I wasn’t allowed to check a bass as a carry on, on a recent United flight to Germany.
This is what they told me because I wanted to bring one over to leave there.
I found this out before my travels.
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
I wasn’t allowed to check a bass as a carry on, on a recent United flight to Germany.
This is what they told me because I wanted to bring one over to leave there.
I found this out before my travels.
Always best to check with a airline before. And all the southwest flights I speak of were within the United States. I borrowed heavy flight cases anytime we went overseas.
I always do.
And even domestic flights say no.
But I’ll be investing in good flight cases regardless, not taking any chances.
have posted this track played with the BaCH NRIV (TBuckers) at other venues in the past…. this one features the Greco IV…..some say Greco IIs sound better than IVs…. if so, how much better?…ymmv of course….
I have a 1977 Greco II (that I brought to the GTG last year) and a 1990 Greco IV. They both sound stellar! But because of the string selections neither one sounds like the other. The II is sporting ancient GHS Flats (quite dead and perfectly broken in) and the IV is fitted out in Bass Boomers, so about as different sounding as you can get.
I really wanted the Gold EB13 but I was buying NOS and none were to be found in five string. The Cream (aged white) looked cool too but all I could find in a fiver was the burst (with tort guard no less).
Yeah all this flying I did was 10-12 years ago, I have no idea what policies are now. And that's fine because I pretty much refuse to get on planes these days.
SKB makes the same cases for guns in T-bird lengths. You can get them empty and put a gig bag in there or with layered foam to trace your bird and cut out a form fitting cavity.
This one's interior dimensions are 50.5"L x 14.5"W
iSeries 5014-6 Case
This one is a little bigger at 56"L x 16"W
iSeries 5616-9 Case
I have flown Southwest probably 50 times. I can’t imagine trying to take a Thunderbird as a carry on.
Yup. Mine was always an FSO. Roscoe beck 5 string to be exact.
1. The first trick is to not use a TBird as a carry on. The instrument in it's gig bag or case has to fit in an overhead bin. Look up your flight and find out the plane's over head bin specs. I highly recommend the Ibanez EHB basses if you're flying a lot. I used one for a 3 month run of weekly fly ins and had ZERO issues. I really liked mine. I only sold it to buy my Lull.
2. Buy the earliest boarding possible. Once you're instrument is in the overhead they're not technically allowed to make you remove it. (Let's be real though...)
3. Use a high quality gig bag. Mono, reunion blues, iNcase, etc. with backpack straps. Wear the bass upside down on your back. From the front it won't draw any more attention than a regular backpack. A headstock sticking up over your head is more likely to draw the attention of the gate agent than a backpack.
4. Once you're on the plane you can ask the flight attendant, "would y'all rather throw this in the closet or have me put it in the bin?" Once in a while they'll grab it and put it in their closet.
5. You're on, find an empty bin and get it in there and sit down. Quickly without drawing attention. Again, once it fits in the overhead, they're not supposed to make you remove it. (But airlines are gonna be airlines)
If they make you gate check it, I feel like baggage handlers are going to be much nicer to the last item going under in a soft case than a tank of a flight case.
2. Buy the earliest boarding possible. Once you're instrument is in the overhead they're not technically allowed to make you remove it. (Let's be real though...)
3. Use a high quality gig bag. Mono, reunion blues, iNcase, etc. with backpack straps. Wear the bass upside down on your back. From the front it won't draw any more attention than a regular backpack. A headstock sticking up over your head is more likely to draw the attention of the gate agent than a backpack.
4. Once you're on the plane you can ask the flight attendant, "would y'all rather throw this in the closet or have me put it in the bin?" Once in a while they'll grab it and put it in their closet.
5. You're on, find an empty bin and get it in there and sit down. Quickly without drawing attention. Again, once it fits in the overhead, they're not supposed to make you remove it. (But airlines are gonna be airlines)
If they make you gate check it, I feel like baggage handlers are going to be much nicer to the last item going under in a soft case than a tank of a flight case.
Things have changed drastically since.
When was the last time you did this?
Any bass is a risk as far as I’m concerned
Nicknamed the Rolls front LTD
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I still haven't followed up on whether a Pelican case that's intended for guns would work. It looks like it would. That's unconfirmed and for now, unreliable information.
It might also be overkill:
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In khaki like that, it kinda looks like a Gibson case. Close enough for me. The pink interior would take a bit of additional work, but as long as it's getting turned into a proper Thunderbird case, what's a little more work?
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Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I would rather walk than fly on Southwest. The whole cattle car thing can bite me.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
So, essentially a baseball bat with a maple neck designed as a musical instrument/blunt weapon. If I was going to fly with a bass and couldn't have a really stout baggage handler-proof case, I would take the Precision, since it's a club as much as a bass guitar.
The only bass I own that I would consider trying to carry on would be my MIM Mustang in its gig bag. It’s maybe worth $600. It’s small and would fit pretty easily. I wouldn’t really be too upset if something happened to it. It’s a pleasant enough bass, but nothing special. It is pretty indestructible. Frankly, if I really wanted to take it on a plane, I would pop the neck, pack it in a checked suitcase, and avoid the hassle of messing with it as a carry on. Especially on a crowded Southwest bus.
My dad had a 71 LTD with a 400cid motor. Looked a bit like that.
