Leather guitar bag and backpack

Ryan Barr of Whipping Post Leather makes these gorgeous guitar case bag backpacks. "I always wanted to create a bag for my guitar that matched its character," he writes. "Something that could age with time and maintain its classic appeal like any well made instrument. The more it got used and abused the better it became. Kind of like my guitar." They're very steep, but if I were a guitarist, I think I might sell my soul to the devil for one of these. In the meantime, I'll just have to wait for the keytar edition.

• [yoshua]

  In addition to the low protection factor, they are REALLY expensive. I’ve never paid that much for a guitar, let alone a case!

• [Dorianne]

  That looks GORGEOUS. Though most gig bags are nylon – I suppose the leather would be heavier to pack around. Still….*sigh* If I can ever afford that L’Arrivee I lust after, this will be the bag I carry it in.

• [RedShirt77]

  Hmmm, any talk of making these for rockband controllers?

• [Anonymous]

  A gigbag is meant to help transport an instrument, not protect it.

  The player carrying the gigbag is supposed to protect the instrument.

  I hate lugging hardshell cases around for my guitars– gigbags do the job quite nicely. If I’m going on the road for a week, I’ll use the hardshell. Otherwise… bags away.

• [Bryce]

  All of you commenting on the prices of guitars may want to check out an amazing music shop in the most out-of-the-way place imaginable—coshocton, Ohio. Wildwood music is a fantastic guitar store that only deals in top of the line guitars and they sell them at some steeply discounted prices.

  Including, @Dorianne, some sweet Larivees: http://www.wildwoodmusic.com/Inventory/Guitars/Larrivee.htm

  Also banjos, hammered dulcimers, etc.

• [Donald Petersen]

  Hell, even a gig bag offers considerably more protection than nothing at all. My favorite acoustic toppled over and cracked its headstock just by leaning against a smooth-edged desk; a gig bag (or an appropriate stand, or even a slightly-opened drawer) would have prevented that fatal damage.

  If I had buckets of money or even a guitar that warranted such a pricey gig bag, I’d really like one of these. But it costs twice what my most expensive guitar cost.

  But this would be perfect for somebody with a nice Taylor or similar. Just because I’m a cheap so & so doesn’t mean you have to be!

• [futnuh]

  Rob, as others have pointed out, this is a gig-bag, not a case. While cases can be either soft or hard-shell, it typically refers to the latter. Hard-shell are useful behemoths for travelling as checked airline baggage but basically a pain in the ass for day-to-day use.

• [Allen Garvin]

  Those are very handsome, and not that unreasonably priced. I’ve seen a lot of soft cases that range from a couple hundred up to a thousand or more. It looks almost the right size for my tenor viol–wonder if I could commission one with a bow holder added…

• [Rob Beschizza]

  Updated!

• [Anonymous]

  If only there was a way to MAKE it yourself…..oh well!

  • [Pantograph]

    Sure you could use a laser cutter to shape the leather, but you’ll need at least ten Arduinos to stitch it together properly.

    Leatherworking remains a craft needing real skills. (Skills I’d love to posess)

• [friendpuppy]

  Coolness factor: 85%
  Protection of guitar: 1%

  • [k386]

    They look big enough that you could probably get a hardshell inside it.

• [Anonymous]

  pretty sweet

• [ScavengerCat]

  That’s some high quality bag porn… I am lustful at this moment.

  And for those commenting on the protection factor of this case, the bag maker’s site states that there is 1″ of high-density foam throughout the case. As an ex-guitar repairman and ex-touring musician, that’ll save you from the vast majority of near-accidents.