Cronkhite the Ultimate Gig Bag and Why

Slidebone

For those of you who are not familiar with "Cronkhite Custom Gig Bags" a brief history will reveal why these are "Simply the Best and Ultimate Gig Bags" !

Approximately 20 years ago Glenn Cronkhite partnered with Michael Snead to establish the famous Reunion Blues. Located in San Francisco,
this company manufactured top line gig bags that where known throughout the world.

GC designed and retains rights to all the paterns of his gig bags !!
As an active musician he knew what it was like for a musician to protect his or her lively hood. He made sure that all of this bags from flute to harp where THE BEST !!! No ifs, ands or buts.

Well like so many business in "corporate America" these gentlemen parted ways. Reunion Blues is now mfg in China while Cronkhite Bags are made in Berkeley, California.

Why are Cronkhite Bags the best and Ultimate ?

Simple. Glenn is the "man" behind each bag. He overseas everything.
He and a team of former RB employees manufacture the bags.
No stone goes unturned.

Glenn makes sure all of his materials that are used in each bag are of the highest quality !!!!

Leather is of the highest quality. Strong, Supple and Gorgeous.
Glenn purchases the best hides. When a bag is finished it looks
outstanding !!!
Cordura is the finest and strongest fabric used. Lighter than leather, this material will with stand millions of miles. As well when a cordura bag is finished it looks just as great as leather.

Many colors to choose: Leather: Black, Dark Chocolate Brown, Medium Brown, Light Brown, Cinnamon Brown, Burgundy, Red, Green

Cordura: Black, Brown, Burgundy, Blue, Gray, Green, Red

Foam.... From what Glenn tells me this is not a cheap material. He buys only top notch high density foam.

Lining... soft and durable to withstand and not harm the finish of one's instrument.

Zippers, D rings, Rivets and Snaps are all high end. Glenn has been dealing with luggage manufactures for years and gets all the best hardware.

Everything about a Cronkhite Bag is top notch. From the stiching to the shoulder straps, each bag is meticously crafted.

Custom inquires are more than welcomed.

Glenn won't settle for anything but the best.

Many manufactures have copied the Cronkhite design. Alot of the copied bags do not offer the same protection resulting in damage and a repairman's salary.

A Cronkhite or RB ( San Fran) owner has a bag for life.
Any of these bags can be reconditioned and repaired.. e.g. zippers, lining, fabric, etc...

Cronkhite Bags are internationally known. Glenn made tons bags for
Giardinelli and Manny's when they where in NYC as well as other dealers.

One evening Glenn's son was watching "For Love of Country", the Arturo Sandoval Story. Glenn son called out .... "Dad there's a guy carrying your case" It was Andy Garcia portraying Arturo. Slung over his shoulder was a RB single trumpet bag.

Cronkhite Custom Cases is a "Mom & Pop" business.

IMHO this is the best.

Personal, Service, Quality, Committment, and Loyalty.

So if its a gig bag you are interested in put your faith and confidence in
Glenn Cronkhite !!!! You won't ever be disappointed.

DCB1 · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 4:50 am Post subject:

Hey Slidbone,
What about the Z - Tek Trumpet Case you have listed on your web page? I looks nice.... what colors do you have?
Thanks
_________________
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John 14:6
Member since 2001
Curry
Bach
Selmer Radial
Kanstul
Holton
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Conn

bandman322 · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 4:56 am Post subject:

Do you have an E-mail for Glenn Cronkhite?

In looking for a quad bag I had the experience of a great company (I don't know if they would want me to use their name) contacting Marcus Bonna on my behalf trying to get my horn configuration into a high quality case. I must give Marcus Bonna credit because he E-mailed them back saying that the 4 horns I have (listed below in my signature) will not fit safely in his quad case. That tells me that they are a first class company, but also tells me that I need to keep looking. It takes a real first class company to miss a sale in order to protect a potential customer from getting a poor product.

I'm hoping that Glenn Cronkhite might have something that will work for me.
_________________
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"To be a teacher you need to be as good a performer as you can be: you'll have more to impart to your students musically." - John Haynie

Slidebone · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 8:54 am Post subject:

DCB1 · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 9:10 am Post subject:

Wow.... great colors! Do the Z -Tek work as well as they look?

Do they come with a strap or something like that?
Thanks
_________________
DCB <><
John 14:6
Member since 2001
Curry
Bach
Selmer Radial
Kanstul
Holton
Amati
Conn

Lawler Bb · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 11:42 am Post subject:

Cronkhite cases are amazing, and yes they work as well as they look. I have a Super Triple trumpet bag in dark chocolate brown leather and I couldn't be happier.

Slidebone · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 6:07 pm Post subject:

littledoc0079 · Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2004 6:15 pm Post subject:

One hell of a sell's pitch! I thought a cow was a a cow. What makes China cows different than American cows?

CGUM · Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2004 3:15 pm Post subject:

The quality between the Reunion Blues cases (Asia) and the cases being made by Glenn Cronkhite or the old SF Reunion Cases is not just in the leather. Although I do think that the leather of the RB-ASIA is alot thinner and looks way cheaper, I believe the big difference is in the inner material. The new RB cases are really soft and flimsy compared to the cases by Cronkhite, who uses a higher-densty foam.

