Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: math2014 on July 09, 2006, 05:58:56 PM
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Hi all,
I am critically interested to find out if it is doable to carry my LP onboard an airplane, KLM to be precise. Has anyone got any ideas or experiences with them? I will try to contact them as well directly, but i would appreciate your feedback.
If not,
Would a hiscox case protect in in the cargo hold? I jumped on a hiscox case yesterday with a Gibson LP inside in-tune. I was surprises to find the guitar unscathed. We also droped the case 2-3 feet and again nothing. hmmm.
Thanks again guys
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If it won't fit in the overhead bin Good Luck!
Unless you buy it a seat of course :)
I travelled back from Texas to UK with mine axe in an SKB case, no problems.
I did using some carpet padding as extra packing and taped the clasps shut.
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Well, when I was last in America, I decided I couldn't resist the amazingly cheaap prices compared to over here, and bought myself a Highway 1 Tele...I went back to the hotel and was playing with it happily and then realised I had no way to get it home...Panic set in
Right, so I head back to the shop and pick up a hard case. Then I phone the airline "I have fragile, oversized baggage, what can I do?" They told me basically to take it up to check in, and explain the situation. I did this and the person at check in did some phoning and whatever and was like "Right, well there's a locker that the flight attendants keep their stuff in - you can leave it in there"
So i kept it through the security checks and everything and took it up to the gate, and then when boarding I handed it to the person and they took it up near the back...Pressurised cabin and everything, win win situation :)
Only downside was that I had to wait 'til everyone else was off the plane before I could get it back
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So how the hell does a band like Rammstein get all their guitars and stage shite from Europe to Mexico?
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They pay a lot of money, and probably have their own plane :drink:
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Its a European flight.... Bristol=> Amsterdam -\> Greece.
I hope it fits... otherwise i hope a hiscox will protect it
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I bought a guitar when I went over to Florida a few years ago, I bought a SKB case for it, made sure the guitar wouldn't move around in the case at all, locked it and hoped for the best, the case was a little scratched but the guitar was fine.
I've heard a few people do what Deg0ey did.
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I wouldn't lock the case if you're flying through the US. They'll bust it open and your lock will be useless.
You won't get the guitar on the plane with you unless it fits in the overhead locker. You shouldn't have a problem with it in the hold though.
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Well it is a Euro flight. A pilot just informed me that the LP case will fit the bins on Fokker100 and 737. I just need a formal final confirmation from KLM
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If you can take in the plane with you killer, but if not, I would invest in a flight case. The locks work well, and there is no need to tape them or lock them up, just clas them. The padding is better as is the case itself, hence flight case. :wink: Just my two cents worth really.
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What do you think about hiscox cases? are they ok for air travel?
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I regularly take my guitars on planes.
It depends on the airline, I've done most of the combinations, guitar in overhead locker, in the flight attendant cupboard, and in the hold. And all these with gig bags and a hard case. i never once damaged a guitar.
i dont recommend a gig bag in the hold, despite that I've got away with it a few times. take your paul in a hard case and try and get it in the overhead bins, but be prepared and happy for it to go in the hold. KLM is a decent airline - i'm sure they'll look after it.
some people think its a good idea to loosen the strings before a flight due to the change in temperature. its certianlly true it gets mightly cold up there. if you touch the hardware direct after the flight you can certinally feel it. i dont know if its a good idea to loosen the strings myself though. i've tried it both ways and it worked out.
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Well i was thinking of loosening the strings because an LP gets snapped headstock from intertia forces by strings pulling on the headstock.
I ve sent KLM an email and waiting response. Finger munching now :shock:
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I was gonna start a thread similar to this but I might aswell post it here now to save cluttering the forum up and people repeating themselves. I'm going to America in about a weeks time and hopefully I can get myself a guitar for cheap, I just dont know what is the best way of getting it back from America, wether I should get it shipped via UPS or take it on the plane. Oh and we're flying with United Airlines.
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Well i was thinking of loosening the strings because an LP gets snapped headstock from intertia forces by strings pulling on the headstock.
Unless it's a badly fitting case where the headstock is bouncing against the end of the case (even then it may involve the case skidding along the cargo hold or overhead locker) it shouldn't be a problem as the forces on a passenger flight are pretty minimal (under anything other than crash conditions).
