The case on cases - Calton, Kamoa, Ameritage, Kamaka

MauiWowie said:
Also to note, I dont know if I have one of the new ones or not....

heres the pic I got from Larry's music supply/Kamoa before they shipped it out to me.
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Thanks for the photo. I got to see pre-production prototypes of these Kamoa cases when I was at Larry's Music this past April. At the time, the cases were being redesigned to, among other things, add a latch. They were pretty nice looking, and the Kamaka tenor I bought that day fit snugly in the Kamoa tenor prototype case, but the cases hadn't been tested yet for wear and tear and the propensity to chip and scratch with ordinary use.
 
mds725 said:
Thanks for the input, Staci! I don't remember ... is your red case one of the new cases or one of the pre-chip resistant cases? I may end up traveling with an Oahu hard case.
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mds725 said:
They were pretty nice looking, and the Kamaka tenor I bought that day fit snugly in the Kamoa tenor prototype case, but the cases hadn't been tested yet for wear and tear and the propensity to chip and scratch with ordinary use.
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My red one was bought at Elderly back in August, and has racked up a ton of scratches and chips in only two uses I think it is definitely NOT a wear resistant one. Plus, not only did I only use it twice but I am pretty gentle wih my stuff. I'm not willing to pay for another though so I will live with the scratches. But I'm definitely disappointed at how easily it got messed up.

It is still a nice snug fit and easy to carry, plus super light. But if you are concerned about wear and tear and scratches, I'd say either make sure you get one of the resistant ones (order direct from Sam and make sure it is) or maybe only consider silver - probably less likely to show damage. My red was a birthday present to I don't regret getting it, but if I had paid I'd be pretty disappointed in it's condition. I'm extra careful now with my blue as a result.
 
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wickedwahine11 said:
My red one was bought at Elderly back in August, and has racked up a ton of scratches and chips in only two uses I think it is definitely NOT a wear resistant one. Plus, not only did I only use it twice but I am pretty gentle wih my stuff. I'm not willing to pay for another though so I will live with the scratches. But I'm definitely disappointed at how easily it got messed up.
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That's really a shame. I know you baby your stuff. Two uses and it's scratched and chipped? That's pretty much unacceptable in my book.

It's a beautiful case, but given your experience, I think I'd pass and go for something a bit more durable.
 
itsme said:
That's really a shame. I know you baby your stuff. Two uses and it's scratched and chipped? That's pretty much unacceptable in my book.

It's a beautiful case, but given your experience, I think I'd pass and go for something a bit more durable.
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Yeah, hopefully the new ones are better -- as Sam from Kamoa stated. It is still a good case for traveling due to the light weight and backpack straps, and I still prefer it over the other ones in the initial post (the Kamaka and Ameritage ones). But yep, I agree with you, the scratches are disappointing. I would reckon the carbon fiber are more durable (but super expensive). I know Aldrine had a red one and the last time I saw him he was using a different one -- I don't know if it was a black one or the carbon fiber. And he had some scratches on his red pretty quick too.

I'd be very interested to see if anyone does end up getting one of the new "improved" more durable ones. That is the one major flaw to me in this case. I still recommend it, but not for anyone who is concerned about scratches, and so forth. And not for anyone who wants a lot of storage room. For me though, it is the only one type that I will travel with anymore -- the red is now so dinged up I won't bother babying it anymore. And for the blue, I'll definitely be very careful with it when I use it.
 
The Kamoa cases are ok, however it is quite prone to nicks and scratches. Also, it is sometimes a pain to snap the locks down, and you have to get it just right to fit... It is however light weight and a nice fitting case ^_^
 
Hi, just got back from Kauai and my very first Uke delivered. I have a Kamoa Tenor and thinking of getting an Ameritage Gold Series case (I live in Phoenix so the summers are very dry and thinking the temperture system is needed). Anyways, does anyone know if the Kamoa tenor fits good in the Ameritage? Also, anyone get the shoulder strap and does it work good? Thanks for all the informative posts on this thread!!
 
Hi Staci!
With all the talk of airlines making us check in ukes instead of carry on, I was wondering if you trust your Kamoa case for check in? The light weight and portability definitely sound appealing and ok for daily use, but I was wondering if it's good enough for the level of airlines check in?

Thanks to everyone on this post. Very helpful indeed!

Monica

wickedwahine11 said:
Yeah, hopefully the new ones are better -- as Sam from Kamoa stated. It is still a good case for traveling due to the light weight and backpack straps, and I still prefer it over the other ones in the initial post (the Kamaka and Ameritage ones). But yep, I agree with you, the scratches are disappointing. I would reckon the carbon fiber are more durable (but super expensive). I know Aldrine had a red one and the last time I saw him he was using a different one -- I don't know if it was a black one or the carbon fiber. And he had some scratches on his red pretty quick too.

I'd be very interested to see if anyone does end up getting one of the new "improved" more durable ones. That is the one major flaw to me in this case. I still recommend it, but not for anyone who is concerned about scratches, and so forth. And not for anyone who wants a lot of storage room. For me though, it is the only one type that I will travel with anymore -- the red is now so dinged up I won't bother babying it anymore. And for the blue, I'll definitely be very careful with it when I use it.
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mo9090x said:
Hi Staci!
With all the talk of airlines making us check in ukes instead of carry on, I was wondering if you trust your Kamoa case for check in? The light weight and portability definitely sound appealing and ok for daily use, but I was wondering if it's good enough for the level of airlines check in?

Thanks to everyone on this post. Very helpful indeed!

Monica
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Hey Monica...not in a million years. The Kamoa cases are pretty and super light but I would never check them in, there is no way. Your best bet if you HAD to check it is the Ameritage.
 
