Just recently decided to pull the trigger on a good case for travelling… and I’m thrilled with the results. It’s a Nanuk 980, and here’s the lowdown – the case with the foam was under $300 CAD, taxes included. It’s rugged and strong, but not an overtly heavy case. Fully loaded with everything in it, it’s 10.1kg (for reference, my heaviest guitar in its hard case is 8.4kg).
I’ll toss my leads, wireless, and accessories in my backpack with a few extra socks and I’m ready for anywhere in one trip. Pretty handy, doesn’t break the back, high quality, and easy enough on the wallet. It’s far cheaper than the offerings from Gator, Thon, or SKB and you can customize it to whatever you want.
Inside is the Quad Cortex, Seymour Duncan PowerStage 170 (with adapter and power cable), speaker cable, 1/4" and 1/8" headphone adapters and extension cable for in-ear practise, USB-A to USB-C adapter for recording ideas, and an APC surge protector with usb charging on deck so I can charge my wireless as well.
If anyone is interested in anything that isn’t in the photos, just let me know! I got mine from a local company here in Ottawa that I’m happy to recommend.
That looks good! Any experience with Pelican cases in the past to make comparisons with your Nanuk?
Am keen to figure out a wheeled solution, enough to fit the QC (+few other pedals) mounted on a PT Metro 20. Any learning point/advice would be appreciated.
I have a Pelican case for my camera, the 1510 with padded dividers for everything. Although the 1510 has wheels and a retractable arm, it’s not exactly what I would look for profile-wise for my QC application, because the dimensions vary slightly and it’s deeper. Quality-wise, they’re both built to withstand nuclear blasts . Waterproof, crushproof, can handle my subzero Canadian temps… the equipment inside is likely to be damaged before the case! And since I’m on my lunch, let’s have some fun and hopefully it helps you out:
The Metro 20 board (according to Pedaltrain’s website) has dimensions of “20in x 8in x 1.4in (50.8cm x 20.3cm x 3.5cm)”
The Quad Cortex (according to Neural’s website) has dimensions of “11.4in x 7.7in x 2.7in (29cm x 19.5cm x 6.9cm)”
That means we need a case with interior dimensions to accommodate the Metro 20’s length and width, with a little extra on the side for foam padding, plus the height of the pedalboard with the QC on top, which = 4.1in, or 10.4cm
So, let’s be generous with the rounding up on each side (because you can always add foam or pick it out accordingly, but you can’t change the size of the shell if it’s not to your liking!), and voilà, you need a case that fits the attached dimensions:
In terms of wanting something with casters, this leaves you with a few options:
If price is not an issue, you can have a custom case made by Engineered Case in Mississauga, ON (https://www.engineeredcase.com). The website may seem old-school, but if you call them up and discuss what you need, they will make you the most perfect case for anything, out of anything. I’ve had 3 rack cases done by them over the years, and I simply cannot say enough great things about them!
The Nanuk 935 could work. Since the Metro 20 is, well, 20" wide, this case is 20.5" on the interior but the other dimensions are larger. But, it’s got wheels, a handle, and is the cousin of the 980 in a way. I would double-check the interior dimensions with how you would lay out your stuff, but in theory it could work (if not a little bit overkill)
The Gator Titan line has an option that again, could work but it’s overkill. Check out model# GU-2816-09-WPNF. But, with the dimensions in mind, you could fit your Metro in it and probably have room to pick out some compartments for additional gear without any issue (keep in mind that you’d be buying the foam that you wanted, instead of it coming included with the case)
Fuerte Cases in California carries a bunch of different lines, including Pelican, Nanuk, HPRC, Seahorse, SKB… worth a look if you’re interested
Of course these are just recommendations based from my needs and research… I needed something robust because of the travel that was waterproof (because I’m paranoid) and not using any adhesives (anyone living in Arizona heat will know how long pedal adhesive tape can last ). But if you don’t travel, or go anywhere stupidly hot, you could scour up an old Furman SPB-8C. It’s literally everything you want, plus a built-in power supply with power conditioning… I should know, I’ve had mine since the early 2010s!
Anyway time to get back to work, I hope this was helpful in even a small way. That was a fun way to spend a lunch break
Hey guys-for gigs around town, I use this Gator Mixer bag $50 U.S. I have Velcro on my QC & mount it on my board at the gig. I put a stiff piece of egg crate foam in the outer zipper compartment of this bag, totally protecting the QC Top. The entire bag is lined w soft side Velcro, so the QC is actually suspended in the bag. I fly w it hanging on my shoulder. I highly recommend a plexiglass screen protector. This inexpensive bag is a great solution for local gigs…
Harbor Freight has a line of cases by Apache. Essentially clones of the Pelican cases. They come in several different sizes. I use a medium size for my QC. Dirt cheap and sometimes ridiculously cheap with coupons. Check them out. You will not be disappointed.
. Waterproof, crushproof, can handle my subzero Canadian temps… the equipment inside is likely to be damaged before the case! And since I’m on my lunch, let’s have some fun and hopefully it helps you out:
). But if you don’t travel, or go anywhere stupidly hot, you could scour up an old Furman SPB-8C. It’s literally everything you want, plus a built-in power supply with power conditioning… I should know, I’ve had mine since the early 2010s!