[blkjk7]

Hi all, this is for those that travel with guitars. I haven't yet so I'm wondering how the airlines handle a guitar. Are they too big to take on as carry on and if so does the airline do o.k. with the guitar as checked baggage?
thanks!
Bob

[blkjk7]

Thank you Doug! We'll see how it goes. Think I'll try one of those.

[JessThrasher]

Use a good hardshell case or if you can afford it, a special "flight case". Put lots of those "Fragile" and "This way up" stickers on. If your case is not a fitted case, stuff some cloth around the guitar in the empty spaces so it doesn't rattle around. Because of the altitude change, detune all the strings untill they're loose and place a piece of paper between the strings and the fretboard to prevent fretboard scratches and damage. And duct tape the case shut (if you dont have locking latches). One word of note with locking latches is that I heard they may be damaged by customs officers.

All that info I got from my local music store guys.

Hope that helps.

[Doug]

Hi Jess - I've heard lots of people say that you loosen strings but Larrivee is pretty adamant that you should not loosen the strings of the guitar before shipping. They even say so in their repair return instructions...
Ship the guitar with the guitar at full tension / regular tuning Do not loosen the strings.
Remove the battery from the battery clip and put it in the case compartment.
Put a lot of packing under the headstock of the guitar. Either use a couple of old t-shirts (Which will be returned) or a lot of newspaper. The headstock should be resting firmly on packing material and not floating. The goal of this is to keep the headstock from snapping back if the box falls over during shipping.

Originally Posted by hermanli_ibanezshredder

Use a good hardshell case or if you can afford it, a special "flight case". Put lots of those "Fragile" and "This way up" stickers on. If your case is not a fitted case, stuff some cloth around the guitar in the empty spaces so it doesn't rattle around. Because of the altitude change, detune all the strings untill they're loose and place a piece of paper between the strings and the fretboard to prevent fretboard scratches and damage. And duct tape the case shut (if you dont have locking latches). One word of note with locking latches is that I heard they may be damaged by customs officers.

All that info I got from my local music store guys.

Hope that helps.

[JessThrasher]

And one last word of advice! Before you check it in, make sure you tape down the handle of the case, because that swinging around can damage the case.

Is it true that customs officers will really damage your locking latches? Is there any way not to have that happen?

[blkjk7]

Thanks Hermanli, lot's of good information! This is a great forum!
Bob

[blkjk7]

Doug, thank you too!

[kenbiki]

I just returned from Albuequerque to Allentown,Pa with a guitar Ibought in NewMexico.I flew with Delta and carried it on in a hard case.It fit in the overhead and on my connecting flight they stored it in the belly since it was a tiny commuter plane.No problems at all.I did think I'd have to check it with baggage but the agent recommended carrying it on. I had my latches duct taped shut just in case .