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ukuleloid
Aloha
USA
3 Posts |
 Posted - 08/21/2004 : 02:00:33 AM
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I have not been on an airplane since the 80's. My employer is sending me by plane to elsewhere for a week in a few days. I cannot imagine being ukuleless for that long. But how do I get there with my ukulele? Will I be able to carry it on? The restrictions seem pretty restrictive. Should I pack it in a box of noodles and check it? I don't think I could bear to do that. There must be a lot of you out there who fly all over the place with your instruments. How do you get there without hassle/damage? Is this going to be an easy thing? I have a Gstring concert in a regular chipboard case in a cloth drawstring bag with a shoulder strap. Thanks for any helpful advice or interesting travel experiences.
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Edited by - ukuleloid on 08/21/2004 02:02:39 AM |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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Kahalenahele
Lokahi
USA
102 Posts |
Posted - 08/21/2004 : 11:26:15 AM
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| I haven't had any problem carrying on a soprano. Mine has a little gig bag. I've also thrown an Islander in my luggage before, no problem. |
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Tonya
Lokahi
USA
177 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2004 : 4:51:16 PM
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A concert in case should be no problem as carry on, especially if you're flying Hawaiian or Aloha (the attendants on those lines seemed to me to be more appreciative of ukuleles and have always helped me make safe room for mine in overhead storage).
Here's a travel tip from another ukulele board that I've used, as well: I carry a backpack (the size that students use for book and school supplies.) as my carry on and unzip the main compartment, putting the uke (in its gig bag) in the main compartment. Then, I just "wear" the backpack and the uke doesn't seem to get noticed as being anything other than the regular backpack when I walk on the plane. This allows me to also carry a few other items (magazine, book, water bottle) in the backpack in addition to my ukulele. My travel ukulele is a soprano; your mileage may vary.
On another traveling note, there's also a PDF document you may want to carry when you travel with your ukulele (or other instrument). It's here: http://www.local1000.com/carryon.php
The gist (as summarized on another music site) is this: "The wonderful lobbyists for the American Federation of Musicians succeeded in getting a provision in the post-Sept. 11 law creating the Transportation Security Administration, requiring the TSA to develop a policy that allows musicians to carry on musical instruments, even though they do not meet the size restrictions generally applicable to carry-on luggage. If you have an instrument that will fit into the overhead compartment, or that can be accommodated on board, you should be able to take it on board." |
http://www.uketreasures.com
http://www.ukuleletonya.com |
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Tommy
Akahai
USA
72 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2004 : 8:07:30 PM
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I had no problems with my concert `ukulele in its protec case. It made it on as a carry-on on both American and Island Air.
Tommy |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 08/23/2004 : 02:21:12 AM
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| I had no problems with a concert uke in a hardcase traveling cross-country on United. Check with the airline as to whether you're allowed another carry-on as well as the instrument...I believe that most will let you. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 08/26/2004 : 11:56:55 PM
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agree with all - i had a problem only once, shortly after 9/11 (stewardess wanted me to carrry on only things that could go underneath a seat). i use a chipboard case rather than protec because it's smaller and less intimidating.
aloha,
keith
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2004 : 02:09:57 AM
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If you're flying to Hawai'i on Hawaiian Airlines, ukes are always welcome in overhead bins, but the flight attendants may ask you to play something.
Jesse Tinsley |
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ukuleloid
Aloha
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2004 : 02:44:28 AM
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Thanks for your helpful replies and information. The perspective from the musician's union was particularly interesting since professionals have a special need to carry their instruments. Sadly, I was sent about as far away from a beach as one can get.
A soprano uke would fit entirely inside my carry on suitcase. I had decided I would see if I could borrow back our less fancy soprano uke from my 9 yr old nephew since he wasn't really playing anything yet. We had been working up to playing a song for a few weeks by strumming rhythms across the open strings and singing made up verses about the fleas and talking about how different people think about playing and feeling like playing from your heart. I was not in a hurry because I wanted him to feel comfortable. The night before I left on my trip, he suddenly became the F and C wonder boy and we played and sang a bunch of 2 chord songs together. He even performed a song for his parents when he got home. He was pretty excited and happy and so was I. So I couldn't take the soprano because he likes the small size and did not want to exchange.
I ended up leaving my beautiful Gstring semi-custom concert at home since I was feeling a 'little stressed' (yikes!!!) about flying the morning I left. I was in withdrawal when I got back and had to play all evening and half the next day to recover. I heard that somebody at work won a long shot bet regarding my uke traveling with me. Next time I fly I will take a rx tranquilizer and my uke in my backpack. I will play Iz's version of 'Over the Rainbow' (way up high) for the flight attendants. Or maybe I will play 'There Ain't No Bugs On Me' with F and C for the security screeners. |
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Tonya
Lokahi
USA
177 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2004 : 11:15:39 AM
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Next time, then ukeleloid. Promise yourself!
But I understand how travel can make you fear for your uke. I returned a few weeks ago from a one-week backpacking trip in a wilderness area with a coed scouting group we lead. I *wanted* to take my travel uke along (a soprano Ovation) but I really worried about strapping it on the back of my already 43-pound pack, even in its lightly-padded gig bag. I second guessed myself back and forth the night before I left. Would I take/have time to play it? Would I forget I had the ukulele strapped on and drop the pack on its back, ruining my little uke? Would I have the courage to play my simple 3-chord songs with so many teens and adults around?
Hubby finally told me to just take it. I did.
The extra weight and little bit of extra care was more than worth it. All of the kids and one of the adults asked me to show them some basic chords and two ended up putting an ukulele on their Christmas gift lists. Strumming and simple picking beside high country lakes each night was a priceless experience. I will *always* take an ukelele with me in the future! |
http://www.uketreasures.com
http://www.ukuleletonya.com |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2004 : 1:24:23 PM
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I agree that taking a uke out and showing people the joy is part of the duty of 21st century ukists. We need more happy faces in the world, and we know how much a uke contributes to that.
How about putting a little aside and buying an inexpensive uke for travel? I have been told that the Martin backpacker uke is functional. Lanikai ukes are reasonable and decent. I needed a uke for a friend and found one that would tune and sound decent in my local used instrument store.
I personally just carried my tenor in zipper case from O`ahu to Cali and was welcomed on board.
Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
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Kahalenahele
Lokahi
USA
102 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2004 : 12:17:34 AM
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| I bought an Islander of eBay for that exact reason - $60 on eBay. |
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ukuleloid
Aloha
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2004 : 01:21:56 AM
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Yes, I had enough anxiety about flying that there was plenty left to apply to my ukulele and other things. But I do take it to work every day to play during my break (along with my spouse and co-ukulelist), and in the car to play along with CD's (if I am not driving or stuck in traffic). I prefer car trips. My parents taught me to sing on car trips when I was very young.
I have purchased several inexpensive soprano ukes so we would have spares for others to try, but I gave them away to my small relatives when they tried them and liked them. I will have to get more. |
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Dana
Akahai
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2004 : 5:46:18 PM
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Hi all,
I took my ukulele (tenor w/hardshell case) home with me (to O'ahu) a couple of months ago with no problems on the plane whatsoever. I carried it with me on board and kept it in the overhead (where it fit just fine)...I also always take it camping with us in the mountains in Colorado too!
Aloha
Dana |
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Curtis Takahashi
Akahai
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2004 : 6:05:00 PM
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Yo,
I've had no problems at all travelling with any of my 'ukes. I usually take a tenor in a harptone hardshell case. I have NEVER had a problem, be it travelling from California to Hawai'i or from Northern California to Southern. Or from California to the East Coast. I think that covers it all. Oh yeah, they will ask you to play from time to time.
Curtis |
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Dana
Akahai
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2004 : 6:44:31 PM
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| Yes they will! They asked me! |
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