Joel Cage, Meredith, New Hampshire

How do you pack your guitar: I purchased a special road case twice as thick as an ordinary road case. It's large, and heavy, but would protect the guitar from anything but theft. Expensive, but worth it for the avoidance of worry. Thus, I can check it at the baggage counter, or even curbside.

Flying Tips: Get to the airport early. Fly out of smaller cities if you have the opportunity. Offer the ticket counter or baggage check-in people the opportunity to inspect it before checking (they usually decline, but it's a gesture of good faith and compliance that helps breed trust).

T. C. Smythe, Smythe And Taylor, Houston, Texas

How do you pack your guitar: I custom designed an ATA-certified flight case that was manufactured by Hafer Case In Richmond, Texas.

Safe flying techniques: Loosen strings!!

Flying Tips: If you have time for the argument, bring your guitar to the airport in a gig bag. I've never seen an airline insist that a guitar in a gig bag be checked. Just make sure you have a flight case in the trunk of your car, and enough time to go get it, in case they dig their heels in.

Sherreece, Gretna, Louisiana

How do you pack your guitar: I generally like to use a gig-bag so I can carry on the guitar to store in the overhead compartment.

Flying Tips: If I'm going for several days and need to take two guitars, I have an ATA approved flight case that holds both. The airlines allow you to check just 2 pieces of luggage, so this way I can get away with the guitars counting as just 1 item and I can still check my suitcase.

Holly Miller, Half Looking, Lansing, Michigan

How do you pack your guitar: Hardshell case, wind down the strings, and duct tape the latches!

Flying Tips: Make sure you know whether or not your guitar is considered oversize baggage - that way you'll know where to find it before someone else does!

Francis Chilcoat, Blue Inc., Augusta, West Virginia

How do you pack your guitar: I put my guitar in its case and I use my underwear and tee shirts as packing. The goal is to keep the guitar from lurching in any direction in the case. Test it by placing the guitar case headstock downward and giving it a shake or two then I open it up to see if any thing has loosened. Add more Jockies as needed. This all goes into a large box - I use blue jeans and shirts to act as packing for this (also news paper or bubble wrap is fine instead of laundry, but I am a utilitarian type). Tape the box shut and carry it to the airport and hope it doesn't get caught in the conveyer system or is crushed to death by the belly loader.

Safe flying techniques: I like to use the guitar backpack. It is a soft zippered case that you can carry on your back or by the handle. You want this to be as trim looking as possible so I don't pack it with the usual stuff. It is good for your tickets and magazines. Wear it on your your back when you go to board and don't give the impression that is worth squat or some high steppin' ticket guy will demand that you put it in baggage. Baggage is certain death for your guitar at this point, even if they hand carry it. You might as well open the door at thirty thousand feet and throw it out.

Flying Tips: If you can pre-ship your instrument to someone and not fly with it, that's as smooth as it gets. A Calzone or Anvil ATA case will give you peace of mind. I have a tip for the Airlines, provide a guaranteed space for guitars on your crummy airplanes like you used to do for art. A guitar will claim about 10 inches of space in the forward or rear areas. Give a crap.

Thomas Gibson, Special Blendz, Norristown, Pennsylvania

How do you pack your guitar: I used to always bring my guitar on the plane with me, but now, since 9/11, if I have to put it in baggage, I use my hard case and sometimes cover it with bubble wrap.

Safe flying techniques: I always loosen the strings before flying and put in an apple to help the wood. I also talk to the baggage handlers about my experiences playing with major bands and they usually take good care of the guitar for me! Hey, it's worked so far and I have been flying since 1983!

Flying Tips: Call and talk to the airline ahead of time. Sometimes they will put it in the coat closet for you.

Boobie Browne, Boobie Browne and the Onions, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

How do you pack your guitar: I stuff my guitar case with socks and underwear. This serves three purposes: it gives your guitar extra padding, leaves you with less to put in your suitcase, and maybe gets a smile out of the people at customs when they open the case (every little bit helps there!).

