Are Drum Cases Necessary?

[musiqman]

Well put.

Like Durex or a cheap nock-off.

It only takes one wrong drop.

 

[tubelugs]

This is absolutely true. I will take a stand for the H and B - style vulcanized fibre hard shell cases over the plastic ones, which I admit are stronger yet and potentially last even like longer. Advantages of fibreboard over plastic: they are definitely lighter. I ordered a fibreboard H&B a few years ago for my 1939 WFL 28" (count 'em!) BD. It is reasonable in weight, but I shudder to think how much a plastic version would weigh.
I own a set of fibreboard cases that I ordered with the 1976 Premier Resonators I ordered new and still have. I still have the drums AND the cases, but the cases have endured thousands of gigs/set-ups, tear-downs and road travel, primarily in service with other drum sets I own. Still good. Yes, I replaced the handle once, and all of the straps. They are well worth it - older than some Forum members!

In the pic, the bottom case is the "new" 28, with the 1976 22, then 16, then 13. Still truckin'!

This photo demonstrates another advantage of hard cases that have seen some travel: they‘re easy to recognize coming out of a plane conveyor.

 

[tubelugs]

I read somewhere that the drum track on "Wild Thing" by The Troggs was played on a case of some kind... a guitar case, maybe. Possibly a drum case, anybody know? Part of rock n roll folklore, eh? I played a gig once on a newspaper with brushes. No cases necessary!

Record Album case with brushes...classic quiet “corner of the room” setup.

 

[tubelugs]

This is a reasonable gradation to consider, say I.

Agreed.

 

[musiqman]

This photo demonstrates another advantage of hard cases that have seen some travel: they‘re easy to recognize coming out of a plane conveyor.

Although taking drums in planes doesn’t happen anymore since about the late 90’s/early 00’s (especially after 9/11) .

Its now either backline, endorser supplied stock, or A-list rock/pop tours with ATA cases in cargo planes/trucks.

 

[David M Scott]

They are helpful to protect your drums from overambitious people wanting to help loading in and out. You know the type: smiling happily as they hold your bass drum by one spur, snare wires used as a carrying strap, cymbals as a flat cap...

I’m way old and done a lot og gigs and never experienced that until a year ago. I used a folding cart to move drums in and out of a venue. As I was stacking the cart, and I have a system, this Dude grabbed my snare bag and headed for the door when I was loading. My car was right outside the door and he just dropped the thing on the cement sidewalk said bye and walked off. It was my classic 1969 10 lug Pearl chrome snare and if it hadn’t been for the padded bag .. There’s unfortunately, no cure for stupidity !

 

[RussellC]

My hard cases really came in handy one night when my drums were stacked up and ready to get loaded on my cart and a really drunk girl barfed on them. So happy that it wasn't on the drums! I pretty much always use my hard cases now!!

 

[Jeremy Bender]

Big band kit 13,16,24 in their AAA bags (just before the Earth stood still).

 

[Frank Godiva]

I do use cases when taking something nice. I was always worried that someone might pinch one of my drums with a bag and handle ready to go. So I solved that worry by putting my fine Sonor drums in Ludwig bags and nobody never even pays them no mind. I like I thin bag then inside a fiber or enduro hard case, easy to get in and out without tearing up the padding in the hard case.

 

[audiochurch]

Have H and B tuxedo bags since 90s. They housed everything from Tama rockstar dx tp starclassics to my premiers and slingerlands. Bags make it easier to load and carry. Also, bags nest nicely in one another.

 

[EvEnStEvEn]

I may be able to buy a set of cheap bags (with one bag too big) for around $90 delivered, after which I suppose I'd have to pay around $35 import taxes. If true, $125 or thereabouts seems worth it. But the challenge is to work out the details, including the currency exchange. this looks like it could be a good option.

Pfft, forget that.

I don't know what sizes you need, but this is the best bargain going right now and the bags are very nice.
I have a set and will recommend them.

Ultimate Support USS1-Fusion 5- piece Fusion Set Drum Bags

Only at Sweetwater! ✅ $0.00 Used Savings for your Ultimate Support USS1-Fusion 5- piece Fusion Set Drum Bags!

www.sweetwater.com

 

[ThomFloor]

I like Earl Palmer's method, who must have packed his drums for what...a few thousand sessions?

 

[studrum]

Pfft, forget that.

I don't know what sizes you need, but this is the best bargain going right now and the bags are very nice.
I have a set and will recommend them.

Ultimate Support USS1-Fusion 5- piece Fusion Set Drum Bags

Only at Sweetwater! ✅ $0.00 Used Savings for your Ultimate Support USS1-Fusion 5- piece Fusion Set Drum Bags!

www.sweetwater.com

That's like, free!

 

[Old Drummer]

Pfft, forget that.

I don't know what sizes you need, but this is the best bargain going right now and the bags are very nice.
I have a set and will recommend them.

Ultimate Support USS1-Fusion 5- piece Fusion Set Drum Bags

Only at Sweetwater! ✅ $0.00 Used Savings for your Ultimate Support USS1-Fusion 5- piece Fusion Set Drum Bags!

www.sweetwater.com

Thanks. I darn near bought these bags until I read the sole review and remembered that I play Gretsch.

