Hey everyone - I have a question about doing lots of travel with a guitar (I know I posted a similar question a while back, but this is a pretty different situation). I may be taking a job soon that would have be traveling all over for extended periods of time (away from any sort of home for probably 8 or 9 months). Now, obviously I couldn't deal with no guitar for that long, so I was looking through options and was hoping you guys would have some suggestions.
First I thought of just getting a nice sturdy flight case and taking my guitar with me everywhere - the pluses of this would be I have my own guitar, and a flight case should prevent any damages (right??). The minuses that I could see are potentially having to pay fees for checking more than one bag, as well as having to leave my guitar in a hotel for extended periods of time.
The only other option I could think of was maybe just go to a local store in each city that I am in and try to rent a guitar for a few months. I have no idea if this is even possible, how much it would cost, or what the guitar would be like. In either case I usually just use my laptop as the amplifier (although now I wouldn't have any speakers to be able to crank up! :( ). I just wanted to get any opinions, thoughts, or little gems of wisdom you guys could throw my way to make sure I don't end up making a huge mistake! I have already had to accept that I wouldn't be able to take my bike, and that just tears me up inside - no way I could make it without guitar. Thanks a lot for any responses!!
-falc
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Traveler-Speedster-Travel-Electric-Guitar?sku=518703
It's like carrying a tennis racket, so not too bad. Not a problem to take a laptop + this on most domestic flights. Some international flights sometimes tend to push for only one carry on, but if you leave some room in your backpack you can sort of stick it in with the neck sticking out.
I've carried it on one trip (figures I haven't traveled as much once I got it!). It's a perfectly serviceable instrument. You can get a headphone amp if you like instead of the computer (or something like a pocket pod or similar).
--vink
"Life is either an adventure or nothing" -- Helen Keller
Lap steels are great, too.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Get a ukulele.
The only other option I could think of was maybe just go to a local store in each city that I am in and try to rent a guitar for a few months. I have no idea if this is even possible, how much it would cost, or what the guitar would be like.
I don't know about your country, but here in Canada the national music store chains (Long & McQuade and Mother's for sure) do rentals of pretty much anything they stock. Most smaller stores that do lessons also have rentals available, though maybe not everything.
As long as you have a credit card with lots of headroom (I.E. can you afford to buy it if you don't come back) and some ID that matches the card, then you're good to go.
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
Great suggestions so far! Does anyone have thoughts on getting a flight case and taking mine with me? Bad idea to check it on a plane/keep it in a hotel room? Thanks!
Great suggestions so far! Does anyone have thoughts on getting a flight case and taking mine with me? Bad idea to check it on a plane/keep it in a hotel room? Thanks!
I wouldn't check anything delicate, no matter what the case it's in.
But that's just my opinion. :wink:
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
This is just my opinion as someone who periodically bounces around between multiple geographic areas for extended periods of time;
Forget about a flight case checked with the airline. If you are really traveling “all over†that would get old really quick. The airline industry has become very unfriendly to accepting extra baggage. It has worked much better for me carrying a smaller travel sized guitar and placing it in the overhead bin. Besides, then you have it when you get stranded inside airports (read as anytime you travel through Chicago).
