Flying International with an R7?

[RocknRollShakeUp]

I’ll be flying international and I’m thinking of taking my R7 or R4.
So not worth getting its own seat.
I used to use a good soft case and the flight attendants used to put it in the coat closet, but I don’t know if that’s possible anymore, plus that was with a Fender, never with a more fragile Gibson.

So I may have to get a great flight case for it and check it…or should I get a good soft case like a Mono case, etc., and attempt to get on the plane with it?
If they insist to take it down to the cargo hold, then it is what is… maybe I’ll get some nice checking from the cold.

I could also just take a beater Tele instead .

Thoughts?

 

[Tollywood]

Sounds risky, unless you are bringing it to play a gig. That I would understand and enthusiastically approve of. But if it’s just being brought to noodle on in your hotel room I would suggest that you bring a less expensive guitar. Just to be safe.

 

[AA00475Bassman]

I would take the tele .

 

[kuwahara80]

I flew a couple times with Gibson LP´s from the US to Germany. Never had a problem. Either it went in the coat closet or the overhead bin. But that was before covid. And nowadays they will charge an extra for everything.

 

[garagemonkey]

On domestic flights in US (I'm assuming international will be same/similar) when I have to fly with it, I bring my guitar as my carry-on. Check your luggage so the guitar and maybe a small backpack is all you're boarding with. If I'm bringing a guitar I also make sure I have a ticket with priority boarding (usually right after First Class goes on). I also have the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, section 41724 pulled up on my phone as a trump card just in case.

Bottom line, if there's room in an overhead for your guitar when you board, your guitar is entitled to that room. They can't tell you "it's a full flight, you'll have to check your guitar". I've heard that several times and the last time one of my guitars was in a cargo hold was 1994.

Do keep in mind the equipment you may be riding in for shorter hops. Smaller jets and turbo-props won't, of course, have overhead room for any guitar so in those it'll have no other choice but to ride below.

 

[TM1]

I’ve been flying the better part of 25 years both domestic and international. Never really had any issues or problems with carrying on a guitar(s).

 

[Dave P]

I recently modded a friends Tele with threaded neck screw inserts and machine screws so he can pop the neck off to make it easy to carry on for fly dates. I carefully tapered the neck cavity to eliminate neck shims, so it's super easy to take the neck off and back on.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

Sounds risky, unless you are bringing it to play a gig. That I would understand and enthusiastically approve of. But if it’s just being brought to noodle on in your hotel room I would suggest that you bring a less expensive guitar. Just to be safe.

I will be there for at least a couple of months, and plan on doing some recording, but yeah kinda risky nevertheless, and the Tele may he the better recording guitar anyway. But I am sort of pulled toward the R7 too.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

I would take the tele .

I think that’s what’ll end up happening.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

I flew a couple times with Gibson LP´s from the US to Germany. Never had a problem. Either it went in the coat closet or the overhead bin. But that was before covid. And nowadays they will charge an extra for everything.

I remember flying to Australia with an LP Special that way, back in 2004, it was actually easy. But yeah these days it seems more of a crap shoot!

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

On domestic flights in US (I'm assuming international will be same/similar) when I have to fly with it, I bring my guitar as my carry-on. Check your luggage so the guitar and maybe a small backpack is all you're boarding with. If I'm bringing a guitar I also make sure I have a ticket with priority boarding (usually right after First Class goes on). I also have the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, section 41724 pulled up on my phone as a trump card just in case.

Bottom line, if there's room in an overhead for your guitar when you board, your guitar is entitled to that room. They can't tell you "it's a full flight, you'll have to check your guitar". I've heard that several times and the last time one of my guitars was in a cargo hold was 1994.

Do keep in mind the equipment you may be riding in for shorter hops. Smaller jets and turbo-props won't, of course, have overhead room for any guitar so in those it'll have no other choice but to ride below.

