TubeNet

Greetings,

Today I received my custom case from Accord Case of Pula, Croatia. Accord is a well known maker of high-end cello and guitar cases, and now they make wind cases.

It’s a custom carbon / kevlar shell, which weighs very little. It was made to fit my Miraphone 186 4U CC. With my horn and mouthpiece inside, it weighs just under 40lbs. The case alone is under 20lbs.

The company has been absolutely outstanding to deal with, and detailed plans of my tuba had to be provided before manufacture, including a blueprint style drawing of the horn.

It took a couple of months for them to build and ship.

This case is a flight-ready case, and also will be my day-to-day case, replacing my gigbag as well as the flight crate, simultaneously.

The decision to go with Accord was a long one, and worthy of a lengthy explanation... I talk more about it here...
http://www.tubajoe.com/tubajoe/2011/09/ ... t-1-1.html" target="_blank" target="_blank

This case is absolutely gorgeous, seems strong and is amazingly light.


Here are photos from the unboxing...


Well packaged box, made it from Croatia to NYC undamaged (took about a week via TNT shipping)
...and my helper, Fiona.



Inside packaging



Bubble wrap



Case



Case



Interior of case, includes modular / adjustable cushions (and they included extras of various sizes)
Cushions are fairly dense, but lightweight.



My horn in the case



The removable, modular (and optional) Fiedler System backback apparatus



(ps - thanks to KiltieTuba for the tip on posting the inline pics!)

(dont need these 3 followup posts now that images are hosted offsite, thanks)

.

.

Very nice. Please keep us updated on how it performs in use. Can you give us an idea of cost?

tofu wrote:Very nice. Please keep us updated on how it performs in use. Can you give us an idea of cost?

I will keep everyone updated on the case's performance. It's a bit of an experiment, but an important one, as I feel most current tuba case choices are considerably narrower than what options other instrumentalists have.

The cost... well, they are not cheap. It was an investment. All said and done, it will be a bit less than double what a Unitec Al Baer model costs. (I will know more once I am finally billed by the US govt for customs / taxes etc) The base list price for the case alone (with no additions) is a bit over $2K.

I know that seems a lot for a case, but I am currently facing at least 5 international trips within the next year, and flight overages are completely out of control, as is the logistic issues of bringing a tuba overseas from plane to train etc etc. On top of that, I was tired of dents that I get from dragging my tuba in a gigbag all over NYC. I was currently in need of a new gigbag AND a new flight case, so I wanted to try to kill 2 birds with one stone. The "under 40lbs total" situation (my Miraphone is fairly light) is a big big deal.

I realize no case is infalible these days with the running joke that airlines have become, but I'm going to give it a try!

I think that a hard case is almost useless if it's logistically impossible to use (or needs an industrial-sized vehicle to carry!) Despite our grandiose dreams, tubas are not *that* big.

I'll keep you posted.

Not so much about the case:

Why have you removed the lower stack? Freer blowing?

K

imperialbari wrote:

Not so much about the case:

Why have you removed the lower stack? Freer blowing?

K

?
OH... I was trying to figure out what you meant There is a black neoprene-backed cloth cover to protect my skin from the raw brass (it's makes the horn look as the bell was detached in this picture) I'm not sure that anything on the horn has been removed except the laquer. There may have once been a brace on the first valve wrap, but it was not there when I purchased the horn used in 1992. It's pretty much a stock MiraFone 186 4U CC from the late 70s/early 80s... It still even has the obnoxious original plastic ball linkage.

tubajoe wrote:It still even has the obnoxious original plastic ball linkage.

Why not ask Accord about making a Kevlar version? Would be bullet proof.

K

imperialbari wrote:

tubajoe wrote:It still even has the obnoxious original plastic ball linkage.

Why not ask Accord about making a Kevlar version? Would be bullet proof.

K

Good idea! They did however make seats for Ferarri's F1 racecar!

Yup, we need Accord! Their stroke of genius would be a Clear Bore Kevlar linkage for rotary tubas.

K

I suspect those wheels are going to get smashed off in transit ...

I always try and have removable castors on all my flight cases or recessed ones at least. Any bits sticking out are prone to getting smashed off.

The case looks great Joe! The appeal of a lightweight sturdy case combined with backpack option is a fantastic one. If I flew more with tuba, I think I would have to get one. the economics aren't there yet form me. Keep us posted on it's performance as the luggage monkeys try to live up to the challenge.

Wow, that is awesome! I assume the backpack straps come off for flying? Looks a little complicated, but I guess it's a tough thing to photograph. Can you post a picture of you wearing it?

Haha, and did anyone else appreciate the irony of the bubble wrap/styrofoam/"Fragile" stickers on the shipping box?

I've always wondered. Why is it necessary to pack a shipping case, in a box, for shipping?

sloan wrote:I've always wondered. Why is it necessary to pack a shipping case, in a box, for shipping?

Seriously?

A) to avoid extra charges for irregularly shaped packages; and

B) would YOU be happy if you spent $2k on a brand new case and it arrived on your doorstep fresh from the factor/seller scuffed up from shipper mishandling?

So,
what did that bad boy set you back?
B

.

How is the case holding up?

PaulTkachenko wrote:How is the case holding up?

It's absolutely Great. I have a second model they made me and it is superior to the original prototype I had (which was still pretty good) I have been using the updated model since July 2012, and the prototype I got in Sept 2011.

The updated version has stronger handles, wheel housings, hinges and lip. (if anyone has purchased one, this is most likely the version they have received)

It is my every-day case. I don't use a gigbag anymore. The case has saved my horn so many times -- including the time a few months ago when a bicyclist was hauling *** and hit me while walking while wearing the case on my back... the horn went flying off of me over my head up into the air and landed on the pavement probably 15 feet away from me. Horn and case were just fine. Had it been a gigbag, my horn would have most likely have been completely destroyed.

FYI -- The company, being in Croatia, can be a bit 'old-school' with it's electronic communications. If anyone has had trouble with email addresses, drop me a line - I've recently been in contact with them and have updated info.*


*note -- I don't work for the company, I'm just spreading the word.