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Flying With A Bass - What Do I Do?

#81
Ouch. A full aluminum one like fender makes is almost $400.

As for the golf case like the link to the skb one that was just posted, is that for sure big enough (both tall and wide) for a bass in gig bag? Is that my safest option, would that be a better alternative to the bass safe that flight guys seem to have trouble closing? If so, I'll order one, because I DESPERATELY need one for traveling to Greece this Friday.
 
#84
megadan said:
There's no way a bass fits in the over head. I don't know what kind of crazy planes you're flying on, but I've flown international on jumbo jets and I've never seen an overhead bin long enough for a bass.
Click to expand...

I fly all the time, all over the US and Canada, with my electric bass, maybe 20x a year. Never had a problem taking my Warwick on board. Here's what I do: put the bass in as small, as plain a gig bag as possible, let it hang low and over my shoulder so it barely pokes up. Don't ask - just walk on board, smile a lot. Oh, and try to board early (I board with the section before mine is called) so you can get an empty bin. Occasionally when it's a wee small turboprop, I'll do the 'sky-cap thing, and send it under the plane with all the carry-ons (they go into a separate baggge area.) Always comes out first, and safe.

Don't know what megadan meant about the size of the o/h bins;The only plane where it has not fit into the overhead was on a brand new 777, on which the flight attendents were very happy to put it in the 1st class lockers.

So that's my story - so far, so good. I've flown with all the major US and Canadian carriers, and a lot of regional ones, too. And on just about every type of plane.

Peace,

Kev
 
#85
I've done what sounds like the same trip. I forget if we flew out of Indy or O'Hare though as it's been a few years. Are you going as part of a school group or an actual band? I went with my show choir band.

I checked my Ray5 in it's OHC. Nothing more than a standard SKB hardshell bass case. I put bubble wrap in the gaps between the body & case and then wrapped the headstock in it. Also-i duct taped the latches.

The handlers did open/search the case-they replaced the bubble wrap and put their tape on the latches when they were done. Very smooth & easy.
 
#86
Whatever you do, DO NOT believe anyone who tells you that you need to loosen the strings because of the "pressure change" on the neck. That's bogus. You only risk screwing up your neck.

Lonnybass
 
#87
POST #1 Hi. I constantly fly with my bass. I always take it on the plane. I have an old trusty Reunion Blues gig bag.....the single bass one. I never have a problem with them letting me on the plane. I put it in the overhead compartment. The only time you may run into a problem is when you may have a connecting flight and it winds up being a tiny plane which has tiny compartments etc. At that point you WILL have to hand check it at the gate.One thing to try and do when your waiting to get on the plane is....when they are calling zones.....try to be one of the first on that line.....this way the overheads will not be filled yet by the other passengers in front of you.....and you can safely put your bass in the overhead compartment along with your carry on bag.
I know all this can be scary to some, but if you fly very often and you "check" the bass in a case as baggage....and you have a connecting flight waiting for you and you are late for that flight or they change flights (which can happen often) the chances of it arriving where you are going gets cut down to slim. Sometimes you have to wait for the next flight to come in with your bass on it...or sometimes the next day.....and they have to send it to your hotel or where you are staying. Anyway, I carry it on because I ALWAYS know where it is at all times.
I do this all the time and been doing this for years and years, I'm always flying to and from shows. The LAST thing you need is to have and instrument not get there or get there late and you have a show to do.

POST #2 Hi all. Every one of us has had different experiences. And they are all well taken. It just has been MY experiences that I posted earlier. I fly all the time on just about every airline you can name. From my experience most overheads do fit my bass. Last week I was flying show to show every day...6 flights in 6 days. I do this consistantly throughout the year. Of course there is downtime.

Now of course no matter what the rules are the attendent will make the call....yup they can tell you it can't come on the plane and has to be gate checked.
If you're lucky enough to get direct flights all the time then your golden. But when an agent is trying to get you there and you have one or two connections and there are delays....and you land and now have 30mins to get on the connecting flight....peoples luggage and the bass MAY not make it in time into the hold of the plane. Which can mean it wont get there with you.....might be on the next flight..IF...there are more flights that day....otherwise you have to wait till the next day and if you have a show that night.....well ...

That being said...everyone has there own thing that they do.
Everyone here has great suggestions.....talkbass has a wealth of info.

