First to figure out what you will need let's consider some facts
A. Are you going to stay there for a long time?
If no then you better don't take your guitar with you... No need to risk... You could borrow a guitar from a friend out there just to keep your form while you are there... Also consider that you'll have to pass the same path again on the returning flight...
If you are going there for a long time and can't leave your guitar, if you are going there for a concert or for a permanent living... You can't leave your guitar out here alone and never see it again? Off course you won't!
B. This is a pretty hard bussiness
It's really pretty hard, you gotta have some good comunicating skills and... mm maybe some time and money... Be ready to the worst
C. If you have a lot of luggage with you, you'll have to pay extra money...
Things can get out of control (too much luggage=help needed! Or it could cost you more than your ticket itself) so choose carefully what you take with you... Don't forget the ultimate rule: almost all the airline companies let you to check in only two pieces of luggage and carry one bag only into the cabin... One of those is your guitar)
Ok now a bit more deeply...
A. If you are going to a vacation then heres a good idea... The stores in my current living place suck! There is no good assortement of anything and even the most crap costs a kidney or two!
So the idea is to leave your guitar at home... Go to the vacation (if a good "guitar country" like USA) and buy a new guitar there! And bring it back with you... :D If you are like "ah that's nothing, I can carry two guitars at a time! New one and my old trusted one as well" than I'd say you could buy two new guitars and bring 'em with you... Guitars never be spare!
Off course with two guitars you have "advantages": most definately they wont let you to carry two guitars into the cabin, possibilities of having serious damages are doubled, headach is doubled... You got the point.
I am lately planning of going to USA soon.. Maybe for permanent living or studying... So it will be awhile... Leaving my axe is like jumping out of the plane and leaving your parachute there... So you can't avoid that uncomfortable bussiness of taking your guitar with you... Risking and... Who knows what then..?!
B. You'll have to explore a lot in the internet cause in this case nothing is exact and you have to find everything you need on your own regarding to your airline company, country you are going to and so... Off course I'm not going to leave everybody helpless in this topic so every kind of questions will be covered
C. You don't need any other gear if you are going to a vacation... Borrow it from a friend who lives there... Or take the most needed... Another idea is to have a Multi-FX processor (you are going to a vacation, you can have all the needed pedals with you in a small box, don't think of Digital sound... Plus most Processors have a Headphones output so...)
If you are going there like me (for a long time) then take all your needed gear with you... Or if your case matches mine... Here's what I am currently planning... I'll take my RP250, Morley PWA Special (hell yeah) and my Strat... All the cables and accessories and my XENYX 802 Mixer... No probs at all but here's what I thought.. Like I said this country sux and everything is too expencive... And no good assortement... So lately I've seen the RP350 here for 500 dollars... (ouch, right?) and also a guy was selling a used RP90 for almost 300$... After like seeing the price drops of RP series.. I thought of selling mine in here for 250... (first price.. I will go down even to 150 (the original price I paid) which is like for free for this country) and will buy the RP350 plus if I manage to sell it the price I want I'll have additional cash for another pedal... Also this way I get rid of another 3.3lb haha
Main Part
Now most people suggest getting a hardcase... Good suggesion... Unless you are sure you will carry your guitar to the cabin... Other wise guitar with a gigbag in the baggage section is like a dead baby in the blender.
Main thing to worry about baggage section is not the humidity or temperature etc, but the Physical Damages which could be done by the baggage carrying personal (or whatever it is called) I know some guys are pretty careful with the baggage (I had some friends working there) but others are not! I've heard loads of stories like "I saw from the airport window, how that guy threw my guitar case into that buggy car like it was a dead baby" and the stories ending up like "when I got my Guitar at the other airport the Neck was cracked in three parts..." etc... somes even finish like "and I promised myself to kill him!" It's less possible to get a damage from the baggage convoyer or baggage carousile but it happenes a lot.
So yes you'll need a hardcase definately. There are also some Flight-Case types of cases.. never used them though... and they cost too much, you could by another guitar
One of most common Damages done is the flat fall of the case (like imagine if it was standing onits buttside with the neck and headstock pointing the skies... If it falls it make a lot of noise (not only the "Ca-Boom" but also "F#ck Damn You all B@stards!" after opening the case!) in this case the guitar brakes at the point of the nut.. right after the nut... the headstock falls off and... you loose half of the pleasure of your trip!
Ok now about packaging up your guitar... Here are some good ideas... You will need loads of paper.. Ok the first idea is to fill the part of the case where the headstock comes with paper...with compressed paper (Compressed is I guess the best word to describe what I mean) use more than 1 paper at once... fill the bottom of that part... than put your guitar into the case and fill the top part with the paper... use as much paper as you can... like I said compress it so the headstock won't tumble even a bit! If the case is hard to close than I guess you have done everything right!
You also make sure the body isn't tumbling as well, use paper again... Note: some guitars with old or sensitive finish are possible to get scratches fromthe sharp edges of paper or from the tension of the paper... you can use some towels or somethinglike that betweenthe paper and guitar! Again make sure it doesn't tumble!
