Rack cases: got wood?

[dangoudie]

I need to get a rack case (prob one 8U) for my gear and I'm wondering about people's opinions of wood vs plastic rack cases.

Plastic ones seem cheaper and lighter but are they less effective than wooden ones?
Wooden rack cases feel a bit more sturdy but a lot heavier and more expensive...are they worth it?

I'm not planning on taking my stuff on planes just transporting in cars and vans.

[dbssound1]

Go plastic if you are are going to be the one handling your gear and you aren't gonna ship it. Otherwise go plastic!!

[aussie_techie]

alot depends on what you are putting in them (and so sizing), what they need to stack with (if anything), and transport.

being lighter plastic is usually easier but if you arnt packing the truck then go wood. also the latches on most of the plastic break over time. if the gear is goign to be heavy enough that you want it on wheels then wood is the only option.

A Road ready isnt that much more than an SKB.

Also consider if its better to divide your gear up into 2 racks. depending on the gear 8U can start to get pretty heavy if you have to carry it far or put it up high. it gets to size where it can be hard to get it into a sedan.

[David Rick]

What do guys think of these?

SKB Roto Shock Rack

They look a lot more serious than my standard SKB's. I believe there's an accessory pallet with wheels available.

David L. Rick
Seventh String Recording

[big country]

plastic would be lighter and tougher
the case with the bushings looks nice

a wood rack would look better in a studio application

[bishopthomas]

The SKB Roto racks are MUCH better than the standard ones. I prefer ATA cases, but plastic is better for the back. An ATA case can weigh 75-100 lbs empty.

[PoorGlory]

All SKB rack cases are complete garbage, even their shockmount cases.

They will perform fine and last a long time if you (or someone else who cares about the gear and the case) are the only ones handling them. If you ship something only in it's SKB case, it will be destroyed.

Actual ATA road cases made of wood and metal are the standard for shipping gear on the road. Much more expensive, but oh so worth it. They are also heavier than SKB, so if you're having to haul an 8 space case filled with gear around, and don't have the thing on wheels, be aware of that.

By the way, SKB and Gator make the same crap, only Gator is cheaper I think. They both suck though.

[fifthcircle]

Ditto on the SKB view... Garbage.

The only plastic case I like (and I like it a great deal) are the EMS cases (EUROMODULE) They are built like tanks and I treat mine the way I would an ATA plywood case. Unfortunately, they are next to impossible to get in the US. I bought mine on the used market from a colleague who was downsizing.

As for bringing cases on planes, I would only bring a heavy-duty foam lined case. They could be cases housed inside a Pellican case (indestructible case) or foam shockmount ATA cases with casters (important so the airline folks don't have to carry them more than they have to).

Trust me, though, the airlines will do everything possible to destroy gear. I just came off a tour mixing FOH. I brought with me 6 Pelican cases and they all survived perfectly. These cases contained Aviom personal mixers, Grace Preamps, supporting gear and cables. The one piece of gear that wasn't in those cases travelled in my suitcase in a standard ATA plywood case. The first stop of the tour, I had to spend 20 minutes putting it back together because it was nearly destroyed from the flight.

--Ben

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by David Rick

What do guys think of these?

SKB Roto Shock Rack

They look a lot more serious than my standard SKB's. I believe there's an accessory pallet with wheels available.

David L. Rick
Seventh String Recording

I looks like SKB got their act together with these Roto cases.
I have a few of the orginal ones that did hold up...
Well, the lids didn't; the rest of the case held up.
One hit and the lids never lined up right there after.

The new design looks like it would hold up a lot better.

[Remoteness]

Originally Posted by bishopthomas

The SKB Roto racks are MUCH better than the standard ones. I prefer ATA cases, but plastic is better for the back. An ATA case can weigh 75-100 lbs empty.

Yeah, and the ATA 16 rack space cases we got weigh 140 to 160 lbs empty.

[fifthcircle]

The problem with SKB is not the case itself, but the lids. Use the case for a year or so regularly and the lids *will* come loose and fall off. And yes, I've used the Roto-cases and the lids are no better than the old ones. The latches just aren't of suitable quality metal. You can grab some pliers and bend them back, but come-on... Some of my ATA cases are older than me (various manufacturers) and they still are going strong without the need for repair.

SKB is a throw-away brand. Fine for short-term, but not for anything serious.

--Ben

[Remoteness]

The crazy thing about SKB and their lid syndrome is the fact that many times the lids don't right out of the factory.

That's nuts, Right?

[mrsteaks]

Something (another thing) you might want to be aware of on the SKB Roto case lids is that they won't always clear the face plates of the gear that's mounted in the case. For instance, I tried putting an ADL 600 in an SKB 4U Roto Rack and the lid wouldn't clear that protruding faceplate the ADL has and therefore wouldn't go on the rack. No problem on the older SKB cases, though.

[Remoteness]

...ah, the "beauty" of SKB.

[LX3]

SKB standard rack lids tend not to be interchangeable. I have to label my lids clearly with which rack they belong to, front or back, and which way is up. (Not that I don't do that with ATA cases anyway, even if the lids are interchangeable. Useful to know where the front of a rack is before you take the lids off).

On the other hand, SKBs are nice and rounded and smooth, and therefore relatively kind to an ordinary car. Only use ATAs if you have a van. Those ball corners do astounding amounts of damage to everything they come into contact with.

I've been using a couple of standard SKB 8U racks for the last two years. They're actually holding up very well, but me and my assistant do all the lifting where possible. Your average road crew will tend to handle SKBs much like any flightcase i.e. not with the greatest care. If I start touring, then I'll be transferring everything to shock-mount ATA cases.

I also have to carry these things up and down stairs, at almost every gig. That's another time I'm very glad I have SKBs - the racks are only just liftable single-handed as it is. ATAs would make both cases a two-man job.

Basically, if you're doing the transportation, and take reasonable care, then SKBs work well. If anyone else is handling your stuff, I'd go ATA. Whichever you choose, there's bound to be some point you wish you had the other!