Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 02:53 PM

I have had a very nice email back from Hull, and since the Dixon's look like top quality guitar porn, and are about a quarter of the price of a Calton - and are made of the same stuff as Harrier jump-jet wings, I think I might buy one.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Jeri
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 12:14 PM

See my post.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: HughJ
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 10:28 AM

Sounds like here in North America, the Calton is the standard for security, if you can get them. That's essentially what i hear everywhere. I also follow Acoustic Guitar Forum, and there's a guy there who is claiming he ordered anew calton case and received a very used case. Thats the kind of propblems Im also hearing, though that is extreme. Thanks for all the input. i guess I have to ask myself if I feel lucky.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: John P
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 09:59 AM

I have a Calton case, bought from Canada. Worth every penny. Complete peace of mind when I fly with my guitar.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: GUEST,Continuity Jones
Date: 28 Dec 10 - 03:32 AM

I too have a Calton case, ordered and received without any difficulty whatsoever from Keith in the UK. It's considerably more robust than the Hiscox case I was using previously.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: GUEST,erbert
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 10:47 PM

if I could afford a guitar that merits a case that costs as much as these, plus the annual insurance..

I still wouldn't buy any of it.

I be just be as content to travel and buy a decent used guitar at a shop at the destination..

and if travelling regularly, leave the guitars with trusted family or mates for next time I visited...

But then I take my guitars/mando thingies to gigs on the train wrapped in bin bags for protection from the rain,

stuffed into whatever padded gig bags still have working zips.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 10:27 PM

I have been looking for some nice pictures of Scott Dixon flight cases - their own website is not so grand for them - and I have found some pix here: -

http://www.dazamakiz.co.uk/scottdixon.html

They do a single acoustic case in the coffin style that fills me with lust, and they also do a twin acoustic case (with wheels).

The triple case for electric guitars sells in the UK for under £350 and I suspect that the single acoustics might be rather less.   This would be cheaper than "top end" carbon fibre cases.

They appear to be made in Hull, England - but, worryingly, I have found details of the liquidation of a company called Scott Dixon Ltd.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 09:32 PM

Getting a Calton in UK is Fine !! Especially if you have Gigged with Keith !

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Fortunato
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 09:03 PM

I recommend Xtreme:

http://www.casextreme.com/

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: HughJ
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 07:55 PM

Well my experience hasn't been as good. I read a previous thread on this forum about Calton, and while there were some issues brought to light, there were also supporters and the company owner responded to them.

By what a fool I was. Ordered the case, got nothing. Called, emailed, called, emaild....no response, nothing nada zip. It was as if once he got my order they would no longer communicate. I paid by credit card, so other than considerable time lost, I didn't lose money.

I have subsequently learned that the problems are well founded and spread across many forums. At Acoustic Guitar Forum the owner even threatened to sue the admin if he wouldn't remove negative posts, even if true! The admin caved and you can no longer discuss calton on that site. There is something "fishy" around the whole deal, so I say proceed at your own risk, which is probably good advise for any case company where your spending that much.

To answer the OP's question, check out Karura. I have a couple and have really liked them. I also have several Hiscox and I would feel comfortable flying with the Artists Series cases, but not the other two lines.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: GUEST,Chris Newman
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 07:31 PM

I'm very happy with the Calton I bought from Keith in the UK. Additionally I use a Colorado case cover that is very useful as it means I can use plastic cable ties around the zips of the case cover and the Calton's handle that prevents unauthorised folks from easily opening the case. The TSA folks often inspect the contents but always replace the cable ties.

