Wessex Gig Bags

[bort]

Yeah, it was because TubeNet got ugly, and schlepp pulled the plug on it.

I'm curious too to see how they are holding up. The strap design is certainly intriguing -- my tuba lives in a closet, so the straps get in the way pretty frequently. It'd be handy to keep them tucked away like that.

[LCH3]

Any more thoughts on how these are holding up over time? I know there was some concern in a post (that I haven't been able to find using TubeNet search) about the shoulder straps being frayed by the zippers.

I've been using a Wessex bag for 3 months and no problems. I do not use the shoulder straps and they tuck nicely out of the way. My two tubas have 15" and 19" bells, both 35" tall.

[sousaphone68]

I consider myself an honest person so I will offer a different recollection of why the other thread was pulled.
It was a nuisance thread started to do nothing but harm by a person that was most likely going to end up in some litigation with the sponsor and so the moderator may have pulled it to avoid the forum becoming embroiled in the dispute.

Maybe it was pulled at the request of the sponsor if so I am sure based on my dealings with Wayne that he did so only after a compelling case was made.
Or do you know different?

[nycbone]

**********

[bort]

Bottom line...any gig bag can fail no matter where it is made and what their reputation is.

Thanks for sharing that cautionary tale, that's terrifying! Lesson learned -- I will be sure to periodically check the straps of my bag!

[pjv]

Sorry, but my gig bag is the best and failsafe. Why? Because I didn't buy it from a brass-gig bag company which profits from a product that holds up for a long time...but not too long. (Were's the money in selling one gig bag per tuba player for the rest of their life?).
So I went to an large outdoor sport shop which sells a lot of back packs. Often people need special kinds of back backs for special kinds of baggage (TV cameras, medical equipment, whatever) and having a custom made pack isn't so unusual. And that's what I did.
So it's basically a top loader back pack. I had the entire thing padded with extra cushioning on the bottom and side, two pouches for stuff, a handle for grabbing it, a strap for over the shoulder, and back pack style shoulder and hip straps for the longer journeys.
Being that it was made by an outdoor sport shop, the straps are exactly where you need them and function they way these straps were designed for (as opposed to looking the part but being almost useless). It's also made from cordura fabric, which is next to indestructible, and being a top loader there are no zippers to derail. Just like a back pack, I use the side strap to tighten the bag to whatever tuba I'm using. So my Alexander 164 and my Con Monster go in as easily as my small Kanstul 80 F tuba.
Bragging? Yes. But I just love beating the system (eh, sort of).

[Tubajug]

I'd love to see a photo!

[Tubaryan12]

I've only used mine a couple of times a week since I got it and so far it is holding up well. I don't travel far from the car to the building with mine so I'm honestly not testing it much.

[Wyvern]

We have heard of strap problems with a small number of the bags sold. The problem is with the fixing at the small (bottom bow) end of the strap and has nothing to do with the zip. Checking of stock has shown the problem is only existent in a few bags.

We would urge all buyers which use the backpack straps to check the strap fixing at the small end for any sign of it giving way - and to stop using the straps and contact us if so - Wessex.usa@gmail.com" target="_blank in USA or wessex.tubas2@gmail.com" target="_blank in UK. We will of course replace any defective bags free of charge.

Now the design weakness has been identified, extra strengthening is being implemented to ensure no chance of future problems.

All buyers of the tuba gig bags will be emailed to check their bags for the problem. The last thing we want is anyone's horn to get damaged by falling.

[TubaRay]

Sorry, but my gig bag is the best and failsafe. Why? Because I didn't buy it from a brass-gig bag company which profits from a product that holds up for a long time...but not too long. (Were's the money in selling one gig bag per tuba player for the rest of their life?).
So I went to an large outdoor sport shop which sells a lot of back packs. Often people need special kinds of back backs for special kinds of baggage (TV cameras, medical equipment, whatever) and having a custom made pack isn't so unusual. And that's what I did.
So it's basically a top loader back pack. I had the entire thing padded with extra cushioning on the bottom and side, two pouches for stuff, a handle for grabbing it, a strap for over the shoulder, and back pack style shoulder and hip straps for the longer journeys.
Being that it was made by an outdoor sport shop, the straps are exactly where you need them and function they way these straps were designed for (as opposed to looking the part but being almost useless). It's also made from cordura fabric, which is next to indestructible, and being a top loader there are no zippers to derail. Just like a back pack, I use the side strap to tighten the bag to whatever tuba I'm using. So my Alexander 164 and my Con Monster go in as easily as my small Kanstul 80 F tuba.
Bragging? Yes. But I just love beating the system (eh, sort of).

How much did this set you back?

[Tubaryan12]

Update:

My bag straps did give way a few months ago. I had them repaired and all is good otherwise.

[Wyvern]

Pleased you got the strap fixed.

All the bags supplied since last year have considerably strengthened straps, so we are confident will be secure.