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flying with a bass

N

Number27

Mar 29, 2008
967
14
41
Framingham, Massachusetts
#1
i've never seen this really discussed.. but then again maybe this isn't the best place for this thread.

anway:

every 6 months or so i go and see my 'rents in cali for a week or two. now i don't like to be without a bass for that long a period of time otherwise i something something. last summer was the last time i was in san jose and my mom, very nicely, rented me a bass and amp to use while i was out there. obviously i was very greatful, but while holding that old squier i couldn't help but wish i had my own basses even more. this december i'm going back and this time i've bought a short scale SX that will be shipped straight to my 'rents before i arrive. i'll bring some of my stuff and some nice short scale flats i'm not using and i'll make it my own. awesome... but what if i decided i want to bring it back with me? i know that airlines won't let you bring a bag longer than 40" as carry on, and i don't want to go through the cost and hassle of having the airlines ship it (travel case needed + extra large baggage fee + 15% chance it ends up in corpus christi). the bass is 42" long buutt if i were to seperate the neck and body it would probably fit in something not much bigger than a large briefcase. i doubt the neck itself is much more than 28", and the body could be thrown in with my clothes in the suitcase... hell the neck too i guess. has anyone ever tried that?

anyone ever brought a bass on a plane with them? what did you do? thoughts, ideas, comments?
 
#4
There are tons of threads on this topic. Don't take a bass you love/can't afford to lose/break in a gig bag on a plane. They may make you gate check it (I've seen that happen with a laptop in a flimsy case, which is tiny compared to a bass). Checking it in is a bit of a crapshoot too, you can invest in a good case - when I did fly from the US to NZ with my 12-string bass in tow, I bought a gig-bag and an SKB golf-case (sports equipment is exempt from oversize charges on most airlines, I bought a putter at a thrift store and put it in with the instruments...), and the case doesn't separate into 2 pieces when undone like the SKB bass safe, which means it's less likely to be accidentally left open by TSA people when it's been inspected. The golf case is HUGE though.

Taking it to pieces to fly is a decent option.
Steve
 
#5
I recently flew from Australia to tour Europe with a hybrid mono case. I had to check it in at times (which the case handled fine) but they are sometimes more lenient with something that "looks" like a soft case rather than a big heavy case.
 
#7
I flew to LA with my bass in a gig bag and didnt have a problem. The bag fit in to the longer (in length) overhead bins. And on one flight,they were more than helpful by helping me store it in one of the closets up front.
As a precaution? I would take the strings off. Just so security has one less thing to bust your balls about. They might not look too keenly about bringing steel strings that could be used as a choking weapon.
 
#10
i do tons of fly dates and i have never had a problem putting my warwicks or a musicman in a sturdy gig bag and taking it as my carry on item...i have only had 1 or 2 people tell me it wouldnt fit and i was just like.."ok watch this"...and it always fits in the overhead just fine...even on very small commuter jets...never ever let them put your bass under the plane unless its in a really really solid case!!!
 
#14
i never had a problem on a plane i always take it as carry on,go there with your bass and don't ask if you can go or not act as everything normal even if they started to complain tell them there's no way you check it in and you always take it with you.
 
#16
i take my travel bass with me all the time, a Steinberger Spirit XT-2. It's not a bass i can deal with playing regularly or at gigs, but has been fine for practice and jamming while away from home and my regular gear. It's a full-scale bass which is great and because of the headless design, it's light and fits in a guitar gig bag which I take with me on planes all the time. I've had decent luck so far on United, US Airways, and SouthWest, though United once made me check it in a cardboard box, insisting that other people at their airline shouldn't have let me take it on their planes..blah blah. The policies vary by airline so good to check with them before flying. Usually airlines will let you stow the bass in overhead compartments but I always ask to put it in a coat closet if there is one on board. Beware that many smaller aircraft like the smaller Airbuses and some 737s don't have coat closets.

I agree with other posters here that it's not a good idea to take a valued instrument in a gig bag on the plane. If you need to travel with an instrument you love, best to bring it in a locking road case and check it.

oh yeah, and definitely detune at least two steps to relieve tension on neck before flying. Lots of temperature and pressure changes so you want to give neck and strings some breathing room.
 
#17
Cabin pressure is set to 8,000 feet. No big deal. I've played mountain gigs and never changed the tuning on my bass.

Leave the strings on. I can assure you that the security folks have seen guitars before. Non issue.
 
#20
gnome01 said:
I fly with my bass all the time (well, twice a year or so) - I take it on the plane with me and never have a problem. If I can't get it in the overhead bin, the attendant usually puts it in the front closet.
Click to expand...

odin70 said:
+1
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NoHomework81 said:
This has been my experience as well. ;)
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This. I always ask the attendants if they can put it in the front closet. They have been very polite every time and never refused. *knock on wood*
 

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