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Location: Stamford, CT | Hello! Any opinions or experience using a gig bag instead of the molded hard case? I've always used the hard case for going to practices and touring throughout the midwest, but now looking at NYC gigs, and thought the gigbag might be more portable on the subway. But I'm AFRAID!!! Any thoughts?? |
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Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | There are gig bags that are specially made for people with needs like yours. They cost more (a really good one may cost more than a hard case) but they are light, and have straps making them easy to carry. I have seen professional cellists toting their instruments around in gig bags. |
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Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Paul Templeman has some contacts on some really nice, hefty gig bags.
Personally, I wouldn't risk anything less than a hard case (but again, that's me). There's just too many potential hazards
Many years ago, I attended the GuitarStudyCenter in Manhattan (was run by Paul Simon's brother, Eddie) and traveled alot in the subways. Got corned one night in a deserted station by a chap wielding a knife who wanted my guitar. While feigning to hand it over, with one hand on the handle and the other on the "tail" end of the case, I slammed the "headstock" end into his solar plexus as hard as I could and ran.
I think he might STILL be there now trying to get his wind back. ;) |
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Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | I would never move my guitars without the hardshell case. Just to many things can happen to mess them up. I just like the security the hardshell case offers. |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Take a look at these.
http://www.tribal-planet.com/
They are designed just around the corner from me, and are distributed in the US by MBT, Midco & Musicorp. They should be in stores now, but any dealer should be able to order one from the distributors. The "Chieftan" model is the one to have. Although they appear to be a "bag" the tops, backs and sides are rigid.
Available online in the US here
http://www.activemusician.com/market/guitar/accessories/default.asp?rs=22&s=0 |
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Posts: 939
Location: Fort Worth, Texas | I know this has been discussed before, but who can give advice about taking a guitar on a airline flight?
Last week I was sent to Baltimore for work and wanted to take my Legend (hopeing to get some practice time in in the evenings and wanted to hit an open mic night that was right around the corner, I went wihtout guitar and the emcee was a lefty, so no borrowing a guitar from him, then I pissed the bass player off by playing a shaker through a song, geez, I was playing it in time.....)I tried searching but couldn't find the posts I seem to remember reading.
I called AirTran and asked them about taking it as carry on luggage, the rep asked if I had a hard shell case (yes I do and seemed like an astute question), and said if it would fit in the bin I could take it. I wasn't sure so I didn't risk it.
The last time I traveled for work earlt this year I saw some people in the airport with thier guitars, seems like they all had gig bags, now that I think about it, I didn't see anybody this time...
After getting on the flight to Atlanta I thought that my case would fit in AirTran's 717 overhead bins, one side has three seats and the other side two. The three seat side bin is deeper. But I wondered of it would go through the x-ray check points. The TSA has taken over the security and they were being very thorough, which is a good thing. I walked right through every time, although many people were being pulled aside because they didn't take off thier shoes or they had some scissors or something similar(I mean, come on!) in thier bag.
Interesting story, cliff......... |
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Posts: 16
Location: Stamford, CT | I have carried on a travel guitar, not full size. I have travelled many, many times and Checked my hard case Ovations. I guess I've been lucky, but I've never had any problems. And I've taken them to Many major cities across the US. |
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Location: Fort Worth, Texas | I was always woried about the temperature in the luggage compartments. |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | According to an article in the nov issue of acoustic guitar, a letter was sent by Thomas R Blank, assitant administrator for airline security policy, to Thomas Lee, president of the American Federation for Musicians. In the letter Blank stated that Airline operators had been instructed by the TSA to allow musical instruments as carry-on baggage in addition to the usual carry-on limit. The letter is online at www.local1000.com, so you can print it out and show it to jobsworth gate staff.
I've travelled many times post 9/11 with instruments without having to check them. If you are polite & firm they will usually accomodate you. At worst you can get a gate pass & hand load.
Overhead bin sizes are a factor. I know fron experience that DC10, 737, 747 & 757 bins will take an Ovation case no problem. 777 bins are tiny, I just got my mando case in with a couple of centimetres clear |
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Location: NJ | I've checked mine a couple of times to Minnesota without incident, but that was year's ago. Haven't attempted it since.
I recently queried a few people in airport lounges about it, and the general consensus seems to be to just go through the motions as if you intend it to be "carry on". When it comes time to board, they MAY give you a hard time. If that's the case, they MAY (and all of these "MAY" variables are dependant upon "circumstances" and "attitude" - or as I like to refer to them as "Timing & Lubrication") let you stow it up near the bulkhead with garment bags and such. If that doesn't pan out, they'll check it for you right then and there, issuing a tag, and the whole works. The "up" side to this is that it'll be one of the last things loaded on (and one of the first things loaded off), it gives YOU total custody until the last possible minute, instead of it being at the mercy of the airport baggage system. The "down" side if that your case will be lumped in with things like the baby strollers and such that you see heaped up at the end of the jetway and those aren't usually handled with the utmost of care.
