Etherwave Pro Molded Case

[Don]

As everyone knows, the Etherwave Pro was supposed to be available last March. Moog kept delaying and delaying it, only finally releasing it after rasing the price by an astonishing 50%.

So I ordered when it was "available" and waited, and waited. Finally, I discovered a store that had one in stock. I ordered it. It really is beautiful.

I had also initially ordered, through Moog, the (still unannounced, but described in the typo-filled manual) molded road case for the Pro. I ordered one through the same store where I got my Pro.

Well, it arrived today, and the first thing I noticed was that it was big. I mean BIG! Why, i wondered, was it so much bigger than the shipping carton in which the Pro arrived. When opened, the case was filled with covered foam and with some cut-outs, some of which had nothing to do with the Pro. And then it became obvious.

The molded road case for the Etherwave Pro is not for the Pro at all! It's actually for the Minimoog Voyager. It is jury-rigged with extra foam so it will work for the Pro.

So if you want a lightweight but very sturdy case for your Etherwave Pro, with a little "Moog" insignia and hardware of questionable quality (one of my latches is loose, and the hinges are not piano hinges), and you want it to be 30%-50% bigger than it needs to be, this is the case for you.

Frankly, if I had known this before I purchased it I would not have done so. Instead, I would have custom-ordered a case and used the foam that came in the shipping carton. It wouldn't have been much more expensive, would have been much smaller, and would have better hardware.

Caveat Emptor.

[shadowing]

I fell for it, too. The original molded foam in which the Etherwave Pro shipped was about as compact and efficient as you could make it. I figured, "I need SOMETHING to carry the Pro around in" so I ordered the road case. Waited months for it and when it arrived I was stunned -- the thing was the size of a barn door. I almost sent it back, but the original problem remained -- how to transport the thing.

Sitting loose in the bottom of the box it shipped in was a small metal piece that had fallen off from SOMEWHERE, but I've never been able to match or fit it back on to anything.

It's a tremendous waste of space. I would never have guessed that it was really just a re-fitted case for another product. And I agree that the hardware on it doesn't seem to be really heavy duty.

If I'd been a little more resourceful, maybe I would have done what I thought of a day ago: just go to a sporting goods store for a nylon zipper duffle-type bag. Bring the foam with me and find the tightest fit, then for about $40.00, I've got a compact carrying case.

AND NOW, have you seen?... they're offering a soft Gig Bag for The Pro, much like the one for the standard Etherwave. While it may not offer quite the same armored protection, it uses the foam the Pro shipped in and it's a pefectly tight fit! AND it's on sale for $95.00!

But here I sit, already out the money I spent on the road case. I'm seriously considering calling the good folks at Moog Music and trying to make an exchange. I honestly believe we were, however unintentionally, mislead by the road case offer since they had to have known they were going to offer a soft case.

[shadowing]

Hi:

Just a quick addition to my first reply -- I have successfully spoken with the folks at Moog Music and arranged an exchange of the Road Case for the Gig Bag. (I was unable to fit the Road Case into my tiny car!)

They were great about it. Although I lose a little money since I had to pay to ship the gigantic Road Case back again, I'm going to be much happier with the compact Gig Bag.

While it's not my intention to start a snowball effect, I thought I'd mention this since, given the way you felt about the Road Case, an exchange may be an option.

[poowhiskey]

Yeah,
That's why I made my own box and it is so friggin sweet! It's got felt and it's all stained and fancy. And it cost me like a hundred bucks! Sweet!