Stradivari may have perfected the violin over 300 years ago, but the case you use to carry around your violin should take a 21st century approach to protecting your instrument. A violin case needs to protect the violin, the bow and various necessary accessories from the hard knocks and stormy weather of life (and the subway).
Here are some of the 21st century improvements to violin case technology that you want to ensure you’re providing your instrument with the best protection.
You no longer have to lug around a vault
The old way of violin cases forced you to accept heavy weight in order to get strong protective casing. Sure, compacted foam-constructed cases may be lighter and cheaper than traditional wood made ones, but they offer practically zero protection against your violin getting smashed or damaged by sudden humidity or temperature change. So don’t get sucked into a false economy of buying a cheap, foam case.
Instead, modern technologies applied to wood laminating, carbon fiber, and more recently a new high-tech plastic called polycarbonate, which offers the protection, lightweight and insulating characteristics of wood.
Attention to details
Buying from a reputable brand will guarantee reliable handles, locks, zippers, accessory compartments, bow holders, straps, impermeability… all details that matter to safely move around keeping your instrument protected. Additional conveniently designed pockets and pouches that can hold things like sheet music, cellphone, and snacks without making the silhouette of the violin case cumbersome to carry will only contribute to making your musician life practical and easier.
Internal suspension a race car driver would love
While internal construction of most cases will include a strap to keep the neck in place as well as a cloth blanket to avoid any risk for the bows to touch the top of the instrument, suspension is critical to avoid any contact of the instrument with the case’s edges. And because the choice of instrument size evolves with the player’s age, it is ideal to choose a suspension system like Revelle’s CrossTECH™ violin case that allows adjustment: 1 case to fit ¼ to full size instrument!
About ease to carry…
One of the great changes in violin case design from the last century has been providing a range of carrying options. No more small handles that only allowed you to carry the case by hand, hanging down at your side – violin cases started getting designed with backpack straps and shoulder straps. Now, you should expect a case that gives you all these carrying options. The backpack straps are great for walking down the street, but don’t help you when you’re sitting on a bus or campus shuttle. You want easy options that don’t bulk up the case.
You can find contemporary cases in different colors and ways to decorate your case. And if you feel like adding your personal touch in pampering your instruments, check out a growing variety of blankets and instrument bags that will only add to its comfort and your pleasure! Take advantage of all the above as you will, but prioritize the safety of your violin and accessories. After all, that’s the purpose of the case.
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