Flying with your bass - who's done it ?

[JohnFitzgerald]

The internet is great for horror stories of disastrous trips involving prized basses.

Has anyone flown with their bass before, how did you do it, did you have it as carry on, was it checked in the hold, how did you get on, who did you fly with ?

I have a gig on the other side of the pond in May.

I'm tempted to take a soft gig bag with me and my Status Energy in dismantled state packed in the middle of my case with loads of packing around it.

Thoughts welcomed.

We're flying Aer Lingus and I'm told they're one of the better airlines from this perspective.

[Muppet]

There's a six page pinned thread about this - might help with some of your questions?

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/41208-flying-with-instruments-my-guide/page__pid__2922467__st__150#entry2922467

[JTUK]

Depends how stable your bass is but I've put them in proper flight case and they travel well.

I'd expect my basses to survive a knock or two and them falling over so a bit of 'rough' treatment
by airport handlers should be ok... as long as the bass is a good and snug fit in the case.

[JohnFitzgerald]

Thanks Muppet, I'll check that out. Sorry for not using search first.

[Muppet]

No worries from my side, it would just be a shame for you not to get all that info! FWIW I've flown frequently with hiscox cases going in the hold with no issues, even on budget flights.

[Twigman]

I fly with my bass regularly.
I have tried

[b]A full flightcase -[/b]

Pros :
nigh on indestructible
if the internal foam is cut properly your bass will be well supported

Cons:
Weight - a full flightcase is a pain to lug about


[b]A MonoM80 inside a SKB bass Safe[/b]

Pros:
Bass safe has wheels so can be dragged around airports.
Much lighter than a flightcase
you can use just the M80 gig bag at your destination, leaving the bass safe in the hotel or van

Cons:
M80 is a bloody tight fit inside a SKB bass safe
The flightcase latch locks (old style) can come undone - even when padlocked(!)

[b]SKB iSeries case[/b]
Pro's:
Lighter than a full flightcase
Seems as indestructible as a full flightcase
It has wheels!!
Waterproof
Air pressure maintained internally

Cons:
Expensive

I absolutely adore my SKB iSeries 3i-5014-44 and hope we are happy together for many flights to come

I have absolutely no concerns about putting that in the hold.

Edited February 20, 2016 by Twigman

[Jazzjames]

If youre going to the usa then there will be room on board in the captain's cupboard, but normally my bass goes in the lockers in the flight is not very busy.

I'm in italy right now, arrived with Alitalia and they were pretty cool with me bringing my bass on in a hiscox flight case.

I always try and get it on the plane, but I've had it before where they took it down to the hold at the gate, which is much better than checking it in in my opinion. Don't take it in a gig bag.

[JohnFitzgerald]

One of the issues is there are six of us, three carrying guitars.
I don't imagine the Captain's cupboard is that big.

I'm happy with carrying it to the gate and then placed on, but I'm going to go with asking nicely, being polite, all that stuff.

Thanks for the advice folks, and the other main thread, which I should have checked.

[Twigman]

You want this:
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/279401-skb-3i-5014-6-bass-hardcase-waterproof/page__fromsearch__1

[enricogaletta]

SInce ten years ago I found the best solution in my opinion, to flight without any worries, check this out:

http://www.skbcases.com/music/products/proddetail.php?f=&id=13&o=&offset=&c=75&s=75

I always use this solution. Never had bad experiences. Hope this helps.
Cheers.

[Twigman]

[quote name='enricogaletta' timestamp='1456045084' post='2984680']
SInce ten years ago I found the best solution in my opinion, to flight without any worries, check this out:

[url="http://www.skbcases.com/music/products/proddetail.php?f=&id=13&o=&offset=&c=75&s=75"]http://www.skbcases....fset=&c=75&s=75[/url]

I always use this solution. Never had bad experiences. Hope this helps.
Cheers.
[/quote]

I have 2
I disagree.
The choice of gig bags that actually fit in it is limited.
Two times the latches have come undone in transit, despite them being padlocked.
The new version with the strap is useless. The strap 'lock' comes open of its own accord.

[enricogaletta]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1456045425' post='2984681']
I have 2
I disagree.
The choice of gig bags that actually fit in it is limited.
Two times the latches have come undone in transit, despite them being padlocked.
The new version with the strap is useless. The strap 'lock' comes open of its own accord.
[/quote]

I agree with you about the limited choice for the gig bag, but it's not so limited, you just need to do a detailed research, I use both a Levy double gig bags and a medium single gig bag, never had problem to fit in. About the latches just depend on what kind of locks you use and how do you use. I use very small ones and it seems to be the best solutions.
I had some doubts too about the new versions but i spoke with a friend an he said that didn't have bad experience yet.

