Violin Case (BK-4030)

Very good violin case for the money. Looks and feels "plush." The only issue I've had was deciding how to store my Kuhn shoulder rest. The two storage areas are roomy, but not quite roomy enough for the Kuhn. However, my shoulder rest fits securely under the neck and scroll of the violin, which are held very securely above the bottom of the violin case. This is possible because of the design of the inside of the case, where the violin is carefully suspended, and then covered by a matching silk cloth. I feel like my violin is well protected. As for the four bow holders, frankly, I don't know that I will ever have four bows! But who knows?I've had the case for about six months now and have been very happy with it.

My criteria: I wanted an extra case that was well-designed, sturdy, safe for the instrument, not-too-heavy, compact, and held four bows.While I agree with other reviewers that this is a good case for the money, its immediate virtue seems only to be its visual similarity to that much (much) more expensive brand, whose name I won't speak...The quality of the case, however, is par for the price range, which is good, but certainly not exceptional.The case's angling of the violin allows for two sizeable pockets, and although the total storage is probably a tad less than the semi-French style with full storage on either side of the scroll, this arrangement allows for a larger single pocket on the ons side of the scroll. The zippered music pocket is generously sized---very good. As for the case's weight, it is moderate.The curved ends of the case result in the case being about an inch longer than the more compact rectangular cases, but then this has a slightly smaller "look", important when passing airline carry-on scrutiny. And although the extra inch might be an issue on the tighter overhead bins, the curved sides might help it slip in at an angle better than a rectangular case.The padding for the violin is of the suspension sort, as are almost all good cases these days. But I was impressed by this case because the neck is held high, so that the scroll does not touch the bottom of the case and the strings remain almost parallel to the top of the case. This means that the violin is suspended by two points, the end of the violin and the neck, and the belly is untouched.The arrangement with the bows is less successful, and is my one serious criticism. As as result of the curved ends, the (pretty useless) decorative rope lining, and the case's rather narrow profile, the bows are quite close together---so close, indeed, that if you use all four bow spinners (as I do) it creates two problems. One is that the two bows on top MUST go hair up, because there's not enough clearance for the top-most one to go stick up, and the second bow is then also forced to be the same. This is a problem because of bow spinner's tendency to catch the hair when the hair, rather than the stick, rests on it. Happily, the bow spinners on this case are not bad, and don't catch the hair easily, but nonetheless it's a silly flaw.The other problem with the bows is that each pair is so close together that---depending on the bows---they hit against each other when you put them in or out. For example, I have a bow with whalebone winding on the bottom, and must first remove it in order to remove the bow above it. If the lower bow had thin silver or silk winding, it might have cleared. (On the very bottom, one can ease the crampness by removing the strings tube if you don't use it.) Finally, the clearance left-right is tight enough that the act of putting or removing bows is fussier than more "normal" cases.I wish more thought had gone into the bow arrangement, and aesthically I wish it were more "honest" (could do without the fake wood!). But overall, a good case.

Absolutely unacceptable condition upon arrival. Wooden plastic accents inside look cheap. The inner velvet-like material is pretty, but doesn’t save the case.

This case is as advertised. Absolutely beautiful. It holds the violin REALLY securely (a bit more than I expected). Seriously, the violin is not moving at all. I'm sure it will loosen up a little as it gets broken in. It is a lot lighter than my old case. It's also a bit narrower so it won't really hold original sheet music - if you expect to zip up the outer pocket. The subway handle is great, and it has a lot of connection points so that the case's exterior won't wear quickly. I live in a very dry climate, so I also purchased a Bobelock Humidistat (with bracket)for something like $11 and installed it where the case holds the neck of the violin. It fits perfectly there. The interior storage is more than adequate. There is no wasted space. All of my accessories fit with room to spare. The key for the lock is a little tricky at first, but it works fine once you get the hang of it. Also, the thermometer is in degrees Celsius, so you may want to brush up on your metric system. I spent nearly two years looking for the perfect case in my price range, and I am confident that this is the best option out there by far.

I like the APPEARANCE of this case. The olive and gold are lovely. The fake wood trim accents look appealing at first glance. The gold tone screws and buckles contrast well. It’s a good design: I like that the outside cover closes with magnetic snaps, that a wolf shoulder rest fits inside just fine and it’s relatively lightweight. But upon just a little closer inspection, it’s clearly a poorly made case with plastic appointments, glued on ornamental roping, a spongy synthetic feel to the “velvet” and little prospect for durability. The zip area for music is too tight to be able to hold more than a couple sheets. The shoulder straps are thin and uncomfortable and the hardware is flimsy. The metal rivets are poorly attached and I suspect won’t last more than a year or two. I “auditioned” this case along with the similarly priced Bobelock and Gewa. While all three offer the same design features, there is no comparison in durability and quality of materials. I chose the Bobelock because the Gewa was too tight a squeeze for my instrument but both use far superior materials and workmanship. I highly recommend that you look at other cases in this price range before settling on the Baker Street. I have a fine antique violin and would not trust the Baker Street to protect it.

I like the color and materials used, unfortunately it came with seams already coming apart so we sent it back and bought one from a local store.