Which Drum Cases Are Best For Gigging?

2Dec/090

Which Drum Cases Are Best For Gigging?

Which Drum Cases Are Best For Gigging

Its taken 10 years, 3 strained shoulders, 2 near death experiences and a cracked cymbal...

but I've finally figured out the best cases you can use to gig. This combination of cases will give you the maximum protection, maneuverability and packing space that you need to get out and gig worry free. Leave your own suggestions and opinions in the comments below.

Drums

Use hard cases. Definitely hard cases. Your drums are fragile and expensive so you're going to need to invest a bit of money to protect them. But if you get some good cases they will outlast your drum kit (I've had mine for 6 years).

Why you should use hard cases

They are sturdy so they withstand the knocks and bumps of transport and general moving.

They'll probably survive a fall but I'm not willing to put this to the test!

I do lots of gigging in the UK where it rains. A lot. So it's good to have waterproof cases.

But the best thing is that they lock into place when they are stacked. So you can pack them into small spaces without having to worry about them moving about. I use the "Hard Case" brand.

The One Exception
Unless you really care about your bass drum, use a soft case for it.
Why? A hard case with a bass drum in it is pretty heavy and awkward. So go easy on your self and put into a soft case instead.

Cymbals

This is the most expensive part of your kit so spend as much as possible to prtoect them. I recommend you buy the sturdiest, most expensive case that you can. If you can afford it, buy a flight case.

I like the "Hard Case" brand case because it holds your cymbals away from the edge of the case. So even if you drop them, the cymbals aren't in contact with the part of the case that hits the ground. I used to use a soft case until one of my friends dropped it... Our friendship survived. The cymbal didn't.

Hardware

Use multiple soft cases. Hardware is the heaviest part of your kit. Although each individual stand you have is very light, when you put them all into one big box they are heavy. Using multiple cases means you can spread the weight out between them. Soft cases are lighter and easier to carry than hard cases. Plus, soft cases give you different options for carrying them. For example you can carry it by 4 different handles or throw it over your shoulder. I use "Protection Racket".

Try this: Stuff 1 of your friends in to a coffin (if you like him, make sure he is alive) and carry it up a flight of stairs. This will give you some idea what its like when you've got all your hardware in 1 hard case.