building steel guitar hard cases

[Jon Ward]

I am working on a first prototype hard case for the 8 strings I make. There is a lot that goes into a designing a good case!
Lots of options for hardware, handles, finishing, and balancing. This one is almost balanced, so I'm going to change the handle, and I'm thinking about making a pocket for a tone bar and picks.

Anyone else making hard cases?

[Greg Forsyth]

Joe,
What a great looking case. Cool application of wire pulls on both the case and guitar. A pocket for the tone bar and picks is a good idea. CNC'D?

[Ross Shafer]

very nice

[Jon Ward]

Thanks! I recently finished this. I used a CNC router and a lot of sandpaper. I will add a cargo pocket and larger handle on the next one and maybe another case for the legs and stands I make.

[Bobby D. Jones]

Nice looking case. A speaker handle would be nice, If it had to be carried very long at a time or in cold weather.

That front left corner in the case looks like it has possibilities. A divider along the key head top and bottom would be a start, For a place for picks and bar.

[Jacobus De Bruyn]

Nice looking case and guitar.
Did you build the guitar as well? Is the guitar body aluminium or stainless?

Australia Greetings
JDB

[Tim Toberer]

Very clean work! I had that same idea for flute cases. Simple and very functional.

[Jon Ward]

Thanks! I make the guitars, and they are stainless steel. The guitar weight is 7 lbs, and the case is 10, so I'm looking at other materials for the case. Maybe I'll try vacuum forming plastic.

[David Ball]

Thanks! I make the guitars, and they are stainless steel. The guitar weight is 7 lbs, and the case is 10, so I'm looking at other materials for the case. Maybe I'll try vacuum forming plastic.

CNCing foam board just like the wooden one might work. Some kind of epoxy coat on the outside maybe, or maybe that black truck bed liner spray. It would need to have support plates of some kind for the hardware to screw into but it would definitely be lighter, and you could use your existing G code to prototype one.

Dave