Travel overseas with my Gibson SG using OHSC (TKL)

[Impellitteri]

Hi Guys,

I've been thinking for quite sometime now if I should bring my Gibson SG with its OHSC (TKL). We will be travelling via airbus and want to know if it can endure the throwing, stacking, etc. whatever along with the different luggage it will came along with.

Thanks for your inputs.

 

[Hector]

 

[Markaria]

I would take a cheap guitar if it were me...long time ago used to be able to take a guitar as a carry on... i doubt they would let you anymore but its been quite some time since ive been on a flight

 

[Hector]

I would take a cheap guitar if it were me...long time ago used to be able to take a guitar as a carry on... i doubt they would let you anymore but its been quite some time since ive been on a flight

Only way to know is to call the airline.

Although, they might claim you could take off the strings mid-flight and use them to strangle people...

 

[Col Mustard]

There's several ways you can go:

1. If you MUST have your fine Gibson with you:
Buy a high quality airline ready case, AND some insurance to cover theft
and/or damage, and check your instrument with other baggage like they say you must.
The Gibson hard case is lovely and elegant, but should NOT be subjected to airline gorillas.
It was never designed to stand up to that kind of abuse, and is easily marred or smashed.
I recommend the SKB-61 case, or one made by Hiscox. Pricey, but they protect your SG
and can't be destroyed by the big apes. A guitar case that says Gibson on it is a
Theft Magnet. What you want is a Chick Magnet...

2. If you don't want to risk your Gibson SG (and you have a place to leave it where it
would actually BE SAFE from theft at home) Take a cheaper guitar in a gig bag and
carry it on. Check with ALL the airlines to make sure this is still legal.
For about $500, you might be able to buy a used Epiphone G-400 and and a really high
quality gig bag that's comfortable to carry and fits in the overhead. Get the Epi set up
by a good luthier and travel without so much worry. Chicks don't discriminate
against Epiphone players, if your hair and your nails are clean and you don't smell too bad or act like a jerk.

3. Fly with no guitar, and buy (or rent) something over there. This is an adventurous choice to make,
and depends on Exchange Rate as well as whether there's any guitar shops where you're going.
But last time I went to Maui, that's what I did. I found a guitar shop, and looked at all the
instruments they had on display. Most of them were junk. I tried one, and the guy in the office
saw me playing and said, "uh, let me show you something else..." He brought out a decent
Guild guitar and I rented that happily. I bought some strings from him, and put them on.

4. Get a Telecaster. *grins ...then do what Bill Kirchen does, and unscrew the neck.
Pack the parts in a box with some foam and check that. Telecaster will be fine, no worries.
When you arrive, put the guitar back
together and string it up and you're ready to rock. Kirchen does this all the time, so his Tele
has had steel studs installed where the neck screws go. So he doesn't wear out the threads inside
from all that screwing. Kirchen has a custom case for his disassembled Tele, and THAT fits in the
overhead, so he doesn't check it, but carries it on. This is the best idea, really. You need a Tele
anyway, doesn't everyone?

Good luck, and travel safe. Last time I was overseas with instruments, I packed a small pedal board
in my checked bag. The Truetone One Spot power source will work with 220 or 120 Volt power, so
all I needed was to buy some adapters and I could plug in where ever I was. I rented an amp,
traveling with amps is only for big stars.

 

[gball]

Hi Guys,

I've been thinking for quite sometime now if I should bring my Gibson SG with its OHSC (TKL). We will be travelling via airbus and want to know if it can endure the throwing, stacking, etc. whatever along with the different luggage it will came along with.

Thanks for your inputs.

I sure wouldn't do it with the stock TKL. At a minimum I would put it in an SKB-61 as the Col. recommends above. If it was a more expensive guitar I would spend the extra money and go full flight case.

 

[El Marin]

I have travelled many times with my SG and a LP Junior, one or another.

Look the company web and check their instruments on board politics. Then print it and use it as many time people who check boarding passes are a subcontract and they earn money sending things to the sentinel.

I found that Sg case fits Easy Jet policy but I had to fight it many times

 

[S.Ustain]

Col Mustard nailed it, IMO. I love my best guitars, but now do that Tele "takedown" method with a beautifully playable Squier. If I really had to have one of my "good ones" with me, I would either do the road case approach that Col Mustard suggests, or possibly (depending on destination) ship it separately, in advance. But that's why I have the Tele -- the other stuff is never relaible or convenient enough, at all, for me.

 

[Impellitteri]

There's several ways you can go:

1. If you MUST have your fine Gibson with you:
Buy a high quality airline ready case, AND some insurance to cover theft
and/or damage, and check your instrument with other baggage like they say you must.
The Gibson hard case is lovely and elegant, but should NOT be subjected to airline gorillas.
It was never designed to stand up to that kind of abuse, and is easily marred or smashed.
I recommend the SKB-61 case, or one made by Hiscox. Pricey, but they protect your SG
and can't be destroyed by the big apes. A guitar case that says Gibson on it is a
Theft Magnet. What you want is a Chick Magnet...

