flying w/ your guitar

sable · Unread post by **sable** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 1:13 pm

Has anyone flown (international) with your guitar recently. i have never and am doing in a couple of weeks - i am looking for tips and tricks and would preferably like to carry on but i don't see that happening.

taylordb · Unread post by **taylordb** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 4:41 pm

I have read that you really need to pack fully all around the complete length of the neck, so there is no way it can move...the most common damage is the headstock or neck breaking or breaking free from the body.

mbgreen · Unread post by **mbgreen** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 4:47 pm

My friend gigs and he flew with his guitar - neck snapped in two. It was a Martin D35 too. =(

Be very, very careful. Pack it well.

sable · Unread post by **sable** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 4:51 pm

mbgreen wrote:My friend gigs and he flew with his guitar - neck snapped in two. It was a Martin D35 too. =(

wow! luckily mine isn't a D35! but it'd take me a while to replace it so i'd love to keep it safe and sound

firedancer86 · Unread post by **firedancer86** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 5:10 pm

I took my acoustic to Guatemala for a missions trip two years ago...a rough ride, but it came out in one peice...

TIP: FOR GOODNESS SAKES TUNE YOUR STRINGS DOWN AT LEAST A FULL STEP...THAT WILL SPARE YOUR NECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hd28v · Unread post by **hd28v** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 7:28 pm

Everything you ever wanted to know about flying with your guitar.
http://www.acousticguitar.com/Gear/advice/flying.shtml

taylordb · Unread post by **taylordb** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 7:40 pm

hd28v wrote:Everything you ever wanted to know about flying with your guitar.
http://www.acousticguitar.com/Gear/advice/flying.shtml

Man, that is too funny...I was looking in my back issues of Acoustic Guitar because I remembered reading a piece on flying with your guitar...I found it and logged on to post the info when your post came up.

Glad to know others use that magazine as a resource.

Ricky the Pilot · Unread post by **Ricky the Pilot** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 7:42 pm

It depends on the airline, and the airline employee's interpretation of the rules. It also depends on wether the aircraft is full or not. The Transportation Security Administration says you can take a musical instrument on an aircraft as carry-on baggage in addition to the limit of one bag and one personal item per person. Here's a letter from the TSA http://www.local1000.com/carryon.pdf. The airline will still not allow you to take any item (musical instrument or not) if it does not fit in the over head compartment. On most aircraft, a full size dreadnought guitar with hardshell case will fit in the over head compartment. It also fits in the garment closets. If the aircraft is full, most likely they will not allow you to carry it on. If the aircraft is not full, the airline will want to make you, one of the few paying customers happy and will allow you to bring the guitar in the aircraft. The airlines are more likely to let you carry a guitar in a gig bag than a hardshell case. But if they make you check it, no guitar will survive the trip in a gig bag. Trust me, I have worked the bag room before.
If you have to check in your instument DO NOT argue with the airline reps or security people. They lost all common sense and humor after September 11. The airline will not insure it or will be held liable for any damage their baggage handlers cause. If you are going to check it with your other baggage than make sure it's in a hardshell case and inside a guitar shipping box with plenty of padding and taped. Once again trust me on this, I have worked the ramp before. If your case has a lock, DO NOT LOCK IT. The TSA will break the lock to look inside the case and possibly damage the case or the guitar in the process. The TSA will not be held liable for any damage they cause either.
My advise is to get a travel guitar like a Baby Taylor to lug around the airport or if you really want your full size guitar than ship it insured via UPS or FedEx.

jsgksu · Unread post by **jsgksu** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 7:44 pm

So does your intelligence on this mean your actually a pilot and thats not just a screen name?

Ricky the Pilot · Unread post by **Ricky the Pilot** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 11:16 pm

So does your intelligence on this mean your actually a pilot and thats not just a screen name?

That would be correct sir. 8)

sable · Unread post by **sable** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 7:36 am

Ricky the Pilot wrote: if you really want your full size guitar than ship it insured via UPS or FedEx.

it'll cost at least $800 to get UPS my guitar to where i'm going

mbgreen · Unread post by **mbgreen** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 12:52 pm

Which begs the question; where are you headed that it would be that difficult to get your guitar shipped there? And what are you doing there?

snoopdoug1 · Unread post by **snoopdoug1** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 1:07 pm

mbgreen wrote:Which begs the question; where are you headed that it would be that difficult to get your guitar shipped there? And what are you doing there?

hehe, yeah! We're nosey!

sable · Unread post by **sable** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 1:16 pm

i'm going back home to Zimbabwe, a little big country in Southern Africa. yeah, you guys are nosey - but that's cool.

i have half a mind to give the axe to some chick i was teaching - but i don't know how soon i can replace it when i get home. yeah, this guitar thing is driving me nuts now. why can all my problems be traced back to my lack of money?

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flying w/ your guitar

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