travelling with my guitar to florida, help!!

[trebor]

hi
i come from the philippines.
i want to install a pickup in my martin d16gt so im going to bring it with me when i go to florida (ill have to take a flight to san fran, then another one from san fran to florida)

question is, will it be safe if i check in my guitar?
it will be in its case. ill put some tshirts inside for extra cushion, try to put bubble wrap around the case, and then stamp it with a HANDLE w CARE sticker.
i really really doubt that ill be able to handcarry this.

please help me coz i really need to bring this and install the pickup as i have no place to do it here where i come from.

[Thomas]

it's a hardshell case right?

yeah you're more than likely going to have to check it unless you want to buy an extra plane ticket for it to sit in

what you said would be good but i would also do this:
get a bunch of newspaper and stuff it into where the headstock would go. REALLY jam it in and fill it up to when you put the guitar in you kinda have to force it to fit and then stuff some more on top. this will help protect the headstock and the neck from breaking if they happen to drop it. i would actually wrap the guitar itself with bubble wrap too before you put it in the case.

and that should do it

[PureDaveAddict]

I flew from Madison to chicago in a prop plane, and transfered onto a 7-something jet to Jacksonville, all the time having my Art & Lutherie in checked. There was no padding in it at all, and my guitar turned out just fine. But that's just my experience, better to be safe than sorry.

[geekmug]

two words: fedex, man.

If you check it, then you are at the will of god. And, the airline isn't responsible for any damages. I've read many discussions on the best way to transport guitars, and the decidedly best way is to get a flight case, which is a case designed spefically for this abuse (ie, bands that fly to concerts). But they are really expensive, so clearly it is not worth it for a one-time trip.

But, then I heard someone give a genius idea.. ship the guitar. The rates for such a package are not cheap, but much cheaper than a seat on a plane, and better yet, if you have an insured carrier, then you will be reimbursed for the packages declared value, should something happen to it.

Of course, rates all depend on when you need it by.. could be as low as $30 UPS Ground, or up to $120-150 Fedex overnight.. but again, how soon you need it is the cost factor. Rates based on 20lb, 46x20x8in, $1000, using my own guitar and location as a reference.

[Devils08]

when I bring my guitar from home (NY) to school (Chicago), you can claim or gate check it. It goes with the strollers and stuff and i'm guessing/hoping its cared for a little better than the average checked bag. I have done it a good 3 or 4 times and haven't run into any trouble. All you need to do is before you bring it, detune all of your strings b/c at high altitude a normally tuned guitar may warp/break. Bring the guitar through security to the gate and when you're boarding, ask them for a claim check. Then place it on the end of the little gateway thing before you get on. It will count as a carry-on bag though so if that matters, beware...