DrKev
Moderator
Good luck getting through security with a screwdriver.
- Thread starter Systems
- Start date
Good luck getting through security with a screwdriver.
Systems
Well-known member
I really don't know what I'm going to do at this point. I think if there's even a chance that I may have to check it I *must* take the case. The way I look at it is even with a small % chance that I have to check it, there is a 100% chance of the guitar being destroyed in that situation, whereas if I just put it in the case my only concern is the guitar showing up at the right destination which should have a much lower risk of having anything happen to it.
I would just ship the guitar to myself, but unfortunately I'm going to need every extra hour that I can rehearsing on it right up until recording and I don't have another 7 string.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I would just ship the guitar to myself, but unfortunately I'm going to need every extra hour that I can rehearsing on it right up until recording and I don't have another 7 string.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
billpepper82
Well-known member
Pull a Willie Nelson and buy the seat next to you for your guitar and both enjoy the in flight movie Fearless LOL
BUC
Well-known member
What airline are you flying on? That will make a difference.
If it's Southwest, you can buy early boarding pretty late in the process or upgrade to business-select. It's not that expensive.
Once you're on the airplane with your guitar stowed, you're safe. I don't think I've ever seen them go back into the bins to pull stuff out to gate-check (can you imagine the fight's we'd have with passengers if we did that?). When the overheads are full, they just start gate checking the people who haven't gotten on the airplane yet.
Don't bet on having a guitar stowed in a "closet" on the airplane either. Neither the 737 or the smaller Airbus have anything like that, and domestically, that (or something smaller) is what you're most likely flying on. Maybe this works internationally or on bigger airplanes, but you'd never see that at Southwest.
If it's Southwest, you can buy early boarding pretty late in the process or upgrade to business-select. It's not that expensive.
Once you're on the airplane with your guitar stowed, you're safe. I don't think I've ever seen them go back into the bins to pull stuff out to gate-check (can you imagine the fight's we'd have with passengers if we did that?). When the overheads are full, they just start gate checking the people who haven't gotten on the airplane yet.
Don't bet on having a guitar stowed in a "closet" on the airplane either. Neither the 737 or the smaller Airbus have anything like that, and domestically, that (or something smaller) is what you're most likely flying on. Maybe this works internationally or on bigger airplanes, but you'd never see that at Southwest.
Jimmyb
Well-known member
Or shoes.
beej
Moderator
Having to get there early is one of those things that pisses me off about flying.
You pay for a specific seat- why not just assign a specific area in the overhead bin? You'd alleviate the rush/fight that goes on when certain jackasses try to stuff their multiple massive carry-on bags in a space that's too small. Would force people to check that stuff, which is what they should be doing anyway. (Giving the airlines more revenue from baggage.)
Having to guess about what you can carry on is nuts, you can't plan for it at all.
You pay for a specific seat- why not just assign a specific area in the overhead bin? You'd alleviate the rush/fight that goes on when certain jackasses try to stuff their multiple massive carry-on bags in a space that's too small. Would force people to check that stuff, which is what they should be doing anyway. (Giving the airlines more revenue from baggage.)
Having to guess about what you can carry on is nuts, you can't plan for it at all.
DrKev
Moderator
Well, people are just selfish. I wish airlines would actually enforce the one piece of hand luggage rule. And when the say boarding rows 15-30, send anyone else to back of the queue. They'd get the plane boarded faster too and my blood pressure would be a lot lower.
Jack FFR1846
Well-known member
I'm going to quote Steve Morse in a minute again. As for the screw driver, I just bought one at Lowes for 50 cents. It is like a handle with an insert. The philips bit is separate and maybe 1/2 inch long. It might fly. If not.....you could always plan for the worst and remove the neck before security or back at home.
Steve also said that he would nicely ask the flight attendant if he could hang the guitar in the first class closet and that they usually allowed him to. I can see where that would work. Back when I flew for my job, I always had a garment bag and would ask to hang it in the first class closet when I boarded the plane. I was never denied. By the time us peons are boarding, the first class people are all seated and their coats hung.....so the flight attendants can see that there's room. Makes their life easier. Saying yes when there's room is easier than causing a hassle and not allowing it.
BUC
Well-known member
Beej, there is no way to enforce "zoned" overhead bin space. Airplanes and bins are not built with seat specific bins. And I'm pretty sure if they were, each individual bin would be much smaller than a guitar. Our Flight Attendants have enough to do just trying to get 1 butt into 1 seat and get the airplane buttoned up so we can push off the gate in time.
It's very infrequent that we have to gate check. The truth is, you could probably just get a gig back and have a pretty good chance of getting on the airplane and getting the guitar stowed safely. BUT, with a fine instrument worth some coin, we don't want to run even that small of a risk. The airline doesn't really want to gate check either: it really slows us down and at Southwest, we don't make any more money for it.
And please remember that both Southwest and Jet Blue, still do not charge for checked bags. Charging for checked bags is what's making people carry more on to the airplane.
When I have to travel with a guitar I usually travel with one of these: Travel Guitars-Stewart Stowaway and Road-Runner Travel Guitars Fits in a computer bag. Not the best sounding guitar but it feels good and is great for practicing with. Not too expensive so I don't care if it gets a little beat up.
It's very infrequent that we have to gate check. The truth is, you could probably just get a gig back and have a pretty good chance of getting on the airplane and getting the guitar stowed safely. BUT, with a fine instrument worth some coin, we don't want to run even that small of a risk. The airline doesn't really want to gate check either: it really slows us down and at Southwest, we don't make any more money for it.
And please remember that both Southwest and Jet Blue, still do not charge for checked bags. Charging for checked bags is what's making people carry more on to the airplane.
When I have to travel with a guitar I usually travel with one of these: Travel Guitars-Stewart Stowaway and Road-Runner Travel Guitars Fits in a computer bag. Not the best sounding guitar but it feels good and is great for practicing with. Not too expensive so I don't care if it gets a little beat up.
LawDaddy
Well-known member
I may be in the minority here, but I feel more comfortable checking a guitar in one of the Reunion Blues cases. In certain situations, like driving over the case, nothing will help. But for bouncing around and being stacked, I would rather have the guitar surrounded like a sumo wrestler suit.
Jimmyb
Well-known member
I took my Axis Sport over to France in an EBMM tolex case, it was fine. The SKB case is very good as well.
I've flown internationally with my EBMMs around 40 times over the last ten years. Every time they go inside their ebmm skb case, then inside a guitar shipping carton for extra protection...I've checked them every time as I don't want the hassle of carrying it into the cabin and to avoid taking up too much storage space as there is never enough for everyone as there is. Never had a problem fortunately....
Systems
Well-known member
This is probably what I'm going to do. In the end I think it's the safest option. Probably not worth it to put extra padding in there or wrap it up since it will be opened anyway. :/
