tnb Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 Has anyone tried flying with their bass or guitar in a gig bag in the last few months? Are they any cooler now than they were a year ago? I hate the thought of putting my basses in with the baggage and I have to fly twice in November. One flight is international. The other flight has a 2 1/2 layover in Pittsburg. I am especially paranoid about the layover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alndln Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 Never in a "Gig Bag",that's asking for trouble.Spring for a hardshell case,a lot cheaper than springing for a new bass.Also you may want to loosen the strings.I once flew from Miami to Plattsburg(winter),and my Tele's finish cracked like a spider web and my Martins(D28) frets curled up from going from heat to extreme cold.I don't know about these days but I used to be able to insist on bringing it onboard with me after letting them inspect it.Sometimes they put it up front with the pilots.Again,that might be out of the question these days.I'd ask ahead of time though.And get a "proper" case!!!!!If only you saw those luggage handlers in action!!!! "A Robot Playing Trumpet Blows" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted October 23, 2002 Author Share Posted October 23, 2002 Yeah man, I haven't put my basses under a plane since '87. And I HAVE seen the baggage handlers in action (also '87), that is why they always go in the overhead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 I can usually get the airlines to put my guitar up onboard, in the closet. You have to tell them something like, 'it's a family heirloom'. They will scan for it explosives and make you put the strings and tools in the cargo bay. Matt In two days, it won't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gtoledo3 Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 I fly with my 30's Gibson L50- they let me bring it on board. One thing that bears mentioning- If you're taking a trip, and you don't mind the extra time added by taking train.... go for it, if you're taking a lot of music gear. If always had a very easy time taking tons of gear on trains, and they're always very good about handling it gently. Also, the amount of luggage you can actually take on board with you is ridiculous. Want mix/tracking feedback? Checkout "The Fade"- www.grand-designs.cc/mmforum/index.php The soon-to-be home of the "12 Bar-Blues Project" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R. Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 I did it a couple of weeks ago. Gig bag. Be nice to the attendants and [i]do not check the bass.[/i] Carry it on the plane. It should fit in the overhead bins, or there are a couple of small "closets" (sometimes in first class) that it can fit in. Be nice. If you check your bass and it is in a gig bag, you will not be happy when you come out of baggage claim. Good luck. -David R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
where02190 Posted October 23, 2002 Share Posted October 23, 2002 Legally the airlines can and often will refuse to let you take it onboard, as it does not meet FAA size restrictions for carry-on. In Europe you will definitely be checking it. Definitely do not take it in a soft case. Be prepared to check it as luggage. Don't fly with any instrument that is unreplacable. If that expensive vintage axe has to be played at the gig or session, use a cargo company, and send it overnight, insure the hell out of it, and instruct for special handling. Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted October 24, 2002 Author Share Posted October 24, 2002 Thanks guys. Anyone else? I can get a flight case for the Amsterdam gig, but if I put the bass under the plane headed for Orlando (by way of Pittsburg) and it comes up late or missing, I am SCREWED for my 9:30am audition. Of course I have an electric gig the night before I fly. I am not a guy that buys lots of basses, so my Sadowsky and my Lakland fretless are my only 2 electrics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrider Posted October 24, 2002 Share Posted October 24, 2002 We flew in/out of Austin a couple of months ago and we saw lots of gig bags being carried on/off of planes. Call ahead to the airports you will be visiting and find out about their policies. One of these days I'm gonna change my evil ways... one of these days... http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Band.gifhttp://www.weidenbach.net/images/storage/headbang.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R. Posted October 24, 2002 Share Posted October 24, 2002 Really not sure about international flights. If you are not 100% sure you can bring your gig bag on the plane, spend the $ on a SKB flight case and just check it. Do not check in a gig bag, if you like your instrument. -David R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
