Steel on the airlines

Steve Huddleston · From: Arizona, USA

Whatâ€™s your experience with taking your steel on the airlines? How do you get to those far away gigs?

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Well here goes.I'm getting ready to fly from Albany New Yawk to Anchorage Alaska at the end of March for a guitar gig,and a few steel guitar gigs with some teaching in between.I'm borrowing a 6string and amp in Anchorage for my guitar gig and bringing my pedal steel guitar,I will borrow a steel guitar amp from a friend.Years ago when I lived in Anchorage I was flown down to Big Bend Texas to play for a wedding,on the way back home I went to the TSA agent and tried to show her the best way to lift the steel guitar up without breaking anything to which she didn't want to hear any of it...got back to Anchorage and the pickup was hanging by the wire,somehow I talked Alaska airlines into buying me a new pickup.These days I included a nice letter to the TSA agent along with pictures of my guitar and the correct way to lift it up without breaking wires.I also include my cellphone number in case they need my help...just one more thing Thanks to Bryan Daste traveling from Portland to Anchorage they actually have a TSA guy who knows how to handle a steel guitar!
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

Steve Huddleston · From: Arizona, USA

Thanks, I assume you just checked the PSG? And was it in the case only or did you gussie up the packing?

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Most full-time touring musicians would use a heavy-duty road case and check it as baggage. In my case, not being a road-warrior, but flying my steel about 6x a year, I use a well padded and blocked SKB molded case (what Sierra used to sell as Wheel-EZ cases). It's the only way I can keep the weight under the 50 lb limit and not have to pay overweight baggage fees (though I do have to put the pedal rack and legs in another case to achieve that on my D10s). Then I just check it and pray. It's not rated as a "road case", but I've had very few problems over the years using it.

I do tape a picture of it fully assembled to the inside of the lid and a sign requesting gentle handling by TSA. Who knows whether they ever look at it, but it's the best I can do.
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Asa Brosius · Posted 24 Feb 2018 8:26 am

The SKB option seems solid. I've used those, with luggage straps just in case. I have a custom Alcorn case for an s10 Fessenden built to be exactly 50lbs that I fully trust. I've flown with an amp in one of Steve Hinson's Brand X cases maybe a dozen times- no problem. Saving $200 on overage fees per round trip must make a player more appealing to a manager, and 50 lbs feels much easier than 85lbs when you're running to a connecting flight.
It's helpful to remember: the many people who will handle your steel don't care about your special instructions and concerns- not because they're monsters, but because they deal with hundreds of special requests a day and have no control over the way your luggage is treated down the line.

Kyle Everson · From: Nashville, Tennessee

I normally fly with an SD-10, 5x5. In its fiber case (old Franklin case), it is 52 lbs. If I place my leg/rod bad in my suitcase, it's 44.5 lbs.

It really does depend on the airline and your flying frequency.

For instance, on Southwest (which I fly often), it's always accepted and well-handled. They often allow me to check the full case (52 lbs) for no extra charge. Granted, most of these instances include all the pelicans and guitar cases from my band mates.

On other airlines, I've been hit with an extra $150 oversized bag fee. YMMV, but that seemed normal for big airports. Different airlines have different protocol. Sometimes you get lucky.

Hope that helps. You should be ok flying your guitar; they really do take care of them for the most part.

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

Steve,They made me check it with the TSA agent oversized counter no special packing ,now I have one of those plastic cases with wheels,Chuck Back at Desert Rose guitars sent it.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

John Macy · From: Rockport TX/Denver CO

I fly my Fessenden SD10 all over the world in an SKB case with no problems. It used to weigh about 54 pounds, but after I changed to the newer lightweight legs, it dropped to about 48 pounds and have never had an over weight problem. I try and fly Southwest domestically and it goes for free...
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John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar

Jake L · From: Grapevine, Texas

I took my S-10 on the plane as a carry-on, and had no problems ever with putting it in the overhead compartment in it's normal factory case. I've flown my D-10 just a couple of times and had no issues except for extra fees. I kept it in it's Red Dirt flight rated case. Like others, I put a detailed instruction sheet in the case for TSA.

Steve Huddleston · From: Arizona, USA

Thanks, guys.. Good info

Leo Grassl · From: Madison TN

I second Asa with Steve Hinsons Brand X Cases. They have always worked great for
my PSGs and now for a Nashville 112 also. I love them!

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