flying with PSG in flight case- tape shut?

Lynn Kasdorf · From: Waterford Virginia, USA

Forgive my ignorance on this. I have rigged up an SKB flight case to hold the body of my Emmons D10. I custom cut closed cell foam and carefully fit it to provide good cushioning all around.

It ends up being a little tricky to get the case closed. You have to make sure various straps are not poking out, and put a fair amount of pressure on it to get the latches to close.

The SKB case has 2 very nice heavy duty latches, but they are not recessed. My inclination would be to duct tape the latches closed, but I'm afraid the luggage screeners would open it up anyway.

So what is the best strategy here- just do my best to make it easy to close and hope for the best? Or maybe if I tape it, they will open it and re-tape?

maybe I'm overthinking this...
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"You call that thing a guitar?"

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Lynn I never bother taping my catches shut but if it makes you feel better then do it !! Those TSA latches hold on pretty well once their locked though.
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14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Lynn, I have the same case (SKB/WheelEZE) and I do duct tape the latches. Yes, they open it to inspect it, but then they always put the duct tape back onto the latches. I've never had a problem yet (knock wood!)
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Lynn Kasdorf · From: Waterford Virginia, USA

Here is my case.

..as the old Band song goes, "please don't judge me by my shoes"...
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"You call that thing a guitar?"

Jonathan Lam · From: Brooklyn, NY

Home depot has velcro straps you can buy to secure the case.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Lynn, after you tape the latches, if you have any duct tape left, you can put the rest on your shoes. Wink

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Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Those type of latches are easily broken or unlatched, by all means tape them!

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Here's what I did when I was flying with a Steel.
I went to a fabric outlet and had my wife make a round tube out of some thick stretchy material (old wetsuit stock is what I found that day).
So you slide it over the entire case leaving just a few inches at each end.
The wheels are free at one end.
I cut a slit for the handle to poke through in the middle.
And the other handle is on the other end.
Go to the security place with your steel in case you can "be of assistance" after they look in (here in Portland you can do that, not sure of other 'ports).
It protects the case, and eliminates the chance of the latch opening.

Don Christy

Hi Lynn!

Here is something that I seen at show one time. The link is below...

http://www.specialtycases.com/lwpull.htm

It makes it easy to travel with and not worry about your pedal steel and it's safer too.

Lynn Kasdorf · From: Waterford Virginia, USA

Don Christy · Posted 8 Mar 2012 7:30 am

Lynn...some of the steel players that I talked with that travel or fly a lot, have these cases with wheels and handles on them to walk from the parking lot to the baggage area of the airport and vise-verse.

The steel guitar is in it's own case and the shipping case can be ordered with the foam inside, if you prefer to order that way or put the foam in the shipping case yourself.

When these steel players fly a lot to the next gig or show, they just unload the shipping case from their SUV rental car and grab the handle and wheel the case in to the building so they can get set-up. Some of the players have helpers at their arrival to unload the SUV too.

I understand the foam inside the shipping case is what protects their guitar case and steel guitar so it will take less of a beating at the airport. It's easier to inspect the shipping case too. Some of the players use to tape or find a way to keep the guitar case from opening so the guitar would not get damaged.

After many flights without the shipping case, these players decided to protect their guitar and guitar case with a shipping case. One steel player had a small hole in his guitar case and decided that the airports are to rough on his equipment, so he started to use a shipping case to protect his guitar case and steel guitar.

It makes sense to protect your investment(guitar) from the rough handling at the airport or any other place where the guitar could get damaged.

Guitar cases are thin and your guitar can get damaged where baggage is handled everyday.

Airports,hotels,UPS, Fed X, U.S.Post Office, Couriers are just some of the places.When I was 18 and in my senior year at high school I worked at UPS at night for 4 hours everyday. The loading and unloading was unreal. Everything was toss or thrown in to the big trucks and same with the small trucks. All kinds of goods were damaged and so I had to quit because of this.I didn't like what was going on.

Lynn Kasdorf · From: Waterford Virginia, USA

Yup- that's what I have, as you can see in the pics above. It is an SKB flight case with wheels. I have carefully cut the foam to support the guitar. I picked up this case at a flea market about 15 years ago for next to nothing.

The body of my steel in the case ends up being 45lb. I'll pack the legs, pedal bar and rods in a large suitcase. The trick here is getting each piece of luggage under 50lb.
_________________
"You call that thing a guitar?"

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

Ah Lynn yes stick Duct tape over those catches ...my one has the later TSA latches on it which are a bit more robust. I should probably still tape them myself.
_________________
14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases.

Joshua Grange · From: Los Angeles, California

TAPE TAPE TAPE

Also, I have started including in the case a little note for the TSA that says something like :
"This is a pedal steel guitar, it's an instrument commonly used in country music. I am playing a show in xxxxxxxx . Please take care to place the instrument back properly. Thank You!"

I include my cell number and info about the gig just to put a human face on the equipment.

I have received several handwritten notes from TSA agents on the enclosed note wishing me good luck on my gig!

When I look at your case I am a little concerned about the tight fit. Usually you'd want a bit more foam between the case and the instrument.
Let us know how it fares!

Lynn Kasdorf · From: Waterford Virginia, USA

It is a little tighter than I would like, but I think it will be ok. The foam is quite stiff, and the guitar fits snugly and can't shift. Also there are internal straps to hold the steel down. Makes me wish I had an smaller S10, as I could get by on these gigs on the top neck.

I like your idea if a note on the inside- I'll do it! I also want to try to get some fragile and do no drop stickers for the outside.

I'm putting the legs and pedal rods in a big suitcase, but the pedal rod won't quite fit. If I put the pedal bar in there, it shows exactly 50lb on my scale. I don't trust my scale enough, and it may end up a few ounces over 50.

SO- I'm going to unscrew the pedals from the pedal bar, and put the bare pedal bar in this case. This should be no more than a pound or 2. Then I'll reassemble when I get there. Not a big deal- 2 phillips screws per pedal.

Regarding the tape, I hope they would unpeel it and re-apply, as opposed to just cutting it.
_________________
"You call that thing a guitar?"

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I've been traveling with those cases since 1998.
imho, Duct Tape over the latch is not good enough.
The handling issue you are worried about, specificly, the latches coming open and the steel falling out in transit...
I'm thinking... any blow that will open the latch if it wasn't taped, will go right through the tape like butter.
I would not kiss my steel good-by to the TSA withought at least some kind of belt.
In the past I have used a nylon belt with two rings on the end (from the Western Wear store).
They are easy to get on and off, and can lock down very tight.

Lynn Kasdorf · From: Waterford Virginia, USA

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I would imagine that with some kind of belt(s) (I would use 2, one toward each end about half way between the center and the end) that the latches are less of an issue. I would still tape them so they don't fly open and get busted off in handling.
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Jonathan Lam · From: Brooklyn, NY

I have traveled with cases and the velcro straps make sure it won't pop open. and are easy to store and reuse.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

You can also get straps that have an easy to use sliding latch, that you just pull the belt through. Needs to be easy to use, as we're talking about TSA here!

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