Gig Bag Needs A Re-design
"First, please note that I love my Traveler Ultralight Bass -- it has gone with me from the US to Europe three times and driven all over New England and eastern Canada. The gig bag, however, should be re-designed to incorporate a suitable amount of padding at the lower end -- the part most likely to suffer from routine handling or a drop. The fact that the 1/4" jack sticks out from the guitar body makes it extra vulnerable AND puts concentrated stress on the bag zipper from the inside. That's exactly what happened to mine after a few years: the spot where the jack contacts the zipper led to separation of the stitching, and at some point a drop left the jack bent, but functional. If I were in charge* I'd change it so the zipper doesn't extend all the way around the bottom. The gig bag doesn't really *need* to open fully flat to place the guitar in it properly. Instead, I'd replace that section of zipper with a narrow rectangular panel, with an exterior rubber scuff plate, and incorporate some dense foam (with a cutout to accommodate the jack) in the interior. Yes, it would be more expensive to manufacture. Yes, it would be about a half-inch longer. Yes, it's a gig bag, not a road case. But I think the enhanced protection would well worth the cost. And of course I'm happy to be a Beta Tester for any re-design 😉. Rock On, Travelers. Cordially, Mark Madonna *(my wife reminds me that I'm not)"
