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Hey guys I will be travelling to Bulgaria this summer to play at a couple of Festivals. I have never travelled abroad before and I have a lot of questions. I am hoping anyone with experience in this will chime in. My main question is should I check my guitar or will they let me carry it on. Thanks! If anyone has any travel advice my ears are wide open thanks in advance.
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01-22-2013 10:22 AM
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Depends on the airline. But in general, the days of instrument-friendly flying are over - Segovia used to book a seat for his guitar, but someone on this or another guitar forum tried to do the same recently and came a cropper against safety rules, just can't be done, seat belts are designed for people, not guitars. One or two companies have you check large instruments like guitars or cellos in as specific items, I suppose on the grounds that they can then take special care of them - where available, it seems to be an expensive option. And while there are still a few companies that might let you stow your instrument in the overhead lockers, it's more normal for you to have to check it in as hold luggage.* So my advice is invest in a handler-proof travelling case.
Originally Posted by eddy b.
*Even if the official policy says you can take such-and-such a thing with you in the cabin, in the last couple of months I have twice witnessed people in the boarding queue (i.e., well past check-in) being obliged by staff to check their hand luggage in as hold luggage. I think it's mostly because as airlines try to get people to pay for luggage, more and more people are carrying maximum hand luggage and the capacity gets filled up quickly.
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Do not take a fragile guitar unless it's in a flight case, and even then I wouldn't take the risk if that particular guitar is very important to you. A solid body (e.g., tele) in a compact hard case will usually make it on the plane, and if it doesn't then at least it's durable and in a durable case so it is will probably survive the "gate checking".
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I am by no means an expert, but I have some experience with exotic woods and ivory. Depending on the countries you travel to, you could lose your instrument at customs if an exotic wood/ivory used on your guitar is banned in the country you are landing in. I put an antique ivory bridge on a flat top guitar I use for playing Hawaiian slack key style then was told by US customs that the entire instrument could be confiscated if their inspectors basically felt like it, even though I had documentation showing the bridge was antique. Older, quality instruments often used now embargoed/banned materials, so might be worth checking if your instrument is old. Not saying it will happen, just be aware that confiscation happens, even if you have all your ducks in a row. Just my experience and something many people don't consider.
Edit: Sorry, didn't see Randaljazz' post before submitting this. I'll leave it anyway in case someone else doesn't check the link.Last edited by ah.clem; 01-24-2013 at 02:47 AM.
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If your current axe is really special to you, very valuable or difficult to replace, I wouldn't risk it. It might be worth investing in a more readily replaceable 'road guitar' for travel. If you know somebody there, maybe even arrange ahead for a loaner.
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Steve Kaufman, the flatpicking teacher and general all round professor of flatpicking, is the expert on this. He travels something like 40 weekendd of the ear doing his guitar workshops. That makes him an expert in my eyes. He has a flight proof guitar case - check out Hiscox top of the line made of 2.5mm thick material - he supports the neck in the case with wrapping - the joint around the nut is the vunerable part - and he gate checks it wherever he can.
Want more into from the man himself - and I am certain he will reply - email him at steve@flatpik.com. He's doing it almost every week without problems and with a dreadnought.
I'm off to Venice and Roberto Dalla Vecchia's workshop by BA in May/June and I'll be taking my 'tough' Yamaha LS6 as I did when I went to Tennessee. Don't want to chance anything happening to my handmade acoustic - so take your number two.
Don't travel budget airlines - they are just not set up in anyway for you to be travelling with an instrument. Shop early for a good price with a traditional carrier.
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I have just recently traveled 3 or 4 times from Sweden to the US and back. I pack my guitar in a good hard case from the manufacturer (Godin in this case) and it has never been a problem. After the first trip the case looked like it was well travelled. I have always included in the case a letter as to who the owner is, where I am travelling from , and to, where i will be staying and how to get in contact with me if trouble arises. Finally i ask that the official looking at the guitar (and there has always been at least one) treat it with the respect and reverence the intrument deserves. The only problem I have had is that the guitar hasnt made the transfer from one flight to the next, but we have finally caught up with each other. I have no idea if Bulgaria is different. I have heard previously from golfing friends who have traveled from Sweden to Spain that some have had their bags opened and clubs stolen. Bulgaria may have some of those problems at the airport, but it just a guess. Hope that may be of help. 0zoro
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Thanks to all of you for your insights and advice.You've confirmed some of my concerns and I'm grateful for your help.
