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  #1  
Old 03-17-2015, 09:10 AM
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zenpicker zenpicker is offline
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Default CA Cargo Raw in the overhead bin...

I'm sidling up to buying a CF guitar and am trying to sort through the online sound clips and videos out there to make sense of it all. Sonically I really like the CA Cargo Raw best, I think, particularly in the Al Petteway demos on Dream Guitars and in this one: Acoustic Letter demo.

However, I really do want to be able to take it on a plane sometimes, and it doesn't break down like the Journeys. I've heard various claims that it "fits great in the overhead bin," but the dimensions would suggest that not all carriers would agree.

Can someone with this guitar comment on your experience with the airlines? And with which airlines? I mean, yeah, it's much smaller than a normal guitar, but I think it's too long to fit in those sizing frames at the gate. So I question the claim. It seems to me that most airlines are getting tighter about this, spurred perhaps by Frontier's ridiculous policies on carryons and ever-shrinking sizers. (But I digress.)

I wish I liked the sound of the Journey better because they seem to have nailed the carryon thing beautifully, but...from the clips I've heard I don't, and there's nowhere out here (Denver area) to try one. I've got a wood Brunner collapsible like the Journey but it's too fine to travel with, and wouldn't serve my other CF desires re outdoor use (and life in dry Colorado). So I'm leaning CF.

Thanks in advance -
zp
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Old 03-17-2015, 10:53 AM
Bob Bell Bob Bell is offline
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Carried my CA Cargo on a JetBlue flight from Orlando to Mexico 3 weeks ago. Agent tagged it as carry on when I checked my other bags. No hassle boarding with it, and it fit fine in the overhead.
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Old 03-17-2015, 11:30 AM
Ted @ LA Guitar Sales Ted @ LA Guitar Sales is offline
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Here's my Rainsong Parlor on Alaska Airlines, the Cargo case is about the same size so you should be fine.

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Old 03-17-2015, 12:11 PM
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Thanks, guys.
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Old 03-17-2015, 01:27 PM
Gemini11 Gemini11 is offline
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Sonically speaking as you pointed out---yes, the Cargo sounds much bigger than it is. I like it and may yet get one.
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Old 03-17-2015, 03:07 PM
mchalebk mchalebk is offline
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The Cargo does indeed fit in most overhead bins easily. However, I was once forced to gate check it, which I did (in the gig bag). It came through unscathed.
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Old 03-17-2015, 08:49 PM
Rickenbacker1 Rickenbacker1 is offline
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I play in Europe every year and usually fly KLM . When I fly I walk up to the gate and they usually point at me and I board first . They also have a verticle Bulkhead that is for instruments . It is really cool for Kings Day in Amsterdam all of the guitars that get on the aircraft .

A few years ago Continental ruined a guys guitar so he made a you tube video
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Old 03-18-2015, 04:33 AM
Doubleneck Doubleneck is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted @ LA Guitar Sales View Post
Here's my Rainsong Parlor on Alaska Airlines, the Cargo case is about the same size so you should be fine.

Ted maybe off topic but what gig bags are your favorite?
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Old 03-18-2015, 10:17 AM
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Thanks - if only I could fly KLM instead of the domestic alternatives! Nice airline. Take me with you.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rickenbacker1 View Post
A few years ago Continental ruined a guys guitar so he made a you tube video
Credit where credit is due: it was the Friendly Skies, not Continental, though I'll bet all the carriers are guilty of this grievous war crime. I see that the video has its own Wikipedia entry - talk about entering popular culture: United Breaks Guitars
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Old 03-18-2015, 01:39 PM
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I have a Cargo I bought about three years ago.

The guitar itself is 35" long, 13.5" wide, and 3.5" deep.

The soft shell case that came with it is 37" long, 15" wide, and 6" deep.

