How to travel with a bass...

thebassspace · Jan 10, 2010

How do you touring musicians travel with your basses?

I'm either thinking of buying a travelling bass as I'm terrified to let my musicman out of my sight and into the hold of a plane.

Is there anyway I can take a bass on a plane with me? A guitarist I was travelling with flew out to Ireland with his guitar and a letter from the Musicians Union saying he could keep it with him. This was fine on the way out but not on the way back (Ryanair strikes again :spit:

). I think he got to stay with it but after a lot of fighting with various staff.

The bass is a little on the large side....

I see Ryanair also make you pay this special rate for carrying instruments...this is more expensive that normal luggage but doesn't carry any extra protection etc.

So can anyone advise how to get around these issues (or a nice, not too expensive travelling bass..)

J. Crawford · Jan 10, 2010

Psch, travel Southwest. I just went to Nashville, and I carried by bass on as carry on. Put it in a softshell (gig bag is the best), and theyll let you on.

Heres from their website:

Instruments that are transported in a soft-sided case or other packaging that is not strong enough to protect the instrument under normal baggage handling conditions will be conditionally accepted, which means that Southwest assumes no liability for any damage sustained to the item during transport.

It was easy. Fit right in the overhead, and I put my other carry on bag on top of it, as did the person next to me. Southwest is very musician friendly.

refbassist · Jan 10, 2010

I would carry it in a gigbag and just board the plane as if nothing wrong it always worked for me but be prepared if something happened act as you do that everyday!

thebassspace · Jan 10, 2010

Ryanair flying from the UK don't seen to know what musical instruments are:-/

Jim Carr · Jan 10, 2010

Jim Carr · Jan 10, 2010

refbassist said:
I would carry it in a gigbag and just board the plane as if nothing wrong it always worked for me but be prepared if something happened act as you do that everyday!

I am glad this has worked for you. You lead a charmed existence. I have had my gig bag enclosed bass tossed into the hold along with the anvils, donkeys, and barrels of frozen bull semen, and no I am not joking. :hmm:

TSA even partially disassembled my Lakland 55-01D and didn't put it back together! They just tossed the parts into the gig bag.

boombap · Jan 10, 2010

Chet Atkins would often buy a seat for his guitar so that it would travel right next him.

Although, thanks to the F______g!!!! Terorists. We can no longer do that and the airlines view a darn guitar/bass as a potential weapon.

Raise your bass to the sky and lets defeat these evil morons with PEACE and VOLUME!!!

Peace

johnny227 · Jan 10, 2010

On my back haha

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