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as long as you've come to the realization that a bag is not a case, I vote for alteri.construction,value,convenience,and light weight.bags that protect defeat the purpose of a gigbag.they are too heavy and bulky.

sorry for the double reply,i was trying out my new Treo Smartphone and must have double-sent my reply...

If you want it for a front-action tuba then look for a bag that has a sheet music pocket on the back. Most tuba gigbags put the pocket in front, over the valve section. That bends your music folder and really messes up your charts. For a top-action tuba it's not a problem. I cut the pocket off a new string bass bag and sewed it onto the back of my old Altieri tuba bag. That works well, but it took some time. Then I got a reading gig on bass, my first ever...

The $111 bag on ebay is from Taylor Music (1800usaband.com) and seems to be a good deal on a pretty good bag from what I've heard. I haven't gotten my hands on one yet, but will probably be ordering on hopefully this week.

Hi,

regarding soundware bags:
- I own one
- I´ll buy one anytime for horns yet to be acquired
- here´s the closest I could google right now:
http://www.thomann.de/de/soundwear_gig_ ... chwarz.htm

(sorry, it´s in German, but ask away for information).

Well padded, neat additional items (detachable utility bag suitable for DIN-A-4 music folders, oil flasks etc), single shoulder strap, detachable backpack-type straps.
Looks impressive

Drawback: quite bulky (took horn along to the car dealer to test if it´ll fit in the trunk of potentially new car), heavy compared to other bags.

I´d classify this as a "semi-case" in that it´ll prevent scratches, dents from light bumping into doorframes, but NOT damage from throwing on the big pile of instruments in the semi-trailer, or sitting on it waiting for the bus.

I agree with Hans about the Soundwear. I use one for my King 2341. Protetion is top-notch, but it is oversized compared to the horn it holds. Shoulder straps are the best I've seen. If you have to carry your horn any significant distance very often, this should be your first choice. And it's a bit pricey, unfortunately.

Close second is the Chronkhite bag, made by the founder of Reunion Blues. I use this for my Sovereign E flat. An excellent bag but a bit less comfortable to carry. Good protection.

I've found the two shoulder straps on the Alteri bag that I used to use were mounted too low, and carrying the horn was more of a chore since it tended to tip over. The single strap was more stable but not comfortable. And I found a top-loading bad like the Alteri to be less convenient to load and unload than a side-loading bag like the Soundwear and Cronkhite.

Bill Anderson

http://cgi.ebay.com/TUBA-GIG-BAG-BRAND- ... dZViewItem

I bought this bag for my 3/4 Amati. The music pocket is in the back & there is a small pocket in the front. It's probably not as fancy as some of the name-brand bags, but I like it fine. It's a royal blue color, not the brown like the picture.

I have a Soundwear bag that I bought with my Besson 983 from Dillon Music. I am very happy with the protection it provides, especially around the bell, and the ease of use. My only complaint is that after about 2 and a half years of use the edges are getting very worn and a couple of the seams have separated on the surface. All of this is cosmetic, but it still looks pretty ratty after only a couple of years of about 2-3 times a week of use.