WHY NOT - New Fellini cases
- Thread starter Ken_4fun
- Start date
What's the difference between the old Fellini's and cases like Ron Thomas, It's George, and GTF?
He's retired, company closed.
Engles is also no longer making cases. They were closely modeled after Fellini cases.
Ron Thomas
It's George
GTF
Kopy Kat (Vinyl)
There have been others as well.
.
.
Engles wasn't quite as good IMO, I had an ostrich one, but the fellini I have are better.
Secondly, I talked the JB about recovering some old ones and he thought it would be cost prohibitive.
Ken
All the remaining stuff was bought up from that storage unit. Not out of the realm of possibilities seeing them re-hashed again. Usually nothing's ever as good the 2nd time around though....imo. 
All the remaining stuff was bought up from that storage unit. Not out of the realm of possibilities seeing them re-hashed again. Usually nothing's ever as good the 2nd time around though....imo.
Or it could be better. If judged PURELY on construction it is entirely possible that any new Fellini cases could be as good or better than any previously made.
Especially if the maker is starting with the original equipment and materials as was listed in the auction.
As far as Fellini style goes though I really think that the GTF cases we make are much better than Fellinis were. So at least one person is carrying on the style.
I am very happy to be able to do them and think I am doing a good job preserving this type of case.
I loved those "Hustler" style cases you made. I need to check out the GTF cases. I don't know anything about them.
Ken
GTF case
I discovered the Fellini style case about six months ago and thought it was just cool. I more recently found the GTF cases and bought one immediately. It offers a sleek low profile design with great protection while still retaining style. Great case. If I had a Fellini I would feel strange about carrying it into some of the places I play, and that's kinda the point.
I discovered the Fellini style case about six months ago and thought it was just cool. I more recently found the GTF cases and bought one immediately. It offers a sleek low profile design with great protection while still retaining style. Great case. If I had a Fellini I would feel strange about carrying it into some of the places I play, and that's kinda the point.
Gtf
Check out the GTF, I've got the prestige 2x4 and its awesome! It's a little snug for 4 shafts but the protection is second to none. I got mine on the secondary market and I'm quite pleased. The replica looks killer as well, I just don't like the wrap around leather just because I think any wear or damage would happen on the ends first. My only suggestion for John and the GTF crew is they need to make a 3x6, if they do I want on the list for 1 of the first batch
Check out the GTF, I've got the prestige 2x4 and its awesome! It's a little snug for 4 shafts but the protection is second to none. I got mine on the secondary market and I'm quite pleased. The replica looks killer as well, I just don't like the wrap around leather just because I think any wear or damage would happen on the ends first. My only suggestion for John and the GTF crew is they need to make a 3x6, if they do I want on the list for 1 of the first batch
Put your cues in tips up and joint pins down and they fit perfectly. Billy Schick told me this at breakfast that all the players these days do it wrong. He said in his day they all put the tips up so they could see immediately which shaft they wanted based on the tip condition.
Here are the ways you can load the GTF case comfortably with no stress anywhere.
Empty:
Tips Up - Joint Pins Down:
Joint Pins Up:
That works great, like I use to do with my 2 x 4 Thomas.
For all the ones you mentioned the foundation is the essentially the same. Plastic tubing with a joint piece so that the cap slips on flush to the base.
The major difference between Fellini and the Thomas, George style is the way the leather covers the case and the endcaps. The Fellini style features upholstered ends where the leather runs up and over the cap. This style actually is very old and was done on cases prior to Fellini's adoption of it.
The main feature of this style that is attractive is the flush seam on the back and the hand covered endcaps. Both of these are hard to do well. Essentially covering a case this way is like doing a leather wrap on a cue except that you are dealing with a lot more surface area and glue. Miss a spot and it shows up later as a bubble. Miscalculate or for some reason the leather shrinks or expands and you have a faulty seam.
And the endcaps are very difficult to do well. If you make them paper thin for easier installation then the leather is super weak. So you have to allow the leather to be thicker for durability but then manipulating it into place is much harder. It's for this reason that many makers such as Thomas and It's George have adopted an easier way to do the endcaps.
Essentially it's mostly minor construction differences on the same platform that distinguishes the case up to the GTF line.
For GTF and I am really NOT trying to disparage here, I feel that I have done several improvements to the way this style of case works and protects cues and to the overall durability. While the appearance is similar the guts and construction of our cases are substantially different. The others are good, well made cases and I just think we have managed to find a few spots where we could tweak the construction to make an even better case.
Starting from a great platform, Fellini, made the job much easier.
My only problem with the GTF case is that they need to be at least a half-inch longer to comfortably hold a 60" cue with a 30/30 split and big pin!!
imo the best tube style for for protection!!! they should bring these back i would pay a premium! and wrap them inexotic wood veneer ... I think i will do it with the next damaged one i come across !1 I just thought since everyone had a dog in this case fight. I would add my $.02 and with obama as president its become worthless! so take it for what it is!
Attachments
It's a trade off on this style. I made them to hold 31" and making them longer means that it's real hard to hold 29" cues.
I can make the case as long as you need though, just last week we made and delivered an extra long one made to hold 34" parts.
I just sold one of those and they are TOUGH and HEAVY. You can definitely get out of a bar fight with one of them.
But, they aren't made anymore. Hold onto them if you have them. I sold mine for $150.
I agree on both points.
I have an elephant Engles myslef. Great case. My Fellini is better.
.
IMHO the only proper way to load any tube case is tips up. Why? Chalk.
My Fellini has been loaded tips up for more than 30 years.
:thumbup: