Gig bag recommendations for carbon

[Aspiring]

I have two recent carbon additions to my family and I am looking into gig bags.

The primary use is to carry the instruments to my boat and on the boat or to friends to jam.

The guitars are an enya x4 and a Klos full size. 16" or so lower bout but more OOO than dreadnaught size.

To that end I'm looking for a case that provides light protection and is lightweight and is flexible so that when on the boat and not holding a guitar it can fold in half to take up less space.

I recently ordered a mono vertigo and I'm finding it too bulky and not flexible enough for my needs as well as a bit too big around the guitars.

My Klos (second hand) came with a very light weight Access bag which works but is a bit too lightweight and doesn't have a neck holder of any kind.

What are other people using?

[jricc]

Hi Aspiring, how much are you looking to spend? The Mono bags are great as are the Reunion Blues they're priced around $200-250.
I personally like Access bags, you possibly have their Upstart series which is very thin. If you move up to Stage One $85, you'll get a sturdy 25mm thick foam bag. I added a neck rest $15 and have been gigging this bag for many years with no issues. The Stage 3 $189 is even better and rivals the Mono bag.
Hope this helps.

[JackDaniel]

Originally Posted by jricc

Hi Aspiring, how much are you looking to spend? The Mono bags are great as are the Reunion Blues they're priced around $200-250.
I personally like Access bags, you possibly have their Upstart series which is very thin. If you move up to Stage One $85, you'll get a sturdy 25mm thick foam bag. I added a neck rest $15 and have been gigging this bag for many years with no issues. The Stage 3 $189 is even better and rivals the Mono bag.
Hope this helps.

Didnt know about the Access stage 3. Looks nice and much better price than the mono or reunion blues. I've had both of the other two and really like them both. I didnt like how the reunion blues sat so high though. The straps start at the middle of the case, which is a bit weird.

[Aspiring]

Originally Posted by jricc

Hi Aspiring, how much are you looking to spend? The Mono bags are great as are the Reunion Blues they're priced around $200-250.

I personally like Access bags, you possibly have their Upstart series which is very thin. If you move up to Stage One $85, you'll get a sturdy 25mm thick foam bag. I added a neck rest $15 and have been gigging this bag for many years with no issues. The Stage 3 $189 is even better and rivals the Mono bag.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the input.

Looking up online it looks like the access bag I have likely is the upstart.

As to price anything up to the $300 ish range is fine.

For the stage 1 and stage 3 are they still flexible enough to fold lightly in half when not holding a guitar?

Maybe my answer is to get a neck rest for the upstart.





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[Captain Jim]

The Stage 1 (add a neck rest) is reasonably foldable. I think you'd put a crease in the Stage 3 if you fold it.

[casualmusic]

Originally Posted by Aspiring

I have two recent carbon additions to my family and I am looking into gig bags.

The primary use is to carry the instruments to my boat and on the boat or to friends to jam.

The guitars are an enya x4 and a Klos full size. 16" or so lower bout but more OOO than dreadnaught size.

To that end I'm looking for a case that provides light protection and is lightweight and is flexible so that when on the boat and not holding a guitar it can fold in half to take up less space.

I recently ordered a mono vertigo and I'm finding it too bulky and not flexible enough for my needs as well as a bit too big around the guitars.

My Klos (second hand) came with a very light weight Access bag which works but is a bit too lightweight and doesn't have a neck holder of any kind.

What are other people using?

I love the $100 Taylor structured bag designed to carry their GC and GA size guitars. On the kitchen scale it weighs 2.4 lbs. Inside dimensions are 16” wide and 42” long. Good protection without awkward gewgaws.

https://www.taylorguitars.com/taylor...-bags/gig-bags

The bag has 1/2” dense padding, the neck folds easily, and the end pin area is reinforced. It’s made of nice tan cordura same as upscale luggage, the stitching is excellent, and it shows little wear after going out twice a week for almost five years (to the park during Covid). Nice side handles and excellent backpack straps.

The big front pocket will take almost 4” thickness of songbooks (overkill) or equiv amount of gear. A sturdy lightweight aluminum music stand (RATstand Scherzo 18” x 1.8 lbs) fits under the guitar neck if needed.

A folding chair is often packed with legs in the pocket and its seat bungeed to the base of the neck. Easy to carry on the backstraps, or rolled along on the frame from a rolster or perched on top of a rolling ‘lawyer case’ filled with cables and gear’.

