Wiseman Carbon Fiber Cases

[miketeachesclass]

Great question, Dave.

I’ve attached two photos here; one showing the lead pipe in the case, and then again very close up. Based on these photos, I question whether your lead pipe would fit.

It would definitely be worth asking Wiseman.

That's a great report - thanks! All the photos are nice to see as well, especially since the display model I reviewed did not have any "guts" inside.

Your report also serves as a caution for me, I think - correct me if I'm wrong. My leadpipe angle was adjusted to fit my embouchure. That leaves the end of the receiver somewhat more straight out from the bell (it sticks out a little more), so that in the Bonna case it contacts the side of the case tighter than would otherwise be expected. If you took a pliars and bent your leadpipe (gasp!) outward by a quarter or half inch would it still fit in the case without undue contact/pressure on the end of the receiver?

[davewerden]

It would definitely be worth asking Wiseman.

Thanks, I'll certainly do so if I get close to buying one.

I've actually bounced a suggestion off Wiseman for what I think would be the ideal solution. Since so many pros and other serious players buy the Cronkhite cases, what I think might be a viable product is an empty carbon fiber shell that just fits a Cronkhite bag inside. Once would check that as luggage, with the horn in the bag in the CF case. Then at the destination, the CF case could stay in the hotel/whatever and the bag alone would do the work for the duration of the stay. Haven't heard a response, though.

[John Morgan]

...I will say that it was VERY difficult to get the horn to fit. At wiseman's direction, I had to use a utility knife to cut some of the rubber out in order to make the horn fit. It's a bit annoying after paying $1600 for a "custom" case, but I can deal with it...

Mike,

I was very interested in the Wiseman Carbon Fiber case after seeing it at ITEC 2019. I signed up to provisionally order one, but now I am not so sure after what you had to do to get the Adams E3 to fit right. I thought that was their job at Wiseman to custom fit each horn precisely in the case. I don't like at all having to cut up their work to get the horn to fit. Not so sure about this any more, although I sure thought it was promising initially.

I will probably never, ever travel on a plane with my horn, no matter what case it is in, so the Marcus Bonna case suits me just fine for how and where I play my horn. I may look into getting a Cronkhite case, perhaps, just because it might be a bit lighter. Is that true from anyone who owns one? Is it noticeably lighter than the MB case?

Thanks for the great review, Mike. Very informative. I will be interested to see how the case works out after you travel with it. Good luck.

John

[davewerden]

...I may look into getting a Cronkhite case, perhaps, just because it might be a bit lighter. Is that true from anyone who owns one? Is it noticeably lighter than the MB case?

Short answer: yes. My Bonna case is about 5 pounds heavier than the Cronkhite leather case. My Bonna case has no straps attached right now and has the music folio (empty) attached to the side.

[John Morgan]

Thanks, Dave. I may give Cronkhite a serious look. I like lighter! And my horn pretty much always travels with me in the car to band, and then I have control of it the whole time there, so a soft case would work.

[miketeachesclass]

That really sounds like a great solution. Even something that fit a Bonna case inside would work well.

I actually looked into having a trunk style road case made for my Bonna case to fit inside. It was quoted at about $600, and the external dimensions add up to just under 80”, which is the maximum many airlines will allow as oversize baggage.

Upside: you just put your case inside this trunk for travel and leave it in the hotel when doing your thing locally.

Downside: oversize baggage fee ($50 on southwest last I checked). This is way less than buying an extra seat on the plane though, which is how I’ve traveled when taking my horn in the past.

All things being as they are, I’m not sure I would go this route again.

One last thing - the flight jacket is kind of hard to work with and secures with Velcro. We’ll see how well that works out!

I’ll update after this week when I’ve done both legs of my trip.

Thanks, I'll certainly do so if I get close to buying one.

I've actually bounced a suggestion off Wiseman for what I think would be the ideal solution. Since so many pros and other serious players buy the Cronkhite cases, what I think might be a viable product is an empty carbon fiber shell that just fits a Cronkhite bag inside. Once would check that as luggage, with the horn in the bag in the CF case. Then at the destination, the CF case could stay in the hotel/whatever and the bag alone would do the work for the duration of the stay. Haven't heard a response, though.

[Liam B]

He looks beautiful. If they really do everything for each instrument individually, I will need it later, thank you for the information about them.

[miketeachesclass]

Well, I'm back. The horn held up, and the case held up. No trouble with the trigger/main tuning slide, valves, etc.

That said, I did get a bell wrinkle, but I THINK that's because I absent mindedly left my mead travel practice mute in the bell of my horn, and it came loose in transit (the bell of th ehorn does not contact the end of the case); I probably should have known better.

I'll show some photos later, and I'll accept all second opinions!

That really sounds like a great solution. Even something that fit a Bonna case inside would work well.

I actually looked into having a trunk style road case made for my Bonna case to fit inside. It was quoted at about $600, and the external dimensions add up to just under 80”, which is the maximum many airlines will allow as oversize baggage.

Upside: you just put your case inside this trunk for travel and leave it in the hotel when doing your thing locally.

Downside: oversize baggage fee ($50 on southwest last I checked). This is way less than buying an extra seat on the plane though, which is how I’ve traveled when taking my horn in the past.

All things being as they are, I’m not sure I would go this route again.

One last thing - the flight jacket is kind of hard to work with and secures with Velcro. We’ll see how well that works out!

I’ll update after this week when I’ve done both legs of my trip.