- Possibly the best value rack cases for starters
- Comes in many unit sizes
- Good choice for mild touring conditions
- Comes with screws so you don't have to buy them separately
- Zip-locked bag on the lid, which is really cool
- It's not the most durable rack case on the market for sure
- You get what you pay for
- I don't think it's suitable for extreme touring conditions
Hello there, back again with another article for you! This time, we will be looking at one of the most affordable rack cases on the market, the Thomann rack case 2U!
Table of Contents
About Thomann’s Exclusive Brands
Just like many big companies do, Thomann has also released many of their own exclusive brands as well as manufacturing products, covering a big portion of musical instruments and accessories product categories.
Check out my “Is it worth buying from Thomann in the USA and Canada?” article and find out Thomann’s exclusive brands.
As a music store, this is a very smart strategy. We would also prefer this approach, as well as representing musical instrument brands. While I was working in the musical instruments industry in Istanbul, I had the chance to experience and learn this. There, we would not only represent many world-famous brands but also act as a distributor & reseller and find manufacturers at music exhibitions abroad. Then we would get them to manufacture some products under our brand.
Among many brands created by Thomann, they also feature a brand called Thomann and release musical instruments and accessories, covering such as String Instruments, Folk Instruments, Orchestral Percussion, Stage Pianos, Digital Pianos, Piano Accessories, Saxophones, Wind Instrument Accessories, Classical Guitars, Guitar/Bass Accessories, Percussion and PA Speakers. 
Thomann Rack Cases
The Thomann brand is aimed at people who are on a tight budget, and it offers a huge variety of products in the categories mentioned above. I recently got myself an ENGL E570 preamp and was considering getting a rack case for it. Usually, people buy rack cases in order to carry their rack gear around. But my initial need for a rack case is to secure my preamp, push it around without having to worry about causing scratches and also be able to use that extra depth on the rack case for random items. 🙂 For these simple reasons to buy, I started researching and noticed Thomann’s rack cases.
Thomann rack cases really stood out with their affordable prices and their weight! Yes, weight! 🙂 As I have mentioned, rack cases are usually used for carrying rack gear around and travelling with it. So naturally, you would expect them to be pretty durable and solid, which will result in extra-heavy gear to carry around. 
Since my intent wasn’t to travel with my rack gear, I also paid attention to the weights of different rack cases while I was researching. Fortunately, Thomann’s rack cases are pretty lightweight compared to other cases by different manufacturers. Before I provide you with my opinion and review, here’s a quick tech specs table of the Thomann Rack Case 2U below.
Tech Specs
| Thomann Rack Case 2U | Tech Specs |
|---|---|
| Format | 19" / 2U |
| Material | Shock-proof hard plastic |
| Installation Depth | 41.5cm |
| Inner Lid Depth | 5cm |
| Number of handles | 2 |
| Butterfly latches | 2 on each lid |
| External Dimensions (W x H x D) | 56.5 x 16.5 x 57.5cm |
| Internal dimensions (W x H x D) | 45.4 x 9.1 x 51.5cm |
| Weight | 4.3kg |
| Screws | Included (8 pieces w/ washers) |
As you can see from the images above, it just fits into my use case! I can now use the whole space my ENGL E570 would invade, and more for my pedals and various items. It comes with 2 lids with butterfly latches, and these can be successfully mounted even with a rack gear like ENGL E570 that features metal parts on both sides to protect knobs.
One lid features a zip-locked bag for extra accessories such as instruments or power cables. You will also have eight screws with washers (usually you would have to buy suitable screws for rack cases; these are normally not included). One thing that you should be careful about is the inner dimensions when choosing the right rack case for your gear. 
There are usually two types of 19″ rack cases: shallow and standard. Shallow ones have a shorter installation depth as designed by the manufacturers. So if you want your rack gear’s rear panels completely inside of your rack case, you should definitely measure the depth and decide which one you would like to have. In my case, I have preferred this case as it allows me to even throw a couple of pedals or power supplies and fix them in the rear panel with some velcro. Very cool! 
Review
Just right after I got my rack case from Thomann for €58, there was already another batch arriving, but they have increased the price tag to €79. I believe this is due to manufacturing and shipping costs increasing due to the difficult times we have been experiencing. FYI, Thomann’s rack cases are all made in China. In my opinion, this price tag is pretty good for this kind of rack case.
But beware that this is not the strongest, most durable and roadworthy rack case around. The plastic material is pretty thin, and it can easily bend when you apply pressure. You can definitely carry your rack gear around with Thomann rack cases. But I wouldn’t ever let my rack gear under any heavy load while in this rack case. It can still hold a lot of pressure, but it feels like it’s not the most durable. So basically, it’s durable enough for a rack case, but it’s not a flight case at all!
When you consider the price tag and the weight, I think it’s unbeatable! Fortunately, Thomann has been manufacturing these affordable rack cases for the masses! If you have a look at other options by other brands, you will find out that rack cases are not so budget-friendly products, and they can damage your wallet really badly, especially if you are after bigger rack cases.
If you still need custom made rack cases or flight cases, Thomann also offers a very unique option and allow you to custom order your rack cases here, all made in Germany!
This particular case has managed to score 4.4/5 out of 499 reviews! Basically, I can recommend this to anyone who seeks affordable yet lightweight rack cases for their precious rack gear! 
Pricing & Availability
As anyone could guess, Thomann rack cases are widely available on Thomann, all year round. As I mentioned in the article, there has been a price increase, and it may go in this direction again. Because even though these cases can be manufactured pretty affordably, the logistics costs of bringing them from China to Germany will naturally increase. So, if you are interested in these rack cases, don’t postpone your decision and get yourself one! 🙂
Check out Thomann Rack Cases on Thomann here
You can also check out Reverb.com. I rarely came across any used ones, but you can always have a look.
Check out Thomann Rack Cases on Reverb here
Last but not least, if you are only interested in purchasing via Amazon, you can have a look at the other options there.
Check out Rack Cases on Amazon here
I hope you have enjoyed this brief article and found it helpful. Thanks for visiting my blog and reading so far! I will hopefully see you in the next content! 🙂
