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SomeIdiotDreamer

By SomeIdiotDreamer
in Epiphone Electrics

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SomeIdiotDreamer

SomeIdiotDreamer

Posted
Posted

How do you travel with your guitar?

 

I'm going on a plane soon. Going down south, then to England, then back south for the new year.

 

It's sad to say goodbye to my Epi just when I got a practice amp (Horray for sales! :() and was getting to know what it sounds like electric...

 

How do you travel with your guitar?

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Whitmore Willy

Whitmore Willy

Posted
Posted

SID,

 

Call the airline ahead and ask if they will allow you to take it on the plane with you. If not leave it at home.

If it has to go through baggage you risk it all. If you have a good case you risk having the case ruined at best.

I have seen baggage handlers treat things like they were....well...baggage.

I would not want to hear about you opening your case and finding out you have a broken headstock.

Better to miss it for a month than to miss it forever.

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epinder

epinder

Posted
Posted

I've been lucky the times that I've traveled with a guitar. I bring my guitar on the plane with me. I fly a fair amount each year, so I am a gold or platnium member, so the airline that I fly has never said a word to me.

 

If you are not a regular flyer and in these days of reduced flights (full flights) they might make you check the guitar at the gate. If you need to check your guitar, I would make sure that your case is TSA approved so you can lock it up.

 

I see people with acoustics in gig bags all the time at airports. I don't think the airlines want the responsibility of their baggage handlers tossing a gig bag in the cargo hold, so these are brought on the plane without question.

 

Good Luck

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leicester35

leicester35

Posted
Posted

Sometimes it's just luck of the draw.

 

American Airlines gave me no problems at all. Neither did British Airways.

 

Delta said: "check that thing or you don't get on the plane - your choice, Sir. Have a nice day."

 

I think it depends on what guitar you have. I've seen people get on planes with Strats in skinny little gig bags strapped to their backs, and no-one bats an eye-lid. I'd worry if that didn't work, however, because if they did force you to check it then you'd be picking up matchwood off the luggage carousel at the other end. I can't see them letting you in the cabin with an archtop in a hardshell case either.

 

It also pays to find out what type of plane you will be flying in. There is no-way you can get a guitar in the overhead bins on a Boeing 777. I've tried, it can't be done. For some reason it fits in a 757 just fine. Otherwise you're left begging a flight attendant to put it in the 1st class closet for you...but she might just gate-check it instead, so it doesn't rub against some executive's cashmere overcoat.

 

If you have to fly with a guitar then invest in a really good flight case. The time I was forced to check a guitar it was my acoustic in a hardshell Gator case. Amazingly the guitar survived intact, but the case was a wreck. I had to pop the latches with a pair of pliars and a screwdriver, because they were twisted and bent out of shape. Also, be aware that the airline won't pay you a penny if the guitar is damaged but the outside of the case isn't. But to be honest, they probably won't pay you a penny either way. You can't argue with airlines anymore. If you don't like what's happening, their staff just smile at you and tell you to take a hike. Actually, they probably won't smile at you. Regular hardshell cases were not made for flying. You need something that looks like the Royal Navy could hit it with a harpoon missile and it would still be left standing.

 

I don't fly with a guitar anymore. When my friend went to study abroad in Canada for a year he bought an Epi LP when he arrived in Vancouver, and sold it the day before he flew back to London. Smart move.

 

I say all this of course, but I will be visiting the US next year and I will inevitably end up buying a guitar. And will then end up begging the airline to let me take it on the plane...

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leicester35

leicester35

Posted
Posted

 

I reckon some baggage handlers might see that as a challenge...probably run it over with a fork-lift or something.

 

There's supposed to be a popular acronym amongst Royal Mail parcel handlers....

 

Failed Under Kinetic Testing

 

I read it in Viz so it must be true...

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davidg3333

davidg3333

Posted
Posted

I was looking at being away from home for six weeks. It couldn't be done without a guitar. So I thought I would get an inexpensive guitar and ended up with my Dot. Guess what? I wouldn't travel with it either! Many moons ago you could take your guitars on planes and the crew would put it in the first class coat closet, but I wouldn't rely on it. Instead I would consider finding a store that might rent you a guitar for a week or two.

