Check out the Gruv Gear GigBlade Sliver Gig Bag, and see if we think it’s road-worthy.
Protection for instruments in gig bags usually means big and bulky padding, which kind of defeats the reasoning of a gig bag. Gruv Gear’s latest offering, The GigBlade Sliver, is hyper-thin, with top-quality protection.
The exterior is waterproof 1680D nylon, which is usually found in more expensive luggage, while the inner material is an orange faux fur that has a soft microfiber-ish feel to it. The overall construction is excellent, with well-made zippers, that are deeply stitched in, and have bright orange zipper pulls, which make finding the zippers in a dark club much easier! The interior padding is over a 1.5” thick, and has a dense interlocking brace that feels like two interlocking “L” shapes, preventing side-to-side movement of the neck. We tried it out with some Fender and PRS guitars and they fit in snugly with no space issues, no feel of sliding around inside. On the bottom edges, there are two rubber panels that can prevent an instrument placed against the wall from sliding down, while you yell, “No, no, no, no, no!” like Cleveland Brown on Family Guy!
There are plenty of storage compartments – at the headstock, a small storage area that’s perfect for clip on tuners, capos, etc. It’s also a great place to stash a wallet, or a phone during a set. When traveling, a passport and ID could easily fit in there, and be easy to grab. The front has a long pocket that runs the length, and is meant for an instrument’s strap, while the lower section is large enough for a full-size notebook, or large tablet. Along the spine there is another pocket that’s meant for cables storage. Depending upon how tightly you coil your cables, as well as cable length, might be a factor in the practical use of this. Our 18’ monster cable had a tough time finding a home in here, but our 10’ cables fit in nicely with spare room for a couple of packs of spare strings.
With multiple D rings on the exterior, clipping on the well-padded matching strap gives the option of wearing it like a messenger bag, or on the shoulder. Gruv Gear offers extra straps, and with a second strap, it could easily be worn as a backpack, too.
Overall, it’s a well-made, well thought out gig bag that certainly has thought of the player on the go. The only complaint is very nit-picky; since it’s so thin, the spine and front pockets aren’t deep enough for large accessories. But cramming a stomp box into a gig bag is an opportunity for an “in bag collision” anyway.
The street price is $150, and considering the construction, design, lightweight nature, and features, it can easily be your next “go to” gig bag that’s still reasonably priced. The cost of a well-made case is always cheaper than a trip to the repair shop.
PROS:
Great construction, excellent materials, thin, plenty of protection.
CONS:
Spine and front pockets are slightly shallow.
PRICE:
