Thomann E-Guitar Gigbag Premium BR

Protection:
Purchased this with the intent of using it as a carry on for my flight. However, the airline in question was unable to accommodate and the case with the guitar inside was put into the plane's storage. Now most individuals who have traveled with a guitar know that flying can be one of the worst experiences because of improper and even rough handling during transportation. Fortunately, after several hours worrying about the guitar's safety, I was pleased to find that no harm had come to it in the slightest. I believe the extra neck support and sturdy padding of the case were responsible for the successful protection.

Comfort & Travelability:
The features of this case are not simply limited to protection. This case is also quite comfortable to have on one's back. I would often ride my bicycle to and from events, work, and other activities with this case in tow. The shoulder straps were conveniently placed to be easily tucked away when necessary. However, a quick 15 seconds was all it took to pull them back out and be on my way weaving around through city traffic. During much of my travels I hardly noticed the weight since the case settled nicely against my back and giving me no pain or discomfort. In fact, I often would forget I had the guitar on my back and would be reminded of this error when I would hit the head of the case against a door frame. This level of comfort extended to the carrying handle. I personally preferred carrying this thing compared to a hardcase with an unyielding handle.

Construction:

The case is made of a sturdy material which not only protects the instrument from falls but grants some resistance to the elements such as rain and snow. However, I would rely on this sparingly to ensure longevity. The stitching is of a sturdy pattern, especially at the connection points of the straps and handle and I highly doubt they will fail at any point in the near future. The strength of the stitching also extends to the zippers. I was quite surprised by how sturdy it felt when I first unzipped the case. It feels like the case would have little trouble holding together for a heavier guitar such as a Les Paul.

Features:

The four pockets on this case were convenient for holding my phone, laptop, and even a small travel amplifier.

*Please do note the instrument does sit higher on the back and the head and neck of the guitar will sit well above your head.*

These are stellar cases for the money, think of it as a soft case not a gig-bag.

The most impressive thing is that you can actually store it when the guitar is out on the stand, just fold it up and stick it anywhere.

It won't stop the guitar from getting completely destroyed if something catastrophic happens, but most inexpensive hard shell cases won't either. It will save it from the bumps and bruises taking a guitar to class or gig will likely cause. The padding is like heavy durometer neoprene rubber and very thick. Short of stomping on the guitar, you aren't going to have an issue.

However, what sets this apart is if you tried to ride your bike carrying a hard shell case, you are probably going to get hit by a car or crash into a trolley track or something equally bad. With this case, you put it on like a backpack and off you go. It gives you total freedom of movement.

Once you get to class, you can take it off your shoulders, zip up the backpack straps and carry it with the handles or the very comfy shoulder strap.

If not for the shipping across the Atlantic, I'd buy half a dozen more and get rid of all but a few of my hard shell cases, and be perfectly happy. I may do it some day anyway. They are truly a bargain.

About the only gripe would be the sort of wimpy neck support. If they could have just used a bit more rugged foam or used a single piece of the same padding to hold the neck support together it would have made the case a real home run. As it is, the padding does the job, but not much more. It feels like 3 pieces of foam that are not joined so the support is mostly supplied by the elastic strap, however the velcro of the strap does not allow the strap to by cinched down to prevent side to side movement of the guitar. I think I will likely rectify this by adding additional velcro sewed to the strap.

I ordered two of these to go along with two guitars I ordered (a T-style and a single-cut). This turned out to be a great decision. Both guitars fit nicely. There's a little play, but I expected that in a gig bag. For my use I don't want a tight fit. Given the combination of the neck brace, firmness/thickness of the padding, and the quality of the outer material I feel like my instruments are well protected and travel easy. I like the rubber foot at the bottom. It's a nice touch and useful - not just a decoration. Same for the pockets - they are very useful and you don't feel like you are smashing your guitar when using them.

Based on reading other reviews I felt like I was going to receive a nice case. Even so I was impressed when they arrived. I've had them for 16 months, and most days one of them is at least opened. The zippers still work great. The only potential weakness I see is the seams where the handle and straps are attached. I've not yet had a problem so this is unsubstantiated, and I'm not concerned about an accident of any type. Just something I've noticed while walking with the case in my hand.

I was deciding between this and the Thomann E-Guitar Gigbag Elite. I'm glad I got this one. I'm looking at the TE-62 or the SC-550 II and will most likely get another of these to go with the guitar. I've not seen anything close to this quality for less that $100 in the US.

This is an amazingly good gigbag.
I use it to carry my newly acquired Telecaster around and I love how tight and secure the guitar feels inside; especially with the neck lock.

So, for the pros:
- Your guitar will be very secure inside.
- The padding is great.
- The "Leatherex" itself feels very comfortable and durable.
- The ergonomics are very on point, with the added bonus of lots of storage pouches.
- It looks great! Even better than on the on-site pictures!

And the cons:
- The zippers tend to get stuck around the headstock portion sometimes.
- It comes with kind of a "mail bag" strap with an extra buckle on the bag, and it would be nice if it had another one on the bottom so it could be carried upside-down like a guitar. (I think it looks cool.)
...
Yeah, very hard to find proper cons indeed..

Now, it's not some indestructible force-field around your guitar either.
It IS great, especially when considering the price, but I don't think it could save your guitar in some truly worst-case scenarios.
But it also feels as -if not more than- strong and secure as some low-end hard cases I've used in the past.
This thing is such a bargain it's nearly unbelievable.
Something THAT good for the price is something I would totally recommend to anyone looking for a nice gigbag for their most beloved guitar.