ABS Case comparison

[UkingViking]

Hi Forum,

So, I have been trying out some cases from ABS, wood and hard foam for my ukuleles.

Though I would share my experiences.

Is ABS lighter than wood? Some of them.

Below:
Kinsman wooden concert case: 1570 g
TGI ABS case: 1680 g
Uke Crazy hard foam case: 1150 g
Crossrock zippered ABS case: 1330 g
Thin gigbag: 480 g



So, why did I try out ABS cases?
I wanted something that was more weatherproof and comfortable to carry around with a strap than a wooden case, while offering better protection (and being more weatherproof) than a gigbag. Truth be told, I have not hauled my ukes around through the storm a whole lot. But I would like to be able to.

I will split the review up into more posts before I time out.

 

[UkingViking]

Here are some pictures of the inside of the cases:

Kinsman:


TGI:


Uke Crazy Case:


Crossrock zippered case:

 

[badhabits]

These are concert size?
Does the crossrock have a second zipper on the treble side? Or one that goes all the way around?

 

[UkingViking]

So, what do they offer?

All the cases, except for the zippered one, have a small compartment under the ukulele neck for tuner, capo or the like.

The Kinsman does not support attaching any straps.
The other three include a single strap for carrying it over your shoulder/back.
If you have an extra strap, you can put two on backpack style. I am sticking to a single strap though.

The Kinsman and TGI cases have a small key to lock them with, the zippered crossrock has a combination lock that you can lock the zippers into.
I dont think locking the cases will be on my mind.

Edit: A bit more about them:

The Kinsman seem like a middle of the road hard case to me. You can get wooden cases that are plushier and more luxurious if you look for it. This one has a flat lid, good for tacking them - probably less strong than an arched one.
This is concert size.

The TGI case has the plushiest, most luxurious interior of the 4 cases. The aluminium rim with the clasps feel rather good. My biggest objection is that the strap brackets rattle annoyingly against the ABS part on the case. You will find similar cases online branded as Crossrock or "Kala Charcoal". When looking at the pictures of where brackets are polaced etc, I come to suspect that they are made in the same molds just using different colors. But hey, I only tried this in real life.
This is concert size.

The Uke Crazy case also seems to go by many names online. I doesnt feel overly luxurious, but it has a nice serious vibe to it due to the no nonsense shape of it.
This is concert size. It has room for the biggest body of the concert sized cases.

Finally the zippered ABS case:
I bought it because I was courious if it rattles less than the TGI. It doesnt, the brackets and zipperes find a way to rattle anyway.
It is a pretty nice case, but not quite as neat as the TGI case. The strap seems a bit less strong, the plush is a little less plushier etc. But still a nice case. It has a zipper on one edge, two hinges on the other edge, and between the hinges it seems to be closed with an elastic fabric along the other edge. Since elastic fabric deteriorates a bit faster than other fabrics and plastics, I am not sure how many decades it will keep up, so I am not sure how I feel about that. Also, this fabric seems less water resistant than your average gig bag.
This is soprano size. Fits a my Ohana SK30-M super soprano without a problem.
When looking at the lower bout of this case, it seems that a small concert ukulele could have fit into it if not for what feels like a small block of oasis under the plushing that reduces the internal size a bit. Perhaps they use the same mold for soprano and concert cases? I dony know.

 

[Patty]

These are concert size?
Does the crossrock have a second zipper on the treble side? Or one that goes all the way around?

I’d like to know that too. Also, is the rim metal or hard plastic or … ? I have an ABS case that I dislike because it’s hard to put the uke in the case without touching it against the hard aluminum rim.

 

[UkingViking]

These are concert size?
Does the crossrock have a second zipper on the treble side? Or one that goes all the way around?

The crossrock is soprano sized, the rest are concert sized.
It has some elastic fabric on the treble side, between the hinges.

 

[UkingViking]

I’d like to know that too. Also, is the rim metal or hard plastic or … ? I have an ABS case that I dislike because it’s hard to put the uke in the case without touching it against the hard aluminum rim.

The rim is plastic, with the zipper protruding a bit.
It only has the one zipper, there is some elastic fabric between the hinges on the other edge.

 

[BigJackBrass]

If you really want the case to be weather resistant, you might want to make or buy a simple waterproof cover. Much easier for cases with straps at the back, but still workable for those with only a carrying handle. Covers specifically for ukulele cases are uncommon, but those for different sizes of violin case are far easier to find and do the job nicely. They don't need much more than waterproof fabric, an elasticated hem and possibly a drawcord.

I have a soprano TGI ABS cases which I like except for the fit: there's way too much space inside for a traditional soprano. Unfortunately I think they're catering to some of the modern oversized models, which leaves me to pad the gaps with dusters.

 

[TerryM]

I’d like to know that too. Also, is the rim metal or hard plastic or … ? I have an ABS case that I dislike because it’s hard to put the uke in the case without touching it against the hard aluminum rim.

Not to hijack your thread, UV, but:

Patty,
You may want to check out Crossrock's fiberglass case. The rim is pliable plastic or maybe hard rubber. The Crossrock and Kala latching (non-zip) ABS cases all have that aluminum rim and look like the TGI case.