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Post by plumbum on Jan 22, 2017 21:04:43 GMT
Hi All Not been around for a while as work and running seem to have taken over my life...but still playing guitars I'm very lucky to have a wife who not only tolerates my guitar obsession but actually encourages it! She has booked me onto the Richard Thompson camp in the Catskills in NY state this July. I'm over the moon to have such a fantastic opportunity. However, I'm feeling rather stressed about getting a guitar to the states on an airline - talk about a first world problem . Everything I've read online seems to suggest you'd be mad to check in a guitar on a flight unless you're willing to lose it or pick it up in several bits at the other end. Things I've investigated so far: - Getting it sent by courier - possibly a couple of hundred quid including insurance and at the end of the day do they just sling it on a plane?
- Renting one in NYC -$200 + tax
- Buy a travel guitar - favourite looks like the Furch Little Jane but nobody in the country seems to have one to try and sending £800+ on spec without trying the guitar doesn't seem sensible.
I guess a guitar I can carry on is my favourite as at least I end up with a guitar rather than just spending money I never see back to borrow/transport one. Does anyone have any ideas or wisdom to impart. Thanks Martin
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Post by dreadnought28 on Jan 23, 2017 3:02:31 GMT
I visit the USA several times a year on average. I carry a guitar on board EVERY time.
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Post by plumbum on Jan 23, 2017 13:57:27 GMT
Hi
Do you mean you check guitars in as hold luggage and you've never had a problem?
Thanks
Martin
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Jan 23, 2017 14:02:13 GMT
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Post by dreadnought28 on Jan 23, 2017 18:20:08 GMT
I hope this helps. I have flown literally hundreds of times with guitars, more often than not long haul and never with a "travel" guitar. At one time my guitar for use abroad was a Martin HD28 in its Martin case but these days I fly with anything not likely to breach CITES regulations. My last trip, involving 4 Lufthansa flights was to Nice in September and I took my McAlister Nick Lucas which would cost well north of £5000 to replace but is insured all risks. I carried it on all flights. 95% of the time I carry my guitar on board, and now almost exclusively it will be in a Calton case. I do avoid Ryanair who will charge £100 whether the guitar is normal or travel and EasyJet although I did carry on board with them at no cost a few years ago. Last Easter I flew with BA long haul and carried on a guitar in an Ameritage case and a banjo in a Calton.
The secret is firstly NEVER ASK IF IT IS OK!! NEVER!!! They have to give you what the rules say. Respond only if challenged. Check in online and if you only have hand luggage you can go straight to the gate. I arrive there with a sizeable backpack or case as well as the guitar. Make sure your seat is near the back as you may be called early and there are usually more empty seats and overhead lockers. Larger aircraft, 777 747 etc have closets that staff will put your instrument in. When I flew with guitar and banjo the guitar went in a closet near the door and the banjo in a closet at the rear.
Not long ago at Heathrow waiting to board a transatlantic flight they were preparing to do the pre-board of those needing assistance. I went to the front and said "if I give you a big smile would you take pity on me and let me go through now and get my guitar stowed". It worked !
1 insure 2 don't ask 3 check in online 4 sit at the back 5 stay calm and smile 6 Never get annoyed 7 Enjoy a good guitar whilst away. 8 Save money you would otherwise spend on a travel guitar.[br[/quote]
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Post by creamburmese on Jan 24, 2017 0:28:08 GMT
I just came back from the UK last week on BA. I took over ( and brought back) an expensive classical in a visesnut case. My advice would be to fly BA if you can. I agree - dont ask - take it through security, and when you get to the gate politely ask the gate agent what you can do to be sure it goes in the cabin with you. They usually put a gate check tag on it just in case but I've never had it gate checked. Every time I've flown with BA they have preboarded me to be sure that there is room for it- it usually goes in closets up front (or once I was told it went on the flight deck!) I've not flown internationally enough to know if the latest cites classification of all rosewood is an issue- I carried a letter from the luthier indicating when it was built but in fact I've never had anyone even ask to look in the guitar case when I've flown between Uk and US. I wouldn't risk a brazilian guitar though ... being cites appendix 1 they could seize it if you don't have the correct paperwork.
