A good road case needs to be light weight yet virtually indestructible.
Making one from scratch is out of the question, so it makes sense to start
with a commercially available case and modify it to fit the instrument.
The ophicleide case began with a 'golf case' manufactured by SKB, intended
for transporting golf bags with their clubs on airplanes. The model number
is 2SKB-4812W and costs about $120 (US), available at most sports shops.
This is a good fit for B-flat ophicleides, but the slightly smaller 2SKB-4810W
might be more appropriate for C ophicleides (48" x 12" and 48" x 10" inner
dimensions, respectively.)
The case features include recessed top and end handles, unbreakable
high-density polyethylene shells (the reader will discover in these
pages that polyethylene in all its forms is the number one material for
rugged yet lightweight instrument cases!), heavy duty metal latches
with keyed locks (lifetime free replacement guarantee on these), built-in
wheels, "O"-ring gasketed aluminum valance providing a positive dirt &
moisture resistant seal.
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