 

I ended up not traveling so I never tried renting. I am very glad I have my Dot, it was one of my better purchases.

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charlie brown

charlie brown

Posted
Posted
I called the airline and they said the chances that I'd be allowed to carry it on' date=' even in a small bag, are pretty small. I'll be leaving it at home.

 

Makes me sad though. :-k[/quote']

 

I know...Sorry. I'm afraid it's a "sign of the times," in more ways than one. Bummer, for sure!

 

CB

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Guest alanhindle

Guest alanhindle

Posted
Posted

If you travel regularly then a half size guitar may be your answer.

 

Epi make the Peewee but I'm not sure what it's like:

http://www.epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=55&CollectionID=7

 

I bought my young lad one of these which is very well made.

 

With their bolt on necks either could be disassembled to fit nicely in to a hand luggage sized bag.

 

They need to be tuned higher to maintain tuning stability though.

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charlie brown

charlie brown

Posted
Posted

Well, if your intinerary allows for it, you can always visit guitar dealers, in the various desitinations,

and do your "guitar" thing, for awhile, there. Be interesting to see different music stores/shops,

in those areas, especially in England, anyway. Who knows, you might even find a "treasure" you

can't live without? ;>)

 

CB

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JefferySmith

JefferySmith

Posted
Posted
How do you travel with your guitar?

 

I'm going on a plane soon. Going down south' date=' then to England, then back south for the new year.

 

It's sad to say goodbye to my Epi just when I got a practice amp (Horray for sales! :-k) and was getting to know what it sounds like electric...

 

How do you travel with your guitar? [/quote']

Whatever you do, don't check it in as regular luggage. If you can take it on board with you and place it in the hanging clothes closet at the front of 1st class, that would be good. I have watched baggage handlers THROW Halliburton cases filled with photo equipment onto a cart, miss it, and have it crash on the tarmac on the other side. Checking it in as baggage also invites theft. I'm a bit cynical, but I'm in a city that had a ring of baggage handlers who were going through suitcases and stealing cameras, jewelry, and medicines. Baggage handlers are not paid well, so we don't often get upstanding citizens in those positions. Those who can destroy the most luggage are upgraded with an offer from UPS. (okay, I'm kidding, but UPS has delivered boxes to me that appear to have been crushed under the weight of a 300 lb man).

 

Boy, it's easy to be grumpy if your avatar is Wilford Brimley. Maybe I need a Dr. Phil avatar.)

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JefferySmith

JefferySmith

Posted
Posted
Sometimes it's just luck of the draw.

 

American Airlines gave me no problems at all. Neither did British Airways.

 

Delta said: "check that thing or you don't get on the plane - your choice' date=' Sir. Have a nice day."

 

I think it depends on what guitar you have. I've seen people get on planes with Strats in skinny little gig bags strapped to their backs, and no-one bats an eye-lid. I'd worry if that didn't work, however, because if they did force you to check it then you'd be picking up matchwood off the luggage carousel at the other end. I can't see them letting you in the cabin with an archtop in a hardshell case either.

 

It also pays to find out what type of plane you will be flying in. There is no-way you can get a guitar in the overhead bins on a Boeing 777. I've tried, it can't be done. For some reason it fits in a 757 just fine. Otherwise you're left begging a flight attendant to put it in the 1st class closet for you...but she might just gate-check it instead, so it doesn't rub against some executive's cashmere overcoat.

 

If you have to fly with a guitar then invest in a really good flight case. The time I was forced to check a guitar it was my acoustic in a hardshell Gator case. Amazingly the guitar survived intact, but the case was a wreck. I had to pop the latches with a pair of pliars and a screwdriver, because they were twisted and bent out of shape. Also, be aware that the airline won't pay you a penny if the guitar is damaged but the outside of the case isn't. But to be honest, they probably won't pay you a penny either way. You can't argue with airlines anymore. If you don't like what's happening, their staff just smile at you and tell you to take a hike. Actually, they probably won't smile at you. Regular hardshell cases were not made for flying. You need something that looks like the Royal Navy could hit it with a harpoon missile and it would still be left standing.

