Workshop: Case Problems

A fairly regular issue with old guitars is finding cases that fit them. In hard cases, that option can often simply not exist and so one has to go with the "closest choice." In this case I have to fit a couple of parlor/0 size 12-fret Oscar Schmidts to standard arched-lid Guardian cases. The Guardians have a bit of extra length for the body but the neck pocket pushes the necks right up into the lid of the case and the case won't close.

Step one? Remove the case pocket and its blocks! Unscrew any screws and then wiggle/yank those sections out.

Now we're talking.

Often staples and/or nails are left behind.

Just snip them -- there's really no need for them and they seem to only serve to hold the blocks in place during manufacture before the screws go in after the final layer of covering.

Mark the length to cut -- and then it's off to the bandsaw!

After positioning everything, put the screws back in place (notice the 1" difference in height between the first pic and this one).

Aha! Customized case.

While I don't always have to do this with new cases, in general the older the guitar (and thus the more-strangely-built the guitar) the more I have to mod the case pocket/neck rest area. I've had to do it a lot with squareneck instruments, too.