Check with the particular airline regarding their size limits.
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Old 03-18-2015, 02:21 PM
Kalani Kalani is offline
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Just flew on Delta in February from HI to UT, flew on United last year and previous year with my Cargo with no problems. Delta has different-sized bins so I had to find the large one. Always fly Hawaiian with no problems. Never been asked about my guitar and never had problems fitting in the overhead bins. Never been questioned about its size by any gate agents. One of my flight legs was full so a flight attendant offered to store my Cargo for me in a closet as soon as I entered the plane. Also flew to Ireland (2009) on US Air with a Baby Taylor with no problems.

Small prop-type planes won't have room though but at least I was able to walk it all the way to the plane on the tarmac and put it on the cart right next to it. Only was forced to gate check once on a regular-sized plane on one of my legs on China Air. But the gate agents were so apologetic about it and they even wrapped it in bubble wrap right in front of me!

Tips/notes:

- get in line early for the best chances of finding space in the bins.
- I always use a gig bag as I've been told in the past (with a regular-sized guitar) that a guitar in a hard case will almost automatically be gate checked.
- I don't wear it backpack style as agents might immediately flag it since they just see a guitar. Instead, I carry it luggage style so they can see that it's really small.
- I try to keep it out of sight when I'm standing in the ticket counter and boarding lines. When I reach the ticket counter, I keep it out of the line of sight of the agent (just in case).

Love my Cargo and didn't have to worry about the freezing cold!
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Last edited by Kalani; 03-18-2015 at 02:34 PM.
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Old 03-18-2015, 04:37 PM
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Rick, thanks for the dimensions.
Kalani - that's really helpful data, and good tips too. It set my mind at ease considerably, as you've clearly flown with a variety of carriers. Having just about lost my mind last week conforming to Hawaiian's carryon weight limit of 25 lbs (we got hit with a $35 ding), I'm somewhat surprised (but happy for you) that they have been good about the dimensions of the guitar.

I think I've now given myself permission to order this thing!
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Doerr Artist custom Cedar/Mahogany
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Old 03-18-2015, 07:37 PM
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Unless I'm mistaken, NONE of the guitars mentioned here fall within the airlines' specific carry-on size spec, do they? By that, I mean their size-model metal-barred "basket" I've often seen by the boarding ramp that basically says "if your carry-on doesn't fit in this, it doesn't go on." If that's the case, most airlines seem to be being pretty lenient (thank you) in allowing these on-board. However I also seem to recall a size spec that had to do simply with total dimensions -- as in, total height plus width plus depth couldn't exceed a certain number. And if that's the case, I can see how the Cargo case (and my just-acquired Blackbird Rider) would be easily allowed. Thoughts? Either way, it's nice to see the airlines, for the most part, being more reasonable with these smaller guitar cases these days....
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Old 03-18-2015, 08:29 PM
AndyFrank AndyFrank is offline
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Sean, I've carried my HD-28V on a number of times, what the op is asking about is the overhead bin, for that both my Cargo and RS Parlor work well enough. If I were flying Internationally I would get a Journey from Ted.
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Old 03-18-2015, 09:47 PM
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I think the summed dimensions rule is for checked luggage. Just ran into that with United, actually. The issue with the carry on sizing baskets is the neck, of course....but most airlines seem to leave it to the discretion of the flight attendant. So, no guarantees unless you had one of the ones that disassembles (Journey, Brunner etc). Hence my dilemma. But from the various experiences related on this thread I'm feeling good enough to try it. Flying is only part of what I want carbon for anyway - just having a guitar to play outside or throw in the car is as much or more important. I live in dry Colorado so just being able to leave a guitar sitting out of the case in the HOUSE would be great!
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Doerr Artist custom Cedar/Mahogany
Lowden F10C Cedar/Mahogany
Lowden F35C Sinker/Tasmanian blackwood
Paragon MJ Sitka/Maple
Paragon MJ custom Carpathian/Malaysian blackwood
Brunner custom travel guitar


I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones.
- John Cage

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