Temperature changes in the cargo hold would be a hugely greater issue, or the cargo handlers dropping the case.
However loostyening the strings dosn't help when the baggage handlers run over the guitar with their vehicles, as happened to a friend of mine (there where 3 sets of tracks through the centre of his case and it didn't survive).
Rob...
FYI (if anybody is sad enough)
The so called vomit comet hits a peak of 1.3G where as dropping an object (say a guitar) from several inches results in appx 8G. of deceleration (BTW sneezing is around 2.9G and coughing is appx 3.5G)
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I was gonna start a thread similar to this but I might aswell post it here now to save cluttering the forum up and people repeating themselves. I'm going to America in about a weeks time and hopefully I can get myself a guitar for cheap, I just dont know what is the best way of getting it back from America, wether I should get it shipped via UPS or take it on the plane. Oh and we're flying with United Airlines.
Turned out fine for me (read my post above) what airline you flying?
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Oh and we're flying with United Airlines.
Turned out fine for me (read my post above) what airline you flying?
:P
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Lol oops, I should try not skim reading :P
Yeah, I think that's the airline I was on too - and they let me...but I would recommend getting a hardcase for it while you're there (they're dirt cheap as well) so that if by some chance there's no room or summat then you can still send it to the hold :drink:
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Cheers guys,
I am flying KLM from UK to Europe...
They told me on the phone today that as long its 115cm and less , and 10kg and less, i am allowed to get it in the cabin with me, does not matter if it is hardcase or gigbag.
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And is it 115cm or less and 10kg or less? I've never measured/weighed a guitar :P
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The harmonica is so much more convenient 8)
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A Tokai LP case is 106cm, i guess at about 2-3kg +another 4kg for the guitar
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On a different note, if KLM change their mind at the check in (despite their telephone assurances), would a hiscox liteflite case help the guitar if it is checked in as luggage?
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Cheers guys,
I am flying KLM from UK to Europe...
Isn't the UK part of Europe..............?!! (I made the same mistake myself on a website, picked up by a German :lol: ). Reminds me of the famous newspaper headline from many years ago - "Fog in Channel, Europe cut off"....
If you do a lot of travelling by air, the ideal guitar to get is a Hohner Pro headless (aka 'Cricket bat') like the Steinberger, and preferably shove some Bareknuckles in it. Fits in the overhead locker on any plane. I have one for travelling and back up for gigs, wouldn't part with it.
Hiscox cases are great, I have shipped guitars by post in them, just make sure the guitar can't move with a bit of bubble wrap to hold it in tight, and for posting I tape up the locks with parcel tape to stop them coming undone by mistake or being knocked. So far, touch wood, haven't had a casualty shipping within Europe and to the US.
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Cheers guys,
I am flying KLM from UK to Europe...
Isn't the UK part of Europe..............?!! (I made the same mistake myself on a website, picked up by a German :lol: ). Reminds me of the famous newspaper headline from many years ago - "Fog in Channel, Europe cut off"....
If you do a lot of travelling by air, the ideal guitar to get is a Hohner Pro headless (aka 'Cricket bat') like the Steinberger, and preferably shove some Bareknuckles in it. Fits in the overhead locker on any plane. I have one for travelling and back up for gigs, wouldn't part with it.
Hiscox cases are great, I have shipped guitars by post in them, just make sure the guitar can't move with a bit of bubble wrap to hold it in tight, and for posting I tape up the locks with parcel tape to stop them coming undone by mistake or being knocked. So far, touch wood, haven't had a casualty shipping within Europe and to the US.
My bad, i should have said Continental Europe... :)
Well the only problem is that the hiscox is much heavier than the Tokai hardcase, so they would be more inclined to make me check it in.
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When the strat I bought off ebay got delivered, it was in a padded gig bag inside an old Ibanez cardboard box, and it went through parcel force - notorious for breaking stuff - and it was fine...
I know it's not the same, but as far as I'm concerned guitars are fairly solid objects, and as long as they're padded and don't get scratched, and are packed well enough not to snap the headstock or anything like that then they'll be fine
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Ok it is now NO LONGER possible to get a guitar with you on a plane unless you buy an extra seat. This applies to both BA and KLM and this regulation is as of 5th of July in effect for all companies.
