stu
Im going to be flying to Durban on Tuesday and I need to take a guitar with me for the 2 weeks that I will be there. So I taking my old Yamaha Classical guitar with.
Im not really worried about taking my guitar on the plane as it will have a hard case to go in. But is there anything I should be cautious of when taking on the plane?
My biggest concern is the change in temperature, altitude and humidity. I really dont want the wood to go wierd or something.
Im hoping it will be fine but I thought I should check with the experts first.
Leaving the guitar behind and not playing for 2 weeks is not really an option ?
singemonkey
The only danger worth concerning yourself about is it getting smashed. A hard case is little use when they throw it up to the hold, the guy up top misses, and it falls 14 feet back to the tarmac.
Barring that, it's safe.
domhatch
Yup, no worries at all. 2 weeks shouldn't make any noticeable difference, especially with all the rain and humidity on the Highveld at the moment anyway. The only other thing you might want to concern yourself with is declaring your guitar as excess baggage before you get to the airport - depending on who you're flying with, you might not have to pay extra for it if you phone a day or two ahead of time and go, 'Hey, bringing a guitar with, please be nice and kind and don't charge extra, ok?' This is especially effective if you sound young and hip like John Mayer or smooth and classy like Eric Clapton.
Hope you and your guitar have a good flight
dh
Keira-WitherKay
yeah no worries.......short of as sigemonkey said it geting crushed...... i've had guitars on planes all over the world and locally and all yu need do is loosen the strings and make sure the case is a good fit for the guitar ...... if not put a towel or something into it to prevent the guitar bouncing around in the case......
OH AND ASK THE AIRLINE IF YOU CAN CARRY IT ON. BOARD .THIS IS NOT THE USA WHERE THEY SUPER STRICT ....... WHEN I LAST FLEW TO CT FROM JHB THERE WAS A DUDE WITH A GUITARCASE ALLOWED ON THE PLANE.THAT TRIP I WASNT TAKING A GUITAR BUT ASK ALL THEY CAN SAY IS NO
stu
Thanks guys, that good to know.
Ill be flying with Kulula, so Ill give them a call tomorrow. I think I will go for the "smooth and classy like Eric Clapton" sound.
Cannon
2 things......they will usually always let u take it on as hand luggage and u can store it in the captains closet. If not...PLEASE PLEASE release the string b4 sending it to the hold.....if u still want the neck attached on the other side.
stu
Will do, thats for the tip.
Do the strings contract at high altitudes or something?
Gearhead
No they don't. They do shrink with decreasing temperature, but there's no chance of freight in a hold cooling down between Joburg and Durban - the plane is hardly off the ground when it starts descending.
I would also like to know why people want to slacken their strings, especially since we agreed you want to take the guit as carry on.
ActionArnie
I'd heard you should just leave the guitar at standard tuning for transportation, and after a quick google I found this in the Taylor guitars FAQ:
Many players and repairpersons believe it's best to de-tune a guitar for long-distance flights, due to changes in air pressure and temperature in the baggage compartment. We don't recommend doing so, because if you de-tune a guitar for any length of time, you also have to loosen the truss rod. Otherwise, the neck may develop a back bow, and it could prove difficult to completely correct that. In other words, you actually could do long-term damage to the instrument by loosening the strings and not loosening the truss rod at the same time. On a Taylor guitar, it's best to simply leave it as is, even on relatively long flights. Otherwise, just use your best judgement when it comes to traveling with your Taylor. For example, don't leave it sitting in a car for any length of time, because not only can it be stolen, but the extreme temperatures can cause serious damage resulting in costly repairs.
http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/reference/faqs_answers.html
Gearhead
Or, to quote Stevie Wonder: 'if you believe in things that you don't understand, you will suffer... superstition'
IceCreamMan
ActionArnie wrote:
I'd heard you should just leave the guitar at standard tuning for transportation, and after a quick google I found this in the Taylor guitars FAQ:
Many players and repairpersons believe it's best to de-tune a guitar for long-distance flights, due to changes in air pressure and temperature in the baggage compartment. We don't recommend doing so, because if you de-tune a guitar for any length of time, you also have to loosen the truss rod. Otherwise, the neck may develop a back bow, and it could prove difficult to completely correct that. In other words, you actually could do long-term damage to the instrument by loosening the strings and not loosening the truss rod at the same time. On a Taylor guitar, it's best to simply leave it as is, even on relatively long flights. Otherwise, just use your best judgement when it comes to traveling with your Taylor. For example, don't leave it sitting in a car for any length of time, because not only can it be stolen, but the extreme temperatures can cause serious damage resulting in costly repairs.
http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/reference/faqs_answers.html
Thats the truth ..... when i had a guitar custom made in oz. it was set up and shipped in tune ...... it then flew to london (cold ) layabout there for 2 days and then another long haul flight to ZA (warm) arrived here ..needed a quick tune an good to go ...there is no danger in a flight to durban ...it would get cold though as temps do decrease at altitude....nothign to worry about
guidothepimmp
aaah... ive dealt with kulula and guis before..
They let you take te guitar in hand to te plane, then you leave it there and they put it in the hold, when you disembark, it is there waiting for you. Unless youre lucky to fly in a airbus 380 they wont let you tae a guit in a hardcase onboard because the overhad compartents are quite small.
Notsure what theyll say if it is in a soft case.
Id be more wrried about some plonker stealing the thing in Durban. Dunno where youre staying but if youre in a guesthouse or B&B its possible..
IceCreamMan
guidothepimmp wrote:
aaah... ive dealt with kulula and guis before..
They let you take te guitar in hand to te plane, then you leave it there and they put it in the hold, when you disembark, it is there waiting for you. Unless youre lucky to fly in a airbus 380 they wont let you tae a guit in a hardcase onboard because the overhad compartents are quite small.
Notsure what theyll say if it is in a soft case.
Id be more wrried about some plonker stealing the thing in Durban. Dunno where youre staying but if youre in a guesthouse or B&B its possible..
Other guitarist in our band is an el kaptitano for kulula , if he flying you can take it anywhere on board ?
Cannon
mmmm....love the comments earlier but i have evidence of a guitars neck snapping clean of on a flight to London in luggage hold. Was my uncles guitar and the Captain told him that this has happened a few time before and that they always should recommend relaxing the strings as a safety measure before sending any guitar to hold.
U never know.....it could also just be that they threw the guitars around, but it takes 30seconds out of your life to just be sure.
:? Happy flyin!!!
DonovanB
Stu how long are you in Durban for?
Renesongs
In the early 80 I flew many times between Cape Town and Windhoek with my Classical Guitar. Because I had a soft case I always took it on board as hand luggage. I never had a problem. By contrast when I go into an air conditioned studio It usually takes about 15 - 20 minutes for my guitar to settle down and stay in tune
Heath
i have flown a few times with guitars , take it on as carry on , worst they do it put it in the forward hold , never had a problem .
