Anyone else suckered in by a cheap gigbag?

[Mamaposaune]

Maybe I'm not the only one who has one of those super-cheap gig bags hanging around, mine was bought off ebay years ago for less than $20.
Unusable as-is, but redeemable with some cheap materials and a few hours of time.
Or, you CAN put lipstick on a pig...
Starting with a large stiff cardboard box and foam sourced on recycling night, I first made a slide holder. It's important to make it from a single piece, folding it into a U-shape with about 1" on the inside fold so all sides of the slide have protection.
Then I made a bell flare and bell body holder with the cardboard and foam, and covered all with soft fabric. (I used felt, but ended up making a new slide sleeve and covering with soft velour)
I find myself actually using and liking it, realizing that I have to be very careful because it is not nearly as protective as a hard case. I teach privately and travel to some of my students houses, and find it very light and easy to transport.
I use a padded zippered bag for my accessories.

[BGuttman]

I have a bunch of these and use them mostly for storage. I didn't go as elegant as you did; just made the insert for the slide pocket out of corrugated board. I also used an old pouch for accessories (like the mouthpiece, slide prep, and sprayer).

I think I paid between $16.00 and $20.00 each for mine. I warn people that they are really terrible for any kind of extended use -- I think I've used mine for 2 gigs in the last 5 years; being extra careful handling the horn in this case.

With a bunch of corrugated board and foam they could be made "sorta" protective (I like what you did), but you still have the problem that there's no way to attach a shoulder strap. About the only thing they have going for them is that they are cheap.

[Mamaposaune]

Agree, Bruce. I'm just really bad at throwing things away.
Anyway, I'm not too worried about my horn in the bag. I'm the only one who handles it, and it goes from the floor of the backseat of my car into a living room and back again.

[LeTromboniste]

A colleague of mine has built ultra-light hardcases for historical trombones out of thick-walled corrugated cardboard boxes with foam inserts and waterproofed with a full layer of heavy clear tape. She's even flown with them on occasion (obviously as carry-on), also carried them on long train journeys and on tour, and they've been holding up pretty good.

[Ozzlefinch]

I never trusted gig bags or soft cases of any type- cheap or expensive. I've always used hard shells for all my 'bones. I figure that they get dinged and scratched enough when being used, I don't need to add to any of that with a cheap soft shell case or bag.

I have one valve bone that doesn't fit any known case configuration so I modified a footlocker with foam inserts. It's bulky and not very convenient, but it's safe and that's what matters most to me.

I guess it's all about compromise at the end of the day. How important is hangar rash to you vs. the expense of a protective shell type case- only you can answer that question.