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mele kane
Aloha
USA
13 Posts |
 Posted - 05/10/2008 : 6:44:24 PM
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Mahalo to all you flying slack heads. Who made up this name? Is it like the "Deadheads" and the Grateful Dead? Back to flying with cases. Or fretting over cases. Well, after all three pages, lots of reading and laughing, I must tell you, I went right to Bruce Lamb, a fellow "Bruce" and bought one of his deluxe caseXtremes. Boy, the price has gone up, up, up, since his last post on his add. But I guess it is a small price to pay for peace of mind. I'm getting ready to fly to the Aloha Music Camp. Haven't flown with a guitar yet, my sax usually gets carried. Anyway I just wanted to say thanks to all who posted. If it wasn't for Taropatch.net I would never know all this great stuff is out there.
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On time, In tune, Aloha |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2008 : 08:37:20 AM
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Bring the sax.  |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 12:21:25 PM
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This was a realy good thread Mark.
After reading the responses I decided not to freak out about this guitar thing and just go.
I took my custom guitar to Vegas from N.IL in it's regular form fit TKL case. I took no other precaution other than stuffing socks around the the neck for support and de-tuning.
I was planning to gate check but found them telling me to just carry it onboard. They told me to put it in the overheads and to my surprize, a full size case does fit easily.
Since it takes a whole bin, I had to store it away from where I sat but arranged for the guy below the empty bin to walk it forward to me so that I would not have to let the plane empty out in order to go back against the flow to get it.
Even if it had gone to luggage from a gate check, my feeling is that it would have been ok.
If you use a special hard travel case, the overheads would not be an option.
On a longer flight, I may consider a caseXtreme but then it will cetainly have to go with the cargo.
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Bob |
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Larry Goldstein
Lokahi
267 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2008 : 10:10:53 AM
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Yeah, I still think the clam is a fine way to go, but recent experiences give me pause.
When flying out of Seattle, twice, the TSA folks tore the whole assemblage of neatly placed foam blocks out and then just tossed them back in the clam. The guitar case was still protected but free to bounce around. Flying back was better, but still not so good.
Two things I've learned: 1) how your instrument is treated depends a lot on the airport, 2) a large-lettered, laminated note inside the case politely asking for the original block formation helps.
Larry
PS - can anyone please tell me why our guitars need to be physically examed in the first place if they go through the x-ray machine? |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2008 : 10:23:27 AM
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| 'cause TSA hires closet lutheiers who just have to check out the bracing pattern? |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2008 : 10:47:14 AM
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| Next time you see Cindy Combs, look at all the signatures on the front of her guitar. Those are all from the TSA folks who have inspected the case on her many flights over the years. |
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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
523 Posts |
Posted - 05/13/2008 : 11:19:50 AM
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>PS - can anyone please tell me why our guitars need to be physically examed in the first place if they go through the x-ray machine?<
Because TSA stands for "Too Stupid to be Alive". |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2008 : 06:34:45 AM
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quote:
can anyone please tell me why our guitars need to be physically examed in the first place if they go through the x-ray machine?
Here's a new wrinkle to trying to carry on your intrument: On the flight back from Maui last February, the TSA guy went all quiet and serious over my `ukulele case. (Note the emphasis on "flight back" - I'd already flown over with the dang thing.)
It started to look like the buggah was going to take my instrument out behind the airport and blow it up. Of course, he wouldn't give me an info why he and his fellow droids were so interested; just a terse "have a nice flight" when he finally handed it back.
I finally figured it out: the Ameritage case has a built in humidifier, which had picked up moisture in the humid tropical air. And we all know how dangerous water can be on an airplane...
One more thing to watch out for. |
Edited by - Mark on 05/14/2008 06:36:34 AM |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2008 : 07:53:21 AM
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The reason they inspect is to see if you are smuggling contraband inside it. Many years ago(1970) I was enroute from Fort Sherman, Panama, to Oakland Army Terminal. Customs inspectors in Chaleston, S.C., used a mirror to look inside the sound hole of my guitar. I guess the huge peace sign on the case probably didn't warn their hearts any.
Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2008 : 09:27:49 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by rendesvous1840
I guess the huge peace sign on the case probably didn't warn their hearts any.
Oh, I think it "warned" them plenty, Paul.  |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2008 : 11:08:33 AM
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There's that spelling stuff again.
Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
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ericbehr
Aloha
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2008 : 4:08:49 PM
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This is great stuff. I've fallen in love with slack key, and I'm visiting relatives in July. He's a navy doc, so I guess we'll be near Pearl. I'm really apprehensive about bringing my Martin J40, as I only have a regular hard shell. However, I thought maybe I'd confine my anxieties to a one way trip, and maybe pick up a new guitar just for slack key while I'm there. Any thoughts on where to look?
Thanks! |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 08:19:53 AM
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There's no telling what will set TSA people off. A couple years ago in Seattle, one inspector puzzled over my Michael Dunn after it came through the X-ray. He had me open the case, looked at the neck, looked back at the still on the X-ray screen--until I realized he was trying to figure out where the metal bar was. The truss rod. I explained some guitar anatomy, he said, "Oh. Okay," and I was allowed to proceed.
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Julie H
Ha`aha`a
USA
1206 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2008 : 7:11:15 PM
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So with all this in mind, I got rid of the free gun case that I wanted to use for my Rickenbacher long scale Fry Pan because I could just see this case with possibly gunpowder residue sneak past vigilant TSA staff. So my question now is: will the next best candidate be a banjo case, since the two are similar in form? I don't really want to use the original case because it is so "vintage", so I'm looking for the next best thing. Still grappling with the logistics,
Julie |
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javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2008 : 05:06:41 AM
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Eric: Welcome to the forum! I would guess that you could probably buy a guitar for less $$$ where you are as opposed to buying it in Hawaii. I know that's true where I live here in Olynpia, WA. Another thought would be to rent one while you're there. Or if you visit there often, you could take your J40 on a one-way trip, leave it there for future visits and buy yourself a new guitar when you get home.
Julie: The trip would just add to the "vintage-ness" of your case! Seriously, could you put your original case in another duffel bag or case to protect it better? Maybe make a thin plywood or heavy cardboard box? I've done that before to bring stuff back that did not fit in regular luggage. |
Aloha,
John A. |
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Topic |
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Flying with Yer Guitar-- the real story
