Reunion Blues bag--will anyone be at Reno fest with one?

Tonya · Mar 3, 2013

I've read the posts and various reviews of the Reunion Blues gig bags but I'd like to see/touch one "in person." I live in a rural area so that's pretty unlikely--but I'm wondering, by chance, if anyone here will be attending the Reno festival in mid-April and already bringing their uke in an RB case?

Also, I'm looking at this for my "travel" case, but would you really trust it up in an overhead compartment (as in, going to Hawaii!)?

ksiegel · Mar 3, 2013

Luthier Extraordinaire Rick Turner uses a leather Reunion Blues mandolin Case as his tenor ukulele case. He swears by it, and if I lived in a more humid area, I'd probably go that way as well.

I've played two of Rick's personal ukes, and if the Reunion Blues case is good enough for those wonderful instruments, well then, it would be good enough for anything I own.

-Kurt

Newportlocal · Mar 3, 2013

Hi Tonya,
My grandparents used to live in Paradise. Nice relaxing area. If it was me I would order from this guy. He is the original reunion blues bag maker. He will make it custom fit to your uke. I am waiting on tracings for my custom ukulele being built, and then I will have him make me one. It is a better option and his prices are reasonable. His are better quality.
http://www.glenncronkhite.com/index.html

remy26 · Mar 3, 2013

I would certainly trust it in an overhead. I checked an electric bass in one once on a flight from Ohio to Cali (with a layover) and it protected it very well. The bag (and bass) still looked new. There's even a YouTube showing a guitar survive being tossed off a roof in one! While I wouldn't necessarily recommend such a feat, they are very sturdy bags that provide excellent protection.

gyosh · Mar 3, 2013

Newportlocal said:
Hi Tonya,
My grandparents used to live in Paradise. Nice relaxing area. If it was me I would order from this guy. He is the original reunion blues bag maker. He will make it custom fit to your uke. I am waiting on tracings for my custom ukulele being built, and then I will have him make me one. It is a better option and his prices are reasonable. His are better quality.
http://www.glenncronkhite.com/index.html

After reading Glen's website if you still want a gigbag I'd go with his custom made leather gigbag. I have both the reunion blues and the Fusion F1-limited edition. They're both great bags although I prefer the Fusion because of a grab handle on the top (by the headstock). I'm not sure if Glen's bags are backpack style but since they're custom I'm sure that could be arranged if that's what you prefer. The Fusion has more storage, but Glen's site cautions against storage pockets in a gigbag so you need to fully understand what you want and how it will be used.

Newportlocal · Mar 3, 2013

gyosh said:
After reading Glen's website if you still want a gigbag I'd go with his custom made leather gigbag. I have both the reunion blues and the Fusion F1-limited edition. They're both great bags although I prefer the Fusion because of a grab handle on the top (by the headstock). I'm not sure if Glen's bags are backpack style but since they're custom I'm sure that could be arranged if that's what you prefer. The Fusion has more storage, but Glen's site cautions against storage pockets in a gigbag so you need to fully understand what you want and how it will be used.

I talked with Rick and Glenn about it. His have pockets and backpack style. I was planning on a black leather one.
He has thousands of patterns to choose from.

Here was a mandolin customers photos he sent as an example.

didgeridoo2 · Mar 3, 2013

I travel internationally with the rb and feel confident with it in the overhead bin. The backpack straps are a bonus.

hawaii 50 · Mar 3, 2013

Newportlocal said:
I talked with Rick and Glenn about it. His have pockets and backpack style. I was planning on a black leather one.
He has thousands of patterns to choose from.

Here was a mandolin customers photos he sent as an example.
http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w466/Deckhand1/a7f5d4f3b9451c0105826277d0f2b519.jpg[/IMG

[IMG]http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w466/Deckhand1/da9b4a5a65356beda096c9278a1ed474.jpg

Wow Richard nice!I might get one too! did he make Rick's bag before he left Reunion Blues? I like the brown leather..next time you email ask him for me if he has the pattern for a Tenor CR 12 fret...thxs

Dan Uke · Mar 3, 2013

hmmmm....I used to be interested in Glenn's bags but I don't know if I like the looks...reminds me of people carrying leather backpacks at school. Does anyone know if it's heavy?

