Molded protective cases, made in California since 1977
⚠️ Mostly Made in USA
Where SKB products are made
Orange, California
Injection and rotational molding plus finishing of molded cases since the 1970s.
iSeries
The flagship waterproof, MIL-STD cases are fully made in Orange, CA.
Mixed catalog
Some soft cases, fabric interiors and accessories are imported — confirm by product line.
SKB’s flagship iSeries injection-molded cases are designed, molded, assembled and finished in Orange, California. The broader catalog is mixed-origin, so the clearest Made-in-USA choice is the molded iSeries and related US-molded lines.
The story
SKB Cases is a true Southern California success story. It started in 1973 when Steve Kottman and Dave Sanderson, who met on the Cal State Long Beach rowing team, began building guitar cases using homemade vacuum-mold equipment. After a garage fire in 1977 — the ‘spark’ the company still celebrates — they opened a shop in Orange, California and formally founded SKB. A 1979 order for 2,500 Fender cases launched the business.
Nearly five decades later, SKB still builds in Orange. The company has continually invested in American molding capacity — adding rotational-molding ovens, multiple injection-molding machines (including one of the largest on the West Coast in 2022), and earning AS9100D aerospace and defense certification in 2025. It states plainly that its flagship iSeries cases are designed, manufactured, assembled and finished at the Orange factory ‘since the beginning,’ while noting honestly that the broader catalog is mixed-origin.
A 1977 garage fire was the spark — SKB still molds its flagship cases in Orange, California.
Why they matter
Protective cases are widely imported, so a US molder investing in domestic capacity is worth backing.
Buying SKB’s iSeries cases supports California molding jobs and an AS9100D-certified American manufacturer.
Featured products
Browse SKB cases available now in the Buy American store.
Frequently asked questions
Are SKB cases made in the USA?
SKB’s flagship iSeries injection-molded cases are designed, molded, assembled and finished in Orange, California. SKB is mixed-origin overall, so confirm US origin by product line — the iSeries molded cases are the clearest Made-in-USA choice.
When and where was SKB founded?
SKB was founded in 1977 by Dave Sanderson and Steve Kottman in Orange, California, after they began hand-building guitar cases in the early 1970s.
What kinds of cases does SKB make?
Molded protective and storage cases — including the waterproof, MIL-STD-rated iSeries — for music, pro audio, photo/video, sports, military, industrial and medical use.
