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The rigors of touring, or even going from one’s home to the practice studio, can have a huge impact on a guitar’s tuning and overall health, so D’addario has devised an interesting antidote: climate-controlled gig bags.
The firm's new Backline cases, designed for electric guitar and bass, are crafted with “superior instrument protection” in mind, and its fancy Humidipak integration steals the headlines.
Each bag in the series has a Humidipak Climate-Control neck cradle, designed to “preserve your instrument’s condition like no other gig bag.” The cradle features two-way humidity control to help keep instruments in tip-top condition in transit.
So, even if you’re packed onto a hot, sweaty bus like a sardine on your way to rehearsal, the Backline promises your prized guitar will come out of the journey unscathed.
The cradle also helps keep the guitar snug in one place, so when the bus goes over a pothole, your instrument won’t feel the brunt of it.
Other key features include a water-resistant exterior, reinforced zippers, and a plush interior with tear-resistant panels that add durability in high-wear areas. Ergonomic straps and a cushioned back panel help keep the guitar and the wearer of the bag comfy.
The front pocket is also a pretty roomy breakaway bag (18” H, 13” L, 2.5” W), meaning it can be detached from the case and neatly organized before being slotted back in place via the Auto Lock system seen on some of its guitar straps.
The bag is big enough to house an overdrive pedal, an iPad, a MIDI controller, and a handful of packs of guitar strings, plus a zippered pocket for guitar picks.
The new Backline cases are priced at $299.99/£232.50, placing them on the premium end of the scale, but it’s certainly an innovative approach to axe protection from the firm behind color-coded strings, a guitar-duster oven mitt, and a nifty pedal-prying tool.
See D’Addario for more.
