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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
 Posted - 04/15/2004 : 01:27:21 AM
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Aloha,
I will be flying to Maui for the June workshops...
Two concerns...
#1: Is the soft shell case in the overhead the most practical method of carrying on an airplane?
My guitar playing friends seem to get them on all the time--
#2 The humidity changes to Maui and back to Colorado can be TREACHEROUS for wood instruments! My violin cracked on my recent return from Roatan Honduras--first things swelled and and adjustments shifted while down there (but functioned ok); THEN the 2 piece back seam separated on my return to Denver! Not a simple or cheap repair to do!
SO, for Hawaii, should I opt for the cheaper Washburn guitar? Blah.
I REALLY want to have my Goodall with me! Who's had experience with DRY TO WET, AND BACK TO DRY transport of fine instruments?, and perhaps "Instrument Protection Programs"? I know about humidifiers, but find them limited for sudden, extreme back and forth adaptations.
Mahalo,
Gordo
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2004 : 02:45:18 AM
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| My only concern with the soft shell (I assume you mean a gig bag) would be if they don't allow you to carry it on...I wouldn't want to have to check a gig bag. But on the other hand you may be more likely to be able to get a gig bag on the plane. Helpful, aren't I? |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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Darin
Lokahi
USA
294 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2004 : 09:20:21 AM
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Hi Gordo,
#1: If you are planning to carry on your Goodall, you should also know that TSA has issued a letter allowing musicians to carry on their guitars. However, each airline reserves the right to disallow you from carrying on your guitar. In my opionion, the airline most cited for problems with guitars is Delta. A copy of the TSA letter can be found here: http://www.local1000.com/pdf/carryon.pdf Take the letter with you. It may or may not work, but it can only help.
If you are going to send the guitar through luggage, it is advisable to use a hard case, surrounded by a cardboard shipping box and packing material. Local guitar shops usually have extra guitar shipping boxes that they will give you for free. The box and packing material will add extra padding and protection for the instrument. Also, I think that most people recommend slackening their strings when sending their guitar through luggage. The exception is Taylor guitars who says to avoid slackening the strings because the reduced pressure on the truss rod may cause a neck bow.
#2: Hard cases not only protect guitars from handling damage, they also protect guitars from weather damage. If it is possible, leave the guitar in the hard case for a couple days upon arrival to allow the instrument to acclimate slowly. Even if you can only give the guitar a day or a few hours, that will help slow the acclimation process. These sites advocate the "slow acclimation" approach:
http://www.threetguitars.com/faq.html
http://www.ameritage.com/frequent.htm
http://www.azstarnet.com/public/commerce/zavaletas/greene/care.htm
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Darin
http://www.hawaiiguitar.com/ |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2004 : 12:00:35 PM
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Check out Bruce Lamb's filght cases. You can pack your guitar in it inside a hard case or in a gig bag, then check it with your checked bags.
http://www.thegtw.com/Guitarcasehome.ivnu |
Dusty |
Edited by - wdf on 04/15/2004 12:01:11 PM |
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Steven Espaniola
Lokahi
225 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2004 : 5:30:55 PM
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Aloha Gordon with the Goodall!
I haven't had problems taking my Takamine in a soft shell gigbag onto flights. You may get some mean looks from other passengers who claim that you're "taking their space" but if the flight isn't booked solid, you should be ok. Try to be as descreet as possible when boarding as the gate people who check your tickets DO have the authority to send you walking! Also, look into getting a humidifier to protect againt cracks from the climate change. They have units that fit in the soundhole.
http://www.wholenote.com/store/product.asp?sku=MC.KLHA&nav=m
Hope this helps,
Steven |
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haolegirl
Aloha
USA
10 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2004 : 12:08:21 PM
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Hey, Gordo,
You might get lucky taking your guitar onboard in a gig bag, but life experience has taught me never to count on anything. If you love your guitar, I'd advise you not to take the risk.
I've flown many times with my guitar and the well-packed hard case has managed it when they wouldn't even allow me to gate check it (!). sh*t happens...Anyhow, after that, I bought one of Bruce Lamb's cases as an overcase, and it is great. No worries. If you are concerned about an oversize fee, pay the skycap and avoid all hassle. It will make a real difference to have the guitar you love with you - especially for the Mau'i camp. Have a great time!
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2004 : 03:33:24 AM
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Thanks for the ideas all...will check out the Bruce Lamb cases.
Still tempted to carry on--TSA letter is familiar--but the real trick is to not make enemies of the gate agents!
But the price of failure is a last minute check-in (not cool with Soft shell!)...thus, the BL plus hard shell looks like the safest option...
Too bad a Taurus decision process is rarely quick.
And, Is there any airline insurance coverage?
Sheeyah...right! It could happen...
Guess I need to look into that for both home and away games.
Adieu,
Gordeaux |
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richard
Aloha
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2004 : 12:13:07 PM
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Does anyone have a recommendation for a place to rent a guitar on Maui? We'll be there for a couple of weeks in May (before the camps). I've checked guitars back and forth for several years without incident but I'd like to go the simple route this time 'round.
Richard |
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Konabob
`Olu`olu
USA
928 Posts |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2004 : 2:13:05 PM
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Gordon,
quote:
#2 The humidity changes to Maui and back to Colorado can be TREACHEROUS for wood instruments! My violin cracked on my recent return from Roatan Honduras--first things swelled and and adjustments shifted while down there (but functioned ok); THEN the 2 piece back seam separated on my return to Denver! Not a simple or cheap repair to do!
