TromboneChat

Our daughter plays a King 3BF SilverSonic and asked if I could find her a different case. It's the anniversary model, but I've moved it from the coffin case over to an SKB 462 case. She likes that case better, but frankly, it's a little big for a small bore horn with F attachment.

Money is an issue, so I'm not looking for a boutique case. Just something that has a shoulder strap or backpack straps that will keep the horn from getting damaged when being transported.

And.... Go!

--Andy in OKC

<insert cricket sound>

If transportation is like, in your own car or public transit, the protec gig bags are actually really good. I just got a PL239 about a year ago (https://www.hornguys.com/products/prote ... -gig-bag-1) and it's currently my favorite case. I never thought I'd say that about a Protec or a gig bag to be honest. The horn I use the most these days is a YSL356 which is pretty similar in terms of dimensions to the 3BF and it fits like a glove. It is a gig bag though.

If you wanted something with more protection though (hard case) I'm not sure honestly what I'd recommend depending on what else you wanted out of a case. I've heard not so good things about the new Eastmans though I can't vouch one way or the other. I have one that I really like that's from a few years ago that I really like but the Protec eeks out ahead of it for me. To be honest though, they aren't the best for smaller horns either unless you put some padding in yourself. The 462 is actually really high on my list of cases but as you mentioned, it's a little bulky. The bonna and basili cases are awesome but they're like 5x the price.

I don't have one myself, but I have a couple of students with Wolfpack cases. They are fairly cheap, and the kids like them because the are light and have the straps. I think they carry them at Music and Arts, so if you have one nearby you could see how the 3B fits and whether or not your daughter likes it.
Also, Protec makes a compact, lightweight case that is very inexpensive - not sure of the model.
I'm pretty sure both cases are made from Styrofoam, so if you're looking for long-term or heavy use they may not be the best choice. Of course if she were traveling with the band on a bus or plane, the SKB would be ideal.

Yeah, that SKB Universal case is a real Big Boy!

For budget cases (not gig bags) there aren't many options. The Protec MAX will at least protect the horn properly. Wolfpack is a big step down, I think. (The single example of one that I handed was falling apart and could not keep slide and bell apart!)

But step back, folks. We are talking about an Anniversary Model 3BF Silver Sonic. Fantastic horn. Cheap-o case - really? I think a good case is in order. And if money is an issue, just have her put up with the SKB for now. My opinion, of course.

Not a lot of good options for the tweener horn, much like a 36. Too big for the small horn cases, and the big horn cases are too big.

My lead player puts his King 3B Silversonic (no F attachment) in a Protec MAX case and doesn't seem to have an issue. Before that horn he had a 3BF, so it can work. Shoulder and backpack straps are included and attached, respectively. Very lightweight as well, and inexpensive.

Teaching her to be careful while carrying and storing her trombone will be safer than any case short of a Tank flight/road case, FWIW. Of course, if she ends up flying, you have the 462 to trust.

Thanks for the suggestions. A couple of thoughts:

She is very protective of her horns. Has been since she first started playing. One time, when she was a freshman, I got a call about a last minute gig. My horn wasn't in the car, but her's was. Back then she was playing the 70's 3BF I played in HS. So I asked her if I could borrow her horn. I had a #ProudDad moment when I pulled her horn out at the gig. Her slide was still in fantastic shape. But I suspected as much - she's pickier than I am about slides.

The problem with the big SKB case is that it's really made for larger horns. The 3BF will slide around in the case unless she keeps it wrapped with a towel.

She prefers latches over zippers on cases, which is one reason we started looking for alternatives. The anniversary case has a cloth zipper cover.

I almost scored an old-style Eastman tenor case - she likes my older Eastman bass case.

Thank you for these suggestions. I'll discuss the protec options with her. Or maybe I'll just have to save my nickels and dimes for one of the new-style King cases.

--Andy in OKC

For the money, I would say Protec PRO PAC. It's a little more expensive than the but it also protects the horn a lot better.

It sounds like, if you can find an Eastman, that might be your best bet. I used an Eastman for a week or 2 before I ended up selling mine because I wasn't a fan. It didn't seem to protect my horn like I wanted it to (straight 3b). But I was also coming from a BAM soft pack jazz case, and ended up with a Marcus Bonna.

Good luck!

Just a quick update for everyone. I wound up finding a used BAC trombone case that I really like. It appears to be a rebadged Thomann case.

Backpack straps are excellent and the case is solid. I did make a styrofoam disk for the bell to fill the space just a bit (may add a cone as well).

Highly recommended for the 3BF.

Here's a link to the Thomann version of the case. (Her's is burgundy)

https://www.thomannmusic.com/thomann_fi ... carbon.htm

--Andy in OKC

That's a really nice-looking case... I might have to pick one up for myself! Did you get it directly from BAC?

jorymil wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2019 8:33 pm That's a really nice-looking case... I might have to pick one up for myself! Did you get it directly from BAC?

I found our daughter's case on the used market here in OKC. I don't know if BAC sells them directly or not.

--Andy in OKC