Replacing handle on 70’s Guild case for my G-37?

[Rambozo96]

As the title suggests on the original case for my ‘77 G-37 the handle is completely gone. The brass hardware that attaches to the case is there but the handle itself is entirely gone. From what I see this looks to be a common thing on old 70’s Guild cases. It’s too structurally sound to just throw away but I’m also tired of having to manhandle the case every time I want to use my G-37

 

[Wilmywood]

Not that you asked about a replacement, but just in case, after trying a few different cases, I finally found a Silver Creek that fits my '72 G37 and my other two Guild Dreads like a glove - AND they are 15% off at the moment from Musician's Friend ... Also FYI I tried a Guild case and another from Sweetwater, I think a TKL, that were much too loose for my taste.

Silver Creek Vintage Dreadnought Archtop Case

Get the guaranteed best price on Cases for Acoustic Guitars like the Silver Creek Vintage Dreadnought Archtop Case at Musician's Friend. Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items.

www.musiciansfriend.com

 

[fronobulax]

Mrs. Fro's Mk IV as delivered. Note the improvised handle woven from cord in the lower left. Not pretty but it works. The previous owner had retired from the Marine Corps and that was a handle solution that worked and was cost effective,



They are harder and harder to find but a luggage repair shop should be able to install a new handle.

 

[Rad]

I have used this place a number of times for replacement latches and handles. They have split rivets also for very easy yet solid installations.

link
Sheehan

screen shot

 

[6L6]

If you want to up the protection for your G37, get a Hiscox PRO II case. All of my acoustics live in one and they have proven themselves over many years of international travel with zero problems. You can order direct from the factory in Manchester, UK. I just ordered another PRO II in dreadnaught size a few weeks ago. It was $289.00 total delivered to my home in the San Francisco Bay Area. It arrived in just three days via DHL. Not even a mark on the perfectly packed box!

HISCOX CASES | MADE IN THE UK

The renowned quality of our cases, have protected musicians' instruments worldwide for over 35 years. Our popularity is testament to our passion for quality.

hiscoxcases.com

 

[Wilmywood]

If you want to up the protection for your G37, get a Hiscox PRO II case. All of my acoustics live in one and they have proven themselves over many years of international travel with zero problems. You can order direct from the factory in Manchester, UK. I just ordered another PRO II in dreadnaught size a few weeks ago. It was $289.00 total delivered to my home in the San Francisco Bay Area. It arrived in just three days via DHL. Not even a mark on the perfectly packed box!

HISCOX CASES | MADE IN THE UK

The renowned quality of our cases, have protected musicians' instruments worldwide for over 35 years. Our popularity is testament to our passion for quality.

hiscoxcases.com

Thanks, but I priced them when I was looking. Would have been some $1200 delivered is what they told me, half of which was the freight. Of course, that was at the height of the pandemic and freight costs were in flux at that time, and the fit would not have been as good as the Silver Creek from the stats they sent me.

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

I have 3 Silver Creek hard Cases.
They are all great fitting and well made cases.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

If you don't want to do it yourself, any luggage repair shop can install a new heavy duty handle.

 

[AcornHouse]

As you can see in the above link, there are a multitude or replacement handles available. No need for a new case.

 

[Wilmywood]

As you can see in the above link, there are a multitude or replacement handles available. No need for a new case.

That all depends on what the owner does with it. After 49 years the foam padding in any guitar case has had it. If that guitar is taken anywhere outside the house even a good gig bag would be better protection for it, IMO. The foam in the Guild case for my '72 G-37 is toast and that's why I bought a Silver Creek to replace it. It was so shrunk the guitar would bounce around in it. I reused the case by adding some padding in certain spots to protect my 1965 Harmony Broadway. As an aside, the handle on that case had broken with 5 or 6 years of new and I have used nylon wire ty wraps on it ever since.

 

[fronobulax]

That all depends on what the owner does with it. After 49 years the foam padding in any guitar case has had it. If that guitar is taken anywhere outside the house even a good gig bag would be better protection for it, IMO. The foam in the Guild case for my '72 G-37 is toast and that's why I bought a Silver Creek to replace it. It was so shrunk the guitar would bounce around in it. I reused the case by adding some padding in certain spots to protect my 1965 Harmony Broadway. As an aside, the handle on that case had broken with 5 or 6 years of new and I have used nylon wire ty wraps on it ever since.

Fair point but I've got two half century old cases that have no foam deterioration that I can tell and the instruments fit as well as they always have, so the experience might not generalize.

 

[chazmo]

I have used this place a number of times for replacement latches and handles. They have split rivets also for very easy yet solid installations.

link
Sheehan

screen shot

This is a great link, Rad. Thanks for posting it. Why do they call the leather strap handles "emergency?" I used a similar one for 20 years on one of my trumpet cases. Of course, that case originally came with a plastic handle and big, rectangular metal hooks which lent themselves to the "emergency" style handle.

 

[GuildFS4612CE]

This is a great link, Rad. Thanks for posting it. Why do they call the leather strap handles "emergency?" I used a similar one for 20 years on one of my trumpet cases. Of course, that case originally came with a plastic handle and big, rectangular metal hooks which lent themselves to the "emergency" style handle.

My first guess from the incomplete pic is that they buckle on to the existing hardware and don't require tools or added hardware.

 

[chazmo]

That's kind of what I was thinking too, Jane. For my old trumpet case, it was a far better replacement than the original, so the "emergency" part of it just seems off.

 

[MLBob]

When the original handle on the Guild case for my '85 D-46 cracked off at the attachment, I purchased this leather replacement handle on the Deering Banjo Company website. Had buckles that merely needed to be slipped thrpough the original attachment hardware and fastened. Worked great for me, and the handle has been on the case for about 5 years now. No issues. I think I paid $16 for it.