Transporting a Stage Piano: Case or Bag?

Over time, scuffs and scratches will add a personal touch to your stage piano  – and that can be a beautiful thing. But if you want to protect your instrument and make sure your keyboard and controls survive the tour bus ride, you’ll need a stage piano case. But does it have to be a professional – and super expensive – flight case? Or could an 88-key keyboard bag do the trick?

It depends on where the journey takes you. In other words, you have to weigh the benefits against the cost. If you occasionally take your portable piano to choir practice, you’ll get by without a professional flight case. In addition to custom hard cases, stage piano cases are available in a variety of designs. Whether you choose a soft case, gig bag, or universal carrying bag, you should definitely consider buying one. With additional storage space for the sustain pedal, power supply, cables, and more, a stage piano case is a practical investment.

Keyboard Bag for 88-Key Instruments

Let’s start with the simplest solution. Keyboard bags or gig bags are available in a variety of sizes, including for 88-key stage pianos or master keyboards. These all-purpose bags are designed to fit as many instruments as possible. Consequently, there is a good chance that your stage piano will not fit perfectly into any of these bags.

Differences in Quality of Stage Piano Cases

Bags for stage pianos and master keyboards are available in music stores for as little as 50 Euros, while original accessories can be considerably more expensive. However, there are also much cheaper options, such as the Thomann Stage Piano Bag. At a price of around 45 Euros, it naturally won’t work wonders, but this simple stage piano carrying bag is perfectly adequate for transporting a portable piano from time to time.

To comfortably transport stage pianos that weigh slightly more (from approx. 15 kg), a higher quality keyboard bag is recommended: Essential aspects include more padding, dimensions that fit the instrument well, and above all, a sturdy design.

Two small, but very helpful details: a shoulder strap and additional carrying handles on the short sides. The latter make it easier to carry the piano up and down stairs or ramps.

Estimate Dimensions Correctly: Padding

Even if the measurements indicate that the instrument will fit perfectly in the bag, you cannot be 100% certain that it will. When in doubt, it is better to use a slightly larger bag and to include additional padding if required for safe storage.

You’ll inexpensively find the latter in the studio: simply cut acoustic foam panels into the required size to fill the space next to the instrument. Just keep in mind that the instrument needs to be well protected while still leaving enough room for the power supply, pedals, music stand, etc.

Stage Piano Case: Dimensions and Quality

Whether it’s a hard case or a flexible bag, it must first and foremost fit your instrument. Many manufacturers offer stage piano cases that are perfectly tailored to their instruments – but these are rarely flight cases. Korg offers hard-shell cases for their two stage piano models Grandstage 73 and Grandstage 88. A good solution: The case is designed to fit the instrument perfectly, offers space for a music stand and sustain pedal, and is lightweight thanks to its plastic construction. It has built-in wheels, solid butterfly latches, sturdy handles, and it even looks quite fashionable. This case is priced at around 400 Euros.

Hard Cases for Stage Pianos: Sturdy and Lightweight

Hard cases are a good compromise if you plan to transport your instrument yourself and want to keep the weight to a minimum. But while a lightweight plastic shell saves weight, it comes at a price. If the weight of the flight case is not a major concern, you may want to consider saving your money: Custom-made wooden flight cases usually cost considerably less than hard cases. But again, it depends on the features you are looking for. Instead of super-strong butterfly latches, you can opt for tension latches. Further, some case manufacturers and music stores also offer custom wooden flight cases made from thinner, lighter materials.

Soft Cases for Stage Pianos: A Good Compromise

Soft cases are lightweight, flexible, yet sturdy. They are often referred to as gig bags, which can be a bit misleading, as soft cases are generally more stable than simple keyboard bags. In addition, these cases have a lightweight and flexible plastic material on the outside. As a result, a soft case is not nearly as soft as a keyboard case and holds its shape better. This makes it easier to pack and unpack the instrument, and the soft case offers good protection – almost like a real case. Soft cases are ideal for transporting your instrument in your own car or on public transportation. However, a stage piano in a soft case should also be able to survive a trip in a band bus.

An example is this soft case for the Nord Electro HP, which costs about 200 euros. Quality comes at a price, meaning this case is truly well-equipped and well-made.

A Stage Piano Case or a Bag with Wheels?

A flight case with wheels is a good choice, especially because of the size and often the weight of a stage piano. Cases with wheels are available as hard cases, soft cases, or gig bags. A soft case with wheels saves weight while still providing stability for heavier stage pianos.

Added Value: Use Your Flight Case as a Table

When purchasing a case for your stage piano, you should at least consider this option. Does your stage setup consist of multiple components such as a laptop, mixer, effects, synths, and the like? Then it makes sense to buy a flight case, even if you don’t really need a hard case. Lightweight flight cases already serve this purpose well. However, to place the empty case at a right angle to the piano, you may want to purchase a second keyboard stand as well.

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