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Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2023 7:25 pm
by countertext
Looks like I might be flying to a gig in November. I want to take my Esquire but caught shit last time I flew with my Strat - my only gig bag is too long for some airlines’ sensibilities.
Anybody know who makes the most compact padded gig bags for Teles? Anybody know the best method to search for that? Don’t just say google - you know what I’m talkin’ about ain’t gonna come up easy.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2023 7:31 pm
by JSett
Teles actually fit pretty well in a regular case if you take the neck off. Safer too.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2023 1:07 am
by sal paradise
This has peaked my interest as I have an old, battered gig bag that fits my tele snugly. I can also fit a JM/Jag and a Les Paul at a squeeze. It’s perfect with nothing extra if that’s what you want. As its falling apart after 10 of years of touring and abuse I’ve been thinking about replacing it.
Although we’re talking about 10cm here- are you sure airlines will notice it being that much smaller? Still looks like a guitar in a gig bag.
A Tele is about 98.5 cm. I did a quick google & there is a cheapo fender bag with exterior length that is 106.7, or a boss gig bag that’s 108.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2023 3:23 am
by JSett
*Piqued
Sorry, I know it's pedantic, but it's one of the few words I simply can't ignore.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2023 3:56 am
by sal paradise
JSett wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 3:23 am
*Piqued
Sorry, I know it's pedantic, but it's one of the few words I simply can't ignore.
Touche. Not often I get caught out on homophones
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2023 5:10 am
by Dr Tony Balls
Shopping bag, baby.
Nah but seriously i've flown with guitars and basses before and just took the neck off, as was suggested. Its not that wild. Some people that do it often enough install threaded inserts in the neck so you can use bolts instead of screws for repeated assembly.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2023 5:58 pm
by countertext
The neck-off idea is logically valid but I’m trying to persuade myself. Still hoping for a bag.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 12:44 am
by andy_tchp
countertext wrote: ↑Fri Aug 04, 2023 7:25 pm
Looks like I might be flying to a gig in November. I want to take my Esquire but caught shit last time I flew with my Strat
They are the same length.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 3:38 am
by countertext
andy_tchp wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2023 12:44 am
countertext wrote: ↑Fri Aug 04, 2023 7:25 pm
Looks like I might be flying to a gig in November. I want to take my Esquire but caught shit last time I flew with my Strat
They are the same length.
What I mean is that my current gig bag is long. It’s longer than really necessary for any of my electric six-strings. I want to find something that is visibly shorter than what I have so it fits more easily into overhead compartments and draws the attention of airline employees less quickly.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2023 5:17 am
by MechaBulletBill
the fe610 is a nice slim gig bag for strat/tele sized guits. having said that, i would take the neck off the thing
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 12:18 pm
by TagoMago
I found a Parker Fly gig bag in my local thrift store for €5 last year. Didn't need an extra gig bag but the quality of it was just really, really good so I bought it. I mean, five euros, that's about a pint! If you see a Parker gig bag on the cheap, definitely get it. Telecasters fit them as snugly as you're gonna get and the padding is solid. Can recommend.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2023 10:40 pm
by einpresstiefe
What's too big? Maximum dimensions would help for recs. I think the smallest bags you're gonna find that fit a Telecaster will show something like the cases that specify that they're for Strats, but don't accommodate big headstock Strats.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 9:20 am
by countertext
I haven’t measured my Tele, but I reckon it’s probably 13” wide and 39” long. I feel like there should be a modestly padded bag out there somewhere that’s 14 or 15” wide and 40 or 41” long on the outside, without unnecessary width up at the headstock end. Just enough to hold the guitar and nothing else.
The idea of minimalism and utility has been applied to every other aspect of guitar gear, so I assume gig bags are the same. So far, the smallest bags I’ve been able to find are about 5” longer and 2” wider than I need… which isn’t unreasonable, but I’m continuing to search just on the principle of it, you know?
I’ve just been unsuccessful with internet searches, like maybe there’s a key term or phrase I’m not thinking of.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 9:45 am
by countertext
TagoMago wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 12:18 pm
If you see a Parker gig bag on the cheap, definitely get it. Telecasters fit them as snugly as you're gonna get and the padding is solid. Can recommend.
Keeping an eye out for one of these.
Re: Smallest gig bag for Tele?
Posted: Mon Aug 14, 2023 10:35 am
by einpresstiefe
countertext wrote: ↑Mon Aug 14, 2023 9:20 am
I haven’t measured my Tele, but I reckon it’s probably 13” wide and 39” long. I feel like there should be a modestly padded bag out there somewhere that’s 14 or 15” wide and 40 or 41” long on the outside, without unnecessary width up at the headstock end. Just enough to hold the guitar and nothing else.
The idea of minimalism and utility has been applied to every other aspect of guitar gear, so I assume gig bags are the same. So far, the smallest bags I’ve been able to find are about 5” longer and 2” wider than I need… which isn’t unreasonable, but I’m continuing to search just on the principle of it, you know?
I’ve just been unsuccessful with internet searches, like maybe there’s a key term or phrase I’m not thinking of.
Just measured one of the Fender Deluxe gig bags that ship with most MIM guitars. It's right about 43" long and 17" at its widest point, but they squish down easily.
I have an older Fender branded bag here with minimal padding that's too small to fit an offset in width or length that measures 40" x 15". Not sure where that one came from, but I think it's the bag that comes with the Squier Strat plus amp all-in-one pack.