For years all I used was Calton cases - that's when Keith Calton made them in the UK. His trade price was excellent as were the cases. No issues. When Keith sold up and all production moved over to the US that was the end of it - $750 + VAT and no trade discount is enough to get you looking elsewhere. If a customer really wants one, I give them the guitar dimensions and they order it themselves, handle all the paperwork then send it to me.
So this video is about some of the alternatives that are easy to get here in Germany. Hiscox I buy direct still (not through their German dealer) and they are superb to deal with. Peter who handles sales for Hiscox s brilliant. Good customer service is a big plus.
Bam and Visesnut both have distributors in Germany. So there is no messing about with import duties - importing from outside the EU is a P.I.T A. in this country so I'm happy for others to do it on my behalf. So that rules out Hoffee and Karura, both excellent cases but neither have European distributors as far as I am aware.
The purpose of a case varies according to the owner. For some, it's a vital working tool. For others, it's something to keep the guitar in the house. For others still, it's something to show off.
The Bam isn't a terrible case, but for the money, it's not good enough. If it was half the price I'd still not be happy about the string box or the lack of head support. But I'm sure they have their fans. Hopefully, they will come across this thread some time and think again about the design.
The Visesnut is a very good case. No heavier than the Bam, but much more robust. You could rely on it for a few years. The Hiscox is a good working tool. In the end, none are a Calton, but getting one isn't really an option these days.
Nigel
www.nkforsterguitars.com