PRS: Why is the price point so high to get a hard case included with the guitar?

[Draconomics]

Honestly...dont mind the soft bags. They are actually pretty well made. I have given away most of my SE ones, but I keep one around just in case, and I like em. Nice padding, light, good stuff. I kinda prefer to buy my own choice of hard cases. I like the SKB i series, those ones that look like rifle cases. I've dropped those off walls, and they are solid pieces of gear. I'd rather have those than a typical PRS HSC, and I do have one of those too, but I got it for half off. If I'm gonna plop $300 on a case, its SKB.

 

[Rider1260]

The last thing I need is another case , I also don't want to pay extra to have a Hard Case anymore , I have plenty of Hard Cases if I need one and a bunch of Bags I use when I move the guitars. Any decent dealer would throw in a case if you are paying MSRP likely just have to ask. If I was shipping a guitar in the belly of a plane I would likely get a TSA Lock SKB case.

 

[Max Headroom]

All of my hard cases are just collecting dust under the bed.
It does seem to help a used sale on reverb or eBay to have a hard case I will admit.
But as to putting one in a plane , no way Jose!
I buy a first class ticket, it comes with me in a gig bag and goes in the flight attendant closet.
Only way one flies with me!

 

[Rod/]

So I'm new and my first order of business is to get a mini-rant out of my system. Of late, I've become more enamoured with the PRS brand due to their close association with Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy. I've always been fascinated by their craftsmanship, attention to detail, the fabulous tonewoods they're able to acquire, and some of the finishes - particularly for Private Stock - are mind blowing! All my Interweb feeds recently blew up with the Myles Kennedy T-Style signature and I've never much liked T-style guitars - until now as the PRS design is way cooler than the traditional T, the phattie brass saddles look nice, and the pickups are very interesting. I was chatting with someone that managed to score one - from Sweetwater I think - and was utterly gobsmacked to learn that a guitar with a $ ~3K pricetag ships in a bloody gig bag!?! I've gotta say, whatever the reasoning behind that, it comes off as cheap and mean. I'm curious why this decision was made and I'm curious why even the less pricey S2s don't ship in hard cases? Fender and Gibson ship in hard cases over about $1500 as do most manufacturers. Heck, Epiphone ships their 'higher end' instruments - maybe about the cost of an SE - in hard cases (Iommi, Cantrell, Slash signatures & Prophecy line for example). It's a bummer, and as I would likely have to travel into UK or continental EU to try like Myles Kennedy sig, I'm not going to want to buy one and carry it back on a plane in a gig bag. So PRS: why no hard cases until you spend more than $~4K?

Have you ever weighed a PRS paisley hard case? Just the case is around 15 pounds..(granted it could be used as a flight case!) most of us that gig use a gig bag for many reasons….
If PRS had chosen to add a nice hard case it would have kicked the price up to $4000.. glad they chose their premium gig bag. They’re great. I use them for my 3 core guitars and the hard cases are all taking up space in storage

 

[toothace]

My (potential) buy price for a Myles Kennedy signature from Thomann is €3700. That is an immense amount of money to me as a non wealthy hobbyist. My expectation is that a guitar at that price point will come with a hard case for travel and for storage to protect my investment. As to buying third party kit, I would rather drop 100 more on a good gig bag for going to lessons or gigging (should I ever get good enough to perform). My expectation of getting a hardshell at that price point is created by the fact that pretty much every other guitar manufacturer does so. This is all moot until I put hands on the instrument, but I tell ya - I'll seriously be considering the likes of a Tremonti Core for a couple hundred more that will have the case, or maybe an LP standard for more than €1K less.

Again, it's all about value. And you value a hard case.

 

[AP515]

I bought most of my PRSi 1o years ago. They all came with hard cases. I had to buy two PRS gig bags to use taking the guitars out of the home and also on a plane. PRS is just helping a guy out.

 

[Lewguitar]

yup! purely a marketing decision on what they feel the price should be kept at or under and the gig bag over the case helps get it there

That's the way I see it.

Players travel with their guitars in a gig bag these days. Not a bulky hardcase.

Times change.

Pretty simple.

 

[hardkase]

That's the way I see it.

Players travel with their guitars in a gig bag these days. Not a bulky hardcase.

Times change.

Pretty simple.

I feel ya and get your logic, but then why don't we see Core and Private Stock shipping in gig bags?

 

[Lewguitar]

I feel ya and get your logic, but then why don't we see Core and Private Stock shipping in gig bags?

Most of those stay at home though. I don't think you see many Private Stocks on bar gigs.

I have a gig July 4.

I'll bring a Bernie Marsden in a gig bag, not my Stripped 58 in a hardshell case.

 

[toothace]

until I get my hands on a fretboard,

If buying online, select a retailer with a good return policy...

 

[garrett]

I feel ya and get your logic, but then why don't we see Core and Private Stock shipping in gig bags?

