Flying with a Rainsong APSE (shorty)

[rjathon]

Al Pettway, in his spiel on Rainong’s website, says that he flies with his guitar in a gig bag and carries it onto the airplane and puts it in overhead storage. He stated that if he had to check it he wouldn’t worry.

Does anyone have any experience with flying with these shorter carbon fiber guitars and could lend some advice?

Thank you,

Russ

[oscarvan]

Tough call. A lot depends on the airplane. Widebodies have larger overheads and several closets, which are for first class passenger's stuff, but MOST crews will, if you ask nicely, put an instrument in there. (Or a wedding dress). Newer narrow bodies have larger overheads, but if it's FULL and you're taking up a whole bin and people are scrambling for space, not going to be pretty. So that's a tough call. If I were to check an instrument it would be one I could replace, although airline liability is limited, read about the Warsaw convention. A $2000 Rainsong would be pushing it. I would put it in an SKB or similar case. (Make sure it's TSA compliant.) But, with a hard case it's not as easy to play the "try to carry it on" game..... So tough call.

I promise, you walk on my airplane there's room in the closet. Most crews will accommodate, but you can't bet on it.

Now if you want a SURE bet, you buy a seat for it. Many times we have operated with priceless cellos strapped in a seat.....

[Song]

Personally I wouldn't want to check a guitar in a gigbag, and carry on can be a nightmare if the plane is full and folks are cramming their stuff on top of your gigbag. I have to fly internationally so I put my guitar in a pelican vault and check it. https://images2.imgbox.com/10/62/9VbwW51s_o.jpg

Good luck!

[rjathon]

Thank you for the replies. What about just checking it in as bagage in the original hard case?

[Elisdad]

I usually gate check my Rainsong when I travel. I have carried it both in the original hardcase and my hiscox (the handle is more comfortable, lighter, and seems more protective). I don’t worry much about the guitar in doing it this way.

[al_az]

I have traveled several times with my Rainsong. In fact, that is one of the reasons I purchased it. I have a hiscox case and I just check it and forget about it. If something were to happen to it, it could be replaced and I would fully expect the replacement to be practically identical. Its made from sheets of carbon fiber after all not old-growth, restricted, never to be seen again wood. Apart from running over the case with a forklift I have a hard time envisioning how it could get damaged. Stolen/lost maybe but again replacable.

[oscarvan]

Originally Posted by al_az

If something were to happen to it, it could be replaced and I would fully expect the replacement to be practically identical.

That's a very interesting point and I have thought about it. On the one hand a NICE wood guitar that one forges an intense emotional bond with (a friend for life, see the various devotee pages on social media) is a beautiful thing. It brings joy and solace. On the other hand one becomes enslaved to the physical element of it and the accompanying worry about its well being. Is it better to have loved and lost than to not have loved? Man, I feel a Greek tragedy moment coming on....

On the other hand, one could posit that it's not about the instrument. It's about the music. The instrument is but a tool. And yes, you can give me ANY CF on the shelf and the music will be as good as I can play it, and there is where my solas lies. Is the $45,000 Martin a better tool than a $3000 Emerald? Maybe in some hands. Not in mine, that's for **** sure.

So, having discovered the world of CF I consciously embraced the fact that there is nothing irreplaceable in the guitar, and that it is ALL me and my fingers and their magic and (blatantly obvious) short comings.

Quite liberating.

I do want to, again, point out the Warsaw convention that limits airline liability for your luggage and a hard case with Emerald and pedals in it may well exceed that. Not sure if you can insure, or whether that's even worth it, but there is a financial risk involved.

[Playguitar]

I have flown many times with my Blackbird Rider. The airlines have been very accommodating, even when the overhead bins were pretty much full and they were asking passengers to gate check their carry-ons, they have let me find space in an overhead bin for my guitar. I carry it in a gig bag.

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by oscarvan

That's a very interesting point and I have thought about it.....

On the other hand, one could posit that it's not about the instrument. It's about the music. The instrument is but a tool. And yes, you can give me ANY CF on the shelf and the music will be as good as I can play it, and there is where my solas lies. Is the $45,000 Martin a better tool than a $3000 Emerald? Maybe in some hands. Not in mine, that's for **** sure.

So, having discovered the world of CF I consciously embraced the fact that there is nothing irreplaceable in the guitar, and that it is ALL me and my fingers and their magic and (blatantly obvious) short comings.

Quite liberating.

Well said!

There have been questions on here about going all in with carbon fiber, and there have been thoughts all over. Everything from going all in to some even going the other direction and going back to wood. Yet there are some in between and own both. I fall in the latter- for now.

The contours and bevels of a carbon fiber guitar are absolutely and wonderfully comfortable. That is fact even if the subjective look is not one's thing. This cannot be overstated and that is something that a wood guitar can never compete with.

The hunt for the holy grail- the "one" gets lost in the very nature of carbon fiber as a material. In that sense carbon fiber models are completely replaceable. Not only this but carbon fiber excels in travel and live performance too; nobody in the audience is going to say, "Wow! Listen to that fine spruce over Brazillian OM!" once the sound is processed through pickups and amplification gear. At that point a guitar just sounds like....a guitar.

[kramster]

A couple times when traveling with my old school X7 or Amicus folks thought it was a tennis racket from the shape of the soft case... got on as carry on with no problem . McPherson Touring no problem with soft case but with this I was flying first class so they prolly thought I was important and didn’t want to bug me.. ha.. fooled them...

[jonfields45]

US Domestic, pay for early boarding and bring it in a case for a possible gate check if the plane's overhead storage is too small.

[bsman]

I've had to gate-check my X7 on several occasions (in a gigbag), and it never suffered any indignities.

[Frettingflyer]

I view my CF guitars as a tool, specifically for travel. While I usually take mine in the cockpit, I know I may need to check it in occasionally and have never had one come to harm. I have never kept my CF in a hard shell case either. FWIW.
Oscar makes valid points, and these instruments are replaceable if something bad were to happen. The risk is worth it to me, YMMV.

[oscarvan]

Originally Posted by Frettingflyer

While I usually take mine in the cockpit, I know I may need to check it in occasionally and have never had one come to harm.

As do I..... We never DH off line, so in costume we pre-board when the stews are on. And I find a spot, with a smile. Haven't had to check one yet.

[rjathon]

Does anyone have any experience with these?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...k_ql_qh_dp_hza

Russ