Top 9 Best-Selling Violin Cases

We have broken down our best violin cases into 2 budget categories:

1. Violin cases under $300 (student / budget-friendly cases)

2. Violin cases over $300 (professional / high-end cases)

Keep in mind that we’re recommending the best violin cases we can find within each budget category.

We’re not suggesting that a $250 case is as good as an $800 case simply because it sells more and has higher reviews.

In general, affordable cases will sell more because there are more students than professionals.

Price: $264, weight 5 lbs.

Pros

• The case only weighs 5 lbs.
• Unique reflective strips to reflect off car lights at night.
• Padded backpack straps and music pouch for carrying comfort.
• Retractable backpack straps so can hide the straps if you decide to carry the case by its handle.
• Spacious sheet music pouch.
• Protective suspension system.
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Cons

• Pocket for shoulder rest is a little small. The fit is a bit tight.
• Can only hold 2 bows.

Price: starting at $289, weight 3.5 lbs.

Pros

• Only 3.5 lbs!
• Unique tech-leather exterior fabric.
• Water-resistant synthetic leather.
• Space under violin for shoulder rest & accessories.
• Temperature-resistant hard foam shells.

Cons

• Interior is too simple.
• Shoulder straps are not padded (but the case is so light, the straps won't dig into your shoulders).

Price: starting at $329, weight 5.7-6.8 lbs.

Pros

• Traditional looking case with modern protection
• Bam's signature plush foam protection (like a Tempur-Pedic mattress for your violin).
• Zippered & removable accessory pouches.
• Nicely padded shoulder straps.
• Temperature-resistant hard foam shells.
• Zippered pouch for sheet music on the backside (so the case doesn't become top-heavy with too much sheet music).

Cons

• Exterior pouch on contoured case for shoulder rest can only fit Kun-style shoulder rest.
• Oblong case is slightly heavier at 6.8 lbs.

Price: starting at $179, weight 9 lbs.

Pros

• Tough fiberglass protection. As protective as $500+ cases.
• Exterior travel pouch included as free gift!
• Several colors to choose from.
• Plush velvet interior.
• Protective suspension system.

Cons

• Heavier case. Weighing 9 lbs.
• Comes with only 1 shoulder strap. Backpack straps sold separately.

Price: starting at $238, weight 4 - 5.3 lbs.

Pros

• Most protective cases around $300.
• Scratch-resistant polycarbonate shells.
• Adjustable neck support to fit 3/4 and 4/4 violins.
• Gewa’s patented swivel bow holders. These bow holders are very durable. You don’t have to worry about your bow falling on your violin because of loose bow holders.
• Removable accessory pouch.
• Protective suspension system. The suspension “suspends” your violin, so that the instrument doesn’t touch the case. If you dropped the case, the violin will not feel the impact.

Cons

• Some violinists with full-size violins don’t want an adjustable neck support.
• No velcro strap for a shoulder rest in the contoured case.
• Only 4 colors available (at the time of writing this article).

Price: starting at $499, weight 3.5 lbs.

Pros

• Only 3.5 lbs!
• Extremely tough & durable thermoplastic shells.
• German-engineered protection.
• Subway handle included.
• Numerical locks (don't have to worry about losing your key).
• Much more temperature-resistant than metallic cases.
• Padded shoulder straps for extra carrying comfort.
• Several elegant colors to choose from.
• Velcro rings for shoulder rest.

Cons

• Velcro rings for shoulder rest takes some getting used to. Some violinists prefer the traditional velco strap near the edge of the case.

Price: starting at $674, weight 2.6 - 5.3 lbs.

Pros

• Extremely lightweight cases.
• Extremely tough & durable Hightech shells (Bam's own patented design).
• Several colors & styles to choose from.
• Subway handles.
• Numerical locks.
• Much more temperature-resistant than metallic cases (these aren't metal cases, they just have metallic looking exteriors).
• Padded shoulder straps for extra carrying comfort.

Cons

• Definitely more on the expensive side.
• Many styles may be out of stock. Please double check with us!

Price: starting at $620, weight 4.2 lbs.

Pros

• Extra layer of genuine leather on the top shells
• Extremely tough & durable thermoplastic shells.
• German-engineered protection.
• Numerical locks (don't have to worry about losing your key).
• Much more temperature-resistant than metallic cases.
• Padded shoulder straps for extra carrying comfort.
• Velcro rings for shoulder rest.
• Leather handles

Cons

• Only 4 color choices.

Price: starting at $892, weight 3.5 lbs.

Pros

• Only 3.5 lbs!
• Extremely tough & durable polycarbonate shells (probably the strongest cases in the world).
• Futuristic looking design.
• Subway handles.
• Polycarbonate key locks.
• Much more temperature-resistant than metallic cases.
• Padded shoulder straps for extra carrying comfort.

Cons

• Definitely more on the expensive side.
• Not very many colors to choose at this time.

