Gator GKB-61 Slim
Gator GKB-61 Slim

This is going to be a SUPER quick review on a keyboard gig bag I bought from Gator. 

So if you’ve shopped for keyboard cases or gig bags online, you’ve probably come across Gator cases before; I’ve had my channel since 2019 and I’ve owned tons of keyboards over that time, but until now, I’ve never tried a Gator case.  I recently bought a Gator GKB-61-Slim, so it’s finally time for a review.

Gator Keyboard Bag Product Lines

Gator has 4 categories of gig bags for keyboards:

  • Cadet: these is their “economy” line, which are nylon envelope style bags, so a very simple option for carrying your keyboards around – as an example, the 61 key sells for about $70 USD
  • MiZone: this their next line up from economy; these bags are more rigid, with some pretty heavy duty nylon, there’s an exterior pocket, thick padded interior straps to protect your keyboard and hold it in place better – the GKB-61-Slim that I just bought fits into this line, it sells for about $130 USD; I’m betting that this is probably their most popular line
  • Transit: Their transit line is the next step up, and from the name, you can tell these are built for travel, and as such they are quite a bit heavier duty.  These add weather resistant fabric, shoulder straps, exterior clips to hold an X style keyboard stand and just look much heavier duty.   The 61 key version sells for about $250 USD
  • ProGo: Then their top line is the “Progo” line; I’m not sure this line is heavier duty than the Transit, but is definitely more . . . “plush”.  The 61 key sells for about $300 USD
Gator Cadet Bag
Gator Cadet Gig Bag
Gator GKB-61 Slim
Gator MiZone Gig Bag
Gator Transit Gig Bag
Gator Transit Gig Bag
Gator Progo Gig Bag
Gator Progo Gig Bag

My Gator GKB-61 Slim (MiZone Line)

Let’s take a closer look at mine.  So I’ve owned lots of keyboard bags over the years, I’ve bought some custom ones from manufacturers, I’ve bought some from Levy’s which is an ok brand here in Canada, and I’ve bought some . . . well . . . complete garbage off Amazon, when I made the mistake of “why should I spend a bunch on a bag?”.  Well I have to say, I am SUPER impressed with this bag; it’s not the cheapest out there, but it is worth EVERY PENNY; it is REALLY good quality, and offers a ton of protection for your keyboard.

  • The material is super strong feeling and rugged
  • The zippers are not the cheap kind, they’re also rugged and look like they will last
  • Look at how the handle straps are attached to the bag, they’re riveted right on through this leather looking patch; these handles are not going ANYWHERE (a lot of cheap Amazon bags will just have handles sewn on that will tear off easily)
  • The handles themselves actually have a curved plastic tube inside, which is not only comfortable and easy to hold, but I can see those taking the stress off of just plain straps so they should last longer
  • The main outer pocket is made out of the same super rugged nylon, and it opens nice and wide which is awesome; I can fit a couple of pedals, my iPad and a big set of headphones in here, and then there’s an extra mesh outside pocket as well where I’ll toss in cables and smaller stuff
  • These pointy rubber feet on the bottom are SUPER stiff – this is awesome, they will not only help protect what’s inside, but this allows me to sit the bag down on some wet pavement while I’m unloading the car and not worry about anything inside getting wet
  • So now the best part, and for a bag at this price it kind of surprised me; when I open this up – check out how THICK and padded these inner straps are!  This offers a TON of extra protection for your keyboard, and you can do them up tightly and this will help keep your keyboard in place in the bag while you’re transporting it. 

Now something cool that Gator does, is offer slim options for many of their bags; I got the 61 key “slim” bag which is an inch less in depth and half an inch less in height than the normal version.  The slim one is a bit longer though, at 41 inches vs. 36, but that was actually perfect for me, because I wanted to get a good quality bag that I knew would work with any 61 key keyboard that I happen to own at the time; and as it turns out, I needed that extra length for my new Roland GO:Keys 5 which is over 37 inches long so it wouldn’t have fit in the other one.  So let’s take a look at the Roland in the bag; it fits quiet nicely, there is a bit of room at the end, but the straps do hold the keyboard in place really well.  And if I wanted, I could either put something else in this extra space (my headphones for example actually have a bag that would keep them from scratching the end of my keyboard) or if I wanted I could cut a piece of foam to fill that in, but I’m not going to bother. 

Gator Gig Bags – The Verdict

Gator GKB-61 Slim
Gator GKB-61 Slim

So, verdict on Gator cases?  I know I’ve only tried out this one from their MiZone line, but

It’s not super cheap, but it is REALLY good quality, and is a great value.  My ONLY complaint (and it’s a mild one) is that there are no shoulder straps on this one, but . . . that’s all good.  Maybe I’ll try out one of the Transit series in the future. 

There are links below if you want to check out current prices in YOUR area on Gator Gig Bags, and I’ve also left some links to some online piano training that I recommend.

Thanks so much, and happy piano playing! (and piano shopping 😉 )

Links To Check Out Current Pricing:

(please note that as an affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases)

Gator Gig Bags


Piano Training I Recommend

I’ve taken a number of online piano courses; the ones I’m listing here are my favorites and I can highly recommend any of these if you are looking for some online training to get started on learning piano, or to take your current skills to the next level.

Pianoforall

Pianoforall:

If you’re looking for the least expensive way to get started on piano, Pianoforall is a great option. It’s a unique course created by Robin Hall that uses downloadable eBooks with embedded videos and audio instead of a website.

Piano Man Approach

The Piano Man Approach:

This course is an amazing option for learning piano from beginner up to being able to perform; it teaches multiple genres of music and focuses on how to be a “one person band” on the piano. This course is taught by pro pianist Steve Lungrin – Steve has been teaching and performing his whole adult life and is a fantastic instructor and performer.

I took this course from 2020 to 2021 and it elevated my playing from a very basic level to being able to play songs in multiple genres.

Ultimate Piano Chords Course

Bird’s Piano Academy Ultimate Chords:

This is a fabulous online course from Arthur Bird at Bird’s Piano Academy. It will take you from total beginner to a pretty decent level of playing; I’ve been playing for 4-5 years at the time I started this course, and while the first half was review for me, the last half is taking my play to a new level. There’s a massive amount of content in here that will last me quite a while!

Beginner Blues Piano & Improv

Bird’s Piano Academy Beginner Blues:

If you like the blues, and (or) want to ramp up your improv/soloing abilities on the piano, this is a GREAT course. It’s taught by Arthur Bird, who has a number of courses available on blues, jazz, as well as just getting started on piano. I found his beginner blues & improv course in 2022 when I “hit a wall” in my soloing abilities, and it really helped my improv and soloing in a big way.

OnlineRockLessons.Com

OnlineRockLessons.com:

This is a fantastic option if you are mostly interested in rock music. This course was created and is taught by Marine Lacoste, who is not only a fantastic instructor & pianist, but she is also a very accomplished hammond organ player – she performs regularly with her own band, as well as playing keys regularly for multiple recording artists on tour. I started this course in 2023 when I joined a band, and it is helping me greatly in taking my playing to a new level

If you sign up for Online Rock Lessons yearly subscription, use code PIANOTONE at checkout to let Marine know I referred you, and she will give you some free bonuses!

Video Version Of This Review

Gator Keyboard Bags Review