Jakob Winter JW 52017 Violin Case 4/4

Outstanding case. There's nothing else like it in this price bracket. Very light, but sturdy: I have absolute confidence in this case not to self-dismantle when carrying. All parts of the case are well-made from the buckles to the lining. It looks good too.

The only obvious weak point is the choice of textured fabric for the exterior which I imagine will pick up dirt easily but be hard to clean. The case is advertised as being biodegradable, but it's less clear on when this process will start. The previous case lasted ninety years and maybe this one will have started breaking down by that point.

The top compartment will fit a small rosin and a mute. The bottom one will fit a shoulder rest with room left over. Only the top compartment has a lid to stop small bits from flying around so you won't want to put anything small in the bottom compartment.

I'm writing this review because I came back to this site to buy a second one for another violin. When I got the first one, I realised how far advanced this was from older styles of case. I decided to upgrade all my violins to this case. If that's not a recommendation, I don't know what is.

I wanted a new hard and light case. This product is the best you can find at this price range. it's very aesthetically nice with the natural fibers on the outside. Enough room on the inside to place all your needs (rosin, shoulder rest, pencil, strings)
My only concern was that when I was closing the case with the violin inside, the top bow holder was pressing on my violin's chin rest (I had recently bought a gel pad so that I would hurt my jaw so much when playing). The case would not close properly I would have needed to force it. I was not going to risk damaging my violin. Therefore I unscrewed the holder and removed it completely, and am now left with one bow holder, which should not be a problem since I normally only use one bow at a time ;)
Apart from this slight problem I had, this case was worth every penny and I am really satisfied. Also did I mention how cool the buckle system is instead of the traditional zippers.

I use the case for keeping the violin and transporting it on public transportation and I think that for these purposes, this case is excellent. It is super light, yet has the suspension system and it seems, good protection. It is comfortable to carry both from handle or on the back.

The color is darker than in pictures and my case with a JW logo/badge on the outside in the bottom corner. I'm still uncertain about the quality and durability of the exterior fabric, because when I received the case, it seemed like someone had scratched it and some of the thread fibers were sticking out of the weave. I am also cautious when things are described as water-repelling/resistant and not waterproof. So i bought an extra raincoat for the case.

The space inside is good, but the small compartment doesn't fit much, not even my pirastro rosin. So i had to shove that in the bottom space next to the shoulder rest.

For me, this is the best I have found in terms of it not being oblong, have space for accessories, good protection, light, attractive. Not to mention, it is made from non-synthetic materials, which makes me really happy.