Air travel and my Jazzmaster

[Oyster Boy]

I fly with a guitar rather frequently, since I got to school 500miles away and fly home for vacations. So I end up flying with my guitar maybe 6 times a year. give or take. I've never checked it. I always carry on in a gig bag. however, in the smaller planes (rows of 3 seats, two on one side and one on the other) it doesn't always fit in the overhead. So one time I had to check it at the gate, it returned to me in one piece, didn't have any trouble with bagage guys because they didn't have the time, they take it from the gate and put it in the plane, then take it back to the gate when you land.  Another time on a small plane I had them put it in the closet. And yet another time the guy at the ticketing counter moved me next to an empty seat, but it ended up fitting in the overhead anyway.

So if you can find out what size the plane is that might give you an idea what to expect. I wouldn't recomend taking it in the standard avri case if you are checking it. Anything short of a flight case won't really protect it if some tourists 500 pound suitcase topples over onto it in flight.

[HeartfeltDawn]

I've been back and forth between the Uk and Canada. On one trip I flew from Toronto to London with a DeArmond X-155 archtop in one hard case, a Rickenbacker 360 in the usual Ric hard case and my Epiphone Dot in a nice lovely proper flightcase. No damage to anything.

Useful tips:

1. Lock the case. No airline I've used has ever minded me locking the case before giving it to the chick on the reception desk as cargo luggage.

2. If you are worried further about it being tampered with, wrap duct tape around it. Not much, two strands.

3. If you're not fussed about your clothes staying unfolded, stuff clothes in your guitar cases. They make great padding, you can fit numerous pairs of socks in your acoustic and it means less suitcases.

If you're really worried, just get one of those nice Hiscox cases. I've got one, it's made over a dozen long-haul flights and nothing has ever got damaged inside.


Personally I think airlines are quite right in saying guitars are not carry-on material. I'd look like a right spazz carrying a 335 round the cabin.

[Oyster Boy]

wrap duct tape around it. Not much, two strands.

NOOO Use gaff tape if you can. It's much better. it wont lave that disgusting residue all over your case when you take it off.

[brunning]

it's weird that everyone stresses about flying with guitars, yet no one stresses about shipping guitars.

same thing, except shipping is worst because it can take a week and your instrument gets transferred a bunch of times and handled and thrown around a whole lot more.

i've had a number of guitars (and most recently a banjo) shipped to me in just the hard case with some tape around it, no box. it kind of freaks me out a little when that happens, but i've never had a problem.

i have no reservations about checking guitars in hard cases, assuming the thing is packed well, guitar can't move, empty spaces are filled with bubble wrap or whatever.

[Abadacus]

Again, the big problem for me is that I do not have a hardshell case, and I don't have $150 to get a hardshell case.

[Oyster Boy]

again, just carry on in a gig bag.

I use one that has a bit of padding, and I wrap a few sweatshirts around it.

[Infliktor]

Id like to get one of those Hiscox cases.  Anybody carry them in the US.

The price from the UK runs about 339 dollars which includes the shipping and VAT tax