I looked at Fusion as well but is somewhere in the $200+ range. Ukeeku has a great reivew. I've bought 2 RB Tenors on Amazon for $120 before they started charging tax. Price was important as I don't like to put too much money into non-uke items but the RB is very good and like the color much more than the Fusion.

Tonya, many great bags out there so pick the one you think you will like.

hawaii 50 · Mar 3, 2013

I kind of like the idea that they might be heavy..seems like maybe more protection without the pain of taking your hardcase out..

I have a Gator and an Access gig bag that do the job..but the one above look nice

gyosh · Mar 3, 2013

Tonya said:
I've read the posts and various reviews of the Reunion Blues gig bags but I'd like to see/touch one "in person." I live in a rural area so that's pretty unlikely--but I'm wondering, by chance, if anyone here will be attending the Reno festival in mid-April and already bringing their uke in an RB case?

Also, I'm looking at this for my "travel" case, but would you really trust it up in an overhead compartment (as in, going to Hawaii!)?

In answer to your original question, I'm probably not going to the Reno uke fest this year, but if I know of someone going I'll see if they want to test drive my RB bag so you can see it too. I'll definitely be at the SF meetup later this month put on by blue_knight_usa http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/f...Up-Jam-in-SF-Anyone-interested&highlight=meet so if you can make it to that I can bring the RB and the Fusion and you can check them out.

gyosh · Mar 3, 2013

nongdam said:
hmmmm....I used to be interested in Glenn's bags but I don't know if I like the looks...reminds me of people carrying leather backpacks at school. Does anyone know if it's heavy?

I looked at Fusion as well but is somewhere in the $200+ range. Ukeeku has a great reivew. I've bought 2 RB Tenors on Amazon for $120 before they started charging tax. Price was important as I don't like to put too much money into non-uke items but the RB is very good and like the color much more than the Fusion.

Tonya, many great bags out there so pick the one you think you will like.

I've only carried Rick's and that wasn't any heavier than the RB or Fusion F1

hawaii 50 · Mar 3, 2013

Pretty sure MGM and Andrew from The Ukulele Site(aka HMS) going to have some out there..he brought 2 or 3 to the Ukulele Picnic

Dan Uke · Mar 3, 2013

gyosh said:
I've only carried Rick's and that wasn't any heavier than the RB or Fusion F1

Thanks for the input

coolkayaker1 · Mar 3, 2013

Hawaii50 is probably right--I just yesterday upgraded an upcoming uke purchase from Andrew at HMS to my second Reunion Blue Continental Bag--my first is for tenor size. So, yes, he well might bring them to Reno (especially if someone emails him and asks him to do so).

I swear by these Reunion Blues Bags. It'll definitely provide you the best protection in an overhead bin--much better than any hard case. Much.

For those that haven;t seen the RB Continental Uke Bag vid from the many other threads about this bag, here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zJVKcLAZuQ

Why buy a custom--where you are stuck with it, whether its what you expected or not--when a tried and true stock bag is ideal. I wouldn't do it unless I had a really weird shaped uke (harp uke, anyone? lol)

**** I just placed my RB continental Tenor size case, without instrument, on my medical-grade scale: it's exactly 5.1 lbs. with straps but empty. For comparison, the "benchmark" Oahu tenor hard case, empty, same scale, is exactly 4.1 lbs. The RB case is 1 lb. heavier--it's ballistic! It's not your grandmama's gig bag. LOL

That's light enough to be easy to carry, yet strong and well made. I do not work for Reunion Blues, House of Blues, the Blues Brothers, or Robert Johnson. Thank you.

gyosh · Mar 3, 2013

coolkayaker1 said:
Hawaii50 is probably right--I just yesterday upgraded an upcoming uke purchase from Andrew at HMS to my second Reunion Blue Continental Bag--my first is for tenor size. So, yes, he well might bring them to Reno (especially if someone emails him and asks him to do so).

I swear by these Reunion Blues Bags. It'll definitely provide you the best protection in an overhead bin--much better than any hard case. Much.