where02190 Posted October 24, 2002 Share Posted October 24, 2002 Do NOT put anything of value in an SKB case and fly it. Get an Anvil, Calzone or other real case, made of wood and metal, not plastic. One decent whach (like when it shcanges conveyer belts) and the cheezey aluminum seams bend, and the case is history. Real cases are heavy for a reason. Thick multiply woods and structurally sound metal have weight. They also protect. don't waste your money and risk your gear and isntruments on plastics. Not' believe me, then go check one of those SKB's out. Give it a kick with a steel toed boot. then let me know what you buy. SKB is fine for the put it in the back seat or van musician, but for serious traveling where you do not know or trust who is handling your gear, they offer no protection. Also, get a locking case that you can put an actual padlock on. I know too many guys who got their cases at the other end empty. Hope this is helpful. Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside studios Posted October 25, 2002 Share Posted October 25, 2002 I totally agree with where on this - Get a real heavy-duty proper flightcase.Nothing else will do.Since 9/11,internal European flights won't let you carry-on,(some carriers used to allow this)but I think you might get away with a Steinberg,which you could carry on as backup. Big Hat. No Cattle. http://www.theshrinks.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mats Olsson. Posted October 25, 2002 Share Posted October 25, 2002 And keep the case closed so that the instrument don't have to go from below freezing to room temp in 2 seconds flat. /Mats http://www.lexam.net/peter/carnut/man.gif What do we want? Procrastination! When do we want it? Later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted November 9, 2002 Author Share Posted November 9, 2002 OK guys, I just got back from Orlando. Both basses in my double bag. Carried them on 4 different planes without so much as a "that's not going to fit in the overhead". I am not at all saying that this is always going going to be cool, but this trip was stress free. One of the flight attendants told me to get in line when they ask for people traving with small children and wheel chairs. The rest just wanted to hear a song or 2. No, I am not pretty. I will see how it goes later this month on the way to Amsterdam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
videoeditor1 Posted November 9, 2002 Share Posted November 9, 2002 Tnb, I don't "play" an instrument, but I travel most weekends with different groups. Where is on point about the SKB cases. For checked gear, get the ANVIL/Calzon stuff. With regards to which countries/regions let you take a big ol' bass on board, I've found that most airlines are willing to accomodate. Soon after 9/11/01 I flew to Europe and the Far East. Four different airlines - all allowed bass & guitars on board. Last week on my way to the Bahamas, I saw a guy with what APPEARED to be an upright bass. (I don't remember what the hell it was, but it was BIG). The guy tells me he has to buy a (1st class) seat for it, just so it didn't go in the cargo hold... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted November 9, 2002 Share Posted November 9, 2002 RnB, see NYC Drew's post. I mixed a band in the Persian Gulf last March. We had a bass, two guitars, and another gig bag with a Roland strap-on keyboard controller. Only one flight attendant balked on flights from Nashville to Charlotte to Washington (Dulles) to London (Heathrow) to Kuwait to Qatar to UAE to Oman to UAE to Bahrain to Frankfurt to Cinncinati to Nashville. We used overhead bins on most carriers, stand-up closets on others, and on one flight we sat in the last row and put instruments behind our seats. We also found room for a hula hoop on all these flights. (The hoop's a lot less expensive than instruments, but it would certainly have been destroyed, lost, or stolen if placed below on these flights. The key, regardless of whether you get flack about instruments as carry-on, is to be firm in your intention while being extremely friendly and polite with airline employees. Where02190 is correct. Airline employees have the right to refuse just about any carry-on item and demand it be checked or left behind. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted November 26, 2002 Author Share Posted November 26, 2002 Hi everyone, I just got back from Amsterdam. It was a direct flight from Boston to Amsterdam and back. Once again I carried my basses (in a double bag) on the plane and stored them in the overhead. The flight crew was very helpful and very friendly (I had the same crew going and coming). Customs was also very cool, in Amsterdam and in the states. When they ask me why I was traveling, I told them that I was playing for the Cannibus Cup. No problems, no strip search. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpmiii Posted November 26, 2002 Share Posted November 26, 2002 tnb I was just curious did you call ahead on any of these flights or did you just go for it? "I never would have seen it, if I didn't already believe it" Unknown http://www.SongCritic.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
where02190 Posted November 26, 2002 Share Posted November 26, 2002 tnb, are you from Boston? We're on the south shore....in Weymouth.... Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted November 26, 2002 Author Share Posted November 26, 2002 Originally posted by JPMIII: [quote]tnb I was just curious did you call ahead on any of these flights or did you just go for it? [/quote]I just went for it. The Orlando trip was an audition and I was completely prepared to turn around and go home if they weren't going to let me put the bass in the overhead. The Amsterdam trip was a gig, so I would have asked about other options like hand checking (like they do with bottled oxygen). I should add that the Orlando trip made me feel a little more secure about bringing my bass on. Also, there were other players on the plane and (as far as I know) all were accomodated. Originally posted by where02190: [quote] tnb, are you from Boston? [/quote]I live in Providence. I have heard of Weymouth but I am not sure if I have ever gigged there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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