hi there. i wanna ship a les paul in a hard case from toronto and a couple effects pedals. cheapest way to do this? tips? thanks for any help.
I don’t know about the “from Canada” bit, but make sure it’s properly packed, so it doesn’t arrive headless. A Les Paul is especially prone to having the head snapped off (or depending on the style of the case, the whole neck).
There’s a thread about packing guitars somewhere. If I find the link, I’ll post it here (or if anyone else knows where it is, please post it).
Edit. Here you go: forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi … highlight=
If you want to avoid customs tax use postal airmail, but something that expensive you might use something a little more insured. I buy guitar parts all the time… just never complete guitars from the states…
What is the size limit for carry on baggage for most airlines in Taiwan? say if I were to fly to Europe would I be allowed to carry a guitar in a gig bag on the plane or does it have to be checked?
I prefer to carry instruments with me because I heard too many stories about instruments stolen or damaged when checked in…
A terrorist could take the strings off the guitar and strangle everybody.
Sometimes they’ll let you store it in the suit-hanging closet but not always. Sometimes they’ll make you check it in, in which case you’ll need a flight case or at least a good hard case that’s been carefully taped up, with all the spaces inside completely filled with wadded newspaper or styrofoam peanuts.
If it’s a bolt-on you can sometimes take it as carry-on by removing the neck.
I wouldn’t hold out too much hope of being able to carry it on board. That said, I brought a banjo over here a couple of years ago and, even though I had to check it from Belfast to London, I was allowed to carry it on board for the rest of the way (via Hong Kong).
Things have got even stricter since then though.
Yea, my guitar is mainly a Fender Stratocaster and a J-Bass and one acoustic… I could take the neck off of the Fenders and design a briefcase (kinda like that sniper rifle in a briefcase thing you see in Hitman) that fits it… I don’t know if I want to spend $400 on a bulletproof flight case though…
I brought my guitar from Oklahoma. I got a hard case and did like Sandman said. (And the guy at Guitar House.) Loosened all the strings packed the case full of soft stuff. Then I put the case in a big cardboard box, and packed that with foam and newspapers. It made it okay.
I will be flying to Germany with KLM.
I know most airline has rules about carry on baggage but I am unsure about how much exactly is 20Kg and I don’t want to get a surprise charge at the baggage counter. Also I don’t feel too comfortable checking in a guitar if I carried it on the plane in a gig bag do you think they’ll let me carry it on? I can take the neck off the guitar in effect halving the length of my guitar to fit within the size requirement…
I had no trouble with a carry-on acoustic guitar on KLM across the Atlantic (but I was in business class).
Guitar no problem. Do NOT check that sucker in, unless you want it broken.
Guitar should be no problem. With KLM I’d be more worried about the ubermench air hostesses.
yeah just bring it on the plane with you. i had mine in a hard case, and just put it above me like any other piece of luggage.
I’m looking to upgrade from a low-budget beginner classical soon, and will be visiting my parents in Mexico in Celaya, Guanajuato, not far from Paracho de Verduzco, Michoacan, which has a few fine luthiers (amongst a lot of mierda or so I’m told). So this opens up the option of buying an intermediate level workshop-built classical guitar (estudio level, student to upper student) with a solid top and possibly all solid of decent quality at a reasonable price. It may not be a lot of $ but it’s a lot for ME, perhaps a couple thou US. I’m told that with careful searching you can get more bang for the buck visiting luthiers in this manner than buying factory stuff in Taiwan. So I’m considering it.
The problem is transporting it back. My travel agent asked American (I’ll be flying Eagle then AA then EVA on return) and they said that unless you buy a full-priced ticket to seat your guitar next to you, you cannot bring your guitar on board. I had previously been under the impression that you could sometimes bring it on board and if not, at least get a gate check so that you hand carried it to the airplane door and then cabin crew took it, to be loaded to the luggage compartment after other luggage was loaded, and then handed to you again in person on landing.
I’d like to know whether anyone has more recent experience with these airlines (AA and EVA) in terms of guitar handling or any other suggestions (e.g. sending it back by DHL, Fedex etc.). I’ve read the above suggestions on packing a guitar. If I do buy one I’ll surely get a hard case, pack it well, and then double box it. But how good a guarantee is that? And what are the chances that if I don’t double box it and just bring a hard case, the airline will let me carry it on if I smile real purty like?
Not recent experience but i brought my yamaha acoustic guitar with me on the plane, put it in the overhead, no problemo. Flew Taipei to SFO on EVA… but this was 1999, so things may be diff now? But then Iv always thought airlines allowed one hand carry guitar. Now a double bass? That may be an issue, or a Cello.
I didnt even have a case for the thing so it just sat there and didnt get damaged even 
I had 2 hand carries in addition to the guitar and two checked in bags, flying economy.
by-the-way, how bout calling up the airlines themselves and asking for a supervisor?
Thanks Tommy, but how long ago was that and what airline and class?
oops my habit of writing and then editing. haha
pls reread.
AA seems to allow it as a carry on so long as it fits in the overhead bin:
aa.com/i18n/travelInformatio … owance.jsp
I guess you should call to make sure, and you’d have to do that for each airline.
Buena suerte! I hope you get a sweet guitar down in Mexico.
Thanks for that info! Well, I’m gonna be looking locally first, as if I find something here I like I can eliminate the hassle and risk on the return. But a whole town full of luthiers only 100+ km from my parents’ home is just too attractive to resist – I think I’m gonna have to pay it a visit, and that brings with it the risk of GAS. 