Conference napalm::guitar

    An seconhand stratocaster would be about $400 with the case.
    
    In a 747, I do not think you would have any problems to take it
    with you, but if they do not let you, I have taken my guitar as
    part of my luggage and I have not had any problem. Yes the case
    is a good hardshell case.
    

    I've never had any problems sending my guitar as checked in luggage
    (done this about 20 times so far).
    
    However, at times I have wanted to carry it on with me (so as to make
    a quick exit from the airport by not having to wait for my baggage
    at the baggage claim).
    
    To do this, I leave the hard shell case at home and carry it in a gig
    bag.   Some guitars will (just) fit in the overhead luggage shelf and
    if it fits there, they will not give you any problems about it.
    
    In fact, I recently attended a clinic given by Steve Morse and
    discovered that the rationale behind the unusual headstock design
    on the "Steve Morse Guitar" (4 pegs on one side, two on the other) 
    is to shorten the overall length of the instrument so that it would 
    fit in nearly all airplane overhead compartments.
    
    So from now on I may take the Morse guitar instead of my other guitar
    (A Carvin).
    
    	db

    Just one caution about sending your guitar on the plane. I once checked
    my Martin as special baggage, packed up nice and secure in it's
    hardshell case. No problem at all in transit from Boston to San
    Francisco. But when I went down to the carousel to pick it up it didn't
    appear with the other luggage. I went to the baggage office to ask
    about it, and they sent me off to a place where the special baggage was
    deposited. There is was, sitting on a rack right out in the open with
    it's nice little "Martin" elblem on the case where anyone in the
    airport could have walked by and picked it up! Fortunately, I got to it
    before anyone else did! 
    
    I don't remember what the name of the airline was, but it's just
    a caution about leaving your guitar in someone else's hands. Make
    sure you find out how it will be handled and what kind of security
    arrangements the airline and the destination airport have. In some
    places they don't check whether you actually have a claim check
    to pick up the luggage.
    
    By the way, after this happened I removed the Martin emblem from
    the outside of the case. I decided somebody would be less likely
    to risk getting caught stealing if they didn't know whether the
    guitar inside was a $50 Harmony or a $1500 Martin.

    - Ram

    re: .3 Yeah that happened to me this year with some fly fishing
    equipment. I arrived in Scotland and my rod bag never came down
    the conveyor...turned out it had been special handled without my
    knowledge and was sitting on a special rack accross the terminal.
    Fortunately it was being watched.
    
    Actually that's a nice service when handled properly.
    
    dbII

    A couple years ago I drove out to LA with a friend. He had brought
    a beat-up acoustic guitar with him because, since we were flying
    back, he didn't want to risk one of his more expensive axes.
    
    He also didn't bring a case of any sort.
    
    At LAX, we wrapped the guitar in a blanket secured with masking
    tape and sent it through the normal baggage channels. It arrived
    in Boston *sans blanket*, in just as good condition as it left
    LA...
    
    Everyone's getting upset over nothing. The airlines *baby* these
    things...
    
    Edd (Now,_who_wants_to_buy_some_land____sight_unseen?)

    A few years back I flew a "milk run" bargain flight from Oakland
    to Boston, and though I was allowed to hand carry my Les Paul at
    Oakland, one of the cities we stopped in required that I check it
    as baggage before boarding, and made me sign a "we're not responsible
    for this baggage" type of waiver...talk about nervous...We arrived,
    it arrived, and when I opened it, the plastic on the pickup selector
    switch had been broken into a million little pieces, (which made
    me wonder what on earth had happened to the guitar to cause such
    damage!!) No problem, guitar is ok, but I'll never trust the airlines
    with my guitars again.

    I flew back from Manchester (the original one!) to London arriving
    late at night complete with new acoustic in hard wooden case. The
    airline treated it very well. It was in mint condition when I picked
    it up at Heathrow. Tired and hungry I sought out my car in a pitch
    black car park. I opened the boot, piled luggage etc into it, jumped
    into car, started it and proceeded to reverse over my guitar!
    
    The case was finished but it saved the instrument!
    
    Richard
    Basingstoke, UK

    Speaking of Strats.....(one of *my* favorite topics....)
    
        I played a new Fender "Squire" Stratocater (standard) today
    and it felt good and sounded good too! All black with a white
    pickguard and a rosewood neck. My opinion? A GREAT guitar for the
    money! If I didn't already have a Strat, I'd think about this one
    rather seriously!
    
    The price?    $255.00  w/case!   :^) 
    The place?    The Music Workshop in Salem, N.H.        
                                          
    
    Fred