Mine is used for the Concert Pro (15 1/4” x 19 1/4” x 4 1/2” @ 42 1/4” long) and the RainSong H-DR/T (16” x 20” x 5” @42 1/2”). I’m debating whether to get another Taylor bag (instead of a RainSong bag) so each guitar can stay loaded ready to go.

S/B good for the Enya X4 (15 3/4” x 19 7/8” x 4 5/8” @ 41”) and the KLOS (15 1/4” x 19” x 4 1/4” @40”).

PS. Earl49 also wrote about using a Taylor gig bag when playing away from home.

Cheers.

[Aspiring]

Thanks for the recommendation I will definitely check that one out.

[QUOTE=casualmusic;7073770]I love the $100 Taylor structured bag designed to carry their GC and GA size guitars. On the kitchen scale it weighs 2.4 lbs. Inside dimensions are 16” wide and 42” long. Good protection without awkward gewgaws.

https://www.taylorguitars.com/taylor...-bags/gig-bags


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[jdinco]

I'm pretty sure that Access makes the Taylor bags....

[jricc]

Originally Posted by jdinaz

I'm pretty sure that Access makes the Taylor bags....

yes jdinaz! They also make some gigbags for Yamaha.

[casualmusic]

Originally Posted by jdinaz

I'm pretty sure that Access makes the Taylor bags....

I’m reporting that the Taylor versions are excellent and recommended. Mine is performing well after 400+ sessions playing out, and I’m ready to get another to have two on the go.

Nothing like the flimsy Access bag that arrived with Aspiring’s KLOS.

Cheers

[jdinco]

Originally Posted by casualmusic

I’m reporting that the Taylor versions are excellent and recommended. Mine is performing well after 400+ sessions playing out, and I’m ready to get another to have two on the go.

Nothing like the flimsy Access bag that arrived with Aspiring’s KLOS.

Cheers

The Taylor bags are excellent! I like them a lot too. I would guess that Access made the Klos bag to Klos's specs. I've used my Access bag many years, point is don't judge the Access bags by comparing them to the Klos bag.

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by jdinaz

The Taylor bags are excellent! I like them a lot too. I would guess that Access made the Klos bag to Klos's specs. I've used my Access bag many years, point is don't judge the Access bags by comparing them to the Klos bag.

When I talked to someone at Access years ago, I was told they designed and used to make the Taylor gig bags and gear bags, but that Taylor was doing them in-house. I was never a gig bag kinda guy until I bought a Taylor GSmini when they first came out - that bag won me over. I tried to buy a Taylor gig bag in their Grand Concert size after I got a RainSong Shorty, but couldn't find one in stock anywhere, and it was someone at Taylor that told me to contact Access.

Access makes a variety of gig bags and gear bags... if they made something for Klos, it would have likely been made to a price point and not necessarily typical of what they sell under their own name. I sold the Shorty a few years ago, but still have that Access bag - works good for my X20 or Taylor 522ce 12-fret. It has held up through a lot of miles.

[JackDaniel]

Been following this thread.
Just got my Mcpherson touring but it came with a piece of junk TKL gig bag. Wanting to get something nicer but the reunion blues from Mcpherson is $250.

What do ya'll think?
Access Stage 1
Access Stage 3
Mono Parlor
Reunion Blues


My thoughts are that this is a carbon fiber guitar with a super stiff neck. Is the neck support even necessary or maybe the stage 1 is enough? Stage 3 costs about 150. Mono can be had for 200. Reunion is the full 250.

[Aspiring]

Update.

Thanks all for the pointer to the Taylor.

It fits the Enya like a glove. I went to a local guitar store and they actually had one left over that a person buying a Taylor 214 had upgraded to a hardcase. If any are interested may be worth asking the dealers. I also picked it up for 75$ new.

They also had the access stage 1. It did not fit the enya very well. The small was too small and the large was too large. They also had the Yamaha cases but only in classical size which was too small.

I took the Taylor case home. Seems like a nice medium between protection and weight and bulk particularly for carbon. Althought the neck on mine does not fold yet.

As to the comment on the Klos. To clarify it is an actual Access bag that I received with mine. I purchased my Klos used and the previous owner had sourced the bag aftermarket. It is not the bag that Klos sells with the guitar.

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[Aspiring]

This is what the Enya looks like inside.

IMG_20220828_121604268.jpg

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