Adele Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Hi First may I introduce myself? My name is Adele and I first started playing guitar back in the 60's when I was knee high to a grasshopper and I am a big Shadows fan and play a bit of their music.. I am going to be travelling to Nashville this August for a week for a "Gathering" of guitar students from around the world, I am one of the co-ordinators of the event and will travel from the UK to be there. While in Nashville I plan to buy a Gibson 339 Antique Bust 30/60 neck if I can get my hands on one at the Guitar Centre. However I have a problem and that is that to get the instrument back to the UK I am going to have to check it into hold baggage as I am not rich enough to purchase a seat for it when coming home. Those of you guys that have one of these guitars can you tell me what the Custom Shop Case is like? Do you think it is good enough to bring the instrument back through the baggage systems of an airport and ensure the guitar is not damaged? Or should I trade the case for an ATA certified case by SKB Cases or similar? This will be my first purchase of a genuine Gibson guitar and I want to get it back in one piece. Any help and suggestions welcomed. catch you soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobody Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 i'm a big shadows fan and the ventures too! i'm also a new owner of an ES-339. ok the case... well the case it so so. i think it's thin pressed wood. i'm not sure if i would really trust it to ground handling, i can see it getting bounced around. I would at the very least fill the case with packing paper or similar, that will reduce the movement inside the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adele Posted April 24, 2008 Author Share Posted April 24, 2008 i'm a big shadows fan and the ventures too! i'm also a new owner of an ES-339. ok the case... well the case it so so. i think it's thin pressed wood. i'm not sure if i would really trust it to ground handling' date=' i can see it getting bounced around. I would at the very least fill the case with packing paper or similar, that will reduce the movement inside the case. [/quote'] Hi Thanks for your reply and info about the case. Pretty much as I suspected and I have been looking at ATA certifed cases but that would mean leaving the Gibby case behind but that may be the better option to get my 339 home. However I shall look at your suggestion when I am over there. Is your 339 the 30/60 neck or the 50 neck, would like feed back on what both necks are like? Although I have heard the 50 neck is like a tree trunk? I see your are in Vancouver, I was there when transiting to Victoria on Vancouver Island about 12 years ago didn't see much other than the airport but one day I hope to return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayville Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Assuming the 339 case is very similar to my 356 case (i.e. not something I'd feel safe checking), I think I'd loosen the strings a bit, remove and bag the switch tip and the pickguard, then carefully pack crumbled newspaper in the case around the neck, headstock (top and bottom) and anywhere else there's space (including the case compartment). Bubble-wrap and packing peanuts could conceivably damage the nitro. Then I'd box the whole lot -- with as much crumpled newspaper all around as I could get in there -- enough to cushion it from every angle, but not so tight as to transfer all the energy of a bump to the case/guitar. Then I'd wrap the box with tough strapping tape along all the edges and about every 6 inches round and round, top to bottom and side to side. Then I'd mark it "Fragile" all over (on the off chance that it would help). And try to gate-check it if you can to minimize handling. Or maybe you could find an ATA-style case big enough to hold the cased guitar (after packing all around the guitar as above)? You'd have to redo the foam later if you had to enlarge the space, but it could protect things better than cardboard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adele Posted April 24, 2008 Author Share Posted April 24, 2008 Assuming the 339 case is very similar to my 356 case (i.e. not something I'd feel safe checking)' date=' I think I'd loosen the strings a bit, remove and bag the switch tip and the pickguard, then carefully pack crumbled newspaper in the case around the neck, headstock (top and bottom) and anywhere else there's space (including the case compartment). Bubble-wrap and packing peanuts could conceivably damage the nitro. Then I'd box the whole lot -- with as much crumpled newspaper all around as I could get in there -- enough to cushion it from every angle, but not so tight as to transfer all the energy of a bump to the case/guitar. Then I'd wrap the box with tough strapping tape along all the edges and about every 6 inches round and round, top to bottom and side to side. Then I'd mark it "Fragile" all over (on the off chance that it would help). And try to gate-check it if you can to minimize handling. Or maybe you could find an ATA-style case big enough to hold the cased guitar (after packing all around the guitar as above)? You'd have to redo the foam later if you had to enlarge the space, but it could protect things better than cardboard... [/quote'] I have also looked at these http://www.casextreme.com/ as they seem to be a good idea and I can use the custom shop case insode the extreme case. Again I agree that bubble wrap or packing peanuts might damage the finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer993 Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Hi - I have a 339 and the cheap case that came with it. I think you should get the better case. You won't regret it. Have a good trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nobody Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 hey Adele, ya i got the 50's fat neck ..and yep, it's huge. i thought i'd be returning it but it kinda grew on me. it's a pretty easy smooth playing neck. Vancouver is a nice place and i really dig Victoria. I see your in Scottland, i've been there a few times.. my family is from there. They go back and visit almost every year. good luck in