My JP6 and its flight to Europe...

[Warthog]

We took off from Newark NJ, my wife, our child and my JP6... one way ticket to Slovenia (well not really one way as it is cheaper to buy round trip.. and we actually landed in Graz, Austria... but I digress).

I get on the Plane (we flew Lufthansa) and as I am trying to get my gig bag up in the overhead compartment in a way that other bags won't crush it, the lovely flight attendant mentions that she has a better place for my guitar. She allows me to place my guitar and our baby car seat behind the row of seats infront of the bathrooms (just a few seats away from me)... How very nice of her! I did check during the flight every now and then to see if my JP6 was ok.

When we arrived to Munich, we had a short stop and then it was on to a smaller commuter plane to Graz. Before getting on the flight we had to go through security again. I was able to get a glimps of the guitar as it passed through the x-ray machine... the technician stared at it closely... probably hadn't seen too many guitars weith the Piezo pre-amp!

That flight wasn't so full so I had no problem placing my guitar in the overhead compartment padded by our jackets.

After landing and while collecting our bags... all 7 of them... I turned around too quickly and totally smacked someone with the guitar.. ooooops... apology accepted, he should have looked where he was going .... Kidding!

The final leg of the trip involved stuffing 7 bags, a baby, stroller, my wife and her father and the JP6 into a car for the drive to Slovenia.

An hour and a half later, we pulled into her father's driveway unpacked the car and I went to check out my guitar.

I unzipped the gigbag, placed the guitar on my lap and strummed an open e chord...

Not a single string was out of tune!!!!!!!!


Ok, I'm impressed.

Now I have to buy a new amp... hehe

 

[greenwizard]

Gotta love the locking tuners.
I'm glad this story had a happy ending!

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

Glad you got the guitar on the plane with you - I have all but given up trying to do this!

 

[raja_utara7]

that story had more suspense and thrill then....ermmm....The Da Vincci Code
glad to hear the happy ending and really refreshing to know it stays in tune the whole time.

 

[Warthog]

I did a bit of research here on this forum regarding taking my guitar on the plane with me... I found the slimmest soft case I could find in my soft case collection. It ended up being the soft case my SG Classic came it.

According to the TSA website, youl are allowed to take a guitar on board... However! It is up to the airline you are flying to whether the allow you to take it on board.

Lufthansa was very helpful and they even approved my guitar when I was checking in by placing an ˝Approved Carry on˝tag on it. I have hear horror stories about Delta on this forum.

I have 3 other electrics that will be shipped over in a container when my friend's company moves him to Europe (in about 10 months)... so I am really happy to have my JP6 with me now.

 

[glockaxis]

great story. When you get an amp lets hope you don't have to lug that around Europe as well!

 

[Ripper]

According to the TSA website, youl are allowed to take a guitar on board... However! It is up to the airline you are flying to whether the allow you to take it on board.

What a story! I chip in a bit of my experience here...

Well, about 1 years ago, when I depart from CA to Singapore, I brought along my first Ball - the Y2D. It was a 17 hours transit flight to Taipei and another 4 hours flight enroute to Singapore. I never trust checking the guitar in, after hearing much horror story from the MAN himself - yes, Steve Morse. I decided to check in a empty hardcase, and hand carry the Y2D...

I did my planning. I reserved seats near the window so I can place it below the seat without obstructing the legroom of other passenger. The seats at the window behind the wings are the best. So I managed it in slip into the cabin without much notice, but was discovered by the filght attendant. She demanded me to check in, but it was too late! Plane got to take off! I just beg and acted sorry and I think she was too busy to attend to me ultimately. So I reach Taipei successfully with my Y2D..

Next I boarded the flight back to Singapore. Bingo - I managed to get up the plane without much notice. Yes, I reserved a seat at the very front so I have enough legroom and no one seating in front of me. But something happened, the flight attendant notice my softcase and demanded me to check in! But again, its too late! Plane got to take off! So they request me to place it in the clothes wardrobe where all the attendants put their small luggages. I was worry throughout the flight. 45 min before landing, I secretly walked to the wardrobe, bring the guitar with me and put in between my legs, finally hiding everything under a blanket And again I managed to transport my 1st Ball overseas!

If you gonna try this, there's a few thing to take note:
1. Always plan ahead, find the best seat so you can put it underneath you, in case its too big to put in the overhead cabin.
2. Smile and act sorry at all times. The flight attendant has all the right to remove your items off-board. (They told me to buy another seat space to put my guitar! What nonsense???)
3. Use a good softcase, with good padding and lotsa bubble wrapping. I use the Ritter ones:

 

[sith]

I hope my JP6 will be in tune too, it has been shipped last week and I'm still waiting for it... can't get any sleep
I'm happy for you though... please post some pics.

BTW Warthog, en lep slovenski pozdravček