Snug Taylor cases

[MexicoMike]

The guitar should be very tight around the body in the padding with no movement at all - that's a good thing.  But the issue I had where the tip of the headstock is actually in contact with that part of the case is a very bad thing. I sometimes wonder if the shop gave me the wrong case...but they insisted it was the correct one.  I ended up giving the Taylor case to a friend who has a bunch of guitars, figuring he could use it for something.

Re gig bags - I use a Guitar Research gig bag and like it a lot.  It can accommodate a guitar, my Digitech Live 3 Harmonizer, Shure SM58 mic, and the necessary cables with no trouble at all.  Like most bags it can be carried like a guitar case or strapped on your back.  It is large enough to carry any of my 3 possible gig guitars - Martin HD 28, Taylor 414ce, Taylor GS-5 12 string.

I seldom carry a guitar to a gig in other than the gig bag so it works well for me.  I looked briefly at the Taylor gig bag when I was buying my 12 string but didn't see anything that it offered over other bags and frankly, I don't like carrying around stuff with company logos emblazoned on them for two reasons.  I don't care to publicly proclaim there is something that might be worth stealing inside AND I don't care to provide free advertising for companies; they can pay for their own!

[ctkarslake]

Opposite for me.  All my 90s Grand Concerts fit snug as a bug in their cases but my 2007 GC3 is loose.  It wiggles and shimmies back and forth within the case, very strange for Taylor really.  It must have been made when their forms were stretching out .  I would much rather have a tight case than a loose one!

[DennisG]

My GC case is extremely tight, even though I've been taking the guitar out of its case every day since 2011.  Doesn't seem to ever loosen up, which is fine by me.  There's a bit more slack in my 814 case.

[Strumming Fool]

What's the consensus on the Taylor gig bag (I think they call it a "hard bag")? Should I invest in one of those for taking my guitar around town? Advice appreciated ...

I've owned one for years, and I do use it for around town with great results! I would highly recommend one...

[mikeguywest]

No problem here. My 2012 GS8e case is snug, but I like that. I don't want any movement of my guitar in the case. I have been doing what TG recommended to you: seat the lower bout first then slid the rest down. If you're keeping your case free of debris then there won't be any problem with scratches - I haven't found any yet.

[michaelw]

The hinges came off my hard case in less than a year. The little rivets are too small and pull right thru the case.

pics or it didn't happen -
if it was an access-sourced case with a softer, wide-grain black covering i could see that possibly being the case

premature handle failure & inconsistent fit is why Taylor is now making all their hardshell cases in tecate -
i remember GS cases where the guitar body flopped around in there, but it might have been ok for a jumbo

i recase my guitars by gripping the neck around the 12 fret, on a 14 fret model, lowering
the tail block in first & then letting the lower bout, waist & rest of the body/guitar seat -
when i first got a Taylor in a monkey butt deluxe case, one of the guys that saw me case the guitar about had
a conniption because i was pressing on the outer edges of the bridge to seat the guitar to prevent fingerprints ...
still, bothers me to see someone swinging a guitar around gripped just below the headstock & wedging it into a case

a snug fit is better, provided there is adequate headstock space, the neck rest is not jacking the
neck up & the bridge has enough clearance to where it's not crushed up against the inside of the lid

[rbr49x]

Same for my new 514e FLTD.  Very tight  - it goes in but you have to use some of the techniques mentioned above and it's a slow process for an impatient person.

[michaelw]

i take a few extra seconds when removing or placing a guitar back in it's case,
whether it's one that i have a few thousand dollars invested into or a few hundred -
stories of case lid bites & broken latches are something i'd rather not write about, but life happens

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

I will post pics but it DID happen. I had to bolt the thing back on. The case weighs a ton but the hardware on it is cheap tin and I never trust it.

