Used my FM9 live at a sizable gig

elvis said:
Checked my guitar. Too big for carry-on. Survived, though the case got dinged on the way back. Which I guess is what they are for.
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I once checked a guitar on an overseas flight. In a TWEED case o_O. Wrapped in Rhino wrap, with a gazillion "handle with care" stickers and shock indicators inside and outside. It came out alright. :sweatsmile: Oh, but yea, several shock indicators still triggered.
For carry-on I usually fare alright with gig bag. There's always a closet. You just gotta ask right. And you don't necessarily want the bargain ticket and boarding late.
 
Long time ago, I was flying with an L5, had confirmed that I could carry it on, but they stopped me at the gate and said I had to check it. Got a bunch of fragile stickers put on it, and they said they'd take special care. Boarded, went to my seat, looked out the window, and saw it flying through the air upside down onto the baggage conveyer.

They do not give a rotten damn. Pack your guitars well!
 
Dave Merrill said:
Long time ago, I was flying with an L5, had confirmed that I could carry it on, but they stopped me at the gate and said I had to check it. Got a bunch of fragile stickers put on it, and they said they'd take special care. Boarded, went to my seat, looked out the window, and saw it flying through the air upside down onto the baggage conveyer.

They do not give a rotten damn. Pack your guitars well!
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This 100%.
 
Years ago I was flying just enough to warrant getting a 4-slot, ATA trunk. It was expensive which made the TM unhappy. It was big which made the crew unhappy. I was told to just get single ATA cases for the guitars and they would be fine. I had a gold top and a sixties strat that I was very fond of so I got my way. The very first time that trunk flew it came back with four corners ground down almost flat and a forklift-sized gash all the way into the inner compartment. Airline actually paid for the trunk after the damage was pointed out to them.

Guitars were all just fine.
 
Dave Merrill said:
Long time ago, I was flying with an L5, had confirmed that I could carry it on, but they stopped me at the gate and said I had to check it. Got a bunch of fragile stickers put on it, and they said they'd take special care. Boarded, went to my seat, looked out the window, and saw it flying through the air upside down onto the baggage conveyer.

They do not give a rotten damn. Pack your guitars well!
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Hahahah my high school’s concert band was taking a trip down here to Florida (from Maine) and my best friend just got a new SKB case for his P-bass, we’re sitting in the plane while everyone is loading on, he looks out the window and goes “Oh, there’s my baaaa WHAT THE F*CK!!! THEY JUST THREW IT LIKE 15 F*CKING FEET!“ he was all tryin’ to stand up and go yell at someone until I pointed out, “Dude, look what he’s doing to ALL the instruments” as trumpets and saxophone cases got thrown 15-20 feet through the air. Not a single bit of damage when we landed, except for the huge dent in the corner of my bud’s SKB case. :D
 
Yeah it's nuts alright.

Years ago, I flew back and forth cross country a few times with my beloved old ES325, but after seeing it thrown onto the baggage carrier one time after landing I said no more.

If I need to travel with a guitar I now take either a Strobel Rambler Classic or a HH Squier Tele that I picked up for cheap. The Strobel will actually easily fit into the overhead fully assembled, and with the neck removed it fits into a standard briefcase.

With the Tele I just do what Steve Morse said he does, remove the strings and neck and stick it in my carryon rollaround, it fits, albeit tightly, then just reattach the neck and restring at my destination.

Either way is a lot easier on my nerves!
 
This does the trick for me: https://enkiusa.com/products/enki-amg-2gc

I'm sure it's been thrown quite a bit, the scars on the outside are evidence. It even got left out in 100+ degree heat at Phoenix airport when it didn't get loaded onto my connecting flight and sat for hours before being loaded on the next flight. It has an Apple airtag in it so I know. The inside was hot as an oven when it showed up later, but my babies were just fine. Warm, but fine.
 
I've never flown to a gig. Would it make sense (with enough lead time) to have the gear shipped to the location separately via FedEx or something before hand? Maybe it would be handled with more care? I have no idea, just thinking out loud.
 
mjlongo said:
I've never flown to a gig. Would it make sense (with enough lead time) to have the gear shipped to the location separately via FedEx or something before hand? Maybe it would be handled with more care? I have no idea, just thinking out loud.
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Crazy expensive, and they don't treat stuff any better. I guess you could pack it better for shipping. But it's $$$. I think best to fly it with a real flight case.
 
I had Air Canada lose my 65 Strat for a week once (way back in the 80's when it was just another beat up guitar LOL!), and I've had my 80's - 90's rack gear fall out of their racks in pieces after a flight multiple times (mostly by United), so be careful out there!

I've always had the best luck with carry on for guitars (double bag), unless they're air freighted in guitar coffins.
 
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