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Post by dreadnought28 on Jan 24, 2017 1:50:24 GMT
I just came back from the UK last week on BA. I took over ( and brought back) an expensive classical in a visesnut case. My advice would be to fly BA if you can. I agree - dont ask - take it through security, and when you get to the gate politely ask the gate agent what you can do to be sure it goes in the cabin with you. They usually put a gate check tag on it just in case but I've never had it gate checked. Every time I've flown with BA they have preboarded me to be sure that there is room for it- it usually goes in closets up front (or once I was told it went on the flight deck!) I've not flown internationally enough to know if the latest cites classification of all rosewood is an issue- I carried a letter from the luthier indicating when it was built but in fact I've never had anyone even ask to look in the guitar case when I've flown between Uk and US. I wouldn't risk a brazilian guitar though ... being cites appendix 1 they could seize it if you don't have the correct paperwork. Agree all that, but for, in my view and experience, do not speak to the gate agent unless you have to. They will find you. If they look friendly OK. BA are the best for long haul. It says on their website that they prefer you to carry your guitar on board. On one occasion flying from London to Austin, they were asking for larger carry on bags to go in the hold as the plane was completely full. I actually offered my guitar and the lady said no keep it safe with you!
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Post by plumbum on Jan 24, 2017 8:27:36 GMT
Hi All Thanks for the advice.I've read advice on turning up at the gate. I'm flying KLM to Amsterdam and Delta onto New York. KLM's site specifically says buy it a seat or chuck it in the hold . I guess if you've done it a few times you feel confident about it. I'm just really nervous about trying to blag my way onto four flights and if they dig their heels in I presumably have to pay to chuck it in the hold anyway. Still it does seem at the very least you're confirming don't put it in the hold. I thought I read something recently that suggested the CITEs checks were being abandoned...but I could have dreamed that Thanks again Martin
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Post by creamburmese on Jan 24, 2017 16:54:55 GMT
I think you dreamed it... though after the initial crop of horror stories, it seems to have died down in the media. I had read that one of the reasons ALL types of rosewood have been added to CITES (appendix 2) is because pretty much no customs agents (or presumably most other people too) can reliably tell a Brazilian rosewood in a guitar from another type of rosewood just by looking at it. Also it looks like most countries will have an exception to the general rosewood CITES limitations on intercontinental movement for small quantities (ie guitar-sized) bits of rosewood in finished objects. I'm not so worried about that one - I have documentation, which I carry with the guitar, that the guitar was built years before the new rules were enacted this month. However I've actually applied for a "guitar passport' for my Brazilian guitar based on the luthier's assertion that the rosewood came from old (pre 1992) stock. I haven't heard anything yet though. I'd be really interested to hear from frequent travellers how often your guitar actually gets looked at - mine hasn't ever, yet.
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Post by plumbum on Jan 24, 2017 20:39:09 GMT
Hmmm, that's worrying as well then as the guitar I was thinking of taking was my Tanglewood TW1000, which has rosewood back and sides...definitely not Brazilian but, as you say, customs aren't to know that Enjoyed your blog, by the way
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Post by andyhowell on Jan 25, 2017 11:21:00 GMT
I think it pays to research the airlines and to book accordingly.
In both the EU and now the USA regulations allow musicians to carry instruments into the cabin. The only problem you should get is if you are late checking in — follow Chris' advice.
I have had experience of ringing an airline office and being given the OK only to find overhead lockers on the actual plane were not as big as they said. Arriving early meant I was OK but otherwise I would have been screwed.
Always avoid Ryanair if you want any kind of customer service. I've heard that EasyJet can be OK. Flybe are pretty good.
Didn't Delta feature on the famous video?
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Jan 25, 2017 11:49:15 GMT
Didn't Delta feature on the famous video? No, that was United. I won't post the video as we don't want to frighten Martin do we? I've frequently seen people carrying guitars into the cabin on BA flights. The only time I took a guitar to the USA, which was a while ago, I got hold of a guitar shipping box and followed Frank Ford's instructions at frets.com. Bit of a pain but it survived just fine.
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Post by plumbum on Jan 25, 2017 20:20:54 GMT
Thanks Chaps Too late, I'm afraid I've seen the video and the two follow up songs he had to do to get United to admit liability and eventually pay up for his smashed Taylor Martin
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Jan 25, 2017 21:16:05 GMT
Thanks Chaps Too late, I'm afraid I've seen the video and the two follow up songs he had to do to get United to admit liability and eventually pay up for his smashed Taylor Martin Yeah, but the guy became pretty famous on the back of it, and I heard that United made the best of a bad job by using it as a case study for their customer service training, for which I assume he got some recompense. So I would guess that any financial loss he suffered was more than made up for in the long term!
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Post by ocarolan on Jan 25, 2017 22:45:01 GMT
......United made the best of a bad job by using it as a case study for their customer service training.... Arf, arf. Keith
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