Guitars on flights

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 03 Oct 03 - 04:53 AM

Elderly Music have got a cheap Martin Backpacker for sale, now.
Giok

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: bflat
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 10:19 PM

Neverhad a problem. Have taken one on board and also in the luggage hold. Requested special handling and received it.

Ellen

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: freightdawg
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 10:02 PM

I agree wholeheartedly with the above comments. Because of my vocation I can tell you that the word "fragile" is just an invitation to fold, mutilate and destroy just about anything. You have to remember that most baggage handling is down out of sight - and that means out of mind as well. Also, a lot of baggage sorting is done with automatic sorters these days - and they have a real taste for expensive objects (how they identify them is a top industry secret.) My only addition to the suggestions so far is to check into the possibility of buying some insurance on the guitar. That way, if the instrument is damaged or lost, at least you can get some cash to replace it.

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: Lane
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 06:16 PM

What DID Amos say?

Hey... first of all - if its an old banger like my Yamaha FG 140, its worth taking care of. The old thing plays pretty darn well.

I travel on Southwest Airlines often and have never had a problem with taking my guitars on as carry ons.... I dont think all airlines are as liberal, but SW has never given me a problem...

Lane

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 06:14 PM

When I was a student a long time ago, I went to England for a semester and bought a guitar in London, rather than fly with the one I had back home. That one was an Eko Ranger 6, cost me 46 pounds, sold it back to the music store for 10 when I returned home (this was 1975). Since then I have flown with some nice guitars and they have come out unscathed. I do have one "flying guitar" with a Mark Leaf case with the interior custom fitted to just that guitar. You can put that case through a lot of abuse and nothing will hurt the guitar (usually).

If I were flying to the states now and thinking of buying a session guitar, I would look at yamaha or alverez or sigma price range. Do you know someone that you're visiting well enough to ask to borrow a guitar while you're here? We're going to Ireland in November to visit some old, dear friends and I was thinking of asking to do that, rather than fly (and carry) one over with me. Good luck.

I've heard the air handler horror stories and do not doubt their truth.   On the other hand, the late great Jethro Burns told me that he never asked for special handling when flying with his mandolin, always checked it in with his other baggage, and it always came out ok.

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: Strupag
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 05:43 PM

Now yer talking John. I think I might try that! Bet your envious - Naw second thoughts, you wont be; you can't get the Archers in Cape Breton!

Ok all you New Englanders and Eastern Canadians what would I expect to pay for a "drinking" guitar?

Hey this thread has got promotion Thanks joe!

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 04:34 PM

Look for a cheap one on E-bay in the US Andy, collect it in situ, and chance bringing it back afterwards.
Giok

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 02:52 PM

What Amos said.

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: Amos
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 02:33 PM

According to a research survey -- in 7.4 out of 10 luggage handlers the trauma-induced obsession relative to guitar cases is induced by pre-natal experiences of the (luggage handler's) mother, who typically was overwhelmed by a guitar; the standard profile indicates the occasion of overwhelm was not acoustic but highly amplified, usually occurring between 18 and 25 years of age, between 8:00 and 11:59 pm, with a normal presence of saturation in the atmosphere of hallucinogenic or related toxins of some 35 parts per million. The consensus of the analysts on the study is that the high atmospheric concentration of these chemicals in the typical event accounts for the failure of the study subjects to differentiate between acoustic guitars and noxious electric acid rock and roll instruments laying claim to the same name.

Regards,

A

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: GUEST,andrew
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 02:21 PM

And as John James sang ... They search everyone.... with a suitcase shaped like that


Andrew

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: RichM
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 01:57 PM

Just one suggestion to add to Peter's:
Visit your local music store, see if you can get a packing box that was used to ship a guitar case to the store... pack your guitar in its case snugly, and put the whole thing in the packing box

Rich

Subject: RE: Guitars in planes
From: Midchuck
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 01:49 PM

You have four options:

1) Buy a Calton case, or maybe a Pegasus. (Those cost a good deal more, new, than the present value of your old Yamaha.)

2) Travel with a guitar that you consider expendable, in a normal hard case, packing it carefully with a lot of padding inside the case, especially around the headstock.

3) Don't travel by air.

4) Don't travel with a guitar.

Sorry I'm not more help. But yes, airline luggage handlers go into a blind rage at the sight of a guitar case. I don't know why. Maybe a guitar player bit them at some point.

Peter.

Subject: BS: Guitars in planes
From: Strupag
Date: 02 Oct 03 - 12:51 PM

I'm off to Maine and Nova Scotia in about a week Yahooooo!
Here's my question. I was thinking of taking my old banger guitar with me (a hardy old Yamaha) for the odd session. I don't have a proper flight case and, although it's just an old banger, I wouldn't like to get it damaged. Do baggage handlers, these days, respect the fragile stickers or do they see this as a challenge?
Anyone had good bad experiences?

Andy