Gator TSA Headless Elec. Guitar Case

i couldn't find any hard case specific for my Ibby Q52 – nor soft one, actually, so this was the only option available, really.

piece is neatly devised and executed, seems to do what it says on the box (in a manner of speaking) – guitar (and her strap) fit inside with hardly a millimeter play... super-clever engineering!

so why does it get only 4 of the overall five stars, for me?

one cosmetic reason, to start with: that red and black motive might make a muscle-car more attractive (in the '70s, maybe), not this, in my view – so i masked all labels and plates that have been silkscreened in red;

and

one functional reason, to end it: there's no seal on either side of the opening perimeter – no o-ring, no rubber gasket, no neoprene, no anything – it's a wasted opportunity for making it somewhat rainproof (for that few minutes' walk from stage to staff and artists' parking place at the live club).

i don't mean it has to be buoyant as a peli case for scuba diving photographers, 'cause submerging it in water would damage the instrument anyway, even if o-rings had been in place...

alas, and still, for the price it comes at, i would have loved to find out it has one extra means of caution in transport (like my Strandberg's SKB one had, although at a significantly steeper price).

other than these, case is made with quality materials inside and outside, it's balanced in weight on its handle, and stable when idling on a hard floor (even standing on the body's end).

Vorab: der Gigbag für meine Strandberg ist super, aber eine 2000+ EUR Gitarre gehört in einen sicheren Koffer. Meine Strandberg Boden passt perfekt hinein. Mit verstellbaren, durch Klettverschlüsse gesicherte, Kissen kann man die Gitarre mega sicher fixieren. Da wackelt nix. Ich hätte mir noch ein weiteres Fach gewünscht, in dem man zum Beispiel den Gitarrengurt verstauen kann. Aber das ist mäkeln auf höchstem Niveau. Er ist nicht ganz billig, aber er ist das Geld wert.