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A case for a Gitane D-500?

So I just got a D-500. Does anyone have advice on a case that works well?

Thanks!
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Comments

  • aa New York City✭✭✭✭
    Posts: 800
    Golden Gate makes cases for Gitanes.

    http://www.music123.com/Golden-Gate-CP1 ... 9788.music
    Www.alexsimonmusic.com
    Learn how to play Gypsy guitar:
    http://alexsimonmusic.com/learn-gypsy-jazz-guitar/
  • aa New York City✭✭✭✭
    Posts: 800
    maybe i should scratch that last post...

    i recently ordered that case from music123 and i just tried putting my gitane inside. the interior shape of the case was way too big, and my guitar was moving around in there. i'm hoping that they just sent me the wrong case. has anyone else had trouble with golden gate cases?

    i'm assuming that most selmer copies are pretty much the same in dimensions...
    Www.alexsimonmusic.com
    Learn how to play Gypsy guitar:
    http://alexsimonmusic.com/learn-gypsy-jazz-guitar/
  • Josh HeggJosh Hegg Tacoma, WAModerator
    Posts: 622
    This is the case I used when I had a D-500

    http://www.sagamusic.com/catalog/detail ... ID=CP-1510


    I think you can find it for less from another place. The Saga site seems to be high. This works well for the D-500 but it is just a bit big but the instrument does not move hardly at all. Worth a try if you don't want to spend too much. Also fitting a case can be a fun project if you are into that sort of thing. Most good fabric stores have everything you need to make any case work well. Plus if you resell the D-500 you can get more for it with the case because it is custom!

    Cheers
  • aa New York City✭✭✭✭
    Posts: 800
    What's weird is that I've seen the cp-1510 adverstised as a "maccaferri style case," in the Gitane section of most online catalogs- that's why I ordered it. But, it's obviously way too big for these guitars! The guitar isn't supposed move around inside, right (seems a little dangerous)? They didn't say anything in the advertisement about having to fit the case to the guitar after purchase.

    How do you do that, anyway? Could let me know in full detail. Images would be great. Any help is much appreciated.

    Thanks,
    a
    Www.alexsimonmusic.com
    Learn how to play Gypsy guitar:
    http://alexsimonmusic.com/learn-gypsy-jazz-guitar/
  • Josh HeggJosh Hegg Tacoma, WAModerator
    Posts: 622
    The cp-1510 is not a Mac case. I don't care what "they" say. It is not even fit for the cut away. There are cases made for these sort of guitars but are "fit" to suite. I think most luthiers fit them or have them fit for the instruments. That means bank to buy one. Too much for me at this point.


    To fit your own case.

    **Before you start.**
    This could kill your case. If your not willing to put the time in to finnish this project DON'T START. It takes some time to get it right. If you do you will have a kick ass case for your instrument and all your friends will want you to do theirs.

    What I purchased from the fabric store:
    1. Black "fuzzy" material for liner
    2. The most dense foam I could find. Also get the thickest. I think you can find 6" in a good fabric store. If you can not get 6" that is fine just get the thickest you can. The stuff I got was a light green color. There is another that is blue that works well. Make sure not to get the really soft stuff. It is much harder to work.
    3. Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks. Hot glue works really well on cases. Take care not to get in where you don't want it. It can melt foam and stick to black fuzzy liner and not come off.
    4. other things you'll need. Serrated knife or electric turkey carver ( for cutting the foam), Card board, scissors, pencil, CD player and about 3 or 4 good CDs. (Django will work fine)

    *Note on cutting foam: If you have never cut foam before I would try cutting some test chunks before you start. You might want to try a few different knives and find the one that works the best. Basically you saw at it like you would carve a turkey. The electric carver works great but you can do just fine with a normal serrated knife.*

    Now.. there are 2 ways you can tackle this project.
    1. Cut foam to fit gaps, cover with liner, glue in place. This is the most easy and safe way to fit the case.
    2. Take out existing liner, add new foam, recover interior of the case. This can take a full day and have to be done if the instrument does not fit correctly.

    I would take the first option unless you are really ready for a big project.

