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Calder started in 2003 with the idea that exceptional guitars deserve exceptional cases. So I set out to make cases combining great strength, low weight and handsome appearance.
After 18 months R&D I concluded that my heart lay in hand building - not in mass production. Building by hand with the best possible materials I could create cases with the same sort of character and integrity as the instruments they would carry.
It has taken another year to finalise the design, choose the materials and find the right craftsmen and women. You can read about the team who work with me here.
Our cases are expensive - that is because they are made by hand in the UK using carbon fiber, top grain leather and silk velvet. There is more about our materials and construction here.
Many people have helped me and I am deeply grateful to them all – without them my idea would not have become reality. Here is the roll of honour.
This is the beta website - the full site will launch early in 2007 when our range of cases is ready. The beta site will give you background on the Calder project and the people involved. You can read latest news on our blog.
Calder Originals is based in Devon in the southwest of England.
Long associated with sailing and the navy, the area has a concentration of companies working with high performance composites. An area of great natural beauty the region has a strong community of artists and craftspeople.
Founded by Nick Comer-Calder in 2003 Calder Originals works with these locally based companies and individual craftspeople:
Angus Noble is the founder of Noble Designs and an expert on carbon fiber engineering. Angus has contributed to the design of many world-class racing yachts as well as designing carbon fiber, racing bikes, rowing skulls sulkies and large format cameras.
Angus has been involved in the manufacture most of the products he has designed. Working this way Angus brings together form and function to give his designs integrity and simplicity.
In addition to his carbon fiber expertise Angus is also a skilled luthier having built cellos for a number of professional players.
Noble Design’s current project is a programmable flashlight being developed for use in a wide range of extreme environments.
Angus led the development of the carbon fibre shell as well as designing many other components specially for our cases.
Johan Ulvede owns the Viking Saddlery in Devon. Born in Sweden, Johan trained at the Cordwainers College in London. His exceptional skills led to his being awarded the Royal Warranty for leatherwork.
Johan’s clients include a number of major boatyards who have commissioned his leatherwork for the interiors of some of their most prestigious yachts.
Johan is responsible for the precise stitching and fitting of the leather over the carbon shells the complex leather engineering which makes our cases work.
Stig and his team produce the carbon fiber shells for our cases.
Stig has spent 20 years in the composites industry, he started building light weight racing yachts and moving on to supplying parts for rally cars, super-yachts, the environmental energy industry, various scientific test facilities and architectural and artistic installations.
Jane Blonder is a textile artist who creates wall-hangings and clothes of distinction.
Originally trained in graphics Jane’s work draws upon her rigorous professional training, knowledge of historical artistic methods and understanding of the spiritual meaning of geometry and colours.
Jane paints directly onto white silk velvet, combining colours to create a unique iridescent effect. Using this method Jane has created a range of colours for the interior lining of our cases.
The components of the Calder case have been selected to provide the best combination of performance and aesthetics. Click on the links for more information.
Carbon Fibre is synthetic thread that has been heated to such a degree that total carbonisation has taken place. These very fine threads are then impregnated with an epoxy resin matrix and cured in a mould under a vacuum.
The resulting material has an unsurpassed strength-to-weight ratio and stiffness which has made it a material of choice for the aerospace industry, racing yachts, Formula One cars and other demanding application.
Carbon Fibre has superior strength and stiffness compared to steel, glass-fibre and even aramid fibre (Kevlar®).
Leather is renowned for its combination of durability, flexibility and good looks. Despite the advent of superb man-made materials leather in still preferred by motor cyclists for its protective qualities.
The leather used on our cases is 2mm/0.07” thick. It is made by Claytons one of England’s oldest tanners who use traditional vegetable tanning methods. It takes over 6 weeks to make our leather, the process is labour intensive with numerous quality control points – the result is a tough and durable skin for our cases.
Ideally a suspension system would hold your instrument in space – untouched and untouchable.
We sought to get as close as possible to the ideal with a system of foam blocks that:
The blocks mainly made from from high quality closed cell foam which provides firm support and absorbs shock. In some places we’ve also used visco-elastic ‘memory’ foam – which contours itself to the exact shape of the instrument.
In the laptop case we’ve added a layer of softer elastic foam over the closed cell foam. This extra layer is because laptops are relatively heavy and have moving parts that can damaged by severe shock. The softer foam forms a crumple zone – absorbing shock by allowing the laptop to move a few millimeters.
When the case is closed the suspension blocks press down on the instrument with a force of about 4lbs/2kilo – so it is held immobile.
We’ve placed suspension blocks around the case so they contact the guitar/violin where it is strongest – at the base of the instrument and where the neck joins the body.
The main blocks in the base of the case are carved to fit the exact dimensions of your instrument - so it docks securely when you lay it into the case.
If the case is dropped the instrument is held immobile safe from shock damage. [We will be publishing the results of drop tests soon]
The exceptional stiffness of carbon fibre means that the case can withstand very heavy loads with deflection. In the event of deflection occurring under extreme loads the foam pads will simply compress. Additional pressure on the instrument will only apply where it is strongest and damage would occur only under the most extreme pressures. [We will be publishing results of crush tests soon]
We have taken every care to design and construct your case to the highest standards, these guidelines are intended to help ensure the case gives you many years of good service.
