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

[hardkase]

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?

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

The answer to this question is always going to be the same. It's not mean or cheap. It costs more. To get to THIS price (on whatever guitar comes with a bag) it had to be with a gig bag. If you are OK with a $200-$300 higher price, it would come with a case. If you must have a case, call the dealer you buy it from and add a case to your order.

 

[Danville Music]

The answer to this question is always going to be the same. It's not mean or cheap. It costs more. To get to THIS price (on whatever guitar comes with a bag) it had to be with a gig bag. If you are OK with a $200-$300 higher price, it would come with a case. If you must have a case, call the dealer you buy it from and add a case to your order.

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

 

[FragileThunder]

@hardkase, from your moniker you're clearly irked about this, but like so many things in life, beauty is in the eye of the guitar case holder. My truck (which cost a lot more than a guitar) didn't come with a bed liner "standard" but I was welcome to add it to my purchase. Why? Because $49,999 looks better on a sticker than $50,899 (or whatever) and the manufacturer knows many people would be just as happy to make their own choice here anyway.

If you want a HSC with your new PRS...buy one or negotiate with your dealer to see if they will "throw one in".

$0.02

 

[László]

I think Taylor is the only guitar maker manufacturing their own cases. For everyone else, the guitar maker buys the cases.

As everyone says, the price would increase for the guitar if it came with a case. You pay for the case with a Core model, too. The price is part of the deal.

 

[Mark Ray]

Gonna holler from the other side of the fence on this one. Not only are these new models shipping in gig bags, but many others do as well (and not just PRS).

If you read these forums a lot, you will see many posts about people taking their guitars to gigs in bags, not the hard cases they came in. I happen to be one of those people as well.

To me it's not only a cost issue, but a trending issue. As has been noted by many, Paul takes his guitars to gigs in bags,

 

[Danville Music]

Gonna holler from the other side of the fence on this one. Not only are these new models shipping in gig bags, but many others do as well (and not just PRS).

If you read these forums a lot, you will see many posts about people taking their guitars to gigs in bags, not the hard cases they came in. I happen to be one of those people as well.

To me it's not only a cost issue, but a trending issue. As has been noted by many, Paul takes his guitars to gigs in bags,

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

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

Well, you're not alone in your opinion....

Why no case for the NF 53?

Maybe one will come? Shawn?

forums.prsguitars.com

My two cents...

Anybody try fitting one into the standard PRS hard case? Curious if they fit...

In terms of what it should / should not come with, I really don't have much of an opinion....it's almost of no consequence to me.

I will say, I like to keep my guitars in a hard case when not being played. But if I'm playing a gig, everything gets transported in a gig bag. The cases are bigger and more cumbersome than the gig bags.

But, if I were to purchase something that only came with a gig bag, I'd want a hard case to store it in when it's not in use.

 

[hardkase]

Lol, I've used this username for years, - it finally serves a purpose! I don't know what to tell ya, I was doing a little off the cuff research and the manufacturers I looked at provide a hardshell once you hit a certain price tag, this included Gibson, Fender, ESP. G&L, Schecter, D'Angelico, and Ibanez, and that price varies between about $1500 to 2200. B.C. Rich sells separately, and Music Man provides a high quality gig bag. I didn't bother with sub brands (Gretsch, Jackson, Charvell, Kramer, etc.). No standard guitar case has a cost to the manufacturer of 200/300. That's the retail price. Molded ABS like you get with a Fender American Professional is probably 20 bucks, if even. Maybe the PRS' target audience is pros who have fancy flight cases or what not. I get that part of this economies of scale, so the massive corp manufacturers have less trouble making good on the hardshell, but the optics of this - particularly for a $3K guitar like the Myles Kennedy or NF 53 - is cheap -or - (what I consider worst) elitist: if you can spend X on a guitar you can spend Y on a case. Obviously, I'm not the first one to have this thought, lol. I don't know, I find it disappointing and it could color any decision I make on buying a PRS. Maybe not, too.

 

[toothace]

If you want a guitar, any guitar... (or any item for that matter) ... does what it comes in deter you from making the purchase? If it does then I would opine that you do NOT actually want that guitar. Things cost money. How many monies that is helps us as the consumer to determine if we are going to purchase that thing. It's all about value, or perhaps even perceived value. I do not value a case that weighs 10 times as much as my guitar, and if I'm toting that guitar anywhere, the hard case is staying at home and I'm using a much lighter weight gig bag.

 

[bodia]

I dunno. Never really bothered me, one way, or the other. All of my cases are in a closet. If I'm going somewhere with a guitar, it goes in a bag. I have a Miles Kennedy, and the bag is more than sufficient. Don't get me wrong. There are times and places for cases. I just don't ever anticipate being there. For instance, checking a guitar for a flight. If I can't carry it on, it isn't coming.