I wish they would! The hard case for my 594 only comes out of the closet when I'm moving house.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

It sounds like the included cases aren't great for air travel and are heavy for hauling around.

The cases are heavy because they are VERY heavy duty. But the way I've seen baggage thrown around at airports, I wouldn't consider flying with one in anything but a flight case, unless I could put it inside overhead.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

P.S. I've seen guys who had heavy duty locking straps around a regular PRS case and used that to fly with them. The case itself isn't the issue when flying, it's just the locking aspect and the fact that it would get beat up. Hard plastic or other material that doesn't mark up as badly with metal corners, and with secure locks, is preferable when throwing a $5K guitar in the belly of an airoplane.

 

[RC Mike]

The cases are heavy because they are VERY heavy duty. But the way I've seen baggage thrown around at airports, I wouldn't consider flying with one in anything but a flight case, unless I could put it inside overhead.

It’s not a matter of the case construction. Without TSA locks, if TSA decides to open it they’ll just break it. That doesn’t bode well for the guitar.

 

[AP515]

The case is fine in air travel, the problem is no quality instrument should ever go in the belly of the plane. If you take the guitar in a gig bag it's much easier to get the flight attendant to put it in the coat closet (in 1st class), and not have to put it in the overhead bins.

 

[rwandering]

I totally get the perspective on the hard case. And I guess if I bought an expensive guitar and it didn't come with one, it would bother me a little.

But I also am moving towards a more minimalistic view of things. I don't necessarily want fewer guitars, but definitely fewer things overall. I like the idea of a hard case, but the guitars I play are out, so I'm just storing an empty box because why?

. . . and I don't want to use them for taking to practice/gig in a hard case because . . . those things are damned heavy. So I'd probably skip the case given the option.

I was carrying my acoustic in its case and found it a hassle so picked up a Mono Vertigo for it, and
a) the Vertigo is plenty protective in most situations (no, don't step on it), and
b) it is so light! I've picked up that case and looked around for the guitar not realizing it was still inside; and
c) backpack straps are really great.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

It’s not a matter of the case construction. Without TSA locks, if TSA decides to open it they’ll just break it. That doesn’t bode well for the guitar.

Yes, I simply meant that while the case is very protective of the guitar, vinyl covered wood doesn't take hits as well as hard plastic with steel metal corners.

 

[László]

I feel ya and get your logic, but then why don't we see Core and Private Stock shipping in gig bags?

This conversation is getting silly.

Here's the simple fact:

The hard case that comes with the Core and PS is NOT coming to you free! Get that idea out of your head.

Core and PS customers are OF COURSE buying the hard case, it's simply factored into what PRS charges for the package, which is a LOT more.

The guitars PRS makes that come with gig bags are made to a price point. To meet that price point, certain costs HAVE to be cut.

Would you rather have them cut the quality of the guitar below what it is, and include the hard case, or would you rather pay for better quality in the guitar and get a gig bag included with it?

I believe that most customers would rather have the money put into the guitar, not the accessories.

So. Either don't buy the damn guitar, and buy something else, or buy one and add the cost of a f#cking hard case if you must have one.

Deal with it.

I've always felt that PRS should have stuck with their Core and PS models and sold to the doctors, dentists, entrepreneurs and lawyers who understand how business works! [kidding, of course...kinda]

 

[László]

haha very true! I am no problem gigging with my Wood Library in a gig bag and in fact prefer it It's just so convenient. Now I just gotta get me one of those dual mono bags so I can bring a back up and keep my band from sweating LOL

My son flew from LA to Chicago for a pretty cool show at Wrigley Field, and carried his guitars in a dual Mono case.

I was really impressed with how well made, and how protective, it was. Loaded with two guitars I'd have thought a case would be unwieldy and lumpy. Nope. it was very well thought out, easy to handle, and even looked nice and compact.

Cool product.

 

[Draconomics]

This conversation is getting silly.

Here's the simple fact:

The hard case that comes with the Core and PS is NOT coming to you free! Get that idea out of your head.

Core and PS customers are OF COURSE buying the hard case, it's simply factored into what PRS charges for the package, which is a LOT more.

The guitars PRS makes that come with gig bags are made to a price point. To meet that price point, certain costs HAVE to be cut.

Would you rather have them cut the quality of the guitar below what it is, and include the hard case, or would you rather pay for better quality in the guitar and get a gig bag included with it?

I believe that most customers would rather have the money put into the guitar, not the accessories.

So. Either don't buy the damn guitar, and buy something else, or buy one and add the cost of a f#cking hard case if you must have one.

Deal with it.

I've always felt that PRS should have stuck with their Core and PS models and sold to the doctors, dentists, entrepreneurs and lawyers who understand how business works! [kidding, of course...kinda]

Well now I don't feel so bad about my Star Trek rant.