Ill-fitting Cronkhite tuba bag

[tubaknut]

One month ago I got my brand new Cronkhite leather tuba bag, made to fit a Besson 981 E-flat.
First of all - the bag looks great and the craftmanship is second to none. Overall a very good looking bag. Can't praise the quality enough.

I've not been able to try the bag with a tuba inside since I got it, until now. Just came home from the UK with my new Besson 981 (or old rather, hand picked by John Fletcher himself).

The bag has a tight fit around the bell, but that makes sense. The leather will give after some months of use.

My issue is that the bag just seems too big around the bottom bow. It fits length wise, but there is enough room depth wise to fit the girth of my 5/4 CC inside. With the bag closed, I can compress the area around the bottom bow with at least 5 cm, if not more. Surely the tuba cannot move inside since it's lodged between the bell and bottom bow, but apart from that there is lots of air around the instrument.

The other thing is that it seems like my bag is made for a rotary valve horn. I need to put the horn valves down in order to make sense of the padding when closing the bag. That probably how it should be?

All the rave about his bags here on TubeNet and elsewhere made me want a Cronkhite bag. But my initial impression with regards to fit is not as good as I'd like. I borrowed an instrument with an old Reunion Blues bag, from the time Glenn where there, and that is the best bag I've ever used. I would expect the fit of the new side loader to be at least equal to the old design.

This bag comes with a hefty price tag here in Norway. After tax I paid $950 for it, so I desperately want to enjoy it.

Did I get my expectations wrong? Is there that much free space inside by design?

All the best,
Knut

[Ferguson]

It sounds like you got the wrong case. It has happened on occasion. I'm sure an exchange can be made. It should fit that tuba exactly.
-F

[Dan Schultz]

When the horn is inside the bag... is the leadpipe on the same side as the carrying handles?

[tubaknut]

When the horn is inside the bag... is the leadpipe on the same side as the carrying handles?

The leadpipe is on the same side as the carrying handles. I'm able to close the bag if I put the tuba in face down, as shown in the picture. Although a tight fit around the bell.

CronkhiteBesson981 - 1.jpg

As for the depth, here is one picture where I hold the bottom bow with my hand (opposite side of the leadpipe), and one comparing it to the original Besson case. It almost has the same width, but definitely with less padding than the case.

CronkhiteBesson981 - 1.jpg

CronkhiteBesson981 - 3.jpg

[Guest User]

From all I have seen of gig bags, your horn is in backwards. If that is how it fits best then you have been sent the wrong model of bag.

[Dan Schultz]

Tubaknut... that is how the horn should be oriented. The leadpipe should be protected from contacting a floor in case it falls while being carried. Contact Glenn Cronkhite.

[tofu]

I think you got sent a bag for a 983 and not a 981.

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Can't you just flip the case end for end, and use the "lid" as the bottom?

[tubaknut]

Tubaknut... that is how the horn should be oriented. The leadpipe should be protected from contacting a floor in case it falls while being carried. Contact Glenn Cronkhite.

I'll contact Glenn. He can quickly figure out if something is wrong.

Can't you just flip the case end for end, and use the "lid" as the bottom?

It's possible, but not usable. The padding on one side is wider, to cover the zipper area. If I use the 'lid' as the bottom, I then need to thread the wider padding in between the bell and the adjoining side - that's not easy at all.

The direction of the bag is one thing. My main concern is the excessive room in the bottom bow area.
Most descriptions I've seen of Glenn's bags say that they fit the instrument like a glove or really snug. This bag can hardly be described as fitting like a glove in any direction except one.

[tubaknut]

To me, using my past experiences with Cronkhite bags, it looks as though you have a bag for a larger, thicker, front action tuba and not the one specifically designed for a Besson 3+1 compensating Eb tuba. "Close enough" is the norm when using a generic bag, but not when expecting and paying for a custom, model-specific Cronkhite bag. Send it back, preferably and rightfully on their $,€, etc.

That would make sense. I think this bag would fit my old 4/4 Hirsbrunner CC perfectly. I'll ask Glenn anyways. It could be that I got the wrong bag.
I'm sure everything will be sorted out.

[Guest User]

Tubaknut... that is how the horn should be oriented. The leadpipe should be protected from contacting a floor in case it falls while being carried. Contact Glenn Cronkhite.

Top piston horns have the zipper on the other side, so that the front faces out and the back nestles against the player's back, just like all his other bags. This is in backwards. If it is not cut to fit with the slides facing out then it is a bag for a left belled tuba and his is a right belled one.

[tubaknut]

With regards to depth or orientation of the horn? Sorry if I didn't get a reference in the video.