mavuser
Enlightened Member
also Sal just to be clear i am talking about Hoboken "shape and size" vs. Westerly "shape and size." not a date that production moved cities. many "Hoboken shape and size" F-30s were made in Westerly...
looking for a hard case for a 1964 M-30
- Thread starter chrisdb
- Start date
Charlie Bernstein
Senior Member
There are high-end cases, of course, like Hiscox, Calton, and Geib. If you can afford to really baby your guitar, that's the way to go.
If you're not ready to get a second mortgage to pay for a case, the best bang for the gear buck is the Canadian company TKL. They'll happily tell you which of their cases fit your M-30: TKL guitar cases
If you're not ready to get a second mortgage to pay for a case, the best bang for the gear buck is the Canadian company TKL. They'll happily tell you which of their cases fit your M-30: TKL guitar cases
thanks for the link.
I don't want a Rolls Royce guitar case.... something like that screams "STEAL ME " !!
checking out TKL for sure
Sal
Senior Member
Crisdb, what are the upper and lower bout dimensions of your M3, along with lower bout depth?
I think this is a pretty good fit for the M-30... a little snug on the lower bout but a snug fit may be a more secure fit... were only talking about 1/16"
www.tkl.com
this has a little more wiggle room in the lower bout, but it's heavier, arch top that is not ideal for a flat top guitar, and Tolex over wood that IMHO is not as durable as a molded plastic case.
www.tkl.com
8h street music in New Jersey is a short ride and they carry this brand. I texted their site to see if they have either item in stock
TKL Concept™ 2.9 OM / 000 Pro-Form® USA Molded Guitar Case
TKL® Products Corp. is the leading supplier of hard and soft cases to the world’s music makers, retailers, distributors and manufacturers.
www.tkl.com
TKL LTD™ Arch-Top OM / 000 Limited Edition™ Hardshell Guitar Case
TKL® Products Corp. is the leading supplier of hard and soft cases to the world’s music makers, retailers, distributors and manufacturers.
www.tkl.com
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adorshki
Reverential Member
Guild provided higher end flattops with arched top cases during late Westerly at least, and other periods as well (both my F56ce and my Corona D40 came with the "deluxe" arched top cases as part of the price), the arch makes 'em stronger, less vulnerable to top impacts.I think this is a pretty good fit for the M-30... a little snug on the lower bout but a snug fit may be a more secure fit... were only talking about 1/16"
this has a little more wiggle room in the lower bout, but it's heavier, arch top that is not ideal for a flat top guitar, and Tolex over wood that IMHO is not as durable as a molded plastic case.TKL Concept™ 2.9 OM / 000 Pro-Form® USA Molded Guitar Case
TKL® Products Corp. is the leading supplier of hard and soft cases to the world’s music makers, retailers, distributors and manufacturers.
8h street music in New Jersey is a short ride and they carry this brand. I texted their site to see if they have either item in stockTKL LTD™ Arch-Top OM / 000 Limited Edition™ Hardshell Guitar Case
TKL® Products Corp. is the leading supplier of hard and soft cases to the world’s music makers, retailers, distributors and manufacturers.
Re wood vs plastic maybe it's the "purist" in me but "plastic" just never felt right to me. Maybe it was the cases I've seen not being well-shaped either.
Oh yeah BTW TKL was a major Guild case supplier for many years.
Sal
Senior Member
Thanks for the links mavuser and I hope you know I’m not being argumentative, just wanting to fully understand like you. As you mention many "Hoboken shape and size" F-30s were made in early Westerly… meaning that many cases that came out of early Westerly would have the earlier shape and size too. So I’m not fully on board cuz if you’re just making visual assessments I think the craigslist case I posted doesn’t have the lines and bulbous proportions of the later Westerly F30s. Also, the craigslist case looks pretty shallow like a Hoboken. Also, Crisdb’s measurements come real close to the seller's measurements. Also, the seller even refers to it as a 000 shaped case and if this is the local guy I think it is he buys and sells a lot of Guild guitars. He would not compare a Westerly shape to a 000. But here’s an idea; how about you send me an M30 and I’ll go visit my friend and check it out. Cheers!
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plaidseason
Senior Member
For a workaround, I've fit smaller guitars in larger cases buy buying cheap camping pads at Wal-Mart and covering them in felt or faux velvet fabric. You can fit a 000 in dread case this way, using a fitted piece to decrease the case depth, and cutting two strips (one for each side) to tighten up the sides.
jfilm
Member
If you have the time to wait, the older Guild orchestra cases used for the GAD series come up every now and again- They should fit the M-30 as the GAD F-130 had the dimensions of the Hoboken F-30s before the design change to the sort of mini-jumbo shape. I have the concert size case in this style that I use for my '57 F-20- it fits perfectly. There is an older style as well that came with the first run of GAD guitars, for sale on reverb but shipping from Spain so super expensive. The tweed looks sort of nice, but these cases are not as sturdy than as the black ones that replaced them. Anyway, I found mine locally, it came with the GAD M-120, which I later sold and kept the case. You're more likely to find a guitar for sale that has the case with it, and you could do what I did. The GADs are pretty awesome in their own right for the price (used in the $400-600 range typically), in case you want to add to your collection while you're at it!
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jfilm
Member
Russell Letson
Member
FWIW, my 1959 M-30 lives in what looks to me like a 1970s Guild case that probably originally came with an F-30 of that period. The fit is snug and perfect.
Charlie Bernstein
Senior Member
My used D-35 came with an after-market plastic case, and the case never shut right because it was warped. And it had a bash hole.Guild provided higher end flattops with arched top cases during late Westerly at least, and other periods as well (both my F56ce and my Corona D40 came with the "deluxe" arched top cases as part of the price), the arch makes 'em stronger, less vulnerable to top impacts.
Re wood vs plastic maybe it's the "purist" in me but "plastic" just never felt right to me. Maybe it was the cases I've seen not being well-shaped either.
Oh yeah BTW TKL was a major Guild case supplier for many years.
None of my plywood cases has ever warped, so I sold the plastic one ($30) and got a soft Yamaha case ($20) and a used Martin hardshell case ($100). So all my Guild protection problems were solved for less than $100.
Anyhow, I've had plenty of plywood cases, and none ever suffered from warping or bash holes. Some of the new cases made of ABS plastic (whatever that is) seem much more rugged, but still . . . I have enough plastic in my life!
The case for the F-112 I had bought from Eric (since sold) fits my M 30 perfectly.
Sal
Senior Member
Nice. That beautiful guitar deserves to be well protected.