Those who Check in Guitars on airplane

[AgentKooper]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

B) And what do I think when I see someone at the airport carrying a flight case that looks all new and shiny, or even is protected by a cover? Answer: He or she probably can't play a lick in front of an audience, but for some reason feels compelled to spend more on a case that they don't need than the aforementioned musician spent on their instrument. Totally uncool.

Why shouldn’t this hypothetical amateur have a good case? Should only professionals care if their guitars get damaged during travel?

[jhmulkey]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

And what do I think when I see someone at the airport carrying a flight case that looks all new and shiny, or even is protected by a cover? Answer: He or she probably can't play a lick in front of an audience, but for some reason feels compelled to spend more on a case that they don't need than the aforementioned musician spent on their instrument. Totally uncool.

I'm cool with people spending their own money how they see fit and would rather they play guitar at all than not

[bufflehead]

Whether you're going to check the guitar or not, take everything out of the case, including such things as capo, tuner, dehumidifier, et cetera. The goal here is to give TSA fewer reasons to want to open the case after it goes through the baggage x-ray. (Checked bags also get x-rayed at many airports.) Pack your capo, tuner, et cetera in your suitcase.

The airline usually has a policy that if the instrument is damaged they are not liable. However, if you've checked the case and it's damaged, they must replace it because the case is considered luggage. A buddy I used to gig with checked his Guild 12-string and the case was smashed but the guitar was unhurt. He got a new case out of the deal.

When I travel with my travel guitar, it's in a gig bag rather than a case, and I am always permitted to carry it aboard. And I almost always get to stow it in the forward coat locker. (My travel guitar is a 14/15-sized dreadnought, so it's not being given special treatment because of small size. I think the flight attendants just understand that something in a gig bag deserves special handling.)

Each airline is different regarding their instrument policy. I always carry a print-out of the policy of the carrier I'm traveling with because the gate agents are not always aware of their policies.

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

...And what do I think when I see someone at the airport carrying a flight case that looks all new and shiny, or even is protected by a cover? Answer: He or she probably can't play a lick in front of an audience, but for some reason feels compelled to spend more on a case that they don't need than the aforementioned musician spent on their instrument. Totally uncool.

So are you always this judgmental of fellow players or just when you’re traveling.

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

Whether you're going to check the guitar or not, take everything out of the case, including such things as capo, tuner, dehumidifier, et cetera. The goal here is to give TSA fewer reasons to want to open the case after it goes through the baggage x-ray. (Checked bags also get x-rayed at many airports.) Pack your capo, tuner, et cetera in your suitcase......Each airline is different regarding their instrument policy. I always carry a print-out of the policy of the carrier I'm traveling with because the gate agents are not always aware of their policies.

Agreed on removing things from the case for initial passenger screening, where you put it on the x-ray belt. But almost every checked bag gets x-rayed these days. The computers then divert certain ones for hand inspection depending on what is detected, and that is where the issues arise. Imagine having a guitar that was checked tuned down a whole step and carefully packed with extra padding come out from the baggage carousel at standard pitch with the padding all wadded up in the corner!

Showing the airline policy or the FAA letter to a gate agent is like waving a red flag in front of a bull, in my experience. They usually just double down and get even more determined to deny your guitar entry.

To their credit, I have never had issues with the cabin crew - they actually understand what "customer service" means. Any problems have occurred with TSA and with gate agents.

[AcousticDreams]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

Whether you're going to check the guitar or not, take everything out of the case, including such things as capo, tuner, dehumidifier, et cetera. The goal here is to give TSA fewer reasons to want to open the case after it goes through the baggage x-ray. (Checked bags also get x-rayed at many airports.) Pack your capo, tuner, et cetera in your suitcase.

The airline usually has a policy that if the instrument is damaged they are not liable. However, if you've checked the case and it's damaged, they must replace it because the case is considered luggage. A buddy I used to gig with checked his Guild 12-string and the case was smashed but the guitar was unhurt. He got a new case out of the deal.

When I travel with my travel guitar, it's in a gig bag rather than a case, and I am always permitted to carry it aboard. And I almost always get to stow it in the forward coat locker. (My travel guitar is a 14/15-sized dreadnought, so it's not being given special treatment because of small size. I think the flight attendants just understand that something in a gig bag deserves special handling.)

Each airline is different regarding their instrument policy. I always carry a print-out of the policy of the carrier I'm traveling with because the gate agents are not always aware of their policies.

I am so very thankful, I have received some really good advice here on the forum regarding transport on a plane. [INDENT]Makes perfect sense what you are saying. I will remove all items as suggested...with the exception of the humidifier. And that is only because it is velcroed to the interior. It is suppose to be able to come off and on. But with the pressure that is needed to remove, I seems to come off the interior fabric first.

The rest of the compartment extras, like string winder, Bridge pin puller, extra bridge pins, extra strings, can go in my normal carry on. I will leave wire cutters and metal nail files at home.

Thanks again Great advice!

Very interesting to know about airline damaged baggage policies.

[AcousticDreams]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

It's all about appearance. In my mind, I was contemplating the following scenarios:

A) What do I think when I see someone at the airport carrying a flight case that's all dinged up, scratched and covered in stickers? Answer: He or she probably is an accomplished musician who ekes out a living playing gigs all over the world. Cool.

B) And what do I think when I see someone at the airport carrying a flight case that looks all new and shiny, or even is protected by a cover? Answer: He or she probably can't play a lick in front of an audience, but for some reason feels compelled to spend more on a case that they don't need than the aforementioned musician spent on their instrument. Totally uncool.

Hope this helps. A good flight case is made for being checked. If all you want to do is carry-on, there is no reason to have a flight case in the first place. The case that came with the guitar or a gig bag is all you need. Drag your case across the globe and don't sweat it!

Just my $0.02

I can understand your viewpoints. Logical to some degree. But sometimes whether it makes sense or not, there are those of us that like things a certain way. I am generally a heavy handed player...very heavy...yet there are rarely any scratches on my guitar. Even one that I have owned for twenty years. In the sixties when I first started playing, I was taught by my teacher, who was Segovia's number one understudy, to not play with buttons on my shirt. To watch my belt buckle and make sure it was not hitting. It was about respect for my instrument. I guess this Hiscox case has impressed me to the point where I am using some of this same logic. Again, I know it is a bit of silliness here...but aren't most of us songwriters a bit silly in one way or another?

Besides being a guitar player, I have been an Artist of sorts throughout my life working with extremely rare woods. What can I say, I like things of beauty. And being scratch-less, has a little more beauty to myself.

There are those who see beauty in worn-stressed items as well. I also see beauty in a worn guitar as well sometimes.

I never worried about my SKB cases. But this Hiscox Artist is a thing of beauty. Beautiful in how it protects the guitar anyway. ha ha.

Regardless, by asking the silly question I did, on how to protect my case, I have actually learned how to protect my guitar better by going for a Gate Check in & taking all of the small items out of the case

Who was it that said:
" You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes
Well, you might find
You get what you need"

And thanks to the forum, I think I have found the answers that I needed.