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I'm going home for Christmas in a couple weeks and was wondering what the best way to get my guitar home would be? I wouldn't worry about it normally, but I didn't have a lot of power over my travel plans so I'm gonna be in Utah for three weeks when all my gear'll be here in Oregon.

I'm not gonna be able to check any bags, but I think I can bring somewhere between 3-5 pedals and my tiny tascam recorder in my carry-on so I can work on songs and whatnot while I'm stuck in mormonville. But I'm not gonna have a guitar. So, how have you folks shipped guitars in the past?

I was thinking about sending back my squire tele; taking apart the guitar and sending the neck and body separately. Sending the body in a large, flat-rate box, and the neck in a poster tube. Both packed with packing peanuts and bubble-wrap. Is this a terrible idea? Any tips for traveling like this?

I've shipped a couple of guitars, but never actually taken any apart to ship them. I know that the Post Office does have triangular poster tubes that I have gotten necks shipped to me in no problem. As far as the body goes, it might be able to fit in one of the large flat rate boxes. Splitting it up like that would make it alot more affordable than trying to send it whole, and HOPEFULLY neck and body would get there on the same day.

I see people take guitars as carry on luggage pretty regularly, usually in those backpack-style soft cases. Maybe that's an option...

Otherwise, disassembling and shipping sounds like the safest and cheapest route as long as one of the packages doesn't go missing.

In order to go back with all my Christmas gifts/laptop/pedals/clothes I was already taking a shoulder bag and a small duffle. Do you think I'd still be able to bring the guitar with all that? Seems like they might make a fuss...

It's good to know the shipping option'll work. I'll see if I can fit the body in a flat-rate box when I get home tonight.

1) I keep a guitar at my parents' house for just this reason...

2) I've also found FedEx Ground to be super affordable, reliable and quick for shipping whole guitars, even in big OHSC. (Shipped a Peavey T-60 from NY to MD for around $50. Shipped an old Dano from NY to OR for about $40.)

Disassemble and ship is how I've always done it.

I've always put them in the case with the strings a lil loose and taped it up and shipped it USPS... Sometimes it gets there before me and I've never had a problem...

wfs1234 wrote:In order to go back with all my Christmas gifts/laptop/pedals/clothes I was already taking a shoulder bag and a small duffle. Do you think I'd still be able to bring the guitar with all that? Seems like they might make a fuss...

It's good to know the shipping option'll work. I'll see if I can fit the body in a flat-rate box when I get home tonight.

Each airline has different rules, just call customer service and inquire. I usually fly Southwest and they have little closets they reserve for items like guitars to keep 'em out of the overheads.

Holy Schnikes wrote:

wfs1234 wrote:In order to go back with all my Christmas gifts/laptop/pedals/clothes I was already taking a shoulder bag and a small duffle. Do you think I'd still be able to bring the guitar with all that? Seems like they might make a fuss...

It's good to know the shipping option'll work. I'll see if I can fit the body in a flat-rate box when I get home tonight.

Each airline has different rules, just call customer service and inquire. I usually fly Southwest and they have little closets they reserve for items like guitars to keep 'em out of the overheads.

Cool, I'll call delta and see what they say.

That's ridiculously cheap Kosta! I'll look into shipping it that way if I can't just take it on the plane with me. And I'm totally going to leave this guitar there when I come back.

this might work for cheap.
go to guitar store and ask for an empty guitar case box etc. they will give you one if they have yet to throw them away. then stuff around your guitar in its case so that its not resting on any cardboard anywhere and cannot move if but hardly and ship it with insurance with fedex/ups...depends how much you want to spend.



edit: or just buy a flight case....you know its gonna come in handy

Good plan!

And yeah, FedEx is a great option too. I shipped my aluminum guitar down to Kevin at EGC last year and it was only like $20-30

wfs1234 wrote:

Holy Schnikes wrote:

wfs1234 wrote:In order to go back with all my Christmas gifts/laptop/pedals/clothes I was already taking a shoulder bag and a small duffle. Do you think I'd still be able to bring the guitar with all that? Seems like they might make a fuss...

It's good to know the shipping option'll work. I'll see if I can fit the body in a flat-rate box when I get home tonight.

Each airline has different rules, just call customer service and inquire. I usually fly Southwest and they have little closets they reserve for items like guitars to keep 'em out of the overheads.

Cool, I'll call delta and see what they say.

I wouldn't take what they say on the phone as gospel. Once you get to the gate, the gate agent may tell you something diametrically opposed to what you were told on the phone. I'm sure it's gone down just like that many times before and you won't have the person you spoke with on the phone at the gate with you to back you up.

addendum: if you're going into cold weather, leave the guitar in the box/case overnight before opening it up or you might get finish damage or somethin.

Also, for the record, You can always take a normal-sized on the plane with you if it's in a soft case and you're able to board early and you're flying within the country:

THE MOTHERFUCKIN U.S. GUBMINT wrote: An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage, if

(A) the instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat, in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator; and

(B) there is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.

http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies ... l95[1].pdf

Print that section out and take it with you to the airport.

D.o.S. wrote:Also, for the record, You can always take a normal-sized on the plane with you if it's in a soft case and you're able to board early and you're flying within the country:

THE MOTHERFUCKIN U.S. GUBMINT wrote: An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage, if

(A) the instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat, in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator; and

(B) there is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.

http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies ... l95[1].pdf

Print that section out and take it with you to the airport.

and you're my fact checkin cuz