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Flying with an SKB Bass Safe?

#101
Lokire said:
Have you read up on this at all? Seems like it's more of a 50/50 thing. You'll either get lucky and they'll let you, or you won't. And the LAST thing I want to do is try and carry on my gigbag, have it refused, and the have to throw my gigbag in with all the checked luggage :eek:

Better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

Are you in the AFM? They provide a letter to union members to present to the airlines when you show up with your intended carry-on gig bag, that apparently is very convincing. I'm in the union, but I haven't flown with a bass in a while so I haven't used it yet.
Yeah---it would really suck to get there w/only a bag and be refused!
 
#102
Keef said:
Gentlemen, a question from someone who has never traveled with a bass:

If traveling with a Fender style instrument, couldn't you just remove the neck, check the body in a suitcase, and bring the neck on board as a carry-on?

This would seem to be a good solution for bolt-on necked instruments, no?
Click to expand...

It is. But I think after re-assembling the bass, you have to give it some time to readjust.
I did this a year ago from Europe to the US. It went well.
 
#103
If you don't screw the neck on like you had it, you'll find yourself on the road trying to adjust the action. Plus if you do that a lot, you're going to wear out the screw holes. I say it's not a good plan in the long term.

Also, that letter from the AFM? Not worth the paper it's printed on. I showed that to counter people and they laughed in my face and told me that the musician's union doesn't dictate airline policy.
 
#104
pbass2 said:
Are you in the AFM? They provide a letter to union members to present to the airlines when you show up with your intended carry-on gig bag, that apparently is very convincing. I'm in the union, but I haven't flown with a bass in a while so I haven't used it yet.
Yeah---it would really suck to get there w/only a bag and be refused!
Click to expand...

I used to carry the AFM letter with me.
Not so convincing.
I tried using it twice, once on Delta & once on USAir. Both times all I got was furrowed eyebrows & a longer route to convincing the agent to let my gigbag on!

Just my experience.
 
#105
scotch said:
I used to carry the AFM letter with me.
Not so convincing.
I tried using it twice, once on Delta & once on USAir. Both times all I got was furrowed eyebrows & a longer route to convincing the agent to let my gigbag on!

Just my experience.
Click to expand...

The Union letter gets you through security (TSA). Once at the gate it is up to the individual airlines. There was an AFM boycot of Delta but that has been lifted. I still carry-on my bass in a gig bag. Know the airlines that you are using, get to know their policies. If flying Southwest, which I do a lot, check in online and get an "A" boarding pass, arrive early and be in the front of the "A" line and you should have no problems. Also don't carry anything else that will go in the overhead.

Wally
 
#106
I'd like to hear more input from others on what gig bags they use inside the SKB Bass Safe. I've just ordered one.

I have a nicely padded TKL gig bag - though not as nice as an InCase/Portabag/Mooradian/etc - [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] - (sorry, the photo is not that great) and suddenly I'm wondering if I need something a bit more substantial.

The Portabags etc look a bit 'full on' for me, but the Access Stage 3 (Invalid Link Removed) or the Incase Slim Bag (http://goincase.com/products/detail/slim-bag-cl56065/1) seem nice (though pricey!).

Anyone else going to chip in?

Pete
 
#107
My only issue with the BassSafe is that way it opens and closes is radically different then the usual flight cases for instruments.

I always must stand near the TSA inspection area and watch them fumble around trying to open it. When I offer suggestions they always get rude with me then they generally give up and just x-ray it and call it a day. This is a good thing as I guarantee you they'd never get it closed again if they did manage to open it.

While I'm arguing with a TSA person, another is flipping open and closing our keyboard cases and sending them through.

I'm waiting for the day when they insist on opening the BassSafe and can't get it closed. The TSA will not let you touch it to help them. This means a poorly closed BassSafe is going on the plane.
 
#112
I just travelled with an SKB and at each stop I had to do up the clasps as they had popped open each time. Fortunately, I had attached one zip tie to each handle and then put a TSA safety lock around each ziptie. Unfotunately, that meant that the only thing keeping my case together was a flimsy little luggage lock....NOT HAPPY. Had they simply made the lip on the clasp a bit deeper rather than a thin flimsy edge, the case would have worked very well. too bad
 
#116
Showdown said:
They don't make the basses to put in them either. Why would it be funny/strange/embarrassing?
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Because it is difficult to find a decent quality padded gig bag (a part from the very thin ones) that fits into the Bass Safe.
Neither the Protec Contego, nor the Sadowsky Portabag or Levy's fit into the BassSafe. On the other hand they are not safe/sturdy enough to check them in at the airport.

Why wouldn't they build a fitting gig bag? I mean, they build gig bags, no? I won't buy an SKB bass, because there is NONE, but there ARE SKB gigbags. So why don't they fit into their own product?
 
#117
gillento said:
Because it is difficult to find a decent quality padded gig bag (a part from the very thin ones) that fits into the Bass Safe.
Neither the Protec Contego, nor the Sadowsky Portabag or Levy's fit into the BassSafe. On the other hand they are not safe/sturdy enough to check them in at the airport.

Why wouldn't they build a fitting gig bag? I mean, they build gig bags, no? I won't buy an SKB bass, because there is NONE, but there ARE SKB gigbags. So why don't they fit into their own product?
Click to expand...

My Levy's bags both fit in the SKB Bass Safe just fine. One is a lower-end bag, the other is their high-end hemp & leather bag. Both fit just fine. :confused:

The Portabag is not a typical gig bag, and the Protego is similar. If you find a more 'traditional' shaped bag (with the narrower neck portion), I imagine it would fit just fine.



I suppose there's no reason that SKB couldn't make a bag specifically for the Bass Safe. My guess is that the product is aimed at people who already have traditional gig bags, or are willing to choose from the hundreds of available traditional bags out there already.
 
#118
At the moment, I usually use one of these two bags that fit great in the Bass Safe. I've literally flown hundreds of flights across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia with them:

RITTER - GUITAR BAGS - BASS GUITAR (mine is an older design, but same general idea)

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (hemp no longer available, but this is the design)
 
#119
gillento said:
Because it is difficult to find a decent quality padded gig bag (a part from the very thin ones) that fits into the Bass Safe.
Neither the Protec Contego, nor the Sadowsky Portabag or Levy's fit into the BassSafe. On the other hand they are not safe/sturdy enough to check them in at the airport.

Why wouldn't they build a fitting gig bag? I mean, they build gig bags, no? I won't buy an SKB bass, because there is NONE, but there ARE SKB gigbags. So why don't they fit into their own product?
Click to expand...

My Levy's bag fits. I haven't found any of my bags that don't. You want the bag to be a tight fit, you dont want it shifting around inside the Bass Safe.

I've had good luck with my Bass Safe.
 

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