BBC announcement about Cronkhite Bags

[bort]

FYI, just saw this on the BBC Web site:

Glenn Cronkhite is winding his business down.
Leather bags are no longer available as his leather cutter has retired.

We are currently putting together a large stock order
so we can meet customer needs as best we can.

If you would like to custom order a bag, call us immediately.
It is likely that orders placed after September 23 will simply not be filled.

Don't hesitate. If you've been considering the finest gig bags available, call now.
They are an endangered species!

I think it's been a long time coming, but I'm actually pretty surprised that when the top dog of a successful(?) company wants to retire, they are just closing up the shop altogether instead of continuing the business with new leadership. Oh well -- not my company, not my choice! Congrats on the retirement, Glenn!

[gionvil]

I am glad I decided to order one and received it a couple of months ago. I was impressed by the quality and by how perfectly it fits my instrument, I will keep it with the highest care to have it last long!

[bort]

Yup. As I said, "not my company, not my choice!"

There's possibly also an opportunity for someone else to start a gig bag company to fill that void?

[TheGoyWonder]

I'm sure there was an apprentice leather-cutter.
And I'm sure he used templates and didn't just freehand everything.

[Ferguson]

There was only one leather cutter, who has retired.

The good news is that negotiations are ongoing with a new possible owner for Cronkhite cases.

-F

[Ferguson]

...so will both Reunion Blues and Chronkite end up being Chinese...??

Reunion Blues has been Chinese-made since the early 2000's. Cronkhite's potential buyer is 100% US-manufacturing.

-F

[Ferguson]

I'm sure there was an apprentice leather-cutter.
And I'm sure he used templates and didn't just freehand everything.

What else are you 'sure' of?

hqdefault.jpg

-F
/the more Tubenet resembles the fark.com forum, the giddier I am
//it's more difficult to troll here though
///the erudite folks give the stink eye
4*/...as they should
5*/stop it with the slashies

[phaymore]

Just got my new bag a couple of weeks ago for my Packer Eb. Apparently just in time!

[The Bone Ranger]

There was only one leather cutter, who has retired.

The good news is that negotiations are ongoing with a new possible owner for Cronkhite cases.

-F

That's great news. Trombones, trumpets etc have many great choices of gig bags that fit well, but tuba players so often have to settle for ill-fitting bags. Cronkhite is really the only sure-fire way of getting a tuba bag that fits snuggly, guaranteed.

I have a leather bass trombone bag, cordura double trombone bag (extremely useful!) and a cordura bag for my Rudy 3/4 CC. I've never wanted for an alternative...

Andrew

[Ferguson]

I may be in the minority, but I haven't seen any problems with the "new" reunion blues bags. I have owned an original blue (1999 euphonium bag) and a modern tuba bag, and I like them both.

My only problem with RB now is their website doesn't show any tuba bags any more. do they still make tuba bags?

You may be in the majority. I don't imagine there are many problems with RB cases made in Asia. For many folks they are just fine. It's just that RB uses thinner, softer leather and lighter foam. They also glue them together before stitching, so repairs are not possible. That makes it a disposable case. Many brands are disposable, so that's not unusual. Cronkhite cases use heavier duty materials and can be rebuilt down the line, so they can last your entire professional career. The RB price was not enough lower than a Cronkhite to interest me, but given a bit of care, most cases like that can do the job.

Cronkhite has said that the first repair to your instrument due to using a cheap case will cost more than the expensive case did. That makes sense to me. I wouldn't skimp on a case for a $10K tuba, but not everyone needs or wants absolute top of the line, whether in tubas or cases. I Googled a bit and RB tuba cases do not seem to be available. Interesting. I know their line was limited (maybe 8 sizes instead of 70), but I think one of their errors was in not being clear which cases fit which tubas. When they advertise a case as 17.75"x40", what tubas does that fit? What about 19"x35"?

Regarding materials, their are good reasons for the lighter materials on RB Asia cases. One is that the cost is likely lower. The other is one I find humorous. When Glenn set up the old RB shop in the garment district of San Francisco, they needed new employees and put the word out. At the time, most garment industry workers in San Francisco tended to be petite Asian women, who of course had correspondingly petite hands. With the thick leather and foam RB used, most of the women found the heavy duty sewing work too difficult and they immediately quit. Glenn found success hiring burly Mexican guys who otherwise might be sewing leather boots and saddles. To this day, those fellows (Estrella Sewing Shop) still sew his cases.

-F
/how many burly Mexican guys work in the garment industry in China?
//none?

[bort]

Cool story.

[Rick Denney]

I have a Reunion Blues bag from probably the early 80's, and it has no need of rebuilding. It was originally for a Miraphone Bb tuba but it fits my B&S F tuba just fine and I still use it. Of course, it was made by Glen Cronkhite.

I also have several Cronkhite bats for other tubas, but the tuba I would most like to have a Cronkhite bag to fit is a Hirsbrunner HB193, which is 44 inches tall. Glen doesn't make a bag for that tuba. I ended up having to use a Protec bag.

The Protec bag is not as good. It doesn't hold its shape as well, and the foam is lighter. The shell isn't as heavy, and the zipper isn't as good. But it has good pockets, and it was less expensive. I wouldn't have minded spending more for a Cronkhite bag, though.

Rick "who has suffered with enough top-loaders to just say no" Denney

[Three Valves]

Regarding materials, their are good reasons for the lighter materials on RB Asia cases. One is that the cost is likely lower. The other is one I find humorous. When Glenn set up the old RB shop in the garment district of San Francisco, they needed new employees and put the word out. At the time, most garment industry workers in San Francisco tended to be petite Asian women, who of course had correspondingly petite hands. With the thick leather and foam RB used, most of the women found the heavy duty sewing work too difficult and they immediately quit. Glenn found success hiring burly Mexican guys who otherwise might be sewing leather boots and saddles. To this day, those fellows (Estrella Sewing Shop) still sew his cases.

My thoughts were that any auto upholstery worker that dabbled in Banda would be a good candidate to take over!!

[Radar]

...so will both Reunion Blues and Chronkite end up being Chinese...??

Reunion Blues has been Chinese-made since the early 2000's. Cronkhite's potential buyer is 100% US-manufacturing.

-F

Having Cronkhite's cases made here in the US would be a great thing. I hope it happens we could use some more things made in the US again.

[deholder]

I just called Baltimore and they said I could still order one. So I 'think' they are still making them for now. Other places just list certain models as 'Sold Out'.

[Ferguson]

Glenn has closed his shop. There are still a number of cases in the queue being finished, likely some are for BBC too, but Glenn isn't cutting any more cases for new orders.

-F

[deholder]

Who will fill the void?!?

[Ferguson]

Who will fill the void?!?

Horn Guys is adding Miraphone tuba gig bags, Gard trumpet cases, and Bags of Spain horn and trombone cases to keep a nice selection of options around. I think that's the best one can do at the moment.
-F