The ShadowMusic Web Community

Not really Shads related topic but I am sure one or two of you have had experience of flying and taking a guitar in hold luggage. I am flying out to Athens early next year and will be taking an F-hole semi-acoustic electric out with me as i will be playing with some other guys while there. The guitar I am taking is a Peerless Journeyman as it is my least expensive guitar suitable for what i will be playing out there and has a fitted hard case. I will be flying EasyJet from Gatwick. I have never put a guitar on an airplane before and have heard horror stories of mishandled luggage. Just wondered if anyone on this site has experience of taking guitars out on aircraft and how best to ensure they arrive safely but without need for specialist light cases.

Hi Brian. One of the first things to do is to slacken the guitar strings. If strings are kept at the normal tension and the guitar is dropped there would be a greater possibility of damage particularly to the neck and / or headstock.
I place bubble wrap inside the case between the guitar and the case if the guitar doesn't fit perfectly. I also place bubble wrap under and on top if the neck to prevent any movement.
Out side the case I cut cardboard to the shape of the case and wrap bubble wrap over the cardboard. I cut a slot so that I can access the case handle. Might be a bit of overkill but I've seen some frightening footage re how some items have been handled.
I've travelled with a guitar or guitars to South Africa. China. Bangkok and Japan with no damage.
Regards Dave

Hi Brian,

I'll confirm everything that Dave Gruntfuttock says and add that it's worth paying special attention to wrapping the headstock, so that it's well supported. It's possible that a violent shock (such as being dropped from the hold doorway to the tarmac) could snap the headstock through inertia -- if it's free to move within the case.

Also, put some packets of dehydration crystals inside the case. The cabin of an aircraft is heated but the hold isn't. The outside air temperature in the stratosphere is -56degC and, after a 4hr flight, the hold gets pretty cold. If you packed the guitar when the atmosphere was moist then you'll get condensation on the metalwork if you don't use the crystals.

I assume that you've braced yourself for the cost of excess baggage .

Regards,
DaveC.

davec wrote:The outside air temperature in the stratosphere is -56degC ...

So THAT's why they're called stratocasters

Would it perhaps be safer to take a solid body bolt on neck type guitar (Fender, Squier etc) rather than a set neck semi acoustic?

I've often wondered if such a guitar could be disassembled (separate the neck from body) and packed in a strong suitable sized suitcase with padding from clothes?

Just a thought!

Here's what I take on the plane..... no bother..... fits in the suitcase.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10206999585531281&l=142378a930

When I was in the Army I took my guitar from England to Malta and Libya ,took it as hand luggage with only soft cover.When we were due to come back to the UK some Army kill joys said no guitars allowed on the flight home so mine and some others were brought back to England by someone driving their car back .The guitars were left in the guard room and then went missing never to be seen again a bit like Hank`s guitars. So can you take guitars as hand luggage now?

How much is your seat on Easyjet?

It might (but only might) be cost-effective to buy your guitar its own seat on the plane.

Especially if the cost of an extra hold-baggage item is £50 or so.

Interesting topic, particularly as I am planning to fly with a guitar in February.

I'm travelling to Malta for our annual Cartoonists' Club Convention and, this time, I want to take my Hohner (Steinberger) headless. I checked the Air Malta website and saw, under the baggage info about 'special hand luggage' they say that they welcome people taking musical instruments such as guitars and violins as cabin luggage.

So, just to confirm, I emailed their customer services and explained that I wanted to take my guitar as hand baggage, giving them the dimensions (80cm long in its gig bag).

They replied that the guitar was too big for cabin baggage and would have to travel in the hold.

I wrote back, pointing out what their website said and telling them that my guitar, in it's bag, was the same size as a violin.

Their reply was non-committal. They said I could take it to the check-in and it would be up to their discretion whether I was allowed to carry it with me or if it had to go into the hold.

So, I shall take it and also take a print-out of their web-page where it says guitars and violins are welcome as cabin baggage.