    Steps for first option

    Step 1: Put one the music

    Step 2: Put the guitar in the case and look for the gaps.

    Step 3: Take the card board and start cutting to the shape of the gaps. Start with the "cut away" gap. It is easy and will most likely solve most of the "sliding" of the guitar in the case. Cut until the cardboard template will slide into the gap.

    Step 4: Use the card board template to cut foam to shape. Note: depending on thickness of the foam you might have to stack to achieve the correct hight for the case. Note: One most cases the bottom of the case is not flat. This will make a your blocks go in crooked if you have not cut the foam to compensate for the concave case floor. if your case is flat... then you have it easy.

    Step 5: cover foam with liner material. You can use your template for shape but make sure to cut the liner about 2" big all the way around. You can trim later if there is too much. It is better to cut it big then too small.

    Step 6: Cover the foam with the liner and glue. On foam that is rounded (most of the bits) you will need to cut wedges or V out of the liner to get it to cover well and not bunch around corners and curves.

    Step 7: Take the guitar out of the case and glue the covered foam blocks in place. Glue the bottom first to anchor the block then glue as many sides as you can to the existing case liner. You don't them to be falling out when you take you guitar out.

    You can go as far as you want with this. You can fill every gap or just a few. The nice thing about doing it this way is you can take it in steps and fill the big gaps all at one time and take the smaller ones later.

    As for fitting your case using the more difficult method, you get a more finished looking case but have to do it all at one time. Basically you do it the same way but instead of covering each block individually you glue the foam in place and then cover the entire lining of the case.

    What ever you do you will have a case that will fit your guitar much better.

    Cheers and have fun!
  • drollingdrolling New
    Posts: 153
    Not easy to find. Just like the right picks and strings! I was using an old Norman (acoustic guitar company up here in Quebec) dreadnaught case stuffed with rags for my D-500 untill I got a Maple 250. I had no luck at any of the many music stores in Montreal - regular dreadnaught cases are too big and most archtop cases are WAY too big. Saga makes wooden & metal resonator guitars that fit perfectly into standard classical cases, but the Gitane's lower bout is just a bit too wide. Last year I stumbled across a batch of nice wooden archtop cases that were priced to go, so I picked one up and was thrilled to find that both the Gitanes fit perfectly. The case has no model number, just the word "ACCESS" printed on the vinyl tab of the lid for the interior compartement. When I had the money I went back to get another one, but, of course, they were all gone. I have not seen this brand of case again and would love to have another. I have to get my picks and strings online, and would be happy to order a case directly from Access, but their website shows 2 varieties of archtop cases, neither of which look exactly like the one I have. Good luck on this quest, and please post if you find something appropriate, as I have another Gitane coming in and am going to need a proper case for it.
  • Josh HeggJosh Hegg Tacoma, WAModerator
    Posts: 622
    There is a case that works well but it's not that great of a case as far as construction goes. It is the SKB Freedom case. You can get them at guitar center for around $60 I think. I have one and it fits my mac style guitars well.

    Cheers
  • ChadChad Bellingham, WashingtonNew
    Posts: 45
    I have a hardshell case that came with my Gitane, but frankly, I dont use it much anymore. I bought a Summit case and I love it. Here is a review in Vintage Guitar mag: http://www.vintageguitar.com/gear/details.asp?ID=94
    I bought mine here: http://www.grandmas.com/guitaraccessories.html They sell the case for 99 bucks and free shipping. This is the absolute nicest gig bag / soft case I have seen yet without spending 250 bucks. Tons of features.
    Check it out. :D
    Chad
    Wholly Man
  • VerchachoVerchacho Orlando, FloridaNew
    Posts: 31
    Have any of you gauys check Gipsyjazz.net.
    Thay have a cose there specially for Selmer/Macs.
  • Mac HackMac Hack San Diego, CANew
    Posts: 44
    Well, I did order a form fitting repro vintage Selmer case for my D500 from **** at www.**** It fits the guitar perfectly, is sturdy yet relatively light in weight, has a nice storage compartment with room to accomodate a couple of hedgehogs, and a nice shoulder strap for carting it around like a gig bag.
    "On apprend tous les jours." - Stéphane Grappelli
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