Help, traveling with an electric guitar

[marcelo94]

Heyy in about a week im traveling by aeroplane, what precautions should I take before getting on the plane?

 

once heard you should loosen up a bit the strings, right?

[pohatu771]

If it has a bolt-on neck, I recommend taking it apart and putting it in your carry-on.

 

Seriously though, I've heard bad things about airplanes and guitars... if you can get it in the cabin with you, do it.

[marcelo94]

OF COURSE ! It will be with me all the time, im not letting anyone touch my guitar, but if its with me, so I still have to take it apart?

[Notes_Norton]

1) get an ATA approved flight case - this is VERY important and make sure the guitar fits snugly in the case so it doesn't bounce around inside the case

 

2) if you can, ship it via UPS or FEDEX to the nearest facility to the airport you will be landing at and mark it both FRAGILE and "Hold For Pickup" -- it has been my experience that both UPS and FEDEX handle fragile gear MUCH better than the commercial airlines and they have a better reliability rating as far as lost luggage is concerned.

 

 

I have also heard that you need to loosen the strings before shipping and I've always done that.

 

Insights and incites by Notes

[Axe2Grind123]

I believe the definition of "Carry on" is that it must fit through the scanner where you board. Most guitar cases (if not all) would easily fit through the scanner, so you should be able to make it your overhead luggage (I think)

[duane v]

I do heavy traveling for my job, and the only time I will take a guitar is if I'm travel 1st class. Because they will allow you to bring your gig bag as a carry on, and it will be stored in the cabin in an up-right storage area, which I've never had issue with.

 

I would never consider taking a hollow-body guitar on a plane unless I had a flight case, or any guitar I had to check in.

[Vic Flick]

If it has a bolt-on neck' date=' I recommend taking it apart and putting it in your carry-on.

 

Seriously though, I've heard bad things about airplanes and guitars... if you can get it in the cabin with you, do it.[/quote']

 

I did that last year on vacation!!! I had a bang around Squier Strat, I put the body in one suitcase and the neck in another (so they wouldn't bang into each other).

[brianh]

On page 165 of Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide, he talks about Bill Kirchen's (Commander Cody) solution: Install four threaded steel inserts into the body of a Tele, and then just unbolt the neck and stick the whole thing in a briefcase. I expect that even in this day and age, the TSA would let it pass through an X-ray machine without making a big deal out of it:

 

[freak show]

Heyy in about a week im traveling by aeroplane' date=' what precautions should I take

 

once heard you should loosen up a bit the strings, right?[/quote']

 

Yes, definitely loosen the strings.

 

I fly to Europe pretty frequently, and I've always been allowed to take my guitar with me as a carry-on bag. It is probably a good idea to ask your airline what the policy is, just to be sure. In some planes the overhead compartment is too small for a guitar, but there are always a few closets big enough. The stewardess will help you find one. But at all costs try to keep your guitar with you!!! The cargo area under the plane gets VERY cold and is pretty much hell on a wooden instrument.

 

I just hope you're not flying with an especially valuable and cherished vintage acoustic, because I've known people who got cracks in theirs due to the pressure changes.

[Geff]

Best answer is if you dont absolutely have to, dont do it.

Can you borrow or rent equipment? Consider buying and then reselling if you are going to be there for long enough to make it worthwhile (if you buy and sell used gear you need not lose much money in the process and may even make a profit!).

 

If travelling economy these days, I think your chances of getting a guitar in as carry on are slim to none.

 

If it is a bolt on neck, taking it apart and placing the parts in your suitcase well padded out with clothes is probably your best bet. Set neck I would just not risk it in anything other than an ATA approved hard case. Fill the case with bubble wrap and towels etc to help stop it rattling around and also to alleviate some of the temperature change issues.