Hi,
Full of questions this week apparently. Does anyone use an electric guitar gig bag which can hold a laptop, and if so what size is it?
(... what's actually going to happen is I'm going to turn up at digital village with a guitar, a laptop and a tape measure, will shortly afterwards have an old gig bag to sell...)
The reason for asking is this. A certain very orange airline recently announced they would be making life easier for musicians by accepting instruments under a certain size as carry-on luggage. However it transpires that really their policy is no different from the old one and that:
1. You can only have one piece of hand luggage, including an instrument. So guitar = no laptop bag
2. Despite fanfare about this from ISM as a triumph, the maximum width is 38cm, which is enough for an electric or small body acoustic, but most padded bags are actually a bit larger. My Ritter bag measures 39cm across, obviously there's some squashing potential if necessary and, while they're unlikely to actually get out the tape measure at the gate, you could in theory be told you have to check the guitar as hold luggage. In a soft case = good bye.
(Also, I was once told that the plastic zip lock bag which I had a 5ml bottle ~ 1/8fl. oz in was too large and I had to get a smaller one.)
Anyway, thought it might be interesting to hear how other people have coped with this.
Personally, I'd never put or bring any instrument on a plane that isn't in an ATA approved flight case.
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton
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I'd pack the laptop in the middle of my suitcase and check it. Carry on an iPod or something to entertain you on the flight. But to answer your question no I don't.
Thanks,
I guess the full-on flight case is the way to go if you have to be sure it will come through okay, for example expensive guitars or for a professional musician. I've checked in an acoustic in the past, but I had a Gator ABS case shattered at Christmas, not one of their ATA models, but the new one I have is a Hiscox liteflite with a very similar spec so no reason to believe it wouldn't survive (the guitar came through okay). No ATA[1] over here.
Checking the laptop in isn't an option for me, and the guitar is not irreplaceable. I think I'll have a go at using the gig bag for carry on, seems like it might be a bit handier.
[1] More air travel anecdotes: the time I stupidly locked my luggage with an ATA lock on a UK flight and found it cut at the other end.
Suppose I can give a little feedback on this now, I haven't had any problems with getting the guitar on the flight with me on two trips now. The last flight the stewardess helped me find somewhere to stow it, though I wouldn't want to do it with an expensive guitar.
As for the gig bag, my chunky laptop was definitely a squeeze in the Ritter bag (which otherwise I really like), I've now got hold of a Fender deluxe gig bag which doesn't have the same low-profile pockets and everything fits in quite neatly. The Ritter will turn up on the swap meet board when I get round to eBaying it.
There is one other limit to hand luggage that you should probably be aware of - max weight 8Kg.
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Cabin baggage restrictions do vary by airline, some allow 10kg. I do quite a lot of UK flights and haven't ever had a cabin bag weighed: it seems size is the first thing they notice. Which is why the other thing I make sure will fit in the gig-bag is a copy of http://corporate.easyjet.com/media/latest-news/news-year-2011/12-01-2011-en.aspx?sc_lang=en (only when flying with easyjet obviously)
