Carrying a Steel Guitar on an Airplane

Ken Watts · From: Florida, USA

Anyone have any experience taking your steel guitar on an airplane as carry-on luggage? I have a single neck with an aluminum flight case but I don't want to check the guitar and leave it to the mercy of the airline and ground crew. I called the airline and asked if I could carry it on with me and was told they make carry-on exceptions for musical instruments. But as you know, many people outside of this forum don't know what a steel guitar is. I would appreciate any feedback you could give regarding your experience if you have tried this before. Thanks.

Glenn Uhler · From: Trenton, New Jersey, USA

Try this:
Go to a sign shop and have them make two thin vinyl "Musical Instrument" signs. Stick them on the case while you are carrying it on the airplane. When you get to the gig, take the signs off, so it's less likely to be stolen.
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Tom Gorr · From: Three Hills, Alberta

I would be happy to hear if an airline would allow an 80 pound box on board. I can see the body of the guitar in a gigbag, but not a case. They'd be making exceptions to their rule pronto if anyone showed with a D10. My prediction.

Tyler Terrell · From: Wisconsin, USA

I recently flew with a bass guitar in a gig bag and I can tell you that if it will fit in an overhead, you may be okay. If it will not fit, you will need to gate check it. I took the neck off the bass and had to fold it in half to get it on 2 of the 4 flights. If it is a larger flight, there may be a garment closet that they could put it in but that is totally up to the attendant who may or may not care. Good luck with that and good luck on your travels!

Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I've heard of people carrying on compact S-10's like keyless Excels. For the most part though it is not reasonable to expect that you will be able to do it, and in any case you won't know until its safely aboard. Some airlines have overhead weight restrictions of around 22 lbs, while others simply say the weight must be such that you can lift it into the overhead unaided. You could easily hurt yourself or a fellow passenger trying to lift one into the overhead or remove it at the other end. It just makes no sense to me even if they would let you do it. And in any case dragging a pedal steel into and around an airport is no easy task. Every time I've flown with one by the time I've schlepped it as far as the special handling conveyer I'm exhausted and only too happy to wave bon voyage and forget about it until the other end of the trip. That's what flight cases are for.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

That's what lap steels are for. Wink

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Roger Guyett · From: San Francisco, Ca.

I've had no problem taking a keyless EXCEL S12 on a number of flights (theyre pretty compact) but I did put the legs, pedal bar and all the accessories in checked luggage. I don't have a flight case for it - otherwise I would just check it. I play the saxophone as well and I always put that through in a flight case - the security guys do open the case on a transatlantic case but Ive not had an issue with that.
As Brad said, the lap steel is by far the easiest of course!

You have to get on early enough to make sure you can get it in the overhead luggage (and be mindful of the kind of plane youre dealing with - some of them have pretty small overhead bins).
The weight is definitely an issue - hence me removing the legs from the case.

Taking it through the security machine always requires some explanation.

Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I always thought that if I flew routinely I'd consider something like the keyless Excel. I used one for awhile and they really are light and compact. But no matter what, flying with music gear is hard work.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Regardless what they say in advance, be prepared to check it when push comes to shove, it's the most likely scenario.

Jack Aldrich · From: Washington, USA

I've travelled a lot with my console, non-pedal steels, and I find that my Fender Stringmaster D8 and my Canopus D8 fit into the overhead on Boeing and Airbus aircraft. I use a fold-up dolly I got at Costco to lug them on & off. I get some static from the gate folks about the non-suitcase envelope. I would expect that a S8 or universal pedal steel would work too, but not a D8.
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Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

I fly with my Zum's a lot and have always checked the guitar - maybe airlines are a little different down this way but I can't see them letting me taking a D10 in the cabin (without paying for an extra seat hehe) ...
I have the lightest setup I can possible configure and never had any issues with my guitars being damaged - they are light, but extremely well padded.
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Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

TSA has always been far more interested in my volume pedal and Black Box than the guitar itself, but you should try to get them to let you watch and supervise the repacking after they pull everything out of the case.

Gerry Simon · From: Ohio, USA

My last flight with my S12 Kline had me wrapping my guitar in bubble wrap and wedging it into a solid cardboard box. I attached a foto of the steel all set up on the box so the gestop-o would know what I had. The legs and pedal board were in a soft nylon tripod bag which I carried on board with no problems.

