OK, I'm very. very close to getting my stick!
AND I did not order a gig bag… in fact, I didn't order any kind of bag.
Hassle me if you ant but it comes down to this - well first, I don't need a flight case, check.
More importantly: the stick gig bags: Some of you like them, some of you don't (previous threads!!) … I'm sure I'd like it just fine, except I don't want a bag that says STICK right on the outside. I mean, I'd love to spread the Chapman goodness all around town but I play in a lot of not-so-nice areas here in DC, between shows and practices, and I just can't imagine having to tote around my $2800 some-odd instrument in such an obvious bag… I prefer to remain discreet lol. When they see it on-stage the eyes will widen.

SO, I need some help here. I know some of you have mentioned gun bags as an option for carrying the stick… can I get specific models? maybe an amazon link? Any other kind of bag? I don't have the stick in hand yet so I can't do any measurements. If you're out there and you have something that works, let me know!!

Another option - I have a Mono M80 dual bass gig bag, the best piece of non-instrumental gear in my entire collection! What exactly is the depth of the stick WITH the belt hook? I haven't seen such info anywhere… I'd like to know if the stick might fit!! Because as far i know you're supposed to keep the belt hook on wen storing the stick…? This could be something I've always just incorrectly assumed lol.

This isn't a thread about the merits of gig bags or not… I'm on the gig bag side, but I'm looking for an alternative that is less pretty and inviting to sticky fingers than that the official bag!!! Let me know what you use!!!!!!

I put in a few years playing rock guitar around DC in the 70s - the old 14th Street strip and Georgetown mostly and I do get where you're coming from. But as far as someone guessing what's in your bag and trying to snatch it - I'd bet more people heard of (and might want) a gun - than heard of (and knew what to do with) a Chapman Stick. Just sayin...

Maybe you could get a Stick gig bag and velcro a radioactive biohazard symbol over the Stick logo. Walking around late at night with a gun case in DC these days doesn't strike me as a good idea. W/a guitar bag people are gonna want to steal your "guitar". It's gonna be hard to beat a regular Stick bag on lotsa levels. Of the 3 times in my life that I had gear stolen,once someone smashed my car window and stole a guitar that shoulda had a blanket over it and two other times 3 years apart I had gear(a Marshall amp and a 55 Telecaster)swiped right off the stage. Play long enough and that'll prolly happen at least once no matter what you do. Insure your gear if you can afford it. My 2¢

Michael is thoroughly correct.

When I got my newer Stick a few years back, I found it would not fit in my old 80's wooden case. The newer ones with the x-fret and newer bridge are a bit longer. SE was out of gig bags at the time so I went to a "national chain store that sells almost everything" and bought a rifle case for $20. The brand name is Allen, I think. It works pretty well, though you do get the occasional wise crack from other musicians. I think it protects the Stick well, balances the instrument nicely on your shoulder so you don't have to worry about it falling off if you are carrying other stuff and has lots of extra pockets, I assume for ammo and such, that can also hold cables, tuners, your belt, and extra strings.
So far no police officers have asked to see what is in the bag. But I live in Erie, PA not Washington, D.C.

The bag I purchased is about 49 inches long end to end, outside measurement. If you go this route I would borrow a tape measure from the hardware department to make sure you get one that is long enough. There do seem to be several sizes to choose from.

Best of luck. With the bag and with your Stick when it comes. I, myself, have an SG12 coming sometime in the near future and will need to pick up a bag for a crossbow or maybe a sawed-off-shotgun to match my other case.

Hope it was helpful,
Mike

haha yeah I mean when I said "gun bag" I guess I should have specified (thought I did) that it doesn't HAVE to be a gun bag, just that that was an example of something I'd heard people had used. Gun bags aren't always shaped like guns soooo…

I was just trying to ask what alternatives people have used for gig bags without getting into a conversation about why I should use the chapman bag, but i guess that's impossible

A similar topic came up in the Classifieds a month ago, wherein I linked to a rifle case which might work. Be sure to verify your measurements.