Safe flying techniques: Loosening the strings until slack will prevent the guitar's headstock (and your heart) from breaking. And tie a bungee cord around the case so your guitar doesn't fall to the floor if the latches come undone.

Flying Tips: At the baggage claim, your guitar may be in a special baggage section rather than on the carousel, so have an eye out for that.

Michael Quoma, Heterodox American Spellers, New York, New York

How do you pack your guitar: A softshell case or gigbag is small enough that I've been able to talk my way into bringing it aboard every time so far! Ask politely. There's usually room behind the last seat in the plane. Fly off-peak or midweek, etc.

Flying Tips: In these times of increased security, be prepared to explain and/or surrender your string snippers and other tools.

Amber Brooke Band, Suwanee, Georgia

Safe flying techniques: I always take my guitar on the plane and put in in the coat rack as you first enter the plane.

Flying Tips: Try to be one of the first to board the plane to make sure there is room for your guitar. If approached, let the flight attendants know how important the guitar is and how it cannot be damaged. It helps if you fly First Class!!

Barry, The BMC Band, Virginia, Co. Cavan, Ireland

How do you pack your guitar: I pack it in a soft shoulder bag, so not in its original hardcase. In this way it appears smaller and so you draw less attention to it - plus you can argue that if they now ask you to put it in the hold it will be destroyed. I know - if they do make you do that you're in big trouble.

Safe flying techniques: Don't forget to tune the strings down a little to handle the cabin pressure.

Flying Tips: Get there early, get one of the first boarding cards and get down to the departure gate early. You have a much better chance of not being stopped if all the overhead lockers are still practically empty. If you are questioned, be polite, but quietly insistent that you have to bring it on board. Think positive - you'll draw the right people to you that way.

Christopher Soucy, Starlight Express (hit musical national tour), Sally Taylor Band (daughter of James Taylor and Carly Simon), Boulder, Colorado

How do you pack your guitar: If I have to fly with it at all, ONLY an ATA flight case will do. I'm a full-time professional and I cannot afford to take any chances with my instrument.

Safe flying techniques: Whenever possible CARRY IT ONBOARD. The airlines don't want to let you do this, but sometimes if the flight is not packed, you can beg and plead and the gate attendant will let you put your guitar in the clothing closet up front by the door. Many large planes actually have overheads big enough to fit a guitar case.

Flying Tips: If at all possible, don't fly with your instrument: ship it UPS. The airlines don't want to let you carry it on, and they don't insure it or guarantee its delivery in good shape either. Ship it UPS - it's not that expensive, usually about $30. Pack it well, but don't seal it. INSIST that the UPS customer counter representative inspect it, seal it and put his or her initials on the shipping form. Insure it for every penny of its value. If it's damaged, you have the UPS representative's initials and proof that they inspected and approved your packaging. It will make it easier to file a claim if you have to. BEWARE FEDEX! When you claim a package's extra value with FedEx, you ARE NOT buying insurance. In fact, FedEx does not offer insurance, and the "declared value" you pay extra for is a total scam. Use UPS only, insure your guitar or amp, and insist that it is inspected when you ship it.

Michael Preston, SHAGG, New York, New York

How do you pack your guitar: Pack it as if you're going to ship it -- loosen the strings, fill all the empty compartments in the case with filler (newspaper, bubblewrap, etc.), and don't forget to include all your contact info inside the case, so you can be contacted if you get separated from the guitar and the external tag has been lost.

Safe flying techniques: If it must be checked, check it at the gate so it doesn't get thrown around with all the other baggage!

Flying Tips: Pray to your higher power to protect your guitar and try not to think about it in the airplane's hold!

Al Ortiz, Naos Project, San Antonio, Texas

How do you pack your guitar: Metal case with tape around all the latches and hinges.

Safe flying techniques: Loading it myself and picking up myself whenever possible.

