We have an absolute plethora (El Guapo, anyone?) of case finish choices these days.  While most bass players us some version of the padded nylon bag, the smaller strings (cello included) have a myriad of finishes from which to choose.  The question is, how much does the finish matter?  If we’re discussing this question in purely objective terms, the finish of the case does not have a large impact on performance.  Sure, a cellist in a sunny climate might choose a white fiberglass case over a black one, but in terms of strength or durability, a red case is no different than a blue case.  I want to be completely clear – I’m discussing only the finish of the case, not the case material.  Fiberglass, carbon fiber, composites, flax fibers, etc all have significantly different performance properties and often determine the difference in cost between cases.

What are some of your favorite colors/finishes on cases that you’ve seen?  We recently got a BAM cello case in a beautiful metallic blue that I’ve fallen in love with.  I’m not currently in the market for a case, but I’ve been tempted!