How To Fly With Axe-Fx?

Blaze

Blaze

Member
Assuming I’m flying with the bare minimum, (1 guitar, Axe-Fx II, and pedalbaord with MFC-101) what is the best way to take this stuff on a plane?

I have a sturdy flight case for my guitar, so I would feel “fairly” confident allowing it to be checked luggage, but what about the MFC-101? How safe would it be to have it checked? I have it mounted on a (very large) Pedal Pad AXS-XL, along with a couple expression pedals. Would I be safest leaving them all on the pedalboard, or trying to pack them in a suitcase instead (and leave the pedalboard at home)?

As for the Axe-Fx II itself, I would assume that it’s best to avoid checking it at all costs, right? Does anyone have any case or bag recommendations to carry it on with?
 
I'd say leave the pedalboard at home and stuff all your pedal stuff into a suitcase, between lots of cloth to keep it safe from shocks. The MFC is sturdy enough to take some serious hits.
But remember that - depending on where you're flying - they might open up your MFC to check for drugs if they have the mood. So better have an insurance on your stuff that covers possible damage.

Other than that (it really depends on WHERE you are flying), you might ask a forum user if they can lend their Axe and MFC to you? Then just dump a backup of your Axe and banks via Fractalbot to your phone and you have all you need.

The beauty about an Axe rig is that everythings just 1's and 0's. :)
 
If you have proper cases/racks all of your gear can be checked in without problems. If you try to take anything as cabin baggage you should talk to the flight company in advance, otherwise you will most likely get problems because of the weight limitations

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Marcus Siepen said:
If you have proper cases/racks all of your gear can be checked in without problems. If you try to take anything as cabin baggage you should talk to the flight company in advance, otherwise you will most likely get problems because of the weight limitations

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Even with a proper rack case, I still wouldn't ever trust those toss-happy baggage handlers with my Axe. Calling in advance is a good plan though.
 
Zwiebelchen said:
Other than that (it really depends on WHERE you are flying), you might ask a forum user if they can lend their Axe and MFC to you? Then just dump a backup of your Axe and banks via Fractalbot to your phone and you have all you need.

The beauty about an Axe rig is that everythings just 1's and 0's. :)
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That's a great idea that I hadn't thought of before! It certainly beats risking my Axe getting mangled by a baggage handler or TSA agent.
 
advance warning simply gives the baggage handlers more time to set up the trebuchet they'll use to aim your Axe at the plane's cargo hold..

these guys are ignorant dickheads of the worst and most disrespectful kind..
stick your Axe in ruck stack and pad it with a towels or something..
then take with with you on the plane..
make yourself the handler of the things you give a crap about..
 
clarky said:
advance warning simply gives the baggage handlers more time to set up the trebuchet they'll use to aim your Axe at the plane's cargo hold..

these guys are ignorant dickheads of the worst and most disrespectful kind..
stick your Axe in ruck stack and pad it with a towels or something..
then take with with you on the plane..
make yourself the handler of the things you give a crap about..
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I literally just laughed out loud at the trebuchet comment :lol

And yeah I just need to find a bag big enough to hold the Axe, but small enough to carry on. Any recommendations on that?
 
I've not toured with the Axe yet.. so no suggestions as yet..
I'll be looking into this seriously at some point soon though..

seriously... I was touring Japan.. I had to take a flight from London to Amsterdam, and change to another plane to Tokyo..
In Amsterdam I saw the ground crew throw [not drop] my rack to the tarmac beside the plane..
it weighed 28kg and contained a power conditioner, two 2120 units and a Marshall 8008 power amp..

over the course of 15+ years of touring, one 2120 has needed repair twice, the other 3 times, the 8008 once
and I've had to replace the rack case twice due to damage in transit..
interestingly, most of the times when my rack got beat up the most was when flying to / via Amsterdam

only once have the ground crew types been seriously kind to me.. and that was London to Rome..

do not trust any of these guys with your gear..
calling ahead means you'll have someone on the phone making promises on behalf of the caveman that'll actually be handling your gear..
half the time you'll get conflicting info.. which proves that none of them know what they're doing..
expect the worst.. and be releaved if it don't happen.. then go enjoy your tour..
 
FractalAudio said:
Strap it to your back and flap your arms really fast.
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now that's clever... cos that allows you to use both arms...
both arms = more lift.. fly in straight lines..

sometimes it's just so obvious that you design things and come up with solutions and stuff..
 
Another idea might be to ship the stuff ahead in properly packed boxes. That's assuming you have time, of course. Fractal will even sell you shipping boxes with the appropriate padded corner inserts, etc.

I'd trust FedEx or UPS before I'd trust airline baggage handlers. Those guys are sadistic.
 
I have flown with my Axe a few times. Never dared to check it in as luggage, so I take it as hand luggage. Gator used to make a 2U backpack-style rack bag that I use. I have also used just a normal 2U rack bag (to make it as light as possible). It is slightly larger and heavier than most airlines allow for hand luggage, but it has not been a problem :) Midi board, toothbrush, and everything else then goes under the plane.

Regards,
Jesper
 
I fly with mine every gig and check it underneath. It's been around the world with me and all over the US of A.
Knock on wood, I've never had a problem going TO a gig. I HAVE had the airlines not get it on the plane coming home, but it gets on the next flight and is then delivered to my house.
In this photo, the big case (iSeries SKB Case with foam) holds my Axe and Mission expression pedal, cables and wireless receiver.
The yellow case holds my MFC-101.
The SKB Guitar case to the left holds my guitar.
One day, I'll play it safe and take it on board the plane with me, but I fly a lot of Regional Jets (Delta) and it won't quite fit in the overhead compartment if it's in a rack bag. (about 1-2" too deep I THINK!)
I worry that if I got a grumpy flight attendant, they'd make me gate check it, then the baggage handlers would throw it around like they do...
So far, with these SKB iSeries Cases, I've NEVER had any problem with damage to the Axe, MFC or Guitar.
Road Rig.JPG
 
my plan is to stick it in a backpack in a little bubble wrap and take it in the cabin..

the SKB Rotorack with the conditioner and power amp goes in the hold..
when I'm at the hotel and the tour actually starts [via tour bus], I'll pop the Axe into the SKB [until I fly home]
 
I have a 2u shock mount case for the Axefx and a flightcase for the pedalboard. All cables go in the pedalboard case. Besides those two, I just take a Suhr Classic in the case it came with and the whole lot goes in the hold. Working out fine.
 
Cagey said:
Another idea might be to ship the stuff ahead in properly packed boxes. That's assuming you have time, of course. Fractal will even sell you shipping boxes with the appropriate padded corner inserts, etc.

I'd trust FedEx or UPS before I'd trust airline baggage handlers. Those guys are sadistic.
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It'd be a toss up between who I trust the least: baggage handlers or FedEx/UPS (especially after seeing videos of them throwing stuff over fences and leaving delivery items in trash cans). Not to mention, who would I be shipping it to? :|
 
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