I’m about to go on a long trip (via plane) and I would like to bring my guitar with me. I would never think of checking it in with the other luggage; my friend made that mistake with a $2000 guitar, which broke somewhere along the line, and he didn’t receive a penny in compensation. So, if I try to bring it carry-on, is there any chance that the heightened security level (orange, or whatever) will force me to check it instead? I mean, isn’t a guitar more of a weapon than a sewing needle?
Also, I’m a bit concerned that if there isn’t space in the overhead bins (perhaps I get in too late), they may make me check the guitar (recall the announcements that say if your luggage can’t fit in the overhead bin, they’ll check it for you). I haven’t had a problem with this in the past (they once let me store it in the wardrobe closet), but I haven’t traveled with my guitar in a while, and things may have changed. If it helps, I’m going to be traveling on America West, who said I should be fine, but I’m a bit wary of anything they say. After all, an airline told my friend his guitar should be fine before handing it back to him broken…
If you’re interested in air travel, maybe you should pack your air guitar. They’re usually pretty nice about allowing you to take an air guitar as carry-on item. In fact, some airlines don’t even count an air guitar against the 2-item carry-on limit!
When I’ve travelled with my guitar by plane, I’ve aksed before hand if the plane I’m going on has a large object storage compartment on it. Some planes do. What this means is you carry it on, but rather than store it overhead, they store it in a large closet near the front or back of the plane for you. You have no access to it during the flight, but it’s strapped in very good, and when you get off the plane they either hand it to you or put it in the tunnel between the plane and the terminal (I don’t like that method because someone could just steal it). Maybe that’s the wardrobe closet you referred to, I don’t know. But at any rate, that’s a lot safer than checking it because you know how nicely they treat the luggage on planes…when it actually gets on the plane…
Eh, I don’t know how much help this will be for you…but my dad has a “travel guitar” (acoustic) that’s small enough to fit into an overheard compartment…it’s not the greatest guitar in the world, but it’s nowhere near the worst, either…
Specialist musical instrument insurance isn’t expensive, because they know you’re going to take damn good care of the thing. If it’s a long-haul flight then the plane is likely to have plenty of storage space - if it doesn’t fit overhead, you can always ask the flight attendants if they can find somewhere for it.
Checking in can be a problem - I’ve never had my violin questioned, and that’s even with cheap-and-nasty airlines like Ryanair. But I always sling it over my back, so they’re barely aware I have it with me, and certainly don’t see the size of it.
I would recommend getting an ATA-approved flight case and checking it as baggage. They’re a bit pricey, but well worth it. Here are a couple of examples.