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I'm going to music school in August (Vancouver to Montreal) and want to bring a tube amp along with me. I found a reverb deluxe on craigslist for $700 and really want to buy it, but I'm not sure if it'd be small enough to carry on the plane.
Any Advice?
Also, I know that you're only allowed 1 carry on, so i'll be carrying on my guitar. But my dad said that he'd carry on my amp for me.
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07-16-2014 05:49 PM
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you can bring an amp on a plane??
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It's too big to be a carry-on. It it is going to go below with the luggage you'll need a flight case for it and may have to pay the extra "baggage" charge and/or excess weight charge and/or excess size charge. You should check on all of that. Also, as you probably know, baggage can get beat up on a plane.
UPS may be the way to go.
Or maybe you'd consider a Quilter Micropro which does fit in the overhead compartment and can be a carry-on.
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Definitely too heavy for carry-on. No way they will let it go as carry-on.
Yes, you can take amps on planes. I have taken my ZT Lunchbox and I've also taken my Mambo 8" Wedge.
Finally, don't assume you will be allowed to carry-on your guitar. I usually get a solid body on, but with a bigger box you'll almost certainly have to "gate check" it. Which I personally would not do with one of my nice archtops unless in a beast of a case like a Calton.
So if it's a large guitar and it's valuable, you may want to consider shipping by FedEx or something like that.
Also, I hope you're flying Westjet rather than Air Canada...
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Best wishes for your travels and studies. I fly a lot, and it's a constant challenge to get equipment safely from place to place. Most airlines have specific size/weight guidelines for carry-on.Check the airline website but my best guess is a Deluxe won't meet the criteria. Some options I might look at instead:
Shipping (FedEx, etc). If you've got a good amp tech, they can provide some advice on how best to pack it.
Buying an amp at your destination. I don't know how invested you are in getting that particular Deluxe, but it's likely that you'll be able to find something similar in Montreal. There's some possible benefits to establishing yourself as a customer at a local music store, too. I've gotten referrals for gigs and teaching, priority for emergency repairs, etc, from being a known customer.
Will you have a car at school? I used Deluxes for years, they can be a challenge on public transportation and cab fare adds up. Will you also have a small, light, most likely solid state amp that you can easily haul to classes and sessions?
In case it has occurred to you to take the amp apart , pack and carry on the chassis and send the speaker cabinet through baggage, keep in mind that
THERE ARE POTENTIALLY LETHAL VOLTAGES STORED IN THE AMP FOR LONG AFTER IT IS UNPLUGGED.
You really want someone who knows what they're doing taking the amp apart.
Hope you find an amp and method of transport that works out for you.
PK
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As everyone has pointed out you can't take it on the plane. That is a pretty normal price for a used DRRI so I would just buy after you get to school. In fact going to school and scoping the scene out for a week or so you probably will change your mind on what you want or find a better deal locally.
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Yeah, bigger picture I'd totally ditch the idea of a Fender DR for jazz school. I haven't attended real full-time jazz school, but I've taken combo courses and attended jazz camp at a music school close to where I live, and I often walk there to jam with drummers or bassists etc, so I have some sense of what it's like to be out and about with gear and on foot. Mambo 8 Wedge is the way to go if you're using an archtop (Maybe a Quilter if you are using a solid body/semi, but it's about 4 lbs heavier which is quite a difference). The Mambo is under 15 lbs and tiny, has a headphone circuit so you can practice anywhere, etc. I put it in a small Phil Jones amp bag along with some spare leadsheets, cords, etc, and with the bag's strap across my chest I don't even realize it's there.
I also think you could order the Mambo with a speaker-out, in which case you'd never need another amp - an extension cab would do it.
I'm in Vancouver so if you want you could try mine out (it is not for sale though).
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I've had it with these m*%^&#$f#$^&*g amps on this m*%^&#$f#$^&*g plane!
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Da. Too big. Hmmm....buy an amp from your destination craigs in Montreal?
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I have a G&l bluesboy. I have a Mono soft shell case and a G&G hard shell case. I'm flying with West Jet but last time they didn't let me carry it on. I just don't want to be stuck with a hard shell case for 3 months in Montreal, it'd be hassle to lug around so I'm gonna try to find a way to carry it on this time
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I actually got a guy to go down to $525, so I might just buy it and maybe leave home if I decide not to bring it. At the moment I'm using a Roland cube 80XL (with a G&L Bluesboy) so I'm really not sure what I'm gonna bring because it's another amp that's kind of big to take to class every day.
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The Cube 80XL is not an amp I'd like to carry to class every day.......
I have an AER Alpha that would be ideal for your purpose; it's only 6 kgs and comes in a handy carrying bag with shoulder strap, should be no problem to bring it on the plane and it's the lightest serious amp that does gigging I've come across. It's easy to bring to class along with a guitar.