Malcolm McMaster · From: Beith Ayrshire Scotland

Gerry , really surprised they let you in cabin with legs, these could be used as weapons.Don't know about. US, but this would not be allowed in UK airlines.The only way you will get a steel on board is if you ask to gate check it ,then get the agent to ask if the cabin crew would let it on to be stowed in a wardrobe ,if there is one (depending on aircraft type) , but you are at mercy of the crew.I have got to say I personally disagree with anything that heavy being in an overhead locker.If there was any sort of incident and the lockers opened ,it could seriously injure or even kill someone if it fell on them.In general (particularly with the budget airlines in UK) cabin baggage is fairly strictly controlled in both the size and weight , this provides an other source of income when they make you hold check it, at a lot more than the original checked bag rate.Best solution I have found is to put it through the oversized check in, you can be there when TSA check it and make sure it is re packed properly, in general it goes via a short flat belt straight onto truck for aircraft avoiding miles of bone shaking belts., same at arrivals end , pick it up from oversize delivery belt.I base this in sixteen years of working for big airline.
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Charlie Rose · From: Boston, MA, USA

I have had good luck carrying a keyless S-10 GFI on airplanes. I put wheels and a handle on the case to make it easier to trundle through airports and it also looks like a roller bag that way. Usually will drape my jacket over it at the gate to disguise it a little bit but no one on the plane ever seems to have a problem and it fits in the overhead on all but the smallest of puddle jumpers, in which case a gate check is not the end of the world. I have usually done this while also carrying on a banjo in a gig bag. I never ask or say anything to the gate people, just try to be in the early boarding group so there is still room in the overheads.

Marvin Born · From: Ohio, USA

I have flown with my Lonestar S10, to Dallas and to Pheonix in the overhead bins with no problems. TSA was not interested in the guitar; however, the BJS bar was checked and rechecked. So I always put the tone bars and legs in the checked bags.

I buy a upgrade for boarding, about $15 to $20. That lets me board in group one so I get a shot at an empty over head bin. I always tell the gate attendant that I have a guitar and show it to them since it doesn't look like a normal guitar case.

The Lonestar travels in a gig bag with wheels. And is 10 inches tall with the legs in the checked baggage. Weight is 33 pounds packed.

Some of the airlines have a 10" height limit for guitars. It is way under any width or depth limit for guitar cases.

Joe Savage · From: St. Paul, MN

Just last weekend, April 11-12, I experimented and successfully carried on a D-10, legs and all, in a soft case from Mpls to LA and back. I asked while entering the plane if I could stow my guitar in the closet up front. No problems at all. It was Delta flight.
I did some research before hand concerning the plane type. In this case it was a 767 which has small overheads. All planes are not created equally as far as overhead storage. No one asked to see what was inside and I breezed through security.
As an extra precaution, I also paid 10$ extra for priority boarding so I could get in Zone 1.
Not saying this would always work, but it was slick this time and would not hesitate to do it again.

Emmett Roch · From: Texas Hill Country

Back in my traveling days, I always just checked my GFI S12. I removed pedals & cross-rods I wasn't using and got the weight down to 59 lbs in the factory case, so I didn't have to pay additional freight charges.

The only damage any airline was ever able to do to my GFI was to knock one knee lever a 1/2 tone out of tune and dislodge one of the case rails, and that only happened once. The Dutch stage crew at the gig loaned me a cordless screwdriver and some sheetrock screws, problem solved.

Back then, I took the advice of Lloyd Maines and would slip the sky cap a twenty to see that my guitar got snuggled comfortably and safely into the cargo hold.

But if I was traveling with a more fragile guitar, I would worry the whole time it was out of my sight.
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Jan Viljoen · From: Pretoria, South Africa

Hi Blokes,

Please read this article about violins on board.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/musicians-fight-bach-us-airways-refuses-violins-cabin-121805950--abc-news-travel.html

Muttering

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Ken Watts · From: Florida, USA

Well, I did a lot of research on this subject and considered all the opinions presented here on the forum. I also called the airline on two different occasions for their input. When I described the size and weight of my cased steel to the first agent, he said no way would I be allowed to carry it on. When I pointed out the fact that their own policy permits musical instruments in the cabin, he checked with his supervisor and then said it would indeed be allowed in the cabin. I made the second call to the same airline (US Airways incidentally; see Jan's post above) and the agent assured me it met their policy on musical instruments in the cabin and would be permitted inside the cabin.

The one caveat in all of this was that in the end, it's up to the crew on your flight if they will allow it on board or not. Official policy is not worth much at that point. See Jan's video link above for a real life example. It depends on if the crew on your flight is in a good mood that day or not.