 

[hardkase]

If you want a guitar, any guitar... (or any item for that matter) ... does what it comes in deter you from making the purchase? If it does then I would opine that you do NOT actually want that guitar. Things cost money. How many monies that is helps us as the consumer to determine if we are going to purchase that thing. It's all about value, or perhaps even perceived value. I do not value a case that weighs 10 times as much as my guitar, and if I'm toting that guitar anywhere, the hard case is staying at home and I'm using a much lighter weight gig bag.

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.

 

[garrett]

There's an argument to be made that MANY gigging musicians mainly use gig bags. My anecdotal evidence shows that to be the case (tee hee).

For flying, the way to go is to either get it inside the plane in a gig bag, or in the cargo hold in a flight case. The heavy-a$$ wood cases that the Core guitars come in are asking for disaster in the hands of the airlines.

 

[Prs Mods too]

I agree op. If everyone else can do it with cheaper guitars there's no reason PRS can't. I've had beef about this for years.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

If you read these forums a lot, you will see many posts about people taking their guitars to gigs in bags, not the hard cases they came in. I happen to be one of those people as well.

I'm in this camp as well. PRS cases are HEAVY. Way heavier than the guitars, so you're more than doubling the weight when you carry it around in an HSC. I got a gig bag with the Silver Sky and use it every time I take the SS or NF3 out of the house to play. I even used it on the Custom 24 last time, just because it cuts the weight so much. Now, when it comes time to put them away, then yes, even in a standing/leaning stack you can't put the guitar in the gig bag anywhere but the front or top of the pyle, but otherwise, having a few guitars in gig bags is no issue for me.

 

[Prs Mods too]

I wouldn't even use a gig bag for a $200 Dean ML.

 

[RC Mike]

It costs what it costs. Big deal. Want a case? Buy one. Simple solution.

I wouldn’t want to fly with a PRS case. Something rated for air travel would be a much better idea.

 

[hardkase]

I've given this a lot of thought in a short span. I still don't like that a guitar of this cost doesn't come with a hardshell case - but given the descriptions that of the cases that are included with even more expensive guitars and my own habits, I'm slowly being swayed. It sounds like the included cases aren't great for air travel and are heavy for hauling around. Effectively, I will need the case once - from place of purchase to home at which point the guitar will likely go on a hanging stand for easy access and the case will likely gather dust under a bed. So, I would be better served by a third party case that's more suitable or none. So if I can't source this guitar (like a Myles Kennedy or a McCarty S2 of some ilk) here, I can travel abroad, play the heck of one, and either buy it and wheel-and-deal for a travel worthy case, see if the seller will ship, or don't buy it on site and buy online later. SO regardless of being irked by no case, until I get my hands on a fretboard, I won't know. We'll see what happens. Thanks for the pro/con feedback and sorry for vociferously reigniting what sounds like a common and old argument.

 

[garrett]

I've given this a lot of thought in a short span. I still don't like that a guitar of this cost doesn't come with a hardshell case - but given the descriptions that of the cases that are included with even more expensive guitars and my own habits, I'm slowly being swayed. It sounds like the included cases aren't great for air travel and are heavy for hauling around. Effectively, I will need the case once - from place of purchase to home at which point the guitar will likely go on a hanging stand for easy access and the case will likely gather dust under a bed. So, I would be better served by a third party case that's more suitable or none. So if I can't source this guitar (like a Myles Kennedy or a McCarty S2 of some ilk) here, I can travel abroad, play the heck of one, and either buy it and wheel-and-deal for a travel worthy case, see if the seller will ship, or don't buy it on site and buy online later. SO regardless of being irked by no case, until I get my hands on a fretboard, I won't know. We'll see what happens. Thanks for the pro/con feedback and sorry for vociferously reigniting what sounds like a common and old argument.

At least you're being reasonable about your complaint, which is very much appreciated!

I think if the guitar you want isn't available in your country, it seems reasonable to see if the shop wherever you find one is willing to ship. If not, I think they would at least give you a box so you can ship it back home yourself. The main thing to be wary of is potential import duties.

 

[Simon Says]

A lot of companies are moving over to alternative solutions. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe EBMM started shipping Cutlass with a softshell case.

I see why. The case for my PRSi is heavy as ****; it's twice as heavy as my guitars. Shipping worldwide costs brazzilions; it adds up if you ship 300 guitars a day.

Another issue is the material they are made of. The leading exporter of marine-grade plywood is Russia (a terrorist state of), and difficult to export, so prices range high too.

I get why people want the hard cases, and it's just my perspective; I wouldn't mind a nice gigbag with my guitar. Wouldnt adds much to the weight, is easy to carry, and gives no storage issues.

My 2p