I listed above 2 of the posts I left on this thread. As I said earlier.....I fly almost constantly to shows here in the states and overseas. I always carry my instrument on the plane. I've done the ATA case thing....and did it for a long time. Many times they did not arrive to my location. Then I had to borrow instuments to do shows until the plane with it got there and they brought it to my hotel or what have you. It can be a huge pain. I does not always happen of course and it may not have happened to anyone here....BUT It can happen and it has happened to me. SO.....I just have been taking it on board for years now. My gig bag is slim so it does not intimidate the flight attendants......If you carry it over your shoulder and that bag is sticking up over your head it can freak out the attendants because it looks bigger than it really is....so carry it by the handles down by your side......same as KEV2007 mentioned. Like I said I never have a problem with getting it onboard.....and it always fits in a overhead. I fly ALL the airlines. The only time you will have to hand check it is if you have a connection that has a little jet. So I give it to them....I see them take it...I get my ticket stub...and they hand it to me when I land. Everyone has different experiences...that's why TB is a great place to share them.
 
#88
I have been flying most recently with both my guitar and Vox Valvetronix SE (with a custom hard shell case) and my bass player. (Well, I am bass player too, but not always with the artist I tour with..) and we haven't had problems with national and international flights.

I have been stowing away both the bass and the guitar in the overhead compartment. I have only been checking in my FX. (Thank God it has been okay everytime I have gotten it back after landing.) :cool:

You should have no problem. Only suggestion is to loosen the strings on the bass before taking it on your flight.

I suppose the only other option would be to ship it. Other than that, you could consider having someone let you borrow a bass upon arriving at your destination.

Have a great trip and gig!
 
#89
You should have no problem. Only suggestion is to loosen the strings on the bass before taking it on your flight.
[/QUOTE]

Explanation please! In my view this is exactly what NOT to do when flying your bass.

Lonnybass
 
#90
The 16" SKB golf case, lined with foam padding fits my Pedulla in a gig bag and several days of clothes. I think it would fit just about any bass except for some huge ERB.

Make sure you get the one with 1649 in the product number. I don't think their 12 and 14" models will work. Also, you can get these at a local golf or sports stores...they're not hard to find.
 
#91
So, I flying to California this summer and maybe buying a bass or two. The safest way to fly home seems to screw the neck apart from the body ( if it can be done) and take the neck with the handbagage and GATE check the body with the normal bagage. Is it bad for the bass doing like this?
The basses I thinking of is Sadowsky, Fender AV57 or another fender, and Rickenbacker.
 
#92
It is not great for a bass, as the wooden neck pocket and screw holes are obviously subject to wear, but you can do it.

Why not use a large good quality suitcase for necks and bodies, and check it? It will get X-rayed, and probably searched, but I doubt you will get robbed.
 
#93
Jim Carr said:
It is not great for a bass, as the wooden neck pocket and screw holes are obviously subject to wear, but you can do it.

Why not use a large good quality suitcase for necks and bodies, and check it? It will get X-rayed, and probably searched, but I doubt you will get robbed.
Click to expand...


After reading these horror stories I get skeptical. And I will also save 200-300$ or more for the suitcase and the airline fee for overzised baggage.
 
#97
Night Prowler said:
After reading these horror stories I get skeptical. And I will also save 200-300$ or more for the suitcase and the airline fee for overzised baggage.
Click to expand...

Maybe try gig bags, and a big golf club travel case? Buy used.
Craigslist.org is great in California.
 
#100
I agree that it isn't the big deal some make it out to be. I've also travelled many times to many states and countries and never had a problem. I've done it 2 ways. In a plain ol hardshell case that I duct taped - and they NEVER took the tape off. And more recently I started just putting it in the overhead in a gigbag. If you go up to the desk before the plane boards and explain that you have a very expensive instrument that needs to be put in the overhead they'll let you board first. If you're the last to board with a gigbag, you might wind up in trouble.

Only hitch I ever had with my bass was one time the woman asked what was in the case and I said "bass guitar". She said it had to be open and checked out first, but she had to get some guards. I though it was strange but obliged and went into a room in the back, took my tape off and waited. When everyone was present I opened the case and the lady said, "It's a guitar?!?" I said, "yeah?!?". She said, "I thought you said it was a rifle." :confused::eyebrow:

Strange lady. Wasted 15 minutes of my life , but gave me this story.
 

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