Cases can vary considerably and you should get something that fits the application for which it will be used. In other words, you don't need something like this :


http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/ ... sku=545878


to use for occasional gigs. Something like this might be a better choice :


http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/ ... sku=541530

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Honestly, I think sitting there screaming at Fender (and all the rest of us) about this is...well...rather pointless for a number of reasons.

First off, as I'm sitting here perusing my "Summer 2009 Woodwind and Brasswind" catalog (which I chose because they're a little different from GC, MF, and others), many, if not most of the guitar companies don't tend to provide cases either. Gibson, PRS and Jackson provide hardshell cases for their top of the line models the same as Fender but their mid range models only include at best, a gig bag and in some instances, nothing at all...same as Fender. Many of the guitar companies out there such as Ibanez, Schecter, ESP, BC Rich, Dean, etc., don't include anything at all according to the ads. This is more of a general market thing than a "Fender" thing so what exactly is the point of yelling at Fender about it? Which leads me to my second point...

I won't speak for others, but personally I do not need a hardshell case for EVERY guitar that I own. While as I said before I would never leave the house without having any of my guitars in a hardshell...even the cheapies, I only own 5 or 6 hardshell cases because that's all I really need. The truth of the matter is that even if I were doing a MAJOR gig, chances are I would only bring 4 or 5 guitars with me...typically I will only take 2 guitars to a practice and maybe 3 to an average gig (at least in reference to my electrics). I don't need my whole freakin' "collection" just to do a show...even a major show. So why exactly would I need hardshell cases for all 25 of my guitars? This also leads me to my third point...

Again I'm not going to speak for everyone here but considering what I've said above, when I go out to look at a new guitar...let's say a brand new Strat for example, why exactly would I want to pay extra for a hardshell case that I don't really need? You seem to be under the impression that Fender would or should provide a case at little or no extra cost but this really isn't the situation is it? This isn't being "cheap" as you imply and it's certainly not "crap"...it's just business. Let's say that Fender could get a tweed case such as the one I posted in the picture of for only $20. Now first, Fender -IS- going to charge a markup...it's BAD BUSINESS to simply give such things away (other than for special promotions of course), let alone take -ANY- loss for it. Companies such as Fender would NOT be around long if they used such business practices. Regardless of what anyone may think of Fender, they are still a business...they're not around so that you or anyone can exclusively indulge in your rock and roll fantasies. They're sole purpose is TO MAKE MONEY. Do you really believe for one moment that Leo Fender would have founded the company if all he planned to do was loose money?? Any icon status aside, Fender is a business, nothing more and nothing less. Secondly, it's not only the cost of Fender having to purchase (or produce) those cases, but there is also the cost to ship each and every one of those cases with the instrument...another mark up. How about warehouse storage to store a case for EVERY GUITAR THEY MAKE? Where do you think that money is gonna come from? You got it...the customer. So with those three factors alone, we're probably talking at least a $60 to $80 markup on the price of the instrument if a reasonably decent hardshell case is "automatically included". Since I already have enough hardshell cases to suit my needs, -WHY- would I want to pay that much extra??? If I'm standing in a music store looking at two otherwise identical guitars and one is $60 more simply because it includes a case, you can bet your butt I'm going to buy the cheaper one...and you can bet your butt that Fender and the other companies KNOW this! Maybe you have money dripping out your butt however a great many of us do not!

On that same note, you also have to remember that not EVERYONE buys a top of the line or even a mid range instrument. A very good portion of Fender's sales comes from their Squier line of instruments. Now I'm sure that a person such as yourself would NEVER lower yourself to playing one of these instruments, let alone actually buying one but let's say someone's kid wants to learn guitar so Mom and Dad go out and buy him/her a Squier Bullet or even an Affinity. Which instrument do you think is going to get more sales, the $129 Bullet without a case or the $189 Bullet with a "Deluxe SKB"? Excuse me...I think I just heard little Johnny's father say "What's a hardshell?", LOL!!!

