In another post, I mentioned the angst I had over putting my 50 year-old 12-string on an airplane as checked baggage, and so I didn't. The reason I had trepidation is because the original guitar case I have for it is a "hard shell" where the hard part isn't really. Hey, it's 50 years old, too. Worse, there isn't any foam padding, so the guitar rattles around in the case when I carry it.
After checking with the guys at Seven C Music, they seemed to think that if I just put bubble wrap around the body and tape the case with brown tape, I shouldn't have any problem. Okay, I might do that. But that leads me to the question: How do I shop for a case?
I have two guitars I think would benefit from a good case. My 12-string, only because of its sentimental value, and the other is my custom built guitar. The 12-string is a fairly standard size dreadnought, but the headstock is obviously longer. Gator makes a case that ought to fit, the GC-DREAD-12. If I bought from Sweetwater, I could return it if it doesn't fit. But I hate the buy-and-return process. Still...
But I cannot find a case to fit my custom archtop. The builder put it into a Gator resonator guitar case. It's a close fit, but not great. And it's a great guitar! SBK makes cases for the Taylor GS Mini, and they fit the way I want the case for my custom to fit. One thing I've considered is buying a case like the Cedar Mill Guitar Rifle case, which is pure foam inside that requires cutting to fit.
So, if your guitar isn't a Strat, a Tele, an LP or SG, how do you buy one, sight unseen?