JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Guitars and Guitarist Forum Is it better to be soft or hard (when flying with a guitar)?

So...
I'm flying to Germany in the next few weeks for a run of concerts and classes. I have made the transAtlantic trip many times but never with a guitar as a carry on. I see people do all the time! In theory, the instrument gets placed in a closet in the front of the plain or in the compartment with the baby strollers. The instrument I am taking is not valuable and can take a beating. Basically, its a pawnshop deal that I use for travel and would not cry over if it was lost, stolen, and broken.

Now my question:
Im I less likely to get harassed with a gig bag on the plain or will a hard case work just as well?

If anybody has experience on the subject please let me know!

Thanks
Sam

Hi Sam

Well if your location is to be believed you are already in Germany

First of all I would check with the airline you are using, they all have slightly different rules with carry on. If you are not so bothered about the guitar a soft bag would probably be the best bet, but if it is a major asset I would go hard case every time, particularly if there’s a chance that it may end up in the hold anyway.

Nige

I would never travel with my guitar in a gig bag, I'd use a hard case, for sure. I've seen some badly damaged guitars.

Patrick

As unprofessional as it might sound, I have done the best with a cardboard container and padding.
I don't have a case for my electric yet have a case for my acoustic. Which only comes in hard with that.
I have bubble wrap and put my electric in enclosed places in my apartment. There is not the damage as on my acoustic. Bubble wrap prevents dust damage. Should have thought of it with my acoustic.
But if I was traveling to Germany I would have something secured with bubble wrap whatever the item or material carrying it.
To where it can not wiggle around

A harder case or cardboard would better prevent dings from handlers.

I have a hard case for my guitar, banjo, and mandolin. It's good that way, because I don't want them to get damaged on the plane. For my fiddle, I've got a medium-strength case, as my fiddle is good enough to be taken on-board as carry-on luggage. With it like that, it means that I can keep an eye on the fiddle, and as all of my instruments are precious to me, I don't want to risk having them getting heads or tuning pegs broken.