So in the end, I wimped out and left the steel guitar at home and just borrowed one at my final destination, which worked out well in this case. I did get quizzed by TSA on my bar though. It was in a small pouch along with my picks. Not sure the agent bought my story about it being used to slide along guitar strings when playing music, but she couldn't offer a reason to leave it behind so I carried it on with me. Coming back it went through TSA screening without question. So it really is just luck of the draw if you try to take your PSG with you inside the cabin of an airplane.

Thanks to all of you who provided input on this topic.

Jack Aldrich · From: Washington, USA

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Ken, is your pedal steel over 50 pounds in the case and was the airline aware of it when they approved it? I have known about the onboard musical instrument policy for some time but figured my D-12 would be too heavy and bulky for them to approve.

Boo Bernstein · From: Los Angeles, CA

I am just seeing this because -- coincidentally -- I have been traveling with my steel.

I do many fly dates a year and am constantly having to deal with this increasingly difficult situation. For a long time, I checked my steel using a few different light cases that Forum members recommended. Two years ago, my steel in an SKB case was literally dropped from the hold of the plane resulting in severe damage to the instrument. After that, I decided that the only way to protect my instrument was to take it onboard. I had a custom soft case made and began taking it on the plane -- I thought all of my problems were solved. However, I was met was many arguments from the flight attendants and airline personnel -- all saying it was too big and wouldn't fit. Actually, my steel fit in every single overhead including the small planes. Somehow, I always managed to talk my way into getting on the plane. Then one day, there were TSA people who were basically screening out carry-ons BEFORE you actually got to the TSA screening process (which was on the next floor). They told me that my steel was too big and wouldn't be allowed to go through security. Luckily, it turned out that one of them was a fan of the artist that I was working with -- she told me that I could go ahead but that I would most likely be sent back to check my bag. Of course, when I got to the screening area, no one said a word.

However, that incident really scared me. If I had been completely refused entry though the security area, it would have meant having to check my steel in a soft case -- which I am confident would have led to my instrument being destroyed.

So now I am back to checking the steel. My newest case is an SKB rifle case that is very secure. However, it is fairly heavy even with an S-10 so I am using light weight legs â€¦ and just get in at 50 lbs!

In the end, despite any of the airlines' policies, you are at the mercy of the people at each airplane and checkpoint -- and there doesn't appear to be any consistent rules. I have flown one leg with no problem only to find that the people at the connecting flight with the SAME airline were insisting that I couldn't take it onboard.

Good luck to all of you fellow fliers and please keep posting as you find new solutions!

Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

The unpredictability factor of which Boo speaks is not likely to change. I have had the same experience even with a regular guitar or reso. And one thing I have noticed with the larger number of people carrying bags on is that gate checking is become more and more heavily used (because not all the bags will fit on some flights) and so you get jetways clogged with people waiting for their gate checked stuff while people are streaming off the plane and it seems to me that the whole system will collapse under its own weight at some point and the rules will all change (and not in a way which helps travelling steel guitarists). I've also seen near accidents with people trying to squeeze heavy luggage into the overheads. My Infinity SD-10 in a Red Dirt flight case comes in at 62 pounds - a big chunk of that weight is the case. My Zum SD-10 in a decent (but not as heavy duty as the Red Dirt) comes in at 53 and change - I have been able to get that on without paying extra owing to friendly agents, but I don't have any illusions about the Red Dirt case - I'd be paying the overage. Heck of a case though.

Jan Viljoen · From: Pretoria, South Africa

Hi Folks,

A musician named Dave Carroll recently had difficulty with United Airlines.
Dave spent over 9 months trying to get United to pay for damages caused by baggage
handlers to his custom Taylor guitar.
During his final exchange with the United Customer Relations Manager,
he stated that he was left with no choice other than to create a music video
for YouTube exposing their lack of cooperation.
The Manager responded: "Good luck with that one, pal."
So he posted a retaliatory video on YouTube.
The video has since received over 14 million hits.
United Airlines contacted the musician and attempted settlement in
exchange for pulling the video. Naturally his response was: "Good luck with that one, pal."
Taylor Guitars sent the musician 2 new custom guitars in appreciation
for the product recognition from the video that has led to a sharp increase in orders.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/5YGc4zOqozo

Taylor Guitars response:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n12WFZq2__0
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Sierra S10, Stage One, Gibson BR4, Framus, Guya 6&8, Hofner lap, Custom mandolins, Keilwerth sax.
Roland Cube 80XL, Peavey112-Valve King and Special, Marshall 100VS.

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