epiphone cases are great.  I found one on Craigslist for about $60 if I remember right.  Like new.  I keep my Greco 'Bird in there.  Epi also had a smaller Thunderbird case that a vintage T-Bird does not fit into.

[Aussie Mark]

The Stagg RB2 ABS hard case fits my Greco Thunderbirds perfectly - it's very light but sturdy - as good as any of the SKB ABS cases.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Stagg-ABS-RB-2-Bass-Guitar-Square-Case-/351741694185?hash=item51e57050e9:g:NpYAAOSwSWJXRDwj

Here's the interior of the Stagg, which has a long raised support for the neck that keeps the headstock floating free without contact with either the end, top or bottom of the case ....





For comparison, I found a shorter case on ebay that fits my Cataldo JAEbird really well, but it's nowhere near as light and well made as the Stagg ...

[Basvarken]

I have a Stagg case too for my Greco Thunderbird.
Works great.

And I have and Epiphone Thunderbird case for my BaCHbird.
It looks a lot like the Gator case. Except for the shaped interior that keeps the body secured.
(For the non reverse BaCHbird I flipped the interior over).
It has three latches

[gearHed289]

When I design guitar cases, the body is fully surrounded, there's support under the neck, and the headstock and tuners touch nothing but air.