Nashville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adele Posted April 25, 2008 Author Share Posted April 25, 2008 hey Adele' date=' ya i got the 50's fat neck ..and yep, it's huge. i thought i'd be returning it but it kinda grew on me. it's a pretty easy smooth playing neck. Vancouver is a nice place and i really dig Victoria. I see your in Scottland, i've been there a few times.. my family is from there. They go back and visit almost every year. good luck in Nashville[/quote'] Hi Right I had heard that the 59 neck is big which is why I am thinking of the 30/60 neck. I have an Epiphone ES335 Dot and if the 30/60 neck is anything like the neck on the 335 it will be a nice neck to play. :-) One of these days I will re-visit Vancouver and trornto as I have been there as well b ut both my trips to Canada were on business so not too much timne to sight see. sorry getting off topic. I am really looking forward to the Nashville trip and I am sure I iwll not have problems getting the 339 back to the UK. Yes I am in the Oil capital of Europe great place. Catch you soon and thanks for your replies and help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Hi Adele... I posted this on my >I get my 339 on Monday thread... Hey Adele, You don´t need a flight case... The Custom Shop case is fine... You can carry it on board with you and store it in the over head... The department of transpotation has an agreement with the airlines that musicians can take their instruments on board... I have a copy of the letter of agreement. I´ll try to post it or a link or something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I brought my LP Classic with me from Boston to Spain... No problem at all. Fits nicey in the overhead or in the closet where the business and first class travlers put their jackets... You may have to insist but they can´t say no... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkmuller Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Adele, I have been on the road and some airlines HAVE said no to putting the guitar in the overhead. Some airlines forced us to check the guitars with luggage. I used to put my 335 in an anvil ATA case, and clothes and toiletries in the regular guitar case. I would NEVER take a chance without an ATA case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Its up to you to get an ATA case or not... Someone traveling on the road or touring should have one no doubt but if youre not planning on touring with the guitar it's an added big expense. I think you can get away with the Custom Shop case on the plane.. If they give you any trouble whip out a copy of this baby... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adele Posted May 1, 2008 Author Share Posted May 1, 2008 Its up to you to get an ATA case or not... Someone traveling on the road or touring should have one no doubt but if youre not planning on touring with the guitar it's an added big expense. I think you can get away with the Custom Shop case on the plane.. If they give you any trouble whip out a copy of this baby... Hi Dave Thanks for your three posts about the case with the ES339 and you views which I appreciate. I am still undecided about the ATA case although I have sourced a suplier of good quality cases here in the UK. Whilst I am not planning on travelling a lot with the guitar I am concerend about getting back home to the UK from Nashville in August. Hence the request for feedbackon the custom shop case that is supplied with the guitar. I have checked with Delta and KLM who are the two airlines I am flying with from Aberdeen to Nashville return and they have both advised that I should check the guitar. Plus use a ATA case, but then they could just be covering their backs in case there is any damage. There is also a very good chance that I shall travel back to the US next year for another event in Nashville if this one is a success. This would mean taking a guitar with me again, I also travel to Cyprus each year and would like to be able to take the guitar with me when I go there so it maybe worth the investment for me. One thing you might be able to help with if you don't mind is with dimensions of the 339. Hiscox http://www.hiscoxcases.com/proguitar_hiscox.htm the case supplier here in the UK has asked me to provide the following dimensions so that they can match one of their cases to my requirments. Lower Bout Upper Bout Body Length Total Length Depth of the body. Are you able to post these dimensions for me please. I did post the question in your other post but maybe you missed it :-) It would be a great help if you can. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Are you able to post these dimensions for me please. I did post the question in your other post but maybe you missed it :-) It would be a great help if you can. I did post the dimensions in the thread where you asked for them, days ago. Maybe you missed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adele Posted May 1, 2008 Author Share Posted May 1, 2008 I did post the dimensions in the thread where you asked for them' date=' days ago. Maybe you missed it.[/quote'] Hi Guitar junkie, How could I miss such a informative picture I ask myself. No excuse really other for some reason when I visit the forum images are not always displayed full size. But now that you have re-pointed me in the right direction, thanks very much and aplogies to dave in spain and to yourself, for my being so dumb.;-) thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 No problem. I was just messing with you. It's kind of easy to lose track of a thread around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adele Posted May 1, 2008 Author Share Posted May 1, 2008 No problem. I was just messing with you. It's kind of easy to lose track of a thread around here. Oh I knew you were so no problem here either. Can I ask where you are in Canada? Catch you later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Right outside the nation's capital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adele Posted May 2, 2008 Author Share Posted May 2, 2008 Right outside the nation's capital. Ah so that would be Ottawa ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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