Ensure you open the fastener to its fullest extent before opening the case, failure to this can result in excessive wear on the mechanism.
We recommend that you do not check in your instrument case. The levels of stress that can be placed on checked in luggage are very high and may result in damage to your instrument. In the event that an airline insist you check in ask that your case be treated as priority baggage and hand carried to the aircraft and then ask that the case be stowed in a heated and pressurised compartment.
Avoid leaving your case and instrument is situations of extreme temperature or humidity. If travelling involves sharp changes to temperature or humidity be aware of the effect this can have on your instrument.
Your case should be kept closed except when in use. Leaving the case open for long periods may affect the closeness of fit between lid and base.
The leather exterior will benefit from an occasional light dressing of high quality leather cream. Heavy use of such creams may make the leather over soft and liable to damage.
Calder Originals Ltd.
Hockmoor House,
Buckfast,
Devon.
TQ11 0HN
Office +44 (0)1364 642 148
Mobile +44 (0)7779 320 823
Our prices are still to be finalised, currently we estimate the prices to be as follows.
| Laptop | £1800 |
| Violin Case | £2300 |
| Electric Guitar Case | £2450 |
| Classical Guitar Case | £2650 |
| Acoustic Guitar Case | £2750 |
Prices include brown canvas zipped slip case.
Prices shown are exclusive of taxes, UK resident customers will be charged VAT on these prices, non-UK customers will not be charged taxes.
If you are interested in ordering one of our cases please contact us - details on the contact/enquiries page.
Authors make extensive acknowledgement for the the help and encouragement they have had in getting their book into print. I want to extend the same courtesy to all who have assisted me over the past 3 years. So my very sincere and deep gratitude to all these and many more.
First and foremost to my wife Judy who always said it was a good idea, who never once complained about the amount of family money I was using up and who every now and then would ask some invigorating questions about a particular route I was following…which was generally a good reality check.
Mat Weissler and Dan Caiger-Smith for their encouragement in the early days and Mat for his great work on the first versions of the website and logo.
Marketing whiz Chris Abel of Totality Inc for his tremendous insights on branding and business in general.
Mat Hunter at IDEO London for being so enthusiastic when we brought our baby of an idea to him and for his ongoing support.
Bart Haney then Vector Director of LA design firm SuperHappyBunny for taking my initial sketch and turning it into a beautiful illustration that captured the imagination of all who saw it.
Brendan Murray of The Trust Network for believing in the dream, for his companionship on many long haul trips and unstinting labours in setting up meetings with many heavy hitters in the guitar world both in the US and UK.
Paul Smith and Jack Higginbotham of PRS Guitars – who from the start said it was a cool idea, gave me sound advice and made many pertinent suggestions.
Hap Kaufner ace music product industry insider, Rob Turner and Andrew Farrell at EMG Pickups all of whom made me welcome and expressed warm enthusiasm for the design. Sterling Ball of Ernie Ball who also gave encouragement and straight advice.
Don Lace from Lace guitars USA , Glen Derringer from HHI Music USA, Dave Marshall from Sound Technology UK, Phil Hay and Johnny X of Westside Distribution UK, Gavin Mortimer at Headline Music UK – all busy and knowledgeable insiders who gave enthusiastic supporter and were generous with their time and advice in many meetings.
Michael Mailling and John Wright UK designers who brought the first prototype into being which helped keep all the guys listed above interested in the project.
To the engineers and technical staff from the companies who helped me when I was researching materials and who were enormously patient about my lack of knowledge.
Luthier Chris Eccleshall who gave me workspace for a while and taught me lots about guitars - and introduced me to Barry Noble.
Barry Noble of Angus Noble Design who showed me how to turn the design into a working tool; who is a totally extraordinary source of brilliant ideas and good companion and who has kept me up to standard whenever my energy sagged.
Johan Ulvede master saddler who took the designs and calmly (and very patiently) turned them into working leather engineering - and who was willing to keep going despite the many false starts.
Francis Porter for his calm clarity in the face of my ever-shifting ideas about the initial web design. Fergus Noble for applying his Flash wizardry to the website.
To London leather supremo Bill Amberg and his team for helping me with the last critical details and the launch.
Jane Blonder at the Eye of the Sun Studio who embraced the whole project with delightful enthusiasm and brought her very special touch to the interior of the cases.
All the many at Business Link Devon & Cornwall who have given much practical advice and helped me access financial support – notably Des Smith for his ability to ask difficult questions which forced me to firm up my plans.
To all my friends who have continued to ask how is it going and continued to listen to the latest twist in the very long tale.
And finally to my children – to Hattie and Donald for their 9 year old perspectives on the whole thing
Donald “…you might sell two…”
Hattie “…why not line it with sheepskin…?”
And to big daughter Fanny for her 35 year old insights and encouragement, her connecting me to many helpful
creatives in London and for introducing me to Bill Amberg.
Thank you all.
Nick