It all really comes down to WHOM you're lucky (or unlucky) enough to have taking care of you and your guitar, and whether or not they got laid the previous night, thereby governing their "mood".
In essence, it's a CrapShoot. |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Well, I ride my bike in NYC, and carry my guitar in a gig bag strapped to my back. I think a gig bag is the best way to go. But then again, I only carry around either my tele, which is just about indestructable, or my celebrity. I've been doing this for over a year now, and I've been lucky. No accidents to myself or the guitar. If I had a really expensive guitar, maybe I'd feel different about it, but the convenience of the gig bag is worth it. As for being worried about it being stolen, you can get renters insurance for about $200 a year, and it doesn't matter what it's carried in if it's stolen. I think the gig bag is the best way to transport your guitar, and when I take the subway, I use a gig bag and have had no problems. Knock wood. Though I don't take it on during rush hour. On my bike, I can get from downtown brooklyn to 14th street in less then 20 minutes. From 14th to Williamsburg, takes about 20 minutes. Here's a place to get a used bike in good condition.
http://www.recycleabicycle.org/
I'd get one of the gig bags that PT recommends, and then you can experiment and see which you like best. Good luck and don't be afraid. Keep us posted on any gigs. |
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Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | This thread points out a small part of the lunacy that passes for airport security. These people seem to have one-track minds. Take away anything "pointy or cutty" & you're safe. Duh. Those people don't seem to be capable of thinking! They all have tunnel vision.
You don't suppose some clever terrorist might put six heavy gauge B strings on a guitar, carry it on board & give one string to each helper in flight? All they'd have to do is roll up one of those swell little magazines they put in the back of every seat, loop a string back through it's end, wrap & twist the loose end around the rolled up magazine, a very persuasive tool for overpowering &/or killing anyone they wished quite easily. I believe they call it a "garrote". There must be a hundred other ways to do thier dirty work no matter what they do at security.
If they REALLY want security on airplanes they should contact every police officer & every person with a valid concealed carry permit & offer a special course on the particulars of dealing with the likely possible situations found in aircraft. They should defintely give everyone a shooting test first, & then after weeding out the people that are more likely to hit bystanders than terrorists in a crowded airplane, they could train the ones that passed & give us an airport/aircraft cleared concealed carry permit & let us carry on airplanes. I'd sign up, if for not other reason than I wouldn't have to check my guns. Besides, I usually feel *real* secure about terrorists with my .357 under my arm.
Anything the bad guys can make is probably not going to be any match for a qualified person with a handgun, & in an airplane with hundreds of people on board it would be fairly likely that one or two of the good guys on board will be carrying guns. If I was a terrorist I'd think about that. It could make flying bombs more trouble than they're worth to them.
Of course this will never happen.
/\/\/ |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | suzencarson
If you are going to travel on the subway or any other type of public transportation, then I would say that carrying anything that looks like it is valuable is a terrific risk. I would suggest if you have to travel that way to get a cardboard, cheap guitar box, like something that cost $35 and would sell for $5 in a pawn shop. The threat comes from those that can see a couple of dope fixes not from someone who wants a decent guitar. Take up a collection, and go by Taxi, they don't steal, and are victims themselves. Love New York. :cool: |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | NYC really isn't that bad. In fact, statistically, LA, Miami, New Orleans, Chicago, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dallas and Albuquerque are worse. I saw that you're from ohio.
http://www.areaconnect.com/
As you can see, NYC is less dangerous then lots of places. If you'd use a gig bag in Columbus, then you should be comfortable using one here. If you pack heat in Columbus, well, statistically, you're less likely to need it here. If you don't carry a gun in Columbus, then you don't need one here. I recall in Dallas, there are parts where you can't buy a bottle of wine, but you can buy a gun. I always thought that was funny. Really NYC is not bad, it's just like any other major world city, a place where you will be constantly challenged. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | PS on cases on airplanes.
I got an email from the people at SKB, who tell me that they make the ovation cases. And they say that they are ATA rated. The only "container" I have for my ovation is a gig bag. |
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Location: NJ | ". . NYC really isn't that bad . ."
I agree wholeheartedly!!!
If I had my "druthers", we'd move our office from this swamp/septic tank that is the Jersey side of the Hudson to Manhattan TOMORROW!! If I were not profusely bleeding alimony payments, I'd LIVE there!!
Keep in mind that the knife-brandishing incident happened in Jan. of 1980!! Things were a LOT different then. Back then NYC was enrolled in the Abe Beame School of Advanced Finance (inside joke) and "quality of life" issues were nowhere NEAR what they are today. That instance was entirely the result of a dumb/drunk 23-year-old being where he probably shouldn't have been at a time where he should've been somewhere else! The point I was trying to make was that at THAT particular time, a case served a better purpose than a circa. 1979 gig bag (IF they even made 'em then :) ).
