Moving Out of State

[raventepes]

I'm moving from Alaska to Nevada soon, and I'm finding myself in a conundrum where I'm not sure what to do about my last remaining bass that I'm intentionally keeping. I want to bring it with me, but I'm unsure of if I should ship it or take it with me as checked baggage. What do you guys recommend?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

If you're already shipping other items, then that's the route, assuming you have good case or Hybrid gig bag to put it in.

 

[raventepes]

I have a decent enough case to put it in. It's an older 6-string Spector in a hardshell case. I'm trying to keep my shipping down to a minimum...pretty much trying to just keep what I can carry or store things at my sister's house until I can retrieve them, but it would all be in a crawlspace, and I'd prefer not to have my bass down there. Besides...I'll be looking for a cheap amp when I get there so I can continue to play. At least, that's the idea, at any rate.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Airlines are iffy. You might have to check it & then it will get abused.

 

[raventepes]

That's my concern, exactly. The last thing I'd want to do is to get there and find it destroyed. I think I'll just ship it and play it safe.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Another option is a Reunion Blues Continental, but they are $230, and I also don't know if you have time to wait for delivery.

Reunion Blues Gig Bags & Cases - Product - RB Continental Electric Bass Guitar Case - Midnight Series

 

[raventepes]

This is the exact case that I have here, which is part of why I'm thinking about maybe just adding it to my luggage. I don't THINK anything would happen to it, but I'm not 100% on that.

Invalid Link Removed

 

[twinjet]

I'm moving from Alaska to Nevada soon, and I'm finding myself in a conundrum where I'm not sure what to do about my last remaining bass that I'm intentionally keeping. I want to bring it with me, but I'm unsure of if I should ship it or take it with me as checked baggage. What do you guys recommend?

Gate check it and take it on board with you in a gig bag. Much safer option, IMO. The ramp guys at Ted Stevens Int'l are anything but careful (particularly Delta). I see them at work four days a week.

Shipping is an iffy one. I've heard horror stories with UPS, can't say about USPS our FedEx.

 

[raventepes]

Well, if you're in South central, you'll give it to me

Gate check it. Much safer option. The ramp guys at Ted Stevens Int'l are anything but careful (particularly Delta). I see them at work four days a week.

LOL

I can't give it up. It was an agreement from my ex-fiance (still a good friend) that we made. I keep it, no matter what. I'm ok with that arrangement because it's become my main player. I'll be flying out of Kenai though and flying on Alaska Airlines.

 

[twinjet]

LOL

I can't give it up. It was an agreement from my ex-fiance (still a good friend) that we made. I keep it, no matter what. I'm ok with that arrangement because it's become my main player. I'll be flying out of Kenai though and flying on Alaska Airlines.

Oh, Kenai? Ok... Hopefully your stuff is safe then. Hah! Best of luck. I'd still gate check.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

The other option is to drive down.

 

[static0verdrive]

The other option is to drive down.

That'd be my pick. See the countryside, know your bass is safe... both great pluses!

 

[higain617]

I wouldn't check it unless it was in an actual flight case. After seeing what they've done to my luggage, I wouldn't want them handling an instrument.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I look at it this way. Unless you are able to bring it as a carry on (and I imagine any flight from Alaska will have limited space for carry ons), there is no way it will be treated any better as a checked bag than it will be if you ship it, and shipping it is going to be cheaper.

Pack it well, and compare UPS. Fed Ex and USPS for rates.

 

[Yango]

My suggestion, if you want to check it in with an airline, is to rent or buy a flight case. I usually rent one—and I've never had any damage to a bass... ever. You could literally throw one of those cases off of a roof and your bass would still be in tune.

If you rent, and it's a one way trip, you can just ship it back empty.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Slack the strings before you go aboard.
If your instrument needs to be checked in the non climate controlled baggage, being tuned to pitch will put extra stress on the neck when the strings contract from the cold.

 

[hsech]

If you really want to keep it, invest in a good TSA approved flight case like the new Fender Bass guitars come in. They are under $200. Then you can fly back with it.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Yeah, I have one of those for my Strat.

 

[AMachine]

15 years ago or so I bought a bass on a trip to California unexpectedly. I was flying Jetblue from Cali to Boston to Vermont and never thought twice about bringing it on as a carry on in its gig bag so it would be babied the whole way. Not sure about other airlines but I never checked any policies just brought it with me and got nothing but positive interest and comments about how nice it looked never hassled. On the Cali to Boston flight I stored it in the overhead and from Boston to Vermont they asked if I would like to store it the captains closet.

 

[bolophonic]

I gate-checked a Precision on the way to Colorado last year. It was waiting in the gig bag on the ramp with all the baby strollers, no problem.