Customer Reviews

SKB Cello 4/4 Deluxe Padded

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was really hoping that this case was going to be nice. The exterior shell of this case is very hard and looks great. However, I had a buckle that did not work fasten properly when I got mine.

The interior of the case is cheaply made. There are two bow holders, but they are nothing more than strips of velcro that have been stapled to the interior. Yes, you can see the staples. The compartment under the neck of the cello (where you would keep your rosin) is covered by a flimsy, plastic lid that could be easily broken off. Without the weight of the cello inside, the case will flip over since. So you can never prop it open and leave it without it flipping over. Lastly, the top lid is only secured by two cloth straps. Should those cloth straps fray, rip, or pulled away over time, then you have a two piece cello case.

All in all, I found this disappointing quality for the price. It was cheaply thrown together by SKB and they should lower the price by about $100.

This cello case is very sturdy. The company that makes this case also makes hard band instrument cases and violin cases and this is the same type of material--not fiberglass, not carbon, but a sturdy plastic with a pebble finish. If it was hit I don't think it would dent inwards like a cheap fiberglass case but it may crack with a very hard hit. The case shuts very well-- not like some cheap fiberglass cases that you have to wiggle to get it to fit together correctly. It has a nice wide aluminum edge that fits together without gapping. It has five latches, one of which locks and the case comes with two keys. The inside is well padded. Our 100-year old cello fits very nicely but you should check your instrument's measurements before buying as I've heard of at least one wide cello that wouldn't fit. It has a sturdy, long and wide velcro strap for the neck. Two bow holders of velcro--the first keeps the bow well out of the way and safe, the second is not so well located but I guess there's limited places it could go. Behind the neck support is a rather large compartment to hold rosin etc., but it does not latch, so it just flaps open if no instrument is velcro'd in. There is extra room in the scroll area where we put strings and an electronic tuner. The instrument hardly moves around at all when it is fastened in, it is held well at the endpin and neck. We did put some socks & tee-shirts around the edges and bubble-wrapped the scroll for air travel. This cello flew in the passenger compartment but also endured 2 train rides with no problem. We are quite satisfied with the quality of this case, particularly for the price. I've tried out cheap fiberglass cases where the cello rattled around inside and the case scratched & dented quite easily. No so with this case. Also, this case can be opened standing up, as it has four metal feet at the endpin side, as well as four metal feet along the back of the cello and four molded feet if you just want to lay it flat on the floor. It stands up on its end with a cello inside pretty sturdily. The case has three metal hinges and two straps that keep the top from just flopping all the way open.

On the "con" side, the biggest drawback to this case is that it has no backpack system and no wheels, so it's a bear to carry around. It has a pretty sturdy handle to carry the instrument like a violin, and it also has two metal loops where you could attach a strap to carry over your shoulder like a gym bag (which we did--but it does NOT come with a strap). But the size and heaviness of the case makes carrying it this way quite awkward. It does not have wheels. We attached a long strap and carried it over one shoulder, this is really the most convenient way to carry this case but not ideal. The weight of the case at about 17 pounds is also a drawback, especially combined with the lack of wheels or backpack system. Also, the latches are OK but look like they would break without too much effort, especially if caught on something or hit by something. We have one latch that always just wants to open on its own.

If I had to put our cello thru as checked luggage in this case, I would feel like it may come out OK. I would not feel that way with any of the cheaper fiberglass cases we looked at. I would always put in extra padding of socks and bubble wrap, but the cello seems pretty safe and the case is quite sturdy. I would be happy to let the cello go to lessons or on car rides in this case with no extra padding.

So overall, for the price I think this is the most protective case you can get. If you are ONLY looking for a case to go to lessons with, then you may want to look at a fiberglass case with wheels in the same price range. If you want to travel with your cello, tho, for the price this is probably the best choice.