Checking in acoustic guitars on flights.

[JiveB]

Hi guys, just asking here on behalf of my girlfriend, she's flying SQ to UK for long term, and she wants to bring her guitar along. It's a martin&co acoustic and i'm just wondering if the hardcase that comes along with it can tahan the flight and handling from here to UK? Or else what's a good case that can be obtained locally that can tahan?

Btw, she confirmed that SQ does not allow the case to be brought on board, must check in. So she's considering whether or not to bring the martin or bring a cheaper guita/buy one there.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!

Ray

 

[christoh]

You can try getting a flight case, that one definitely can tahan, I guess. It's expensive, well, not cheap lah, but it can take super hard knocks as long as the guitar is packed in properly (sponge it up carefully, etc).

Usually I just bring it along with me on the plane, but I ask the aircrew to stow it for me, I don't stow it in the overhead compartments, that one def cannot!

Usu the flight crew are kind enough to keep it in one of their big cupboards in the front of the plane and then they'll give it back to me when we touch down.

You can try using your best "Pleeeeeaaaaase help me" voice, act blur like "Reeeallly? Oh no! What can I do? It guitar will break if I check it in! It's very expensive! What do you suggest? Can you help? Pleeeeaaaase??????"

That's see me through quite often in the past! hehe!

 

[markedymark]

hey my man, the hardcase would be able to tahan the flight, the guitar however, might not. most of the time i'd say bubblewrap the guitar before putting it in the hardcase and shove crumpled paper in all spaces to avoid movement.

do be careful, i've known someone who's lost a taylor in transit. so i dont quite recommend bringing a martin. if you must, airfreight seems an okay option. but checking in im still skeptical about.

 

[j_m_s]

Hi bro, ive checked in a guitar from two overseas countries in asia previously, both being in the previous year. Both guitars were fender strats. I put the strat in a hardcase and dumped it into the cargo. On the trip back from hong kong, i opened the case immediatly upon arrival at home(DUMBEST THING TO DO), when you do this, the guitar is affected by climate change. When i opened the case, i found lots of water droplets on the guitar. I immediatly wiped the guit dry and stripped it apart to clean the innards and check the solder joints on the electronics(I do this on every new guitar i get).

MAybe she could consider bringing a cheaper one there =)

 

[christoh]

Yeah, packing the guitar up tight is a must. BReaking, cracking occurs when there's a lot of movement. Also, you might need to do adjustment on the truss rod, etc to compensate for pressure changes. I dunno about removing the strings (some say its ok, some think its a bad idea), or even loosening them...

Oh, and don't forget to get TRAVEL INSURANCE for the guitar! So that if it's damaged or lost or whatever, you can still get some cash for it.

BETTER YET: if you already have an address in the UK. SEND IT VIA FREIGHT (like DHL, UPS, FEDEX), it may cost more, but there's insurance coverage in these deliveries and therefore you can recover monetary compensation from it.

 

[j_m_s]

DO NOT SEND VIA FEDEX.

WHY?

Because, (read the link) http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=277460

 

[renavatio]

ALWAYS handcarry guitars onboard. just kick up a big fuss if the airline counter refuses. pay a bit more if necessary (rarely happens).

anyway, i just used fedex to send my tuner to the states. crap lah the tuner better get there in 1 piece.

 

[JamesChia]

I flew Qantas last month to Perth, then to Sydney.

Brought my guitar(in rockbag) with me on both flights and stored it in the overhead compartment.

No problems at all. Though the lady at the Terminal 1 check-in counter advised me to check it in, to which I strongly refused.
Just make sure you board the plane damn early, like first in line is best. So that you'll have plenty of space in the overhead compartment.

Not sure about other airlines' policy but if it's a Boeing 747 or similar, should be no problem.

 

[j_m_s]

Hmm, overhead compartment? What if someone else wants to put their stuff inside? And just put inside then you guit neck break or sth?

 

[DjThugs]

well..i just asked my gf who works as a stewardess in SQ..she says that u can bring the guitar onboard and stow it in the closet where they stow away coats at the front.i heard that its best to release the tension of the strings too as it might bend your neck...not sure abt it though...get an skb for scoustics...should be no problem after that..