I have a Hiscox too. It's OK for putting in the back of the van but I'd certainly never dream of flying with it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 07:21 PM

OK ! Here's the Previous Thread

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 06:56 PM

Terry, I think most of the problems with Carlton Cases of Canada were only passed on from some guy who started... from an anonymous, name-changing GUEST on Mudcat who was pretending to be interested about guitar cases. Hopefully, this thread won't turn into one focusing on either negative comments about one particular company or an advertisement for a competitor. I would love a Calton case, but would likely only buy one if I were a professional musician or wealthy.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 06:07 PM

I'll ask my son what he bought a few weeks ago. It's quite sturdy, and he used some clothing inside to further cushion the guitar. He said it has "TSA locks," whatever those are.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 05:46 PM

Wasn't that with an unreturned repair Terry, not with the case itself?

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 05:44 PM

There HAVE been problems with Calton of Canada , though NOT with Keith in UK !

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 05:22 PM

Well my Calton 'Flight case' which is a step up from their normal robust case, has my total confidence, and provided you pack your guitar properly, it will cope with most problems.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Don Firth
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 04:05 PM

I flew a lot with my guitar (Martin 00-28-G in a hard-shell case) back in the mid-1950s. No problem. They put a "special handling" tag on the case and a flight attendant carried it on board and set it carefully in the coat cupboard, then brought it to me at the end of the flight.

Then, in the late 1980s, the last time I flew with my guitar (very pricey Japanese-made classic in a hard-shell case), they insisted on putting it in with the rest of the luggage—which, by then, was managed by clumsy and aggressive gorillas. I refused. We dickered and fussed for awhile (me threatening to cancel my ticket and take the train), then they offered me an alternative. I could buy a child's fare ticket for the guitar, carry it on board, and strap it into the seat next to me. So I did.

I considered it a form of extortion, but I remembered that Segovia did that with his guitar, as did Mstislav Rostropovich with his very pricey cello, rather than leave their instruments to the tender mercies of barbarians.

It wasn't that bad, considering. $30.00 or so from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Chicago. Then, on United from Chicago back to Seattle, once again, they put the guitar in the coat closet up by the flight attendants' station.

On a trip with my wife to her family reunion in the early 1990s, the knuckle-dragging barbarians managed to bend the frame on my wheelchair. They had trouble making it fit in the baggage compartment, so they just crammed it! When I got it back, the frame was sufficiently bent that when the chair was unfolded, the seat didn't quite fit into the rest of the frame, and it had a tendency to roll at a diagonal. I filed a complaint, and a United Airlines supervisor authorized sufficient compensation to have the wheelchair repaired, plus the offer of a loaner.

With that experience to go on, and from what I have heard recently about the way baggage handlers deal with musical instruments, if I have occasion to travel with my guitar again, I will either take the train (a fairly pleasant and leisurely way to travel) or buy a child's seat for my guitar and take it with me.

I might suggest, GUEST,A. Williams, that if you don't fly that much, it might be judicious to emulate the Big Kids like Segovia and Rostropovich (and many other musicians, as I understand it) and buy the instrument a seat. Then, you're in charge of it.

Good luck!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 04:03 PM

This looks reasonably robust: -

http://www.soundsliveshop.com/p/Warwick_RC20609A_Acoustic_Guitar_Case/WAR-RC20609A

If you want to be a real animal you could slip the internal trim out and put some flat sheet steel (keep it thin or it will be stupid heavy) around the soundbox end and pop rivet it from the outside - keeping the rivets close to or even in the edging strip.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 03:04 PM

Extremely happy with my Calton.
Extremely unhappy with my Hiscox.

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 03:00 PM

In the Calton of Canada thread Amos posted this link !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXMf938xq_c&NR=1
Look good , but they sure as hell arent cheap

Subject: RE: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 02:49 PM

Calton cases are very good. Hiscox I have heard are OK as well

Subject: Tech: Looking for a Guitar Flight Case
From: GUEST,A. Williams
Date: 27 Dec 10 - 02:09 PM

I am in the market for a good flight case for my guitar. I have, what I consider to be, an expensive guitar ($$$$). I don't fly much, but when I do I want to make sure that it arrives safely. Does anyone have recommendations? What makes a flight case good? I don't see any made in America, is that true? etc etc. Thanks in advance.