For the longest time, I was a singular guitar owner. My guitar was my companion, confidant, and talisman. It's safety/security was always paramount.
Hence, (for me) a hard shell case was commonplace.
The acquisition of the SlotHead made it even MORE so. The Ultra-12 used to "borrow" the SlotHead's case when it traveled. With the upcoming "Kristmas Kamping in the Keys" trip, I'll probably relegate the Ultra to a gig bag to conserve precious car space. Other than that, if it "travels" it goes in a case.
an4340:
Is your office anywhere near Union Square?
I used to work at a place right ON Union Square and MAN do I miss going to that Farmer's Market on the weekends!! :) |
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Posts: 16
Location: Stamford, CT | thanks for all the input!
an4340: you *only* have a gig bag for your Ovation? What kind? any problems? are you in NYC?
I'm premature anyway about all this--I live in CT and have only played a few gigs anyway since leaving Ohio (used to play all the time). Just thought NYC might be good to try to break into to play something other than covers, so I was just thinking how would I do it. The big hardcase seems so cumbersome. |
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Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | I had to use a gig bag for about a week while I was waiting for my HSC to arrive.
One thing I noticed was how loose the guitar was in the bag. I know you can find different sizes, but I think the guitar will slide around a little in any gig bag.
I felt that continued use would start producing scratches and did notice that the tuners got knocked a bit thus forcing a re-tune eachtime I took it out of the bag...
Cumbersome or not... HSC will protect your investment and eliminate several other problems IMHO
tim |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Tim, the Tribal Planet cases in my earlier post feature a neck suport which stops the guitar moving around. I'm using these instead of hard cases for all my stage guitars. I have a dreadnought bag with a homemade divider so it takes 2 solidbodies back to back. The shoulder straps mean I can walk from the truck into a gig with 3 guitars & a mandolin all carried together. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I used to work down near the courts, and now live and work in downtown brooklyn, but I know the farmers market; you can gets lots of good stuff there. If you need vegetables though, my wife can give you a whole list of places of chinatown; I don't know how they sell them so cheaply. Union square is where my friends and I meet to go skating around manhattan on wednesday nights during the summer, and I grew up in sty-town on 14th street and used to work on 23rd.
As for my gig bag, it fits my shallow body ovation like a glove. I think it may actually be an electric case. It may be just one of those miracles where it fits just right. I bought it used at a store called Alto Music in Monsey New York. I needed to put my guitar in something, and this fit just right. You just got to go try a bunch. It's a brand called "krate", though I should double check. I don't know if they make them anymore. It doesn't have a rigid side like PT's. But it has a thin dense padding all around and in the area of the headstock, a leather patch to prevent the strings from ripping the fabric. It doesn't have a back pack strap, but it slings around kind of like a bike messenger bag. It has a pouch in the front, to put in sheet music, a tuner, strings and other small items. As Tim points out, occasionally, the tuners get moved, but that's no trouble --- since I have a Korg electronic tuner! (No built in tuner) Also, Tim is right, in that you want to get a snug bag. I think TKL makes a gig bag for ovation. You know, as I write this, the ovation people are really helpful and they might have some thoughts on this. Just go to their website and shoot them an email and ask them what they recommend. They are really professional. Let us know what they say. Good luck. |
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Location: Yucaipa, California | Paul,
Once again I bow to experience! I should have guessed that the gig bag wobblies would have been solved.... now, can you tell me just how that box on my desk pulls music out of the air just by jutting a metal stick in the air? :confused:
tim |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | Tim
Little tiny musicians, all named Paul, fly through the air looking for that piece of metal that they call an "antenna", when they find one up in the air they all slide down it and commence playing whatever the resident "DJ" inside the "radio" tells them to play. They pause frequently for tiny little "advertisers" (smelly shitheads with no manners at all) who try to sell useless products that the "DJ" claims he uses, even though he lives in an abandoned apartment building that has been condemned for years as he is trying to save enough from his $3 a day pay to return to Ohio and pump gas to try to get on his feet again. All the Pauls can play any cover that you can imagine, except for vintage Jimmy Rogers as they will not play a "white" blues player songs for fear of alianating Hillary Clinton.
That is about as scientific as I can get without violating national security isssues.
Bailey (I spotted Brittany and Madonna sliding down one of those "antennas") |
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Location: Yucaipa, California | Bailey,
now I'm really worried.... my middle name is Paul!
tim |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | Oh Oh
We got another Paul on the board, has someone been experimenting with cloning and they started with a Paul? How many clones do we have, I have lost count?
Bailey (I don't even have any relatives named Paul, so don't blame me) |
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cases, transporting