 

I don't fly with a guitar anymore. When my friend went to study abroad in Canada for a year he bought an Epi LP when he arrived in Vancouver, and sold it the day before he flew back to London. Smart move.

 

I say all this of course, but I will be visiting the US next year and I will inevitably end up buying a guitar. And will then end up begging the airline to let me take it on the plane...[/quote']

 

A good compromise would be Continental. They'll say "Makes no difference. We'll lose it anyway."

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jcwillow777

jcwillow777

Posted
Posted

 

I bought one like this last year for my pedalboard. It's actually for a keyboard. It was spendy, but it is a very nice case and my pedalboard fits nicely. I haven't had it on an airplane yet though. I liked this so much I ordered a Gator ATA type case for my Dot. Don't know how much abuse it can withstand and I'm not sure I really want to find out. Seems like a solid light weight case though.

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Johno

Johno

Posted
Posted

When Fender delivered their custom made rosewood Telecaster (SN#235594) to George Harrison in December 1968 that he would use on the Let it Be sessions, they bought it it's own seat on a British Airways flight accompanied by a courier in the seat next to it.

The next year in December 1969 George gave it as a gift to Delaney Bramlett. In September 2003 Bramlett put it up for auction with $200,000 the starting bid. Actor Ed Begley Jr. representing an "anonymous west coast bidder" bought for $434,750. The "anonymous bidder" was George Harrison's widow Olivia.

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epinder

epinder

Posted
Posted
I don't understand why carrying guitars would be an issue' date=' when there always seems to be the odd one or two golfbags getting the 'special-handling-treatment...[/quote']

 

Special Handling Treatment!!! Tell that to my $500 TaylorMade driver that somehow mysteriously received fatal damage in transit while the hardcase it was in had nary a scratch. But, not worry, about 2 trips later, the baggage handlers destroyed the hinges on the hardcase too.

 

At the time I was flying UA and received nada for my troubles. Haven't flown the friendly skies since.

 

That is why my guitar comes on board with me when I take one along. I've done this about a half dozen times in the last 10 years without a problem.

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Notes_Norton

Notes_Norton

Posted
Posted

First of all, absolutely, positively get an ATA approved flight case.

 

Second, if you have a prize guitar, a classic or something special to you, leave it home and travel with a cheaper guitar.

Third, if you can, ship it via UPS or FedEx to the closest office to the airport and designate it "Hold For Pickup". This takes a little planning, and sometimes shipping it a day or two in advance, but it's worth it. Both UPS an FedEx handle things marked FRAGILE much more carefully than the airlines. They have to, it's their primary business. Not that they are perfect, just a lot better. Personal note: Don't use DHL, they are inferior, or at least that's my experience.

 

I would guess a solid body would travel better than a hollow body guitar, and a guitar without an angled headstock would be less likely to break.

 

Last time I flew, we shipped a Parker PM10 in a Gator ATA case via UPS (hold for pickup) and while the protective rail of the case did get mis-shaped, the guitar arrived just fine.

 

I packed my ATA sax flight case in a cardboard box because it has old fashioned latches that protrude from the case and shipped it UPS as well and it arrived in perfect condition (I think saxes are more fragile than guitars)

 

I've heard conflicting stories about relieving the tension on the strings before shipping. Does anyone have the definitive answer on that one?

 

Unfortunately the commercial airlines are losing money, so they have cut out a lot of the special services they used to provide. In addition, they have cut their staff, so even though the luggage handlers have never been careful, when they are overworked and rushed they have probably become even less careful (personal opinion - not based in fact or experience).

 

If you have the time, I seriously recommend UPS or FedEx. After all, Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, Sam Ash and other mail order outlets ship new guitars that way, usually in cardboard boxes - so a guitar in a flight case should fare even better.

 

Insights and incites by Notes

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