ksdaddy Posted February 14, 2016 Posted February 14, 2016 In the 80s it was common to see Gibson electrics in what they called the "Protector" cases. I didn't much care for them but in their defense, they seemed pretty rugged. I have a acoustic sized one here, not a Protector but frighteningly close. The interior was lined with a thin fabric and a gray foam underneath, not sure what the type of foam it is, but it's like a windscreen for a microphone, very common stuff you see every day in a zillion applications. They're getting older. And rotting. Against any common sense, I've begun scraping all this crap out of it and I'll probably glue in some fake fur. I should throw it in the trash and be done with it but I'm an idiot. So if you have a Protector case from the 80s.... you may be next.
retrorod Posted February 14, 2016 Posted February 14, 2016 Damn! Don't be an idiot.....throw that crap away!....It was 'minimal' when new. Now it is Shirley a pizza Shiite!
sparquelito Posted February 14, 2016 Posted February 14, 2016 A great project, for sure!! I am pondering a similar effort, but for an old Viking case (similar to the one depicted below). The thing is just right for carrying (and protecting) stomp boxes or microphones and cables to a gig. Unfortunately, the old foam lining has gone south, and it's all stripped out now, with just glue residue in there. I look forward to seeing how you manage to make that guitar case into a work of art, and then maybe I will borrow your advice and tips on how to re-furbish this Viking case.
Aster1 Posted February 14, 2016 Posted February 14, 2016 Makes me wonder, with the foam deteriorating like that, what effects it would have had on a nitro finish too. Was the foam gummy or just dried up & powdery? What a mess. Let us see if you revamp it, and if it ends up being less than a new case! Aster.
merciful-evans Posted February 14, 2016 Posted February 14, 2016 Exactly the same thing happened with the foam interior of my Sure Unisphere microphone case. That though, did last a bit longer than 30 years. It doesnt help when they glue the foam in.
ksdaddy Posted February 14, 2016 Author Posted February 14, 2016 Was the foam gummy or just dried up & powdery? Very gummy. Acetone outright melts the little bits left over from scraping but I'm not sure about removing the adhesive. Admittedly, this is not a case I would want to put an "A List" guitar in, although I did use an identical one for my '64 SJ for about 5 years until a "normal" case fell into my lap. I guess my motivation here is to have a case to sell with a $100 acoustic, when one comes in with no case. I bought some sky blue plush-y fake fur for $2.99 at a thrift store and if I can glue it in there so that there's some padding, then I've created added value. Won't make the $100 guitar sell for any more, but it might sell quicker. I've seen some lined with that egg crate foam stuff too, which is a lot like what rotted in there to begin with.
Digger Posted February 14, 2016 Posted February 14, 2016 After paying the ridiculous asking price of $140 each for mine they'd better not disintegrate!
Retired Posted February 14, 2016 Posted February 14, 2016 That foam they put in is crap. I had old gun cases that had that stuff and left the cases in my safe for decades. Never opened it or closed it, just let it sit and the safe had a dehumidifier in it. One day back I opened one up and the foam was all deteriated in pieces. I cleaned it throwing that crap out and my wife fixed the box with a nice blue velvet cloth lining the way it should have been done in the first place. The last gun case I bought for a Smith was done proper.
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