Mediocre Polymath Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 On my way home from yesterday's rehearsal, I noticed that my trusty Levy's gigbag is really starting to show the years of wear and tear. It has some frayed seams, the padding's perishing a bit and the zips are getting finicky. I have to concede defeat and admit that I need a new gig bag. However, while my bag is honestly not very good – the padding was always thin, the front pocket small and flimsy, and the straps are just two 3-cm-wide bits of webbing – it has one huge advantage over every other bag I've tried, which is that the shoulder straps are mounted just a smidge under 30-cm from the top of the bag. This means that the headstock doesn't stick up past the top of my head when I'm using the shoulder straps, and I can go through doorways and board public transit without smashing the headstock into the ceiling. I mean look at that – it's like it was designed by someone who has actually tried to get on a train with a bass. The problem I have is that this bag doesn't appear to be in production anymore, and I don't think it was ever sold in the UK anyway. I got it with a Warwick Corvette that I bought second-hand from the Bass Gallery back in 2008 (as it turned out, I liked this bag much more than I liked the bass). Every other gig bag I've seen (Mono, Gator, Fender, etc.) appear to have a 50–60-cm gap between the point at which the straps join the bag and the top of the headstock, meaning me wearing one would be about 2.3 metres tall. Does anyone have a suggestion for a gig bag that doesn't make me feel like I'm wearing a comically large stovepipe hat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 @Bass Wielder seems to be having a clear-out of gigbags at the moment ... one of his might tick your boxes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediocre Polymath Posted March 24 Author Share Posted March 24 Yeah, I saw that. Those Mono bags do look sturdy, just also very tall. I think I might just have to concede defeat and get back into practice when it comes to ducking through every doorway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 (edited) If the straps are long enough... pull them up and get them sewn across at the height that you want, not long enough cut and re-sew, maybe using a bit of webbing going across, inside and out. Edited March 24 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lidl e Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 i have never found a gigbag that i can wear on my back and not have to duck. It's absolutely a pain. I suppose the BC Rich gigbag i have hangs very low but it is massive. I have a steinberger in a gigbag, but that slings over your shoulder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 I'm 6'2" and would rather have a Mono M80 Vertigo hit a door frame than any other gig bag I own. They are total protection. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StingRayBoy42 Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 The protec Contego is a good bag. I went through several doorways yesterday with mine on without ducking and I'm 6 foot. https://www.thomann.de/gb/protec_contego_bass_case_ctg_233.htm There's one on Marketplace 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediocre Polymath Posted March 26 Author Share Posted March 26 Thanks for the suggestions all. A funny thing that I should probably have mentioned: I'm not complaining about this because I'm worried for the integrity of my bass – it's a sturdy homemade thing and that never really crossed my mind – I simply find bashing into doorframes incredibly annoying. I think I'll probably start with @PaulthePlug's suggestion, and get the sewing machine out. If that doesn't work then yeah, the protec contego looks like a good shout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 11 minutes ago, Mediocre Polymath said: I simply find bashing into doorframes incredibly annoying. How about wearing the gig bag upside down? It likely swaps one problem for another (the bass may now hit your calves instead of doorframes) but worth a try? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediocre Polymath Posted March 26 Author Share Posted March 26 I have considered that, weird though it would look, but the geometry of the straps (they're usually really wide apart at the bottom) would make it really uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 I use the Gator Pro Go and Transit models, they can sit pretty far down but I still have to bend my knees to get through doors. I'm 6'6" so it's unavoidable, the problem was solved when I knackered my left collarbone and bought a lightweight headless bass that fits in a guitar gigbag! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediocre Polymath Posted March 26 Author Share Posted March 26 40 minutes ago, lemmywinks said: I use the Gator Pro Go and Transit models, they can sit pretty far down but I still have to bend my knees to get through doors. I'm 6'6" so it's unavoidable, the problem was solved when I knackered my left collarbone and bought a lightweight headless bass that fits in a guitar gigbag! Yeah, I made a headless bass a few years ago, and being able to stick in a guitar gig bag is liberating. A glimpse of how the other half live. Unfortunately it's my fretless, and I don't often get called on to play that outside my attic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 31 minutes ago, Mediocre Polymath said: Yeah, I made a headless bass a few years ago, and being able to stick in a guitar gig bag is liberating. A glimpse of how the other half live. Unfortunately it's my fretless, and I don't often get called on to play that outside my attic. Need pics of the fretless you made btw, forum rules! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediocre Polymath Posted March 26 Author Share Posted March 26 3 hours ago, lemmywinks said: Need pics of the fretless you made btw, forum rules! I've been meaning to write that up for the build diaries section. I'll put something together in the next few days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 Just buy a Cort Space and a TGI Extreme guitar gigbag, problem solved. If you don't want to play 5-string, take the B string off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 Every time I see this thread when opening Accessories and Misc I think of extra long body bags 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baloney Balderdash Posted April 5 Share Posted April 5 Or just get yourself a short scale bass that'll fit into a guitar gig bag like me. Though being 6'4" I still need to remind myself of having to duck every now and then, to avoid the top of the bag/head of the bass hitting the upper ledge of doors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 I had that Levy's bag (got it iwth an HW-1 bass) and loved it. Never had any damaged to my basses in it, and when wearing it on just one shoulder the headstock sat that the same height as my head. This allowed melt also wear a rucksack in the proper way. Ive never managed to get another bag like it. Im now resigned to using a ‘better’ bag and use both straps, but have had a hard time finding one that sits low. I really wanted a Mono but those sit high, i recently got a Fender and that sits even higher. Turns out the best for me is an old Sire bag ive had for a few years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediocre Polymath Posted April 21 Author Share Posted April 21 1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said: I had that Levy's bag (got it iwth an HW-1 bass) and loved it. Never had any damaged to my basses in it, and when wearing it on just one shoulder the headstock sat that the same height as my head. This allowed melt also wear a rucksack in the proper way. Ive never managed to get another bag like it. Im now resigned to using a ‘better’ bag and use both straps, but have had a hard time finding one that sits low. I really wanted a Mono but those sit high, i recently got a Fender and that sits even higher. Turns out the best for me is an old Sire bag ive had for a few years. Good to hear its not just me. I've bought one of those Ibanez gig bags, because they're not black and pretty cheap, which is important because I have half a mind to busting out the sewing machine at some point and try repositioning the straps or making a second set of anchor points further up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 (edited) Gruv Gear Gigblade (original version) might be an option? Edited April 22 by lemmywinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 On 22/04/2024 at 08:06, lemmywinks said: Gruv Gear Gigblade (original version) might be an option? That looks really uncomfortable and impractical for wearing any distance other than the short trip between the car and the venue. On the last wearing option you can see the case slapping against the backs of his legs with every step. Nasty! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 38 minutes ago, BigRedX said: That looks really uncomfortable and impractical for wearing any distance other than the short trip between the car and the venue. On the last wearing option you can see the case slapping against the backs of his legs with every step. Nasty! Yeah I wouldn't walk far with it, if your priority is getting through doors and up stairs easily then it might be good though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 That the only problem ive found with low hanging bags. You end up walking along the road looking like you have a full nappy 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 1 hour ago, dave_bass5 said: That the only problem ive found with low hanging bags. You end up walking along the road looking like you have a full nappy 😀 Perhaps the Reunion Blues Incontinental Voyager would be a good choice in that case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 1 hour ago, lemmywinks said: Perhaps the Reunion Blues Incontinental Voyager would be a good choice in that case? I have considered that a few times but it’s more bulky than what i want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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