[MikeB]

My 310ce case is super tight, too.  I keep a mini clip-on tuner on the end of the headstock, and it just rubs against the top of the case when I put it in, but fits.  However, the case is too small to fit my Taylor suede guitar strap unless I put it onto the end pin first, then drape it across the strings, folding it over near the head stock.  Kind of a pain, but I'm getting used to it.

[michaelw]

in general, clip on tuners & straps should be removed from the guitar before it is cased -
the tuner may leave a mark on the headstock from the padded clamp material & it is
possible that a strap may react with the finish of certain guitars if draped over the top

the chances of unnecessary scratches or headstock marks/nicks
may be reduced by removing the tuner & strap when not in use

[Jersey tuning]

in general, clip on tuners & straps should be removed from the guitar before it is cased -
the tuner may leave a mark on the headstock from the padded clamp material & it is
possible that a strap may react with the finish of certain guitars if draped over the top

the chances of unnecessary scratches or headstock marks/nicks
may be reduced by removing the tuner & strap when not in use

Minor inconvenience but the truth. I picked up online a clip of sorts that fits into the jack  socket and secures the strap-- frequent on and offs of the straps makes the bottom end prone to falling off.

[postediting]

I live in a big city and I get around by train or taxi or walking.

What's the consensus on the Taylor gig bag (I think they call it a "hard bag")? Should I invest in one of those for taking my guitar around town?

I also get around in the Paris, France metropolitan area by walking + train + subway for a 3hr round-trip commute everyday.

There are 2 different types of Taylor gigbags. 
- I've had one that is for the Baby Taylor (also seems to come with the Big Baby and the 100 series)
- I also have the more sturdier one for the GS mini (also seems to come with the 200 series)

I really like the latter for the GS mini.  It has a big zipper pocket, good backstraps, and the loop to grab it from a vertical position.

However, I also have generic Thomann softcase which was very reasonably priced and it is great for lugging around various guitars. Full zipper pocket along total length of the guitar.  I have one of these in dread format that is the general carry-around case for all the guitar sizes currently in stock, and is pack with all the necessary straps, cables, capos, picks and accessories. As all guitars are in their cases, just need to transfer the necessary guitar over to the softcase and head out to the rehearsal with everything necessary.

Jeff

[postediting]

Has anyone experienced the (new) Taylor case as a kind of a straight jacket. I did and wondered why. My recent GC models are quite difficult to get into their case. You really have to manoeuvre them in and use pressure too. I find this somewhat strange (even the Taylor guys in Amsterdam looked worried). It certainly was not 'the case' in the past. They should not be too loose, but this...

I have a 2001 GC size SKB case. The 312ce fits in easily.
Also have a 2009 GC with the black deluxe hardshell.  That is snug, but no forcing.
Also have a 2008 DN3 with the black deluxe hardshell. Also snug, but no forcing. use similar technique as mentioned in this thread to start by placing the lower bout and the rest slides in.
Also have an extra brown deluxe hardshell for dread size that I got new at a special sale last year. I use that case for a vintage Takamine dread size guitar. Now, that is a very snug fit and requires pushing down on the bridge pins area to get the guitar in.  I should try putting a few of the other dread size guitars into that case and see if it is a problem for them all.

Jeff

[mgap]

The hinges came off my hard case in less than a year. The little rivets are too small and pull right thru the case.

I have had several Taylor cases, only a couple of them were of the monkey butt style.  The standard Taylor case has always served me well.  They are snug and keep the guitar in a very safe place to sleep.  You might say that they were tight fitting.   The grand kids have never been able the do anything harmful to them yet.   Never have I had a handle come off, buckle break, buckle rip off case, or any problems at all.  I honestly can't imagine what could have tore the rivets out of a case. 

I have had a couple of brand X guitar cases have had problems but that always happened before I got the case.  I did have a Martin OM-28V have a buckle break.  The previous owner told me he tried on a number of times to open the case and had forgetting to unbuckle one of the latches, it broke(after we made a deal) just before he sent the guitar to me. It was a sweet guitar, not so sweet case.