[Jazzjames]

http://youtu.be/_7zbE8bpkyM

[JohnFitzgerald]

Cheers !!

[Dan Dare]

Took mine to LA, but used a full flightcase with properly fitting foam. Heavy, but balances OK - handle's in the right place. Worth the aggro for peace of mind.

[Jimryan]

I flew about with a bass a couple of years back and used an SKB bass safe checked in the hold. My experiences echoes that of twigman above. Great case, flew about because of the wheels and weight. Biggest issue was the latches as stated. It got to the stage where I started taping it up to hold it together, which worked until Chinese officials searched it and slung it on the conveyor as just the two halves and gigbag. Was not happy. When I got back I kicked off to SKB about the latches and had a replacement shipped out from the states. The Americans get the upgraded one with a wraparound strap.

One massive plus for me with the bass safe was being able to ditch the "shell" at the hotel and get around town with a gigbag, made taxis and tubes a doddle.

[Geek99]

[quote name='JohnFitzgerald' timestamp='1456042804' post='2984663']
One of the issues is there are six of us, three carrying guitars.
I don't imagine the Captain's cupboard is that big.

I'm happy with carrying it to the gate and then placed on, but I'm going to go with asking nicely, being polite, all that stuff.

[/quote]
They aren't big. My partner uses a wheelchair and it breaks into a lot of small pieces. It fills the captains closet on a 777

[gillento]

[quote name='Jimryan' timestamp='1456383090' post='2988404']
I flew about with a bass a couple of years back and used an SKB bass safe checked in the hold. My experiences echoes that of twigman above. Great case, flew about because of the wheels and weight. Biggest issue was the latches as stated. It got to the stage where I started taping it up to hold it together, which worked until Chinese officials searched it and slung it on the conveyor as just the two halves and gigbag. Was not happy. When I got back I kicked off to SKB about the latches and had a replacement shipped out from the states. The Americans get the upgraded one with a wraparound strap.

One massive plus for me with the bass safe was being able to ditch the "shell" at the hotel and get around town with a gigbag, made taxis and tubes a doddle.
[/quote]

What gig bags are you using with your Bass Safe?

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Dan Dare' timestamp='1456350480' post='2988260']
Took mine to LA, but used a full flightcase with properly fitting foam. Heavy, but balances OK - handle's in the right place. Worth the aggro for peace of mind.
[/quote]

I have a full flightcase for my Wal which is so ridiculously heavy it is of little practical use...

[yondergo]

I flew to brazil in 2014 for work and took a bass with me, i took the neck off, wrapped it in bubble wrap and put it inside a big carboard tube i had that fit snugly then wrapped the body in bubble wrap too. screws, strings etc in an envelope. i packed it all together in my suitcase, the neck diagonally across the case and the body right in the middle with all my other stuff tightly packing it all in.

Arrived without a scratch, 10 mins popping it back together and restringing it and i was away.

i should mention that this was my trusty old SX P Bass so not an heirloom instrument, but it worked really well and i'd do it again it for anything but a really expensive instrument (which i don't own and probably never will).

[JohnFitzgerald]

I ended up hiring.

£55 for a Jazz Bass Plus V.

Well worth it.

[mybass]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1456045425' post='2984681']


I have 2
I disagree.
The choice of gig bags that actually fit in it is limited.
Two times the latches have come undone in transit, despite them being padlocked.
The new version with the strap is useless. The strap 'lock' comes open of its own accord.
[/quote]
I like using the SKB case ( with my bass in a padded gig bag inside)......Yes the latches are the 'weak' point so I always gaffa tape over the recessed lock area/ padlock as well. The holes for the padlocks are too big for smaller padlocks which in turn allow a little movement of the latches that can result in them becoming unlatched. I discovered this the first ever time I used the SKB. I would have thought this was a bit obvious to the designers!

[gillento]

[quote name='mybass' timestamp='1463139525' post='3048910']
I like using the SKB case ( with my bass in a padded gig bag inside)......Yes the latches are the 'weak' point so I always gaffa tape over the recessed lock area/ padlock as well. The holes for the padlocks are too big for smaller padlocks which in turn allow a little movement of the latches that can result in them becoming unlatched. I discovered this the first ever time I used the SKB. I would have thought this was a bit obvious to the designers!
[/quote]

What bag are you using?