Case Art

[hyperbolica]

I just bought a new-to-me fiberglass hardshell case, and the first thing my wife said was....

Waste of money, the bowling alley is closed.

Oh, it was painful. Alright, so the case was a bit of a garish yellow charitably called "gold", but now I can't look at it without thinking of a marbled sparkling 12 pounder rolling in the gutter.

Plus I'm home with a lot of time on my hands and a closet full of spray paint cans.

Do you all have suggestions of what to do or not do with a case that only has bad associations for me now?

[BGuttman]

Paint diagonal black stripes on it so it looks like a caution tape?

[Kingfan]

Add some graphics to make it look like a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine...

[harrisonreed]

Put stickers or stage passes on it for all the places you've played that horn at. If you can fill it up, then it's a badass case. If you can't, then who's seen or is gonna see your case?

Some of the dopiest cases I've ever seen (usually guitar cases) have been covered over with stage passes. And once you hear whoever it was with the case playing, you're like, "dang, I wish I rock a case like that..."

[hyperbolica]

Although I liked the yellow submarine and the caution tape ideas, I went with the stickers approach. During pandemic there were no stage passes, so I just picked up free stickers wherever they present themselves around the local area. If you want to send me a sticker, I'll slap 'er on. There's still a lot of yaller showing.

Although you have to watch for gaussian curvature. Most stickers only bend in one direction, they don't stretch. You can put them on double curvature areas like the bell, but they'll pucker or you have to cut reliefs.

The case has been very nice. Holds most of my tenors, from 8h and 48h to 79h and my Recording. Thanks again to whoever sold this to me. Sorry about the disparaging comments on the color. My wife's comment about the bowling ball struck a nerve.

IMG_20220915_070432128.jpg

[harrisonreed]

That looks dope

[hornado]

What's wrong with bowling?

[Posaunus]

I guess I'm not a sticker guy. I'd have kept the "gold" case pristine and carried around for its shock value.
Definitely a conversation-opener!
Might even help introduce me to someone who'd call me to play with them because they remembered the trombonist with the garish case!

[DougHulme]

I'd have shipped it to DJ and asked for a DJ paint job special!... Doug

[Posaunus]

I'd have shipped it to DJ and asked for a DJ paint job special!

Great idea. Also an attention-getter.

[JohnL]

It's not exactly art, but there's a gent who plays with Bones West who collects autographs of famous(-ish - is there such a thing as a famous trombonist) on his case.

[jbeatenbough]

hey, at least you aren't the guy carrying a trombone around in a viola case...

[Cas]

paint the case green, paint the bell part at the end red, put black seeds in the bell and boom you have a

watermelon, man!

[hyperbolica]

It has actually paid off already. A forum member recognized some of the regional stickers, so now I have a new trombone contact.

I had thought about getting DJ to do something. Maybe he'd paint one of those $25 6h cases. Put that up on the wall in my practice room.

DJ original:

Clipboard01.jpg

[Kbiggs]

Sticker bomb

[hyperbolica]

hey, at least you aren't the guy carrying a trombone around in a viola case...

Yeah, I don't mind people thinking I bowl a little, but I'd draw the line at being mistaken for a violist.

[KWL]

It has actually paid off already. A forum member recognized some of the regional stickers, so now I have a new trombone contact.

That may or may not be a good thing.

[hyperbolica]

I was trying to think how it could possibly be a bad thing, then I got it. I was at a perfect thing for you last night. Big band needed a sub on bass. Bass players in short supply around here.

[biggiesmalls]

DJ original:
Clipboard01.jpg

I just realized that I have an image of the same case paint job in it's finished state, "HOUSE OF PRAYER" :