2. If you don't want to risk your Gibson SG (and you have a place to leave it where it
would actually BE SAFE from theft at home) Take a cheaper guitar in a gig bag and
carry it on. Check with ALL the airlines to make sure this is still legal.
For about $500, you might be able to buy a used Epiphone G-400 and and a really high
quality gig bag that's comfortable to carry and fits in the overhead. Get the Epi set up
by a good luthier and travel without so much worry. Chicks don't discriminate
against Epiphone players, if your hair and your nails are clean and you don't smell too bad or act like a jerk.

3. Fly with no guitar, and buy (or rent) something over there. This is an adventurous choice to make,
and depends on Exchange Rate as well as whether there's any guitar shops where you're going.
But last time I went to Maui, that's what I did. I found a guitar shop, and looked at all the
instruments they had on display. Most of them were junk. I tried one, and the guy in the office
saw me playing and said, "uh, let me show you something else..." He brought out a decent
Guild guitar and I rented that happily. I bought some strings from him, and put them on.

4. Get a Telecaster. *grins ...then do what Bill Kirchen does, and unscrew the neck.
Pack the parts in a box with some foam and check that. Telecaster will be fine, no worries.
When you arrive, put the guitar back
together and string it up and you're ready to rock. Kirchen does this all the time, so his Tele
has had steel studs installed where the neck screws go. So he doesn't wear out the threads inside
from all that screwing. Kirchen has a custom case for his disassembled Tele, and THAT fits in the
overhead, so he doesn't check it, but carries it on. This is the best idea, really. You need a Tele
anyway, doesn't everyone?

Good luck, and travel safe. Last time I was overseas with instruments, I packed a small pedal board
in my checked bag. The Truetone One Spot power source will work with 220 or 120 Volt power, so
all I needed was to buy some adapters and I could plug in where ever I was. I rented an amp,
traveling with amps is only for big stars.

Thanks a ton my friend. It's really risky

 

[Impellitteri]

I sure wouldn't do it with the stock TKL. At a minimum I would put it in an SKB-61 as the Col. recommends above. If it was a more expensive guitar I would spend the extra money and go full flight case.

Thanks. One old friend of mine told me to get a SKB with TSA locks

 

[Impellitteri]

I have travelled many times with my SG and a LP Junior, one or another.

Look the company web and check their instruments on board politics. Then print it and use it as many time people who check boarding passes are a subcontract and they earn money sending things to the sentinel.

I found that Sg case fits Easy Jet policy but I had to fight it many times

Right. Yes it fits easy but I was thinking compared to any box type case, it feels like more vulnerable

 

[Impellitteri]

Only way to know is to call the airline.

Although, they might claim you could take off the strings mid-flight and use them to strangle people...

Wish I could do that "strangle people" if they break my guitar. Thanks

 

[Impellitteri]

I would take a cheap guitar if it were me...long time ago used to be able to take a guitar as a carry on... i doubt they would let you anymore but its been quite some time since ive been on a flight

Tried it before with my Gator, I put on a entry level Japan Strat. Luckily, nothing happened.

 

[Impellitteri]

It makes me sad seeing these videos but thanks

 

[Hector]

It makes me sad seeing these videos but thanks

I was just joking around, but yes, those videos are sad...

 

[Col Mustard]

Thanks a ton my friend. It's really risky

Welcome to ETSG!

 

[GrumpyOldDBA]

Hi Guys,

I've been thinking for quite sometime now if I should bring my Gibson SG with its OHSC (TKL).

I am new here but survived a trip back and forth to Dallas. Was able to carry on my guitar ( American airlines ) into cabin and using a gator TSA case asked very nicely to stewardess if they could please find a place for it. It made it into first class cabin both times ( not me ha ha ) once stowed overhead and the other time in first class coat closet.

Maybe it helps being both old and polite or maybe I just got lucky?

 

[guidothepimmp]

i have travelled with a les paul in ohsc and a sg also in its ohsc on 2 separate occasions. both times i was allowed to take the guitars on board. one flight, it went in the overhead bin, the second flight the air hostess put it in the closet in 1st class. i think it does depend on the airlines. i flew SAA and Delta from USA to RSA.
for the the connecting flights within the USA, Memphis to Atlanta the guitar went in the overhead bin too. from Washington DC via New York i had to leave the guitar at the door and they stuck it in the hold. this was just because it was a really small plane.
i have heard horror stories flying in europe, but never experienced it first hand. i just make a point of being extra friendly aand smiley and then super greatful when they help. it helps if you speak to them before they open the gate for boarding. they sometimes let you board first after the elderly and people with kids to ensure there is space

 

[ricardo_vicente]

I made the mistake of checking my Rickenbacker 330/12 on a flight just recently (I even paid extra for "transportation of a musical instrumentin the hold"). The standard Rickenbacker case is an SKB and as solid as a rock so I wasn't too worried. That didn't stop the baggage handlers from wrecking the case. If you're familiar with SKB cases, you know it takes some deliberate abuse to damage one.
This is how it arrived (see below). Luckily the guitar was not damaged - those cases really are excellent - but it still took a couple hundred bucks off a potential resale price of my guitar. Those Rickenbacker cases are unique and are not cheap to replace!
If you have to fly with a guitar, carry it onboard as hand luggage. Book an extra seat if you have to.

 

[Hector]

Ouch!!