The Jewel Case Thread

snyprrr · April 06, 2010, 07:29:41 AM

Does anyone have a history of jewel cases?

Currently, I'm dismayed over the state of the modern jewel case. It seems to have gotten quite cheapy. I have a few old cds with some nice, sturdy cases. Honestly, in my most spoiled bratness, I declare, I will not clothe a noble cd in a cheap jewel case (no,... I have plenty to do!

).

Where can I get decent jewel cases? There is a difference, is there not? Can anyone come up with better questions?

All hail the Great Jewel Case Thread!!

Rah rah rah

springrite · April 06, 2010, 07:45:47 AM

Well, it all went downhill once they started to be made in China at the cost of 2 cents a piece.

Gurn Blanston · April 06, 2010, 08:19:43 AM

I won't blame China, but you're probably right, Paul... $:-\$

I have many disks that were encased back in the 1980's, and the JC's are frickin' bulletproof, it seems, while ones from the late 90's and later are noticeably lighter and far more flexible. I am in a small minority that doesn't hate JC's as a concept, I guess, but I sure hate the modern pieces of crap going by that name

I would be willing to pay the extra 7p just to get a good one when I need a replacement. $:-\$

DavidW · April 06, 2010, 08:20:27 AM

I don't know what any of you mean, the standard jewel case has been the same since as long as I can remember.

Gurn Blanston · April 06, 2010, 08:23:23 AM

Quote from: DavidW on April 06, 2010, 08:20:27 AM
I don't know what any of you mean, the standard jewel case has been the same since as long as I can remember.

The quality of the styrene plastic is the main thing, DW. I had one the other day that I could fold almost 15°! I threw it away and replaced it with an old one that weighed <>25% more and couldn't be flexed at all.

DavidW · April 06, 2010, 08:26:16 AM

Oh I don't test durability of cases, I just put them on the bookshelf.

Gurn Blanston · April 06, 2010, 08:32:13 AM

Quote from: DavidW on April 06, 2010, 08:26:16 AM
Oh I don't test durability of cases, I just put them on the bookshelf.

Good thing for you, newer ones suck.

Well, not the ones that come from publishers so much (they are still much lighter weight) but replacements.

snyprrr · April 08, 2010, 07:14:04 AM

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on April 06, 2010, 08:23:23 AM
The quality of the styrene plastic is the main thing, DW. I had one the other day that I could fold almost 15°! I threw it away and replaced it with an old one that weighed <>25% more and couldn't be flexed at all.

I have a witness!!

Now, where can I get some good ones?

Lethevich · April 08, 2010, 07:52:52 AM

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on April 06, 2010, 08:19:43 AM
I am in a small minority that doesn't hate JC's as a concept

I love them, and am constantly disappointed by the newer generations of disc-containers such as DVD cases which all patently fail to do what they are supposed to do - keep the discs housed and safe. SACD was a devolution too, due to how easy the corners were to knock off and subsequently how much more expensive they were to replace.

Digipaks are particularly useless, and I tend to avoid buying a CD if it comes in one. The edges can become tatty quite quickly, and the matte ones go blotchy and greasy the second you even breathe on them. Nowdays labels often market that paper crap as a "luxury product" for fancy reissues and the like $:-\$

Scarpia · April 08, 2010, 08:04:06 AM

Quote from: Lethe on April 08, 2010, 07:52:52 AM
I love them, and am constantly disappointed by the newer generations of disc-containers such as DVD cases which all patently fail to do what they are supposed to do - keep the discs housed and safe. SACD was a devolution too, due to how easy the corners were to knock off and subsequently how much more expensive they were to replace.

Digipaks are particularly useless, and I tend to avoid buying a CD if it comes in one. The edges can become tatty quite quickly, and the matte ones go blotchy and greasy the second you even breathe on them. Nowdays labels often market that paper crap as a "luxury product" for fancy reissues and the like $:-\$

I like the tea-bag concept, hard-shell clam-shell box with discs in paper sleeves inside.

And what a relief to be on this thread. The one place where I am confident I will not be subject to a certain poster pontificating on who is a genius and who, regrettably, isn't. (On the other hand, the Jewel case is pure genius, isn't it?)

Lethevich · April 08, 2010, 08:07:29 AM

Quote from: Scarpia on April 08, 2010, 08:04:06 AM
I like the tea-bag concept, hard-shell clam-shell box with discs in paper sleeves inside.

Indeed! I find it hard to believe how every 2 CD set used to come in a double-thickness jewel case, and many Beethoven cycles used two or three of the things $:-\$ Towards the end they found a way to cram six CDs into those double thickness things with fold out trays on each side, shame it wasn't like that from the start.

