Patent ID: 8212134

Claim:
A protective case for a stringed musical instrument having a contoured neck with a headstock region at one end, a body attachment region at an opposite end and an elongated intermediate region therebetween, the case comprising: a semi-rigid bottom; a semi-rigid sidewall of a predetermined height extending from the bottom; a semi-rigid cover hingedly connected to the sidewall to selectively enclose a region of space between the bottom, sidewall and cover; a semi-rigid neck-brace formed of a foam block that is elongated in a direction that is at least generally parallel to the elongated intermediate region of the neck, the neck-brace being affixed to the bottom and having a top surface that supports the intermediate region of the instrument neck such that the headstock region is suspended in the space enclosed between the bottom and the cover; and at least one retaining band to realeasably secure the instrument neck to the top surface of the neck-brace.