I purchased this case for my Johnson banjo and was very disappointed that it did not fit. It was tight to get it in there to start, but that didn't bother me at first; the tighter the fit, the less the banjo shifts and the less chance for damage. Great. Then I tried to close it. The top of the case would not close, so I pulled out the peg cushion from the top of the case. This came close, but the top still would not close; perhaps I could have forced it closed, but I'm not willing to risk harming my instrument. I am going to trade it in for the TKL (more expensive--big surprise) and keep my fingers crossed.

I bought this case to replace my old wornout Fender case that was falling apart. This is a well-made case that cradles my 1968 Fender Artist banjo. It really fits like a glove. The inner compartment has loads of room and the outer clasps are really solid. The handle is great, too -- nice real leather. And the cushions for the peghead were an added bonus. At the price, it certainly is a bargain. I would recommend this to anyone who wants excellent storage/protection at an unbelieveably low price.

This is a review of the Guardian "Musicians Gear Vintage Archtop Banjo Case" I purchased on sale around August of 2008. The description given on the product page is consistent with my case: The case itself appears to be about ¼” thick wood which is then covered in a black vinyl material with the arched top stitched in white. The inside is heavily padded and lined in crushed green velvet with a “padding sandwich” for the peghead and two neck braces with a large accessory compartment in the middle. There are five latches (one that locks and comes with 2 keys) and two hinges that appear to be of pretty good quality and that are riveted to the case (the hinges have 2 screws securing it to the top, and 2 rivets to the bottom). There are also 6 brass feet attached to protect the case when you sit it down (4 on the bottom side of the lower bout and 2 on the long side of the case). The handle is thicker than some cases, but is covered in what appears to be genuine leather. The attachment points for the handle are the only things that look like they may need to be monitored as they are not as sturdy looking as the rest of the components. They are still holding up and show no signs of problems, but this is an area that I would keep an eye on. At the time of purchase, I was looking for an inexpensive but protective case that would house a Recording King RK-R20 banjo that I own. This case fit the bill so well; I had to write a review about it. Keep in mind, however, that this review takes into account the low cost I paid for the case. With that said, it isn't made with quite the same fit and finish as a TKL case but, then again, I didn't pay that kind of money for it either. My only complaint about the case is that the top was stuck due to some glue seepage and had been closed without sufficient drying time. Had I taken a little time with it, it may not have been a problem, but I pulled it open and this resulted in a small tear (1") in the “Tolex?” covering on the top edge of the case. I’ve since repaired it, but it speaks a little for the speed of manufacturing and quality of the workmanship. Other than that, I wouldn’t have any problems using this case to protect more expensive banjos as it seems to do a great job under average use. I would highly recommend it as an inexpensive alternative to more costly cases. Again, it’s not a TKL, but it does a pretty good job of imitating one.

Case is well padded and will protect your instrument. The handle although seems strong is my only complaint.

I bought this case to house my Fender FB-58. I will tell you, it is very snug at first. I was afraid it wasn't deep enough. But because it has the arched case, after a night of being snuggled in, the case closes easier now, and it feels and looks very secure. The handle is soft and I like the gold accents. This was a good buy for my banjo.