Just my .02 cents,
CGum

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

tptguy · Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:55 am Post subject:

Does someone has a link to the actual Cronkhite web site?

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

homebilly · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:39 pm Post subject:

Glenn is great!! I have two custom trumpet bags that he has made me and they are always getting compliments.

I was just at his joint looking for another bag and while I was there he changed the fasteners on my 1979 RB leather shoulder strap for my single trumpet bag. He's the BEST!!!

I'm about to order another custom case

Ron
_________________
ron meza (deadbeat jazz musician) & (TH 5 post ghost neighborhood watch ringleader)
waiting for Fed-Ex to deliver a $50 trumpet to my door. shipping was prepaid by seller of course!
http://ronmeza.com
http://highdefinitionbigband.com

tptfrbrains · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 12:56 pm Post subject:

I have a Reunion Blues triple bag cordura from 1982, and one in leather from 1990.
A few years ago I was looking for a good rotary single bag, and a new triple bag. I found out about Glenn here on TH, and went to visit him in SF - not too far from Germany...
I wasn't disappointed. The bags he made for me are great quality, and he's a great guy.
There is a huge difference in quality between Cronkhite and RB bags. The leather on the Cronkhite bags is softer - no - more supple, and of a better quality. The foam is denser. Not thicker - denser.
I'll take Cronkhite any day.

r.

trumpetera · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 1:59 pm Post subject:

I got my first RB bag as a "back from tour"-gift from my dad in-good lord, it must have ben back in 1983!!-when he came back from a US tour.

He was 3rd horn with the Royal Stockholm Phil.

Still have that case. It took me through my teenage years 'til I'll wander on!

I remember I used to shove my trumpet, the comlete Arban's and a CYCKLE PUMP in it!!

All three items inside have survived till today, save for the first and last 20 pages of the Arban's! Maybe they got lost somewhere else though!

Later I bought both the double and tripple RB cases Still have them, lots of WABI (patina) on them!

Great, great cases!

I've ben using Marcus Bonna and ProTec cases for a while now, but this thread made me go down to my dungeon (basement) and dig out these cases. The quality is outstanding!!!
_________________
Principal trumpet Gothenburg Opera Orchestra
Bach LT 37 Bb (Mr. Findleys old)
Bach Mt Vernon 1957 Bb
Bach NY ML 1943 vintage Bb
Very old YTR-6335
Bach/Malone/Lechner C
Malone-Bach 229 C
H.Ganter Bb
Schagerl Wienna (older model) C
Parker Natural

Larry Smithee · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 4399

An interesting side note here (at least to me) for what it's worth. I've been using the original RB bags for about 30 years. I decided to replace my single trumpet bag shortly after RB moved their operation to China a few years ago. At the time I had heard the quality of the new China bags were not good and that a guy named Cronkhite was making the bags with the original high quality the original RB bags were known for. Needless to say, I love the Cronkhite trumpet bag I have. Recently, however, I took a chance and bought a RB cornet leather bag (I assume that it's a Chinese made bag) through Music 123. I was really surprised at the high quality. It's as good as anything out there in my opinion.

Larry

crzytptman · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 3:52 pm Post subject:

trumpetera · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 2:41 pm Post subject:

Old, old thread but I just had to post in it, saying that I yesterday took posession of what is probably the absolute last trumpet cases made by Mr.Kronkhite.

One single in coccolate brown leather (I think-haven't unwrapped the plastic yet) and a black leather super triple.

The super triple is all I wanted, and sometimes missed in my regular tripple from the 90's. They're both excellent for different situations.

My RB fetish has now brought me to;

2 single bags, one from the 80's, one from present.

1 double. Great bag and size-can be difficult to carry over one shoulder.

2(!) tripple bags from the 90's . One hectically worn, one like new.

1 super tripple from present.

I sure hope that someone takes over from Mr. kronkhite now that he's retiring, and continuke to manufacture these cases to his standards.

Old school manufacturing at it's best!
_________________
Principal trumpet Gothenburg Opera Orchestra
Bach LT 37 Bb (Mr. Findleys old)
Bach Mt Vernon 1957 Bb
Bach NY ML 1943 vintage Bb
Very old YTR-6335
Bach/Malone/Lechner C
Malone-Bach 229 C
H.Ganter Bb
Schagerl Wienna (older model) C
Parker Natural

grizzle · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 8:45 pm Post subject:

trumpetera · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 11:22 pm Post subject:

What great news, this secures that the quality lives on and develops!
_________________
Principal trumpet Gothenburg Opera Orchestra
Bach LT 37 Bb (Mr. Findleys old)
Bach Mt Vernon 1957 Bb
Bach NY ML 1943 vintage Bb
Very old YTR-6335
Bach/Malone/Lechner C
Malone-Bach 229 C
H.Ganter Bb
Schagerl Wienna (older model) C
Parker Natural