Now if you are capable of acknowledging these things there's still other factors to consider here. Even if Fender and others automatically included cases with all of their instruments, most of your major musical instrument retailers such as Guitar Center/Musician's Friend, Sam Ash, AMS, etc., would probably separate the cases before the sale anyways. Again not EVERYONE is going to need or want that case...and many people certainly are not going to want to pay extra for it. So you mark the guitar down a bit and sell the case separately and the store ends up with a slightly bigger profit margin in the process. If I'm not terribly mistaken, places like Guitar Center and such tend to do this with drum kits...that's why you'll typically see "cymbals and hardware sold separately" in most of the ads. Even further, I've NEVER seen a new drum kit...or keyboard or even PA equipment that came with cases. I'm sorry...why are Fender guitars supposed to be so special in this regard?

In addition, even for a person who does need a case, not everyone who buys a Fender guitar necessarily wants a Fender case. Clearly from this post, there are a number of good companies who provide a whole range of cases for a whole range of needs and applications. Let's say for example that I'm taking my $100 Squire Bullet to a gig as a back up instrument. Again, sure I want that instrument to be in a fairly decent hardshell but do I really need to have it in an SKB when my little $50 tweed case works just as well? Is there some reason a cheap, used hardshell work??? Then there's folks like Straholic who have health issues and have trouble hauling around a traditional hardshell case...it's rather cumbersome for them. What's the point of including something that's NOT going to get used when there are other products available that better suit their needs? What about folks who are traveling or touring...is the case that Fender would provide...even if it's something like an SKB...is it really going to stand up to the punishment airlines or roadies typically dish out? Are you insane??????? Does that mean that Fender and everyone else should just start including ATA spec cases instead and mark that guitar price up ANOTHER $200 or more???

I'm not trying to be rude here but to be perfectly blunt, dude...use some common sense and get a grip!!! Maybe you're not happy about not getting a case with a guitar but somehow I doubt your representative of a majority of the market here. I think that most folks would rather save a few bucks on the instrument itself and then have a choice when it comes to buying the case they need or want rather than having "whatever" just tossed at them simply because it's included. Having a decent hardshell case -is- a good thing and as I've said before, I'll never take my guitars out of the house without one. That said, Fender and all the other guitar companies out there don't need to include a case with EVERY guitar they sell...I'm sorry my friend, but that's just stupid if you actually take some time to think about it.

L8r,
Jim

Here ya go. I reaally like mine. Light and sturdy. Space for a pedal, tuner, strings, cloth. Not huge space, but enough.


[/img]

_________________
-Kirk

GUITARS
'12 Sonoran Acoustic - black (dated 10/31/12)
'13 Standard Strat
AMP
Vox ac4c1-bl
PEDALS
Compressor
Big Muff
Vox Stomplab 1G
Carbon Copy Delay

I was just reading the Fender page on this case (or at least the one that Fender offers that looks like this) It was a story from a guitar tech that was on the road with some band (I think that's what it was) and somehow the guitar case was knocked down into the street. The bus driver didn't see it and drove right over it. Both tires lol He panicked when he saw it happen and ran to the case to check the guitar out and it was fine. So was the case other then a fresh set of tire treads across it. If this case can withstand being run over by a tour bus and still protect the guitar inside then I'd say its a winner!

_________________
2009 Fender Strat MIM
2002 Squire 20th Aniv. Strat
30 year old Les Paul copy which is currently in the process of being rebuilt.

A new War and Peace of cases

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Scot I cannot articulate just how much punishment i've put that guitar through. Aswell as its traveling hardships. I've slept on it, used it as a step up to fiddle with a guitar head ontop of a fullstack. Its been thrown, bashed, left outside, spent way too much time at high altitude in a freezing hold. My strat didnt even go out of tune (although it was tuned down to D for the flights).

The studiologic sl10, a thing of utter wonder. I wont use Ali flightcases or skb again. They cost way too much and offer no better protection.

Its well worth the search to find one.

_________________
No no and no

Thanks bud!

_________________
2009 Fender Strat MIM
2002 Squire 20th Aniv. Strat
30 year old Les Paul copy which is currently in the process of being rebuilt.

Nice looking guitar in that case...although I do have to say that finish looks a tad bit familiar...





This was shot before I had swapped off the mint green plastic...she's got white now too