 

[theblueark]

Actually that's a misconception, don't loosen your strings. Your string tension is balancing out the truss rod tension. If you loosen your strings, your truss rod is going to put a lot of tension on the neck.

Though it might not affect the guitar either way.

 

[j_m_s]

Yes, i stored my acoustic in the coat room before too.


+7894374916976 for SKB cases. My bro's bass was in the case and he put it against the door of the bus, we told the uncle not to open the back door. But, some people are just darn stubborn and he opened the door. The case fell out. Well, the pavement had a crack. The bass was intact but the case has a crack too(not major).

 

[christoh]

Yeah, I think that's where the aircrew stored my guitars too... in front coat cupboard...

 

[JiveB]

Wow, thanks for all the prompt replies guys.

Well my gf did call the SQ office/enquiry line and she was told firmly that guitars weren't allowed on board. Me being the skeptic told her that if she wasn't allowed to bring it onboard then don't bring it at all. But should she even try taking it to the airport and then grumbling and making a big fuss until they allow her to take it onboard? The SKBs at SL doesn't seem to fit the guitar/doesn't seem hardy enough to take the flight. Are flight cases and hardcases the same thing or am i missing something there? I thought i read something abt ATA some time back..

Thanks guys, keep the responses coming! 8)

 

[gjkung]

when i was on my way to prague, transitting in amsterdam, this really cool guy had an acoustic guitar with him in a hardcase which he played while waiting to board the flight, made me wish I had brought mine along.

I think it can be brought up, if it can't be, it must be much bigger that the ones softies brought up, which means it would be tough enough to take the brutal assault of the baggage crew, just make sure you pad it.


blueark is right, don't loosen the strings. the strings help to keep the tension of the wood balanced front back, if you take the string tension out, it's just going to snap when you hit it in right spot, towards the uncountered tension of the truss rod.

 

[christoh]

Yea, go early to check in and say that you cannot put it in the luggage hold as its fragile, blah blah blah...

If I remember correctly, I wasn't allowed to personally take it on board, but had to surrender it to aircrew before I boarded at the gate, so...

 

[xklusivly4u]

This is what I always do. I check in and insist it is very expensive guitar and storm at counter. If I cannot win the argument, I said “never mind I will give it to my friend and send by other means”. Then I just carry the guitar case and give it to flight attendant. They keep it somewhere in plane and give me back when landed. Singapore airport security guys are nice. They don’t bother you if it is a guitar but you cant do that in Heathrow. Don’t use shipping company to send your stuffs, you might need to pay 22.5 percent tax.

 

[JamesChia]

regarding the overhead compartment, I was lucky(or kiasu) to board the plane early and had an empty compartment to store my guitar. Just place it all the way inside, most people will just place their stuff near the opening, and not ON your guitar bag/case/whatever. I don't see how any damage could be inflicted unless there's a major air turbulence or something.

Not sure about you guys but I prefer my guitar to be near(above) me/lying down and not in the hands of some air stewardess or standing in a closet.

+1 to NOT loosening the strings. I think loosening the strings is a huge misconception. So keep them strings tight!

 

[JiveB]

Hi ALL, Thanks for all your responses =) I'm Ray's gf, elaine.

Ironickel: You mean the acoustic guitar actually fits in the overhead compartment? 8O

Everyone (esp DjThungs): If i can hand carry my Martin, when do i have to hand it over to the stewardess?

So the hard case that comes with my Martin isn't good enough and I have to get an SKB case? Cos the SKB acoustic cases in SweeLee don't look very strong. Has anyone flown with them?

Oh for those who managed to hand carry their guitars, was it like a very very long time ago or just recently? Did anyone manage to get it on board an SQ flight to Manchester? My flight is a Boeing 777-200. I guess if I really can't find something to make me less paranoid i'll bring my cheaper guitar =(


Thank you everyone

 

[j_m_s]

I have flown with an SKB case, from hong kong to singapore. Not that far. But it did surevive :lol: . As mentioned above too,, my bro's bass(in an skb case) dropped from a bus, the case cracked. but the instrument was fine. Please buy travel insurance too =)