It also sounds great (imho) with different guitars: I played my strat, my Gibson ES-333, several acoustics and an ES-175 through it with great result. I gig with it weekly, amongst others also with a singer and then we both play guitar thru it (it has 2 channels) and we link it to the PA-system through the Direct Out. Even that sounds fine for the guitars (he has a Strat). A lot a jazz guitarist in my region use the Alpha (the cheapest and smallest of the AER series).
It's too bad they are rather expensive, especially in the US and Canada but that might be cheaper than the Mambo 8. The AER is also a little lighter and smaller than the Mambo 8. I see that L.A. Music in Canada lists it for $949,- (Canadian?) and Zzz-sounds offers it for $899,-. (The Mambo 8 is listed at GBP 554 (around USD 950) but that's without transportation and maybe taxes and VAT or whatever additional costs.
But if you could find an Alpha used for a good price it would solve your problems I think!
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I really think you should just buy an amp in Montreal.
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Reminds that this one time, I thought I would fly with my guitar and Cube 60. Guitar went into the fragile section (Air Canada, no issues there) but I had the cube in my hand. Checked in, walked the gate unmolested. Maybe they thought it was a backpack or something! Got in the plane and walked to my site, all this time cube in hand. I tried to put it on the overhead, too big. So I quietly sat there with the things between my legs. I was absurdly amused by how far I made it and that I had a very uncomfortable 8 hrs ahead of me, when a hostess came checking for seat belt security, noticed the amp and started lecturing me on how this was not safe, how they should have taken it out at the gate, blah, blah, blah. Finally, she took it and dropped it on one if their front lockers: WIN
After my visit, I sold it on my destination and bought another amp at my return. From then on, I have put in my luggage a Gretsch amp (2W) and later an OrangeTiny Terror with its mini cab (!) without being molested by security or plane regulations. Maybe the OP can get a micro cube or cube 30, these would fit a large bag.Last edited by anothersixstringer; 07-17-2014 at 11:47 AM.
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Thinking about this I went to two music schools and never needed to take an amp to school. I was a music major in college (for awhile) and only time I took an amp was Jazz band rehearsal. College today I imagine have backline gear available. Main thing for school was having a decent headphone amp and headphones.
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Get to school...buy a school rig. Planes are pains.
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Yeah I was thinking about getting something really small, maybe a ZT lunchbox. I don't really have $900 to drop for a mambo or an AER though. Thanks for the input thought, I appreciate the help.
Originally Posted by Little Jay
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Yeah I was thinking the same thing, I'm gonna ask one of my teachers about their amp situation. But in that case do you think I should bring my cube 80 or Deluxe Reverb? same height, deluxe is around 6" wider and 5 pounds heavier. Originally Posted by docbop
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Roland Micro Cube is used by a lot of students for practicing and it fits in a book locker. Students just leave them at school. Used price around $50.
Hopefully there is a good school amp for performances. Where I attended music classes there was a twin reverb available for performances.
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I'm with everyone don't bring anything, buy something once your there. Originally Posted by EastOntarioJazz
Part of learning to be a musician is knowing how to dial in a sound on any amp you have to use. The early guys and even today places have backline gear. You're going to school to learn music and the Tone Police aren't going to arrest you for using a beat up school amp, or some craig's list deal. Save your money for a case of Ramin noodles and toilet paper you'll be glad you did in a month or two.
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I get your point, but I don't feel like waisting my money on something that I don't necesarily want. i don't see the point in buying something there when I can ship the cube that I already have or buying a ZT lunchbox and bringing it onto the plane Originally Posted by docbop
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LOL you asked a question and now don't like the answers you're getting. You also changed from should i get a DR and take it on a plane, to now it's why can't I ship my Cube or buy a ZT. Just make a decision you have more important things to focus on. When I was getting ready for music school every minute I had I was working on sightreading, technique, and reviewing harmony & theory. The better you are going in, the further you can go in school. Originally Posted by EastOntarioJazz
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I saw a couple of interesting amps here on cl when I searched.. but the only 64 ri had a replacement weber (yah) and was going for 1000$ (boo hiss). I think I payed 1000 for my minty 76 about 3 years ago.. if I had to buy the amp I would tell him to keep the speaker and put in the original for $750 max. Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop
EDIT: and there is a traynor ygm2 for 300 with a replacement speaker (celestion, like it or not, smokes the original RSC ). I think I know the guy selling and have bought from him. Straigh up dude who has gas and is constantly flipping gear.. usually at a good price.Last edited by SamBooka; 07-18-2014 at 11:46 AM.
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There's a company called UniBaggage which is a courier company that specialises in shipping stuff to/from (inter alia) universities. Have used them here in the UK to send my son's golf clubs to his University up in Scotland.
They seem pretty good and they're reliable in my experience thus far. Overnight from Greater London to Stirling (465 miles) which wasn't too shabby
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