[nem2k]

anyone know of a really good gig bag for acoustic guitars? I know acoustics are more brittle than electrics, but i really dont like hard cases, i find them very awkward to transport

so im looking for an acoustic gig bag, preferably one that i can get in the uk without import

[MakoMako]

I can't really think of any company in particular that stands out when it comes to gigbags. About the only major difference I've seen in any gigbag, was I've seen a few that have a little bit of padding sewn into the fabric, but still not enough to replace a hardcase.

I'm just gonna come right out and say it, you can't replace a hardcase. I'm sure you can find one that suits you better that some others you've seen. Regardless if its a beater guitar or not, I'd take protecting it and sacrificing comfort in transportation any day. Although I could be biased in that I just gotta throw my guitat-in-case in my backseat and go, without having to carry anything else.

[kurtlives]

i would only use a hard shell case, soft sheel or gig bag dont offer enough protection for an acoustic

[lowden]

I really have to agee with the last two replies, nothing beats a hardcase, for any instrument. But, if you really want a softcase with good padding try a company called Ritter (not the magnificent bass manufacturer, but a case company by the same name). They offer cases with good padding, plenty of pockets and knapsack type carrying straps, so you put the guitar up on you back and away with you to the gig.

[dadfad]

I agree with everyone else. I would never use a gig-bag. (Exception maybe... If I was backpacking through some remote area and planned to camp and had to carry everything for miles on my back, I might consider a gig-back for some totally beater guitar that I didn't care about at all.)

Gig-bags give almost zero protection for the important things like structural issues. It might protect against little dings or scratches (the things that really don't matter much to a guitar), but not neck protection, getting smashed, sudden temperature changes, etc.

SKB and other companies make molded ABS thermo-plastic hardshell cases that are very light, smaller than a regular hard-shell for the same size guitar, totally no-frills and yet offer hard-shell protection. Less bulky and usually lighter than a semi-hardshell even. They aren't very expensive either. (They also sell more expensive ones with more padding and weight.) If you look around you can find a hard-case that's light, less bulky and yet still offers decent protection.

[ninjato]

ipersonally never saw the point of a gig bag. Might as well just sking your guitar over your back without the bag....just as good w/ a lot less hassle if you don't care about your guitar.