Incremental steps.....

[hollywood_steve]

You learn something new every day. Today's lesson taught me how to solve the problem between purchasing high quality shock cases and the resulting oversized and too heavy case that many people end up not using. I've already made this mistake once with the case for my Genex recorder. Like several people who own one of these, I had a custom case made for it; but the resulting case ended up weighing almost 50lbs EMPTY and it turned a moderate sized 4RU recorder into a beast that barely fit through doorways or into car trunks, etc.

When I ordered my API mixer rig, I went back to Jan-Al to have them make up another shock case, but this time I talked to them about lightening the load somewhat. The solution arrived today: its still a 4RU shock rack, but this time we went with the "pullover" case design. The pullover case design is rarely used on a case less than 8RU or so, and most are 10RU, 12RU or more. In fact, they had to check to see if they could build a pullover case as small as 4RU. Fortunately, the hardware just fits at that size, so don't ask for a 3RU pullover case, it won't work.

The cool thing with the pullover design is that the gear is mounted in a thin, lightweight shell that is sturdy, yet easy to work with. Only when it is time for serious travel do you break out the outer shell. And as soon as you arrive at your destination, the outer shell goes into storage and your gear is in a case barely larger than the gear's own dimensions. I really wish that I could go back in time and order this style of case for the Genex....... but its gonna be quite a while before I can justify buying another case when the old one still looks like brand new.

[jazzbutcher]

Steve,

Can you post a picture? I'd like to better understand this kind of custom case.

thanks,

-dave

[hollywood_steve]

sure dave, but the case only arrived today, so it might take me a day or two. In the mean time, here's one from the case company website. The upper outer shell is not in the photo, but the lower outer shell should give you the idea. The lightweight case sitting on the lower case is all you normally use until its time to travel. Then you place the inner shell on the base and place the upper outer shell (thats not in the photo) over the inner shell and latch everything down.

Does that make any sense?

[Remoteness]

Brilliant Idea!
Throw that brand new over sized Genex case on eBay and get another "lift off" case.
You'd be styling -- big time.
It's only money.

[jazzbutcher]

Ahhhhhhh....I get it.

Very cool. Industrial strength!


-dave

[Remoteness]

Steve,

All of our new 8, 10 & 12 space racks have "lift off" cases for the same reasons you mentioned.

Your 4 space "lift off" case is a great idea.
I now want to get a few of those cases into the system...
Maybe one of these days.

You hit the bull's eye on this one.

More power to you my man!