For those that haven;t seen the RB Continental Uke Bag vid from the many other threads about this bag, here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zJVKcLAZuQ

Why buy a custom--where you are stuck with it, whether its what you expected or not--when a tried and true stock bag is ideal. I wouldn't do it unless I had a really weird shaped uke (harp uke, anyone? lol)

**** I just placed my RB continental Tenor size case, without instrument, on my medical-grade scale: it's exactly 5.1 lbs. with straps but empty. For comparison, the "benchmark" Oahu tenor hard case, empty, same scale, is exactly 4.1 lbs. The RB case is 1 lb. heavier--it's ballistic! It's not your grandmama's gig bag. LOL

That's light enough to be easy to carry, yet strong and well made. I do not work for Reunion Blues, House of Blues, the Blues Brothers, or Robert Johnson. Thank you.

Here's one reason. Because Glenn Cronkhite WAS the designer of the RB bags and now works on his own making customs that are better than RB.

coolkayaker1 · Mar 3, 2013

gyosh said:
Here's one reason. Because Glenn Cronkhite WAS the designer of the RB bags and now works on his own making customs that are better than RB.

I know. Everyone mentions his name with every breath about RB bags. As I wrote: ."..when a tried and true stock bag is ideal." The RB Continental to me, for every major common uke size and type, is ideal. You like your Fusion better for the head handle--I got it.

Bill Gates WAS the designer of Windows, but I doubt even he can install my lousy Windows 8 upgrade.

How much is the leather custom bag? If it's over the $130 price of the RB Continental (and I'm sure it is), I'll stick with ideal. I love leather, for my SUV seats, my wallet, and for the chair I;m sitting in now. But for a bag that the gorillas at the airport will throw around, or have me stash in an overhead bin next to used baby diapers and a stroller, I'll take the RB Continental exo-skeleton every time.

Newportlocal · Mar 3, 2013

hawaii 50 said:
Wow Richard nice!I might get one too! did he make Rick's bag before he left Reunion Blues? I like the brown leather..next time you email ask him for me if he has the pattern for a Tenor CR 12 fret...thxs

Rick bought his a long time ago. He had just bought the standard Mandolin case in leather so there is some extra space in his.
Glenn has all the patterns you could ever imagine.
Someone was asking pricing this was from an email last year from him.
Average price for mando size case is around $258.00 leather or $191.00 for cordura.
I for one prefer higher quality and workmanship, and this was a surprisingly reasonable quote.
I know Glenn takes pride in his work.
I am waiting on Rick's tracing,or I will do one myself when I get my Compass Rose.

coolkayaker1 · Mar 4, 2013

I respect that you love the hand crafted case, Newportlocal, and are willing to pay for it. The issue, as anyone who has sold a uke knows, no one is going to give you 1/2 as much as you invested in it as value of a sale, and even less if it fits that one uke. So many retailer sellers offer free Oahu type cases with high end ukes (maybe Comapss Rose doesn't), people discount the used seller's case completely when they compare to buying new.

Of course, you may never sell it, or you may be able to keep it and fit other ukes in it. I'm just mentioning what uke makers know: people will pay for the uke, and want a case, but ask them to pay for a premium case? Hard sell.

Newportlocal · Mar 4, 2013

coolkayaker1 said:
I respect that you love the hand crafted case, Newportlocal, and are willing to pay for it. The issue, as anyone who has sold a uke knows, no one is going to give you 1/2 as much as you invested in it as value of a sale, and even less if it fits that one uke. So many sellers offer free Oahu type cases with high end ukes (Maybe Comapss Rose doesn't), people discount the used sellers case completely when they compare to buying new.

Of course, you may never sell it, or you may be able to keep it and fit other ukes in it. I'm just mentioning what uke makers know: people will pay for the uke, and want a case, but ask them to pay for a premium case? Hard sell.

I understand where you are coming from. I have had many expensive hobbies in the past. In your case with some "turnover" I completely understand your rationale. I don't expect to amass a large selection of ukes for turnover to feed more purchases, or I would certainly agree. I believe a custom fitted case without slop in it is safer for high end ukes. I expect to only have two high end ukes that I would be willing to invest in quality cases. The Ameritage and the custom Reunion Blues from Glenn seemed like the best options. For my use I think the Reunion Blues is a better fit for my needs. My other ukes will be fine in standard cases, and easier to turn over if the need arises.

Reunion Blues bag--will anyone be at Reno fest with one?

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