Excellent information, thanks for taking the time! I’m going to look into all of that, no matter what guitar I take.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

I recently modded a friends Tele with threaded neck screw inserts and machine screws so he can pop the neck off to make it easy to carry on for fly dates. I carefully tapered the neck cavity to eliminate neck shims, so it's super easy to take the neck off and back on.

That’s next level, do you have a website?

 

[dnabbet2]

I've also flown internationally for aeons, and I've checked guitars as baggage and never had one damaged, though I am NOT suggesting that.

Here's what IS on my mind: I've taken flights whose personnel stopped passengers as they were boarding the actual plane and told them baggage was too big for carry-on, based on apparent exterior dimensions or weight, and would have to be checked. So, that's after check-in. You know, the way strollers get stowed right at boarding.

In that case you'd have to surrender a carry-on guitar you hadn't really packed properly for travel in the hold -- I like the idea of going with a Tele.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

I've also flown internationally for aeons, and I've checked guitars as baggage and never had one damaged, though I am NOT suggesting that.

Here's what IS on my mind: I've taken flights whose personnel stopped passengers as they were boarding the actual plane and told them baggage was too big for carry-on, based on apparent exterior dimensions or weight, and would have to be checked. So, that's after check-in. You know, the way strollers get stowed right at boarding.

In that case you'd have to surrender a carry-on guitar you hadn't really packed properly for travel in the hold -- I like the idea of going with a Tele.

Exactly…and if the case is stout enough to survive The Hold …it’ll likely be too big to keep inside the plane!

Many years ago I used to fly with a partscaster Strat in one of those 90’s Fender (I think it was) plastic hard cases that was form fit for the Strat. That thing was svelte enough to fit in the overhead and yet tough as nails, so it could go into the hold.

I wonder if that exists for the Tele? Like a ballistic thermometer case sort of thing.
And even for the LP for that matter…like the Historic case but made out of hard shell plastic and not much bigger.

 

[J T]

Exactly…and if the case is stout enough to survive The Hold …it’ll likely be too big to keep inside the plane!

Many years ago I used to fly with a partscaster Strat in one of those 90’s Fender (I think it was) plastic hard cases that was form fit for the Strat. That thing was svelte enough to fit in the overhead and yet tough as nails, so it could go into the hold.

I wonder if that exists for the Tele? Like a ballistic thermometer case sort of thing.
And even for the LP for that matter…like the Historic case but made out of hard shell plastic and not much bigger.

Oh yeah sorry if this is a side track from the R7 question, but the Fender case you mentioned sounds like this one, and it DOES fit a tele. Great case I don't know why they stopped making them. Light weight, Relatively tough, and relatively small.

OK back to R7...

 

[Dave P]

That’s next level, do you have a website?

No, but here is a picture

 

[garywright]

I’ve been flying the better part of 25 years both domestic and international. Never really had any issues or problems with carrying on a guitar(s).

not one but several huh

 

[charliechitlins]

My beater is an Epiphone LP Special.
It's a great guitar (and I have many Gibsons and Fenders to compare, including vintage).
It's a bolt-on so it pops apart and fits in hand luggage.
Some very fine Strats and Teles would do the same.
If you just pay a little attention, there is no need for threaded inserts.
Your neck can come off and on hundreds of times with no ill effects.
I suppose you could soap or wax the threads to minimize friction, but even that is probably unnecessary.

 

[RocknRollShakeUp]

Oh yeah sorry if this is a side track from the R7 question, but the Fender case you mentioned sounds like this one, and it DOES fit a tele. Great case I don't know why they stopped making them. Light weight, Relatively tough, and relatively small.

OK back to R7...

That’s the case! I had no idea it fit a Tele! I have it in storage and I’m going to get it out! I feel like I just found $100 in my pocket that I’d forgotten about
Thanks!

 

[El Gringo]

You could get a road case such as an Anvil case and anything that comes into contact with an Anvil road case would get crushed .