Now that we’ve taken a look at some of the best violin cases we have, which one is right for you?

Weight, protection, or durability? If you were working with a budget and you had to choose 2 out of the 3 qualities, which 2 would it be?

On the other hand, if you do have the budget you could have all 3 important qualities of a violin case. Now it’s just a matter of style and personal preference.

Do you travel a lot? Do you live somewhere humid? Do you have a large shoulder rest? Do you need space for sheet music? Is this case for an elementary school student or a professional orchestral violinist? Is it a gift?

Being the only site dedicated to instrument cases, we know a thing or 2 about violin cases.

Browse around our site. Chat with us. Call us. Email us. We're here to help you, or your loved one, find the perfect case.

Read on to learn more about what makes a great violin case....great!

1. Lightweight

2. Protective

3. Durable

4. Functional

5. Stylish

What is lightweight for a violin case? Any case under 5 lb. If it gets under 4.4 lb, that’s impressive.

Weight is probably the biggest factor when it comes to determining the price of a case. For many of the top case brands in the world, such as Bam violin cases or Gewa violin cases, the goal is to engineer the most durable and protective cases without sacrificing weight.

This is not easy! Which is why the engineering and manufacturing process of these lightweight cases can be pricey.

Great protection is a must. Why spend money on an un-protective case? Protection is determined by the type of material used, and the brand behind the case.

Did you know a $100 plywood violin case is often times more protective than a $150 fiberglass case? That’s because cheaper processes are used to keep the cost of a fiberglass case below $150.

A company can be using paper thin fiberglass and still call it a fiberglass violin case. Which is why the brand that ensures the quality of their fiberglass cases is a really important factor.

Check out our post on fiberglass violin cases to learn more.

A durable violin case can last you for decades, making it a worthy investment.

The biggest issue we see with durability is not the case, but all the small components that are on the case.

A great case with cheap plastic zippers will still need to be completely replaced if those zippers wear out within the first year.

Again, the brand determines the quality of workmanship and materials used to build the case.

This is where things get personal. Now every violinist obviously wants a light, durable, and protective case. But functionality can vary from one violinist to the next.

Here’s a list of some of the functionalities a case can have?

1. Spacious accessory pocket - often times for larger shoulder rests, tuners, cleaners, etc. You’ll usually find these with oblong violin cases.

2. Zippered music pouches - some cases have full-zippered pouches on top of the case for sheet music. Some of the more modern cases have smaller sheet music pouches on the backside.

3. Combination locks or key locks - Some cases feature number locks instead of key locks. This is good for musicians who want to lock up their cases and not have to worry about forgetting their keys.

4. Hygrometers - You’ll generally find these with more traditional wooden cases. If the case doesn’t have a hygrometer, no worries. Digital hygrometers are fairly easy to find. Here’s an article that goes into further detail on violin case hygrometers.

5. Zippers or clasps - You’ll generally find zippers on traditional wooden cases, and clasps on more modern cases.

6. Removable accessory pouches - This feature has been growing in popularity. The pouch is usually secured to the case by velcro. Which means you can take the whole pouch out of your case and bring it with you to your music stand, keeping all your accessories in one place. This is very useful for orchestral musicians who do not want to run back and forth between their stand and their case for accessories.

This is what makes a violin case stand out! Some violinists will prefer the look of a genuine leather violin case over the standard black canvas cases that can get lost in a sea of black cases.

Now that we understand the aspects of a great violin case, let’s dive into some of the reasons that people need a new violin case.

This is one of the most common answers we get. Traveling musicians need a case that’ll meet airline regulations, and able to withstand the harsh temperature changes that can happen during travels.

Violinists generally go for slim contoured violin cases that don’t attract too much attention when it comes to boarding a plane. The last thing we want is to check-in our violin cases under the plane.

Check out our post on the top violin cases for travel.

Violin cases can get pretty heavy. And over time, they can really start weighing down on the shoulders.

This can be a problem for young students if they’re used to carrying heavy cases. This can put a lot of stress on one side of the body, causing issues with posture over time.

This is when violinists will prioritize weight over protection.

Family members know how passionate their loved ones are for music.

A case is a great gift because it’s something that violinists will definitely love. It’s personal, it’s something that can be used everyday, and it’s usually a luxury that violinists won’t think of getting for themselves.

People who buy cases as a gift generally go for something nicer, a little more stylish.

A case that’ll make the violinist go “wow” when they open the box.

And last but not least, sometimes a violinist needs a new case because their old one is simply falling apart.

For these violinists, we generally recommend thinking of everything that was wrong with the old case, and what you would want different in your new case.

Was the old case too heavy? Were the zippers too flimsy, and possibly the reason why you need a new case?

Or did you simply get a nicer violin that deserves a nicer case?

Now that we understand the aspects of a great violin case and some of the top reasons for buying a new violin case, it’s time to consider your ideal violin case that will fit your budget and your needs.