Need to protect guitar from case "teeth."

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by Rev Roy

Beginner? At 63? Good for you! I also started playing at 63 when my lovely wife bought me a D-28 as my retirement gift. I’m 68 now and still suck...but luckily so far no case bites on my guitars.

RR, truth be told, I'm just doing it for the chicks.....
About time too. Still hard to believe, that in high school, the phone did not ring off the hook on Friday night, even for the principal clarinetist of the state youth orchestra, and star member of the debate team.
Shoulda just got a guitar.
David

[The Bard Rocks]

2 solutions:

1) Which has been mentioned earlier is to make the retainer strap longer so the lid opens wider and cannot fall down so readily. I don't know why case manufacturers don't do this in the first place.

OR

2) Put a foot or two on the side of the case so the side nearest you when you open is higher, which has the same effect as #1, allowing the lid to lean back more and be less likely to come crashing down.

I do not leave cases open (lets moisture escape and too much chance of case bite) and make sure at least one latch is locked when unattended.

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by Deliberate1

RR, truth be told, I'm just doing it for the chicks.....
About time too. Still hard to believe, that in high school, the phone did not ring off the hook on Friday night, even for the principal clarinetist of the state youth orchestra, and star member of the debate team.
Shoulda just got a guitar.
David

At this age I’m more interested in impressing the grandkids than the chicks. Fortunately, they think I’m a rock star.

[WiseAxe]

Just always get in the habit of making the action of getting the guitar out of the case take 6 seconds. Count to six. Especially important if it's been a big night.

It was always confounding to see the former host of the guitar of the day video series whip a fragile old case open to yank out the vintage guitar for a demo.

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by Rev Roy

At this age I’m more interested in impressing the grandkids than the chicks. Fortunately, they think I’m a rock star.

Very cool. Even at 68,RR, and me at 63, we are younger than our rock star heroes. But as one once observed, “but I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now.”
One of my favorite productions is a play (and movie) called “Tuesday’s With Morrie.” It depicts the relationship between this younger man experiencing the angst of life and his former professor, in the last days of life, who becomes his mentor. One of the lines that has stuck with me, to paraphrase his admonishment, is that we are every age we ever were. I like that sentiment. It gives me license to approach this new guitar passion as a kid. Just as it gives license to my wife to tell me to grow up.
Carry on, mate.
David

[SalFromChatham]

Hiscox Pro II case. Intelligent design. No case bite.

[Parlorman]

The world is filled with things waiting to take a bite out of your instruments. In my over 50 years of playing I’ve either had or seen encounters with music stands, microphones and their stands, other instruments, the latch on a green room door, a harmonica someone thought it was a good idea to throw to me, wire cutters while changing strings, a dropped capo and even a patio table umbrella (long story, that one).

Some folks are paying good money for “reliced” instruments, which is beyond me. I prefer my guitars to earn the patina of age naturally.

[philjs]

The GL line of polycore foam cases from Gator are surprisingly good, lightweight and better protection than you'd expect. If you don't need a 'hard use' hard case then replacing the hard case clasps/teeth with one with a zipper could make sense. Full disclosure: all of my instruments, except the harp guitar, have Hiscox cases but they live on stands/walls and are only in the cases for travel.

Phil

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

“Case bite” is a common mishap that guitar owners encounter often enough that it’s got its own nickname... The best thing you can do with case bite is be aware that it can happen, and exercise due care when taking the guitar out of the case and when putting it back in. That’s all you can do, really... It’s what the rest of us do. I think most of us have had instruments get “case-bitten” when we first started playing, but it only took one time for me to become aware of the possibility. Since that first time back in 1976, or whenever it happened, I haven’t had an instrument case-bitten since. Believe me, you’ll be aware of this from now on, too...

So true.
My D-35 was case-bitten on the lower bout by the fang on the lid latch, which fell on the guitar soon after I bought it new in 1969. The event made the same impression on my psyche. I remember to consider the lay of the lid every time I take any guitar out of its case. In 50 years, that little bite is the only thing the D-35 has to show for its age.

[Deliberate1]

Originally Posted by vintage40s

So true.
In 50 years, that little bite is the only thing the D-35 has to show for its age.

Very impressive.

[Tone Gopher]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

“Case bite” is a common mishap that guitar owners encounter often enough that it’s got its own nickname. As mentioned, covering the “teeth” of the latches with duct tape would create a sticky mess, and wouldn’t even work for very long because the tape would get worn through pretty quickly. Cutting off the “teeth” would weaken the grip that the latches have, leading to an unstable situation holding the lid in place.

It would also hurt any resale value. I doubt I would ever buy a used guitar whose owner had “defanged” the case latches because I’d inevitably wonder what sort of irreversible modifications might have been made to the guitar itself.

The best thing you can do with case bite is be aware that it can happen, and exercise due care when taking the guitar out of the case and when putting it back in. That’s all you can do, really. In this situation there isn’t a practical, workable physical modification that will take care of the problem.

So you have to use awareness instead.

It’s what the rest of us do. I think most of us have had instruments get “case-bitten” when we first started playing, but it only took one time for me to become aware of the possibility.

Since that first time back in 1976, or whenever it happened, I haven’t had an instrument case-bitten since.

Believe me, you’ll be aware of this from now on, too.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

+1 to all the above.

My Gurian took a bite in ‘76 or so when I was playing an outdoor show, and the wind blew the lid shut as I was taking out my guitar. The tooth mark is still there to remind me, and it works - I haven’t had a recurrence since.

[Bridgepin]

I just am very careful when it comes to using my cases.

I have a nice scare on my hand from a Martin Thermoplastic case that have the metal rim around the edge, it was about to bit into my D-41.......I no longer use those type of cases, I like the 5 ply archtop geib style cases.

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by Bridgepin

I just am very careful when it comes to using my cases.

I have a nice scare on my hand from a Martin Thermoplastic case that have the metal rim around the edge, it was about to bit into my D-41.......I no longer use those type of cases, I like the 5 ply archtop geib style cases.

A D-41 in a Thermoplastic case? Heresy!!!

[Arch Stanton]

these cases (mine is a martin) are like "Jaws" i make sure my body is in the way or always use one hand to hold it open and slowly remove guitar. now that my sound hole humidifier is there its even tougher, because its always good to leave it in the case while your playing, so now im fumbling even more trying to hold open "Jaws" with guitar in one hand trying to remove humidifier, set guitar down, putting humidifier back in empty case. one of these days its gonna eat me man!! someday i'll have a special humidified sound room and never put the guitar back again!!

[ifret]

Originally Posted by sakar12

I always hold the case open with one hand while removing my guitar with the other.

This is what I do too. I also repeat the process when putting the guitar back in its case.....left hand on the case lid until the guitar is layed inside.

Sorry to hear of your mishap. A lesson learned. That's the very reason I do what I do now. Hope you find YOUR solution to prevent it from happening again.