Travel horror stories

Jim X-S · Jul 11, 2009

I've not flown yet with my Ukulele. But there is a music video on YouTube that laments the story of a guy flying with his guitar on United Airlines:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo (note: over 2,000,000 views in less then first 5 days)

So the question is how safe is it to fly with your Ukulele?

Have a Great Day,
Jim

Ahnko Honu · Jul 11, 2009

Definitely a carry-on and better in a hard case though I've carried my 'ukulele interisland in a padded gig bag with no problems though these flights are under 30 minutes.

John Colter · Jul 11, 2009

"how safe is it to fly with your Ukulele?"

Safer than travelling by automobile, but if the plane crashes, it is unlikely that your uke will survive.

Ukantor.

haolejohn · Jul 11, 2009

I was able to travel from georgia to hawaii with two stops with a uke in a gig bag. I placed it under my wife's and my seat. On our return trip I had two ukes. One was in a hard case. I would not check it. I recommend hard case but gig bag works if your careful. I traveled with a mele and a koaloha.

ukulele2544 · Jul 11, 2009

I've took the ukulele as a carry-on bag.

hoosierhiver · Jul 11, 2009

Just don't ever check them in as baggage.

jazzuke · Jul 11, 2009

Air travel requires a hard case (IMHO). So many people insist on carrying their suitcases onto the planes and stuffing them into overheads I worry about the impact on anything made of wood in a gig bag.

It is one of the principal reasons I like the concert/soprano size, they fit in every overhead, even the tiny commuter planes.

Thumper · Jul 11, 2009

A Flea in its gig bag fit will inside a typical wheeled carry-on suitcase, and if ever I'm on a tiny commuter plane that wants to put that suitcase in their luggage compartment, I can just take the gig bag out before surrendering the suitcase, and fit the Flea easily overhead or under the seat.

One of the things I love about the Flea is that even with a concert neck, it's the same size as most sopranos, so it's VERY compact.

kissing · Jul 11, 2009

hehe, my travel uke is a Risa Uke-Solid (electric uke), so I have nothing to worry about

Here's an entertaining video that demonstrates how tough they are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woyW9XIZoHM

Raygf · Jul 11, 2009

I've flown on several airlines with a uke and had no troubles. With the size of some of the carry-on behemoths I see people drag down the isle, I don't imagine ever having any trouble with even a tenor case.
If I needed to check a guitar I would never trust just a hard shell case. I'd get something like this
http://www.casextreme.com/
or this
http://www.cases2go.com/catpages/844.asp_Q_id_E_844
The first one has a great video of people beating it with hammers, standing on it, etc. Unlike the second link, the first one is actually a case for your hard shell case.
Anvil also makes road cases for guitars that are very sturdy.

Regards,
Ray

tbone · Jul 11, 2009

A question I have is whether or not to de-tune the strings when flying.one person has said the pressure change isn't enough to hurt anything and some one else has said that it's not good to leave them tuned. Thoughts?

Thumper · Jul 11, 2009

tbone said:
A question I have is whether or not to de-tune the strings when flying.one person has said the pressure change isn't enough to hurt anything and some one else has said that it's not good to leave them tuned. Thoughts?

If you're carrying it on with you, there's nothing to worry about. After all, if your body can take the pressure change, so can your uke.

If you're checking it as baggage, then maybe I'd detune it.

PickNStrum · Jul 12, 2009

I've flown numerous times with my uke and here is what I've learned

-ukes because of their size are nearly always allowed as a carry on. the nice thing is they don't include this when counting your carry on's either as they know you'd be crazy to check it in.
-I always travel with my pineapple soprano as it projects the most for the size. (Usually I play concert and tenor) and it's small enough I can kill time practicing scales without bothering the person next to me.
-I always take a soft case that is padded as they are more lightweight than a hard case, usually have a shoulder strap, and can easily fit in the overhead.
-try to put you instrument in last after everyone has put their stuff in to prevent it from being crushed.

Hope this helps

Travel horror stories

Jim X-S

Well-known member

Ahnko Honu

Well-known member

John Colter

It ain't what you've got, it's what you do with it

haolejohn

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ukulele2544

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hoosierhiver

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jazzuke

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Thumper

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kissing

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Raygf

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tbone

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Thumper

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PickNStrum

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