Make sure to take out all the moving parts like bridges, whammy bars... Also the battery if your guitar uses one... These little fellows could brake free and moving freely in the guitar case during the fight could make loads of damages! Hmm I've heard also the advice of taking out the bottom pin (the strap button).
The second step of securing your guitar is securing your case... even though in most cases, the Case itself is not damaged but the guitar can get a serious damage.. if you are a bit nervouse about it than do this!... Get one of those boxes in which the guitars are being shipped! You can get one from your guitar store definately.. if no than make one by yourself... The idea is to fill the box with loads of papers so the case inside iwll be in the center... if it falls it jumps... the case inside tumbles a bit but no serious damages.. The other idea of this kind is to get a bigger guitar case... put your guitar into a gig bag (the fat ones with loads of sponge or whatever it is in their walls) and then putt the gigbag into the guitar case...
"Ok I got the packaging pretty well, how shall I get it into the plane?"
There are several options
A. Carry On
B. Gate Check-in
C. Check In
A. This is the most desired way! Nothing better than having your guitar near to yourself! Safe and relaxed! Why won't you have a galss of our fine chompaine good sir?!
B. Well not the best but better than C.
C. The worst way but not always-only-death
Now deeply...
A. Like I said... it's the best way to take your guitar with you to the cabin... Plus in some airlines you can even play your guitar (if not loud and disturbing others) during the flight... (exactly what you need for long traveling from Europe to USA) you can get a headphone amp and... And also can practice during the transit flights where you have to land in an airport between the starting and destination points to change the airplane or re-fuel it and have to wait for hours...
Carry-ing is a bit problem-ish... Some companies take some extra fees for Guitars (I am talking exactly about Guitars like strats, lps, teles... standart-ish dimension) somes don't... somes say you can freely take your guitar on board... others say you have to buy a seat near yours for your guitar! Hmm ain't it a bit out of mind... well you can buy a seat for a celllo or controbass but guitar is not that much big!
You can also find out a fellow pilot doing that flight to take the guitar to the cabine: they have there some crew closets... and than give it to you back when the flight is over... Or ask the crew mebers... a smile won't harm.. don't economy your smile... the crew members are under presure by their work and a little smile could do the best... Ask them to put it in the closet at the tail side or in front side (or wherever it is)
You could also buy a ticket in the tail of the plane and put it in the closet there... So you'd be near yoyur guitar... Or better get a bussiness class for some extra dollars... Theseats here have got more space so... :D and they give you better, delicious food... Mmm yammi
Contact your company and find out if they let you to take the guitar as Carry On... Is it considered as a regular carry on bag or can you have another bag with you... You'll want your notebook to play something to kill the time... Your CD/MP3 player or a jacket in case of cold weather... Specially if your flying on transit... I don't know... Ask them where will you be allowed to put your guitar... On the top compartments or near your seat...
Some Other Hints
If you are asked in the airport what's in your case... Just tell them it's your guitar... You can mention your band... Advertise yourself it won't harm... It'll make you look more respected like a serious musician.. And who knows may be get some new fans... (mmm also may be some girl fans you know?! )
Never ask if you can take your guitar into the cabine in the airport: you asked that the company before right? If they said yes than just go straight to your seat! If you ask it you are most probably to recive the answer No!
Oh and I think if you are going transit than there will be no problem in carrying your guitar to the next plane, as it is the same company, unless the crew members are b@astards!
C. Is when you leave your guitar near the Airplane Gate (door) and they take it to some special compartment or to baggage section but the baggage is already there and there is not the danger of a 1000lb cargo smash your case into some random abstract modern art... They put it manually and that's most likely to turn out ok! Contact your company to get the fees if any...Consider this the same as for example standart UPS shippment
B. Is what it is... You want it you do it... You don't want it? Well none is forcing you! It's like 50/50 of Damage/No Damage... And it is concidered as 1 piece of luggage so you can get only one bag... (in most companys they let you only to have two pieaces of luggage plus a carry on bag! If you have more then - Extra Payments)
Like I said it is pretty risky... If you're a lucky guy than do it... Also there's this situation when you are alone in the airport and they say you can't carry on your guitar... And you can't do the Gate Check-in so... You'll have to check it in or leave it there... Well better a broken neck which can be replaced than nothing!
Also make sure you stick those warrning signs... When I'm flying to somewhere I always stick bunch of those Fragile Stickers! Halfdozen or more will do (to be sure)... These luggage are being transported to the ship separately from the main luggage and are being stored manually! This is more likely the same as the Gate Check-In.. And is pretty safe... My dad is a famouse painter and travels a lot doing his exhibitions... And he takes his pictures with him.. Pretty big ones... He Checks them in and stick those Fragile Signs... Nothing happend.. Even though I only make some boxes from thin cardon... And it's likely thepicturecan die even from those light punches... But nothing acctuallyhappened during all these years... (BTW Pictures aren't that much cheap ones... 10000$+ mostly... It's just that much secure)
Yet This! Enjoy your trips with your guitars! Have fun at the airports! And remember... Tweak But Don't Freak! V
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rofl.... :p