The reviewer said that no way will his 10" tom fit into the 10" bag while all the others are a tight fit. Well, OK, maybe he got a 10" bag that the quality control people let slip by and I can probably deal with tight fits.

Then, duh, I remembered that the Gretsch rack tom mounts attach to the tuning rods. Well, no way am I going to remove two tuning rods on both toms in order to fit them into bags only to have reinstall them and tune every time I set up. That's way too much hassle.

I therefore reasoned that I'd be better off buying "rock" size bags, since my rack toms would probably fit into them, and loose bags are fine with me. Alas, Sweetwater doesn't have the same deal on a set of bags in the larger sizes.

I'm therefore back to the drawing board, although $80 for a set of bags is the kind of deal that makes me want to buy.

 

[tubelugs]

View attachment 472299

*drool*

 

[tubelugs]

Another plus for soft bags (depending on how thick they are): the kick pillow can stay home, while the bags can stay out of sight.

 

[Larry Copcar]

Back in the 60s when I was starting out, I don't remember any of the drummers in my small orbit having cases for their drums. Even my teacher, a weekend warrior, didn't have cases. We all just hauled our drums au naturel, and I don't remember anyone having a drum damaged in transit. Car backseats are padded, after all.

As fate had it, I soon chanced across a set of used cases cheap and bought them. They were really lousy cases, just cloth coverings, a few with holes in them and one with a broken zipper. But for the price I figured they were worth it. I proceeded to use those cases for many years and never had a damaged drum, but I have no idea whether or not the cases helped.

Now I once again don't have cases--and don't think I need them. It's not as if I'm hauling my drums anywhere, and I only paid $530 for my drums to begin with. Who cares if one gets damaged? I also have a sneaking suspicion that you don't get your money out of cases on resale. If cases are thrown into a sale, great, but I doubt that buyers pay much more for drums with cases than they pay for drums without them. And selling cases separately is surely tough, since everybody's size requirements are different and nobody wants to pay a lot.

Today though I saw an ad from a local seller offering a set of 5 cases exactly the sizes of my drums for $150 total. The cases don't look bad. There aren't any holes, the zippers all work, and they're even padded. Also, because I don't live in the US or another big market country, buying cases from sites like Amazon, Reverb, and Sweetwater is very expensive as a result of international shipping charges and import taxes. $150 looks cheap for a set of cases.

If I even want cases. Do any of you go without cases? My sense is that nowadays almost everyone has cases for their drums, but I'm not sure they're necessary. Are they? Or are they an unnecessary add-on sale that we've been duped into buying?

I have a set of Agua Satin Flame Gretsch. I got them in high school 1965. I never used cases for them untl like 25 years ago. I recently bought a Gold Satin Flame 60s Gretsch set. Both of these sets have the typical scuffs and spiders of Satin Flame drums. Cases would have saved these beautiful drums from the war wounds they display now. I am now anal about using cases for my other vintage Rogers sets. And never take them out without them.

 

[EvEnStEvEn]

The reviewer said that no way will his 10" tom fit into the 10" bag while all the others are a tight fit. .

If it were me, I'd order the bag set and see if they fit well. If the 10" bag is too tight you can probably mail it back for a partial refund and keep the ones that do fit.

I wouldn't let one review keep me from at least trying them. As mentioned, I have the standard set and no fitting issues

 

[snaredog]

Back in the 60s when I was starting out, I don't remember any of the drummers in my small orbit having cases for their drums. Even my teacher, a weekend warrior, didn't have cases. We all just hauled our drums au naturel, and I don't remember anyone having a drum damaged in transit. Car backseats are padded, after all.

As fate had it, I soon chanced across a set of used cases cheap and bought them. They were really lousy cases, just cloth coverings, a few with holes in them and one with a broken zipper. But for the price I figured they were worth it. I proceeded to use those cases for many years and never had a damaged drum, but I have no idea whether or not the cases helped.

Now I once again don't have cases--and don't think I need them. It's not as if I'm hauling my drums anywhere, and I only paid $530 for my drums to begin with. Who cares if one gets damaged? I also have a sneaking suspicion that you don't get your money out of cases on resale. If cases are thrown into a sale, great, but I doubt that buyers pay much more for drums with cases than they pay for drums without them. And selling cases separately is surely tough, since everybody's size requirements are different and nobody wants to pay a lot.

Today though I saw an ad from a local seller offering a set of 5 cases exactly the sizes of my drums for $150 total. The cases don't look bad. There aren't any holes, the zippers all work, and they're even padded. Also, because I don't live in the US or another big market country, buying cases from sites like Amazon, Reverb, and Sweetwater is very expensive as a result of international shipping charges and import taxes. $150 looks cheap for a set of cases.

If I even want cases. Do any of you go without cases? My sense is that nowadays almost everyone has cases for their drums, but I'm not sure they're necessary. Are they? Or are they an unnecessary add-on sale that we've been duped into buying?

Im a firm believer that drum cases/bags make the difference of your drums lasting 10 months or 100 years.

 

[10 Lug]

Have yet to find a 18x12 bag to fit my Jazzette bass drum.