What have folks done to modify/strengthen MTS cass?

[bisontuba]

Hi-
I have read some threads of people who say they have modified and/or strengthened their MTS tuba hard case...what have you done to them?
Thanks-
Mark

[Tom Holtz]

I know nothing of the sousaphone cases. I have a medium-size MTS case for my Besson 983. I keep a basketball in the bell as a shock absorber. I've had pretty good luck on the airlines with just the stock case and the basketball. Not a perfect record, but the horn is still in great shape after many flights. YMMV.

[Tom]

Every time I look at an MTS case, I kinda wonder what the designers were thinking...

The bottom bow usually has 3-4" (and sometimes even more) padding between it and the case shell while the bell is usually within one inch of the case shell...yet the wheels on those cases (really on 99% of tuba cases) are on the bell end. Yes, I know the bell end of a tuba case is almost always wider so that's where they put the wheels, but I've always thought that was a questionable design decision to always have cases roll "bell down" while the bulk of the case padding is on the opposite end.