Serpent & Making a case for the Ophicleide

Making a Case for the Ophicleide

One of the biggest probems faced by today's ophicleide player is the issue of transportation. Most ophicleides do not come with a case, and common wooden cases are unwieldy and heavy. The instrument is quite fragile; exposed keys and lever mechanisms are delicate enough, and the antique horns tend to have rather brittle metal. The Serpent Website offers two case designs made by Serpent Newsletter editor Paul Schmidt. One is a 'gig bag', designed to carry the main body of the instrument in the lightest & smallest possible way, while remaining inexpensive and easy to build with household tools. The other is a 'road case', designed to carry the entire instrument plus sundries for extended and rough trips on airlines, etc; it is based on a readily available commercial case and modified as required, again using household resources.

The Gig Bag is described with photographs plus captions in a single article. Due to its greater complexity, the Road Case is described in a series of articles.

GIG BAG

Click here for the Gig Bag article

ROAD CASE

Click on the links below for the articles
Overview
Case Sizing
Bottom Bow Pad
Bell Pad
Center Pad
Top Pad
Bocal Case
Completed Case

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