Spanish, classical or flamenco, acoustic or electric guitar, it doesn’t matter, the choice of a good bag or guitar case is essential. Think that it will be the house and the means of transporting our instrument, and therefore it must be a place that protects from changes in humidity and temperature, from possible blows and also allows us to transport our guitar in a comfortable and safe way.
But that’s not all, a good guitar case should have compartments and pockets that allow you to carry everything you need to work or study with this instrument.
Therefore, I am going to explain to you what types of guitar cases and bags there are, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each one.
What types of guitar cases or bags are there?
We can divide guitar cases into several types depending on what factors.
Guitar type
Depending on the type of guitar, we can find covers for Spanish guitar, which includes flamenco and classical guitars. We can also find cases specially designed for acoustic guitars and for electric guitars. In this article I will focus on classical or flamenco guitar cases and bags.
Guitar size
Another factor to take into account when buying a case isthe size of our guitar. At present, the size of classical guitars and their covers are divided from largest to smallest in 4/4, 7/8, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8. The 4/4 guitars are the standard size and all the cases that we will see below are this size.
According to the shape and material of construction
You have to differentiate between bag and case. The bag is rigid and can be made of lined wood, ABS plastic, fiberglass or it can be made of a type of foam called Foam and lined with fabric. There are some ABS bags that are made with little squares imitating carbon fiber.
Guitar cases can be padded or not. Those that are not directly padded I have not put in the article. A guitar, even if it is cheap, is a very delicate instrument and needs a minimally padded case.
Next we will see the pros and cons of the different types of guitar cases and bags.
Wooden cases
These are the most traditionalbags. We all remember maestro Paco de Lucía with one of these in his hand. These guitar bags are usually lined in leather or imitation, they are very elegant and give a vintage touch.
- Advantage
- Shock protection
- Protection against changes in humidity and temperature
- Possibility of placing a hygrometer (humidity meter)
- Very elegant vintage design
- They have an interior compartment
- They usually have a lock
- Disadvantages
- They are somewhat heavy
- They cannot be carried as a backpack
- They have no outer pocket
ABS and fiberglass cases
They are bags with a much more modern aesthetic than wooden cases. They usually have straps that allow you to carry them as a backpack. Something that is appreciated so as not to tire our hands and allows you to carry your guitar on a bike or motorcycle. They are resistantand some of them have a hermetic closure that prevents water from entering in the event of rain.
It is very common to find these bags with an imitation carbon fiber exterior design.
- Advantage
- Shock protection
- Protection against changes in humidity and temperature
- Possibility of placing a hygrometer (humidity meter)
- Modern design
- They have an interior compartment
- They usually have a lock
- Possibility of carrying them as a backpack
- Disadvantages
- They are somewhat heavy
- They have no outer pocket
- High price
Rigid Guitar Case (Foam Case)
These are the toughestguitar cases out there. They are made of a special rigid foamand are usually lined with fabric, usually water repellent. Foam is usually used to protect very fragile items, due to itsexcellent absorption of possible impacts.
They usually have an interior compartment and one or more exterior pockets, very practical to carry books and scores if you are a guitar student. They also allow you to carry your guitar like a backpack and are usually less heavy than bags. For methe best option of all for students.
- Advantage
- Shock protection
- Protection against changes in humidity and temperature
- Possibility of placing a hygrometer (humidity meter)
- Disadvantages
- They have no lock
- Possibility of carrying them as a backpack
Padded Guitar Case
These covers are very comfortable to wear and weigh very little. They do not usually have an interior drawer but they do have one or more exterior pockets. They are semi-rigid guitar cases with a foam padding. They have acceptable impact protection, as their padding is usually quite thick. Its price is affordableand I think it is an excellent option for a student with a budget guitar.
- Advantage
- Acceptable shock protection
- Disadvantages
- They do not usually have an inside drawer
Cheap Guitar Cases
This is the most affordable option of all, and the minimum that I recommend. They are padded and are very cheap covers. Its price is usually around € 15. I have placed these products here, because for a price it is practically insignificant and I think that no one should carry their guitar in a case without padding.
- Advantage
- They have outer pockets
- Disadvantages
- They do not usually have an inside drawer
- Poor protection against changes in humidity and temperature
- They have no lock
- Poor protection against changes in humidity and temperature