Todd · April 08, 2010, 11:23:49 AM

Whatever type of CD cases you want, make sure to browse http://www.sleevetown.com/. A whole shop dedicated to optical disc storage.

Holden · April 08, 2010, 02:15:57 PM

All of my classical CDs are now in white paper sleeves - saves heaps on storage space. I have kept the back inserts as record of what I have collected. The booklets go in with the CDs.

I am investigating clear plastic so Todd's thread was of interest.

knight66 · April 08, 2010, 09:15:52 PM

I have transferred all my unboxed CDs into plastic envelopes and I have disposed of the jewel cases. As with Holden, it saves me a great deal of shelf space. In my last house, an entire room was set aside for CD storage. In our flat, I could not afford that luxury of shelf space.

Todd, thanks for that site link. I have saved it to favourites. On occasion I have had trouble getting hold of envelopes that allow space for booklets.

Mike

mahler10th · April 09, 2010, 01:49:21 AM

I totally agree with the OP. The standard of jewel cases dropped so much by the 90's I put all my CD's into plastic envelopes. Perhaps if I had put them in Jewel Cases they would have better survived ravages of fire. Nevertheless, I STILL put my CD's into clear plastic enveloples. This is good, but not easy to track and retrieve in a logical order, as there's no spine with details of the recordings. But it saves so much space, keeps the CD's to their original calling (Compact Disc), and means I do not have shelves of the things splattering all over the floor too in stacks.
Todd, thank you for the link.

SonicMan46 · April 09, 2010, 06:07:15 AM

Quote from: Todd on April 08, 2010, 11:23:49 AM
Whatever type of CD cases you want, make sure to browse http://www.sleevetown.com/. A whole shop dedicated to optical disc storage.

The other day I just received a small box w/ a bunch of their products, i.e. replacements, 2-CD, & 3-CD cases, etc. - my their order over the years - recommended!

Dancing Divertimentian · April 09, 2010, 09:30:30 AM

Quote from: snyprrr on April 08, 2010, 07:14:04 AM
Now, where can I get some good ones?

One of my used CD haunts bundles old jewel cases and sells them. Which could be a gold mine if the bundle is 100% old-school JCs (using Gurn's description). But of course they're used - so just stick them in the dishwasher or something (kidding).

But they can be washed in a sink.

vandermolen · April 09, 2010, 12:24:34 PM

I hate jewel cases - they are rubbish. The hinges are much too flimsy. Whenever I find myself carrying a stack of CDs and inadvertently drop the whole lot on the floor, with a sickening crash, I find that the jewel cases have fragmented, the hinges always snapped off and the CDs themselves catapaulted somewhere under a rug. Not only that but when, with great difficulty, I tear off the cellophane wrapping to get at a new CD, I increasingly find that the hinges are already broken, the case cracked etc.

I much prefer the cardboard packing which is sometimes used (ie on my George Lloyd Symphony No 11 on Albany and on one of my Koppel symphony Da Capo CDs). I use the jewel case containing the sampler CD which comes with Gramophone magazine as a source of replacement CD covers.

Gurn Blanston · April 09, 2010, 12:32:06 PM

Quote from: vandermolen on April 09, 2010, 12:24:34 PM
I hate jewel cases - they are rubbish. The hinges are much too flimsy. Whenever I find myself carrying a stack of CDs and inadvertently drop the whole lot on the floor, with a sickening crash, I find that the jewel cases have fragmented, the hinges always snapped off and the CDs themselves catapaulted somewhere under a rug. Not only that but when, with great difficulty, I tear off the cellophane wrapping to get at a new CD, I increasingly find that the hinges are already broken, the case cracked etc.

I much prefer the cardboard packing which is sometimes used (ie on my George Lloyd Symphony No 11 on Albany and on one of my Koppel symphony Da Capo CDs). I use the jewel case containing the sampler CD which comes with Gramophone magazine as a source of replacement CD covers.

Yes, there is absolutely no question that the hinge is the design failure of the whole deal. It is just a little sheet of flat styrene with no supporting member whatsoever, and is the part that takes the most abuse. Probably 75% of my case failures are directly attributable to the hinge.

Lethevich · April 09, 2010, 03:04:59 PM

They cost about 3p to replace, though (or free as there are so many junk CDs with magazines/newspapers).

I never got to experience the value of the old-style super strong cases due to my age - all the ones I find in charity shops are faded and so whenever I buy them I transfer the guts of the CD into a new case, and the total clarity of the (admittedly flimsy) front makes the cover look much more vibrant compared to the old one. I've never really found the wobbly nature of the new ones an issue, I just open them with minor care $:-\$