How do you think the Oahu hardcases compare to the 3 mentioned in this thread?
 
Bumping this one up for great reviews by Staci. And wondering if anyone got those new Kamoa cases.

Edit: Curse you, UU! Just picked up an Ameritage Silver Tenor on Elderly for $215 + ~$50 shipping.
I weighed the Gold on FineCases.com for $320+$25 shipping against the Silver, and figured that the humidifier feature wasn't worth $80. We don't really have humidity problems in HI. And I thought the grey/black color combo was more attractive anyway.
 
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Just a bump to this old thread as I just added a review and photos of my new Calton case. The photos and review can be seen on the first page of the thread in post #6. It was expensive but I am quite happy with it. Sorry in advance for the big photos -- I still am not used to the Mac and have no idea how to resize them on this computer. :(
 
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Gorgeous uke, gorgeous case. I've got a Hoffee, which is probably in the same realm as the Calton, both in terms of cost and effectiveness. I've had people look at me as if I'm crazy when I tell them how much it cost, but for a one-off instrument that is irreplaceable, it seems like cheap insurance to me. IMG_2267.jpg
 
Are you telling the price, WickedW?
 
sukie said:
Are you telling the price, WickedW?
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As long as nobody tells my spouse…it was about $700 with tax. Totally extravagant but totally worth it (to me). I would never advocate it for a run of the mill uke but the Moore Bettah is anything but that. And after what I paid for the uke, it isn't so bad as an insurance policy -- in addition to the rider on my homeowner's policy that I added. ;)
 
wickedwahine11 said:
As long as nobody tells my spouse…it was about $700 with tax. Totally extravagant but totally worth it (to me). I would never advocate it for a run of the mill uke but the Moore Bettah is anything but that. And after what I paid for the uke, it isn't so bad as an insurance policy -- in addition to the rider on my homeowner's policy that I added. ;)
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My insurance for my MB is $30 a year. I consider that a bargain.


PS -- my lips are sealed.
 
Hey Staci. Glad everyone made it back safely from the left coast. Your departure timing was good as the cold, wet weather has settled in for a stretch. I should have spent more time checking out your case, but as you know I was too busy checking out your MB! You'll have to let me know how the new strings work out.

Excellent review and it was great meeting you. Looking forward to your return trip next year!
 
dkcrown said:
Hey Staci. Glad everyone made it back safely from the left coast. Your departure timing was good as the cold, wet weather has settled in for a stretch. I should have spent more time checking out your case, but as you know I was too busy checking out your MB! You'll have to let me know how the new strings work out.

Excellent review and it was great meeting you. Looking forward to your return trip next year!
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Thanks D! We had a great time -- Cape Cod was really lovely. We are really looking forward to going back again next year. Hopefully next year the Sox will be in the playoffs. A large part of my enjoyment came from meeting you. Thanks for a lovely afternoon at your gorgeous house! :)
 
Great review. Personally I like my cases with some dings and scratches. As long as they aren't on the uke!
 
Hey Wicked I bought a calton too and I have to ask. I can't tell by the angle of the picture but is does the top of the ukulele sit flush with the top of the interior? If that makes sense haha. I noticed on some caltons that the padding rises as high as the ukulele exactly, but mine doesn't. I have a good inch or so of the ukulele protruding above the padding. It still fits perfectly, but one of the reasons why I wanted the case was to make it sit perfectly like Jake's and Aldrines.

This might depend on who makes it at the Calton company because I've noticed some do, and some don't but I would assume that they're all taught the same method...

EDIT: Here's a picture of mine. It seems like yours hugs the neck of the ukulele more than mine...But mine is also more similar to Jake's. And you can see how much higher my ukulele rests as opposed to the padding. The neck might be because it's made custom to a specific ukulele but still the body is too high for me...I mean I love the case and like I said it fits great but still haha. Also it seems like your storage compartment is bigger..Haha I have the same winder and I can only fit it vertically as opposed to horizontally like in your picture. I'm sad.

10799362_948899671791182_239540634_n.jpg
 
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DannyPham said:
Hey Wicked I bought a calton too and I have to ask. I can't tell by the angle of the picture but is does the top of the ukulele sit flush with the top of the interior? If that makes sense haha. I noticed on some caltons that the padding rises as high as the ukulele exactly, but mine doesn't. I have a good inch or so of the ukulele protruding above the padding. It still fits perfectly, but one of the reasons why I wanted the case was to make it sit perfectly like Jake's and Aldrines.

This might depend on who makes it at the Calton company because I've noticed some do, and some don't but I would assume that they're all taught the same method...

EDIT: Here's a picture of mine. It seems like yours hugs the neck of the ukulele more than mine...But mine is also more similar to Jake's. And you can see how much higher my ukulele rests as opposed to the padding. The neck might be because it's made custom to a specific ukulele but still the body is too high for me...I mean I love the case and like I said it fits great but still haha. Also it seems like your storage compartment is bigger..Haha I have the same winder and I can only fit it vertically as opposed to horizontally like in your picture. I'm sad.

View attachment 73124
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Hmm, yours does seem to have the uke sit a lot higher than mine does. See photo...
FullSizeRender-1.jpg

I know they had me measure at like 15 points, perhaps the measurement of the depth of the uke was off somehow? So they thought it was thinner than it actually is? You know - like one of those slim Kala travel ukes or something?

As for the storage compartment, I measured mine and it was about 6.5" x 9.5" at the widest points. I'm not sure why that would be different though.

Hmm who did you order it through? Perhaps you could contact them to see why there is such a big disparity. :(
 
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