MY options now are severely limited....
would a hiscox case save the day?
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R/2e: Only just noticed you live in Tunbridge Wells - I live in East Grinstead, stone's throw away really :P ...There's a gig in town on saturday, you should come over - 9 volt are playing, and Confusion are reforming (not sure if they ever got over as far as you) www.confusionband.com . Listen to some of the mp3s if you don't know them, I recommend "Understand", "Excessively Argumentative" and "Bride in Me"
Dunno if you know of or like either of those, but it should be a good gig :)
math: That really sucks - is it all the airlines or just the ones you mentioned?...If you can fit it in the overhead lockers and it doesn't exceed the weight limit then I don't see why they would complain...
I think a Hiscox probably would save you from any major damage imo, they're fairly sturdy things and would offer good protection.
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According to a friend who reads EU airline news its for ALL of them.
BA and KLM confirmed it on the phone this morning.
I hope a Hiscox and bubble wrap will suffice for any strange baggage handler
I wonder if it is a bad idea to remove the neck from a strat and put it in a suitcase.
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Ouch! Makes it a bit expensive for the mere mortals like us, but it'll mean big business for hiscox :lol:
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so a hiscox and bubblewrap is enough right?
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I'd be inclined to say yes...but then I wouldn't bother with the bubble wrap if it were me
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As flew transatlantic recently (am do so alot) and am out wazoo with frequent flyer doodas and I was not offered anything but the hold cargo. You can get 'lucky' with it going in business class locker but not usually.
Bubble wrap? You mean inside the case or around it?
Around the outside of case ok but i would NOT put bubble wrap onto a guitar surface, it can mark the paint/finish (have seen results myself and NOT pretty). I used a small section of carpet underlay to pad out my case even more in areas I though may need it, i.e. supporting the neck etc.
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I can only comment on my experiences from the USA to the UK - I have brought back 3 guitars on this route, all with United Airlines - all came back in cabin, in the cupboard where the flight crew keep their stuff. Packagin technique was guitar in hard case as usual, layer of bubble wrap on the outside of the case. Top tip - don't cover the handle, then you can carry it....
No problems whatsoever on any of them.
I've seen loads of people take gig-bags as carry-on luggage but not hard cases.
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BA, and KLM explicitly refused cabin luggage guitars, no matter what unless i spill 500GBP for an extra seat.
My other two options are
1. Parcelforce
2. A guy that will move my household from UK to Greece
US-Europe travel is too different from what i ve recently discovered.
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I've just mailed a guitar to Denmark - it was in a guitar box (got one from a music store) - then many layers of bubble wrap, padding etc - it cost £33 to send - might be an option? Unless you've got a '59 Standard in there...
www.parcel2go.com
Mike
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Are they better than parcelforce?
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They can't be worse... (Parcelforce do not have a very good reputation)
Pick up was from my home (you can specify which address you want pick up from) - you will need a contact phone number for delivery though.
You enter all the details online - website is quite useful as you can get a quote directly or you can ring up and they will give you a quote.
Can't confirm if delivery was OK yet as the recipient is away on holiday - will let you know.
Mike
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International flights require guitars to be checked in with luggage....
Flights within the US you can take them on the plane as carry ons...
That's all I know...
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In the light of recent events in the UK, no hand luggage is allowed.
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You'd be lucky to get a plectrum on board. let alone a guitar!
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I can only comment on my experiences from the USA to the UK - I have brought back 3 guitars on this route, all with United Airlines - all came back in cabin, in the cupboard where the flight crew keep their stuff. Packagin technique was guitar in hard case as usual, layer of bubble wrap on the outside of the case. Top tip - don't cover the handle, then you can carry it....
No problems whatsoever on any of them.
I've seen loads of people take gig-bags as carry-on luggage but not hard cases.
Dammit! I flew with UA to America so I probably coulda got a guitar and brought it back no problems, I was scared to just in case I couldnt put it in the cabin.
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To follow up prior post here - postage to Denmark was fine - guitar arrived fine with no problems.
Mike