This is an excerpt from our eBook "Pro Tips for Touring Musicians". Visit our Our eBay Store for more info: myworld.ebay.com/neckandbody

 If you play flute or piccolo, chances are that you have never had a problem taking your instrument with you on an airplane. But bassists are guitarists are often faced with a tough dilemma: should I check my instrument with baggage in a road-case and take the risk that it might get lost, or should I keep it with me as carry-on, and take the risk that in the end, they will force me to check it? The critical issue here is that if you intend to take it as carry on, it is in a soft gig bag and would never survive flight as checked luggage.

What I can offer are some suggestions that may enable you to explore all options as intelligently as possible and maximize your options in dealing with the problem:

Consider checking your guitar or bass in a secure ATA flight case ONLY if there are a few business days between your arrival date and your first gig. Most airlines are pretty good at finding your case and delivering it to you wherever you are in about 24-48 hours. But there are no guarantees, and if your gig is on the day you arrive or the next day, you could find yourself without an instrument.

Check the website of your airline. They will most likely have a page dedicated to explaining their luggage policy. If they state clearly that guitars or basses are allowed within specific size and weight limitations, make it your business to keep your gig bag within those limitations. Also, print out that page and be sure that the URL of the website shows on the print out. If they state at check in that you are not allowed to bring your instrument on the flight, you can ask to speak to a supervisor and the printed web page can bolster your case.

Call the airline ahead of time. Ask if they will let you bring your instrument with you on the plane. Be very specific regarding the size and weight of the instrument. Chances are, a customer service representative from the airline can let you know the airline’s policy and answer any related questions you may have.

Try to avoid two-guitar gig bags. Sometimes the issue that will determine if you can bring your instrument on the plane is the weight of the gig bag. If you have two guitars, you are like to get a “No” simply because while they would like to accommodate you, at 18 pounds, you are simply asking to carry on something that is well outside of the allowed limit. Try to just bring one guitar. Also, two guitar gig bags tend to look quite a bit larger than a standard gig bag. The very sight of your gig bag might scare the check in agent off.

Consider traveling with your backup guitar. In the event that at the last minute you are told that you cannot carry on your instrument and must check with all the other suitcases, you will have a pretty serious problem: Your prized 1962 Jazz Bass or your 1959 Les Paul will most likely be badly damaged in transit. While you are likely to prefer your main instrument at all times, if you have a “Second” guitar that is a good instrument and you are able to deliver a professional performance with that guitar, you may want to bring that instead. In the event of the guitar being damaged during transport, you won’t be quite as heartbroken. It would still be a bummer, but you wouldn’t be looking at the loss of a serious investment.

I have no guaranteed approaches to this issue; it’s a tough one. Drummers and Tuba players are not faced with this dilemma because there is no chance they can take their instrument as carry on. Yes, drummers often take their snare or cymbal bag as carry on, but not the entire drum set!

This is an excerpt from our eBook "Pro Tips for Touring Musicians". Visit our Our eBay Store for more info: myworld.ebay.com/neckandbody