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Mind how you go in Bulgaria. I think the thing to do is check out your trip and going with a guitar with your local government travel service for advice. Here is the UK travel advice from our UK Goverment's Foreign Office Bulgaria travel advice
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Get an ATA approved flight case, that would be my advice!
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I usually travel with a small-bodied archtop, Ibanez George Benson 10, because most of the airlines I use will let me put it in the overhead locker most of the time. Recently I travelled with 2 hand-made archtops; I put them in the hold (in good cases) there was no problem, this was a trans-world flights with 2 legs. You can phone the airline in advance to ask their policy, but this may not be the same as what the check-in desk tells you, because of load factors etc.
I've travelled to around 20 foreign countries (including the USA) with guitars and never had a problem - I probably have the dubious distinction of being the only person in history to take a tele to Saudi Arabia and living to tell the tale LOL. But I know that many people have had problems, is this just luck or different airlines or different guitars or guitar cases who can say.
Most of what the official government websites tell you about dangerous areas to travel in is pure nonsense written by bureaucrats who never leave their office, so personally I wouldn't pay too much attention to it. I've taken my GB10 to Ukraine and Russia with no problem whatsoever. There's a great appreciation of music in central and eastern Europe (sorry to make such a crass generalisation). Obviously you need to be bit cautious as any inexperienced foreigner does in any country - man my first trip to NYC I thought everyone was gonna (as they say) mug me.
Apart from Dublin (my spiritual home and an incredible place for real improvised music) I can't think of any city which has more musical charisma attached to it than New Orleans, so your gig in Bulgaria must be pretty attractive :-)
Now it's bedtime in my part of the world, got to go.
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I think Bulgaria must be a mission of some sort - there was a time when you'd have been arrested for playing jazzy stuff! Get in touch with Steve Kaufman (he will reply - he's a great up front kinda guy). He's been to Croatia and (I think) Slovinia with Beppi Gambetta doing workshops. He'll give you a steer on travelling in Eastern Europe.
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I just paid top dollar for a custom VB archtop, not even considering ever taking that thing on an airplane. I've thought about investing on a klein-like guitar (you know, those ergo, headless guitars. A lot of jazz guys use those and they sound pretty good. They're also tiny so easily transportable. I've seen guys like Canton, or even Victor Baker himself make ergonomic archtops. Some really cool designs.
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You could always take a Tele and unbolt the neck. Install insets if you want,
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I was just reading about Mary Halvorson traveling so much lately that she had to get away from her big Guild box and use a smaller guitar that she could carry on, and she'd be sneaky and wear her gigbag upside down so the neck wasn't attracting attention and it looked like a regular backpack at first glance. If put in a pinch she would resort to using tears...whatever worked.
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You know that is a crazy enough idea (unbolting my tele's neck)that it would probably work great.I could put it in my carry on mesenger bag and not have to sweat it out with the lost luggage anxiety. Thanks for a truly creative solution!!!
Last edited by eddy b.; 03-12-2013 at 09:12 AM.
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Do you mean the tele idea? If it was an acoustic even my yamaha with the smaller mid size jumbo body would not go in the overhead - travelled better than me in the end in First Class thanks to helpful cabin crew. The main problem is airport staff following policy - if you can get it on the plane they are very helpful and understand the issues - it's the airport that is the problem.
Last edited by ChrisDowning; 03-11-2013 at 02:42 PM.
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You know that is a crazy enough idea(unbolting my tele's neck), I have a 90's fender with a humbucker in the neck position, my homage to my fave jazzer, Ed Bickert, that it would probably work great.I could put it in my carry on mesenger bag nd not have to sweat it out with the lost luggage anxiety. Thanks for a truly creative solution!!!
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A tele is pretty tough to begin with. I'd just take one in a hard case and then, if they made me gate check it, it's not a big deal.
(gate checking is when you walk it up to the gate and then pass it off - it still goes in the luggage area, but by hand)
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If you plan to do the neck off travelling a lot, I'd definately go with the luthier installed bushes. Make sure you take all your tools - this sort of thing will cause you to have to adjust the truss rod occasionally to keep itall in fine fettle - so take the correct size/shape allen key. And take the stings right off and away from the neck and body - you don't want to make the body with the strings. Sounds like they would go into something that looks like a briefcase. (You'll look more like a sniper turning up to gigs with this kit!)
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It looks like a tumor
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Right.....(places little finger nail in corner of mouth) ...so Scott we were talking about travelling with the sort of guitar you can gig with and travel on airlines.. ..and somehow we have entered "The Dragons Den" programme and the North Georgia forest trails. Mimi-me is looking unhappy and that make Daddy unhappy Scott.
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