I'm flying to visit my dad this summer.

[younglink309]

I want to take my guitar, but I don't know how to go about taking it on the plane.

I know I don't want to check it on, because the workers just throw stuff around and they aren't responsible if anything breaks. I don't want a broken strat...

My friend told me that he carried his guitar on last summer, but when I flew to Dad's over Christmas, the airport had a box that stated anything that couldn't fit in the box couldn't go on the plane. The box was about the size of a small suitcase or a breifcase. (smaller than a guitar)

suggestions?

[decay]

I fly about once a week for my job and this is constantly a problem for me. What you could try is to plane-side check-in the case. They will often let you into the airport...etc. without having to worry about your case but once you get to the plane they don't let you on. Most of the time when I get to the plane, as I'm bording, the attendent either asks me to check my case plane side, or I get on with the case; it all depends on how big the overhead compartments are. There's always the risk the case will take a beating though...just make sure it's packed tight and throw an extra strap around it...

The 2nd option is to check it as fragile luggage. This option usually doesn't work out in my favor.

The 3rd option is to FedEX it to yourself using overnight delivery. This option always seems to work out for me.

[Blue ZX2]

I would would use plane side check in. Yes the guys arnt directly responsible but they arnt going to huck your guitar under the belly.... Most of them are pretty competant. I would do that.

[younglink309]

hmmm...

so just take it with me until I board and give it to them then?

sounds simply enough...

I took some bowling balls one time, marked it fragile (and heavy) and one still got busted (yes, they broke a bowling ball)...

[capitalcrew]

Hardshell case. All you need to do. I sit on my hardshell with my guitar in it. A lot.

[tylahjames]

^ Ditto...

I used to travel with mine every summer, and for a while, I only had a padded Gig Bag.

The lady was real cool, slapped like 302938 Fragile stickers on there, and told the guys to be careful with it.

Also, before I went, I wrapped a shit-load of white undershirts, around the neck of the thing, just to give it more padding.

My buddy used to work at an airport, doing just that, loading luggage. He said that they were ALWAYS careful with guitars. Not everyone is out to shit on you.

[JonsZX2SR]

The obvious but not cost effective solution is to buy 2 tickets for seats side-by-side. One is for you and the other is for the guitar. If the instrument is rare and expensive, it would probablt be worth the money, although I don't think you'll be flying with "Lucille".

Consider another approach. Don't take your guitar, but take enough money to buy another guitar when you get there... The world works in strange ways, chances are you'll find another guitar you want to add to your collection, you'll become comfortable with it when playing with your father, and you can ship it back when the time comes to return home...

[ZetecInside]

Like Tylahjames said, It's all about extra padding.

When I came back from study abroad in college, I was bringing back a shitload of glassware in my checked suitcase: (A Venetian perfume bottle, an olive oil decanter, half a dozen shotglasses, a pilsner glass, four Oktoberfest beer steins, and a glass flower bouquet sculpture). I wrapped each piece individually with bubble wrap, stuffed my socks and underwear inside any openings, wrapped them again in my undershirts, and spaced them apart from each other in my suitcase using the rest of my clothes. Three countries, four planes, and 15 hours later, not a single piece was broken.

Fragile stickers mean nothing to baggage handlers, and getting financial recourse from an airline is like squeezing blood from a rock. You gotta take matters into your own hands.

[younglink309]

Well, it's only a 07 squier strat, nothing fancy or rare, or even high quality. I only See my dad for about 5 weeks out of the year, so it wouldn't be a good idea to buy another guitar down there and leave it with him, esspecially with my step siblings living with him that may decide they like it. Which they may, since my step sibling have 5 functioning brain cells between the 4 of them.

It would take quite a while to be able to afford another guitar anyway. at least one I want. I want an Ameican made Fender Stratocaster. I played one at a guitar show last week and I loved it, and I was sold on the strat anyway.

But alas, i can't afford that anyway...

[tylahjames]

Well, it's only a 07 squier strat, nothing fancy or rare, or even high quality. I only See my dad for about 5 weeks out of the year, so it wouldn't be a good idea to buy another guitar down there and leave it with him, esspecially with my step siblings living with him that may decide they like it. Which they may, since my step sibling have 5 functioning brain cells between the 4 of them.

It would take quite a while to be able to afford another guitar anyway. at least one I want. I want an Ameican made Fender Stratocaster. I played one at a guitar show last week and I loved it, and I was sold on the strat anyway.

But alas, i can't afford that anyway...

Meh...Strats are Ok...

PRS Custom 22.....Yeeeeeeah boooy.

[capitalcrew]

^^What he said.

Or fully custom built. Guitars stock, are the same as cars. Shitty.