#2
To comment on this, I was "invited" by my now previous company to
move to Colorado or take my own private "sabbatical". One of the
reasons I refused the move and joined another company is that it
is too d*mn dry in Colorado. It is already too dry for me here in
N.Cal, but the Longmont area is much worse, no only for me but also
for my instruments.
Wooden instruments are NOT MADE to survive in such dry climates,
40% R.H. is the lowest you should allow your instrument to be
stored in. Keep it in a Case with a Humidifier at all times when
it is not being played. If you do this you will have longer
instrument life AND your instruments will be able to handle going
to Roatan Honduras or Hawai'i MUCH better. Just check the Taylor
Guitar Website (they have a good discussion with pictures about
the effects of dry climate) or with Goodall or Grimes or anybody
reputable and you will see they all strongly reccommend instrument
storage in 40-60% humidity. 80% for a few weeks is much better
than 20% for even a few days. Wood, even seemingly dry wood,
stores a lot of moisture.
Anyway.. For What It's Worth...
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
Edited by - Lawrence on 04/17/2004 2:18:22 PM |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2004 : 4:09:37 PM
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quote:
And, Is there any airline insurance coverage?
Hawaiian Air, at least will not insure guitars. I was able to get a rider on my homeowner's policy for a nominal amount to cover flight damage & theft. |
Dusty |
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richard
Aloha
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2004 : 4:31:05 PM
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Thanks for the advice on Guitar rentals, friends. Of course if there's nothing to rent that's playable, I could always look over the new instruments. So many tunings, so few guitars (just kidding Toni, really...)
Richard |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2004 : 01:26:39 AM
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Or how about this?...A guitar in every port! There are some decent mid-price-range guitars--if you shop around!
Then of course, you deduct the trips to the property you keep in various ports of call! Hey, but I ain't a CPA, so don't call me!
As to dry climates being Forbidden Planet and Instrument zones...I DISAGREE!
Instruments acclimate, and when they stay put, I've had only regular maintainence...There are Strads, Guanerius violins, fine Italians, Steinways, Bosendorfers, and Millions of Healthy, Happy, and Expensive Guitars singing in Colorado...My theory is it's the Humidity that hurts our Colorado-based instruments!
And besides, the High Rockies and the Air in summer are Heaven!
Almost makes it ok not to be on Big Island!--till winter!
Pu O'Gordo Colorado Vent |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2004 : 10:10:20 AM
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Sorry to chime in late, but there's a wealth of very reliable data and advice about air travel, packing, and such concentrated on master repairman Frank Ford's site--start at http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenMaint/Packing/packing1.html
My own two cents' worth: A gig bag is *always* a gamble, and you cannot be sure of getting cabin space. If you are required to check, the gig bag is no more protection than a trash bag. Even my Baby Taylor (which has never been checked) travels in a hard case (to avoid getting trashed by all the roller bags that fill the overheads), and my serious guitars get the FQMS Supercase treatment (because I keep forgetting to order a Calton).
Most trips I've been lucky, but on one flight a couple years back the gate agent insisted that my Dell'Arte/Supercase combo was "odd sized," refused to even gate-check it, and put it through the regular baggage system. With a gig bag I would have picked up flinders on the other end. If you're traveling with a Goodall, use a flight-worthy hard case. (I've considered packing my clothes in a gig bag and swapping contents at my destination, and I may try that on a short trip eventually.)
OK, so that's at least $.37 worth, but it's empirically tested.
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Edited by - Russell Letson on 04/21/2004 12:35:09 AM |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2004 : 6:08:43 PM
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Gordon,
I don't believe all parts of every island are high in humidity. Certainly hilo is wetter thatn Kona, Hanalei wetter that southern kauai, etc. If you will be around Kihei or lahaina, it did not feel excessively humid there to me, and my guitars (I have taken baby tTaylor, Regal wood bodied resonator...OK its plywood... and a Martin Backpacker) have shown no problems with moisture. Well, the backpacker did sufer a plunge into the surf one afternoon, but even that didn't kill the little bugger!.
I have afriend who has used a variation on russell's idea of clothing in the gig bag; he packs his clothes in a regular case, putting guitar in gig bag. If they won'd lt him on, he re-packs the guitar ino the hardshell and gate checks it, using the now foldable gig bag as a carry on. Don't know if it is worth the trouble, but this guy has his ways.
For a while there, no guitars were alowed on flights. My backpacker went under the radar, however. Lately I have begun seeing more full sized guitar cases being carried on, so you may be in luck there.
I plan on going to one of the camps in the next year or so, and you can bet i will have my bewst Taylor with me, in it's hardshell case. Maybe with extra external protection.
Karl |
Karl
Frozen North |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2004 : 8:34:38 PM
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Still tempted to carry on--TSA letter is familiar--but the real trick is to not make enemies of the gate agents!
We've been through this before -- but it's always good to keep the channels open. Just so you know, the TSA letter only refers to instruments that would already conform to carry-on resitrictions. As in "fit under your seat." Think `ukulele, fiddle, flutes, etc. Not guitars, not cellos, not Steinway Baby Grands.
It came about because certain over zealous security types were treating musical instruments as potential weapons. ("Yeah, you might take some hairs off your bow and garrotte someone...")
Of course, in my case, the fiddle is a lethal weapon... but only when I play it.
Buy a case, you'll sleep better.
cheers,
Mark |
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