Flying Tips: It's yours, you keep it safe.

Brandon Fielding, Leah Stargazing, Warwick, Rhode Island

How do you pack your guitar: I pack it in a hard shell case with a lockable buckle.

Safe flying techniques: I usually just check it with my baggage, but I make sure that the buckle is locked, and I might put some duct tape over the non-locked buckles to keep them from popping open and catching on any other baggage.

Flying Tips: Make sure that it's packed up and ready to go BEFORE you get to the airport.

Paul Kaspian, Santa Cruz, California

How do you pack your guitar: After looking at numerous different hardshell cases on the market I finally settled on the SKB-18 acoustic guitar case. This case has been around for quite awhile and has become somewhat of the defacto standard for hard shell cases. The case is pretty durable but to give it a bit of a hand I like to:

I find just doing these two things makes the case fit better and gives you some extra protection in keys areas of the guitar.

If you want to go through the trouble, try packing your hard shell in a cardboard box. This can absorb some shock, make the case harder to throw, and also keeps your latches protected.

Safe flying techniques: First off, no airline, airport, or airline employee is the same. After having horrible experiences trying to carry my gig bag on the plane, I finally bought a hardshell case for my guitar. I looked at everything there was. Anvil cases are too heavy, Calton cases are very expensive, and that left standard SKB and Gator cases. I finally purchased a SKB. The first trip I went on, I carried the guitar on board the plane both ways! Go figure. I find the best thing to do is buy a hardshell you feel confident in (SKB-18 or Gator ATA flight case, if you have some money to spend check out Calton cases). Always try to carry your guitar on the plane. If they harass you at the front desk, tell them you would like to gate check the guitar. When you get to the gate, tell them the front desk said you could "gate check" your guitar. They will usually tell you, "Someone will help you at boarding". This means either you'll just carry your guitar on board, or you might have to gate check it. The advantage of gate checking is that your guitar escapes the many perils awaiting it in the automatic baggage handling system. The bad news is that the airlines have told me it is uninsured when gate checked. I seriously doubt the airlines would pay up if your guitar was damaged by regular checking anyway.

Flying Tips: Get a good hard shell case and try to carry on the guitar as much as possible. Invest in a Calton Case if you have the money to spend.

Congi, Blind Ambition, Plano, Texas

Safe flying techniques: Put all your information on it, and make sure you keep the serial number just in case it's stolen. Put it in the hard case and it should be held in there pretty good!

Will Scott, New York, New York

How do you pack your guitar: I pack my guitar the same as for any other gig, in a nice Fender tweed gig bag. I carry it on with me and never check it.

Safe flying techniques: I carry my guitar on the plane with me, then wait for most people to be seated and for their luggage to be stowed, then slide my guitar on top of their bags, to make certain that it doesn't get crushed. In one instance, I was unable to find space in the carryon compartments and asked a flight attendant to help me find a place for it. She put it in the first-class closet with no fuss. The one time that the flight attendants tried to get me to check my guitar, I demanded that it was "my living, just like a businessman's laptop" and they allowed me to continue onto the plane with it.

Flying Tips: Dress for flying. It doesn't seem like it would make too much difference, but it does in my experience. I used to fly regularly for my day job and found that when I would wear a suit or business clothes, I got better service than when I wore jeans and a sweatshirt. People don't tend to take you as seriously when you are demanding a refund/seat change/alternate flight/whatever when you have "Whatsamatta U" on the front of your shirt. Flying as a musician, I try to wear nice looking, fashionable or interesting clothes and sunglasses. The sunglasses are dorky, but people take you more seriously as a musician if you really look like what they think of as a musician. Then, they want to know you and help you. Then, you have some fabricated clout when you tell the flight attendant: "No you may not check my guitar!"

John Taglieri, East Rutherford, New Jersey

How do you pack your guitar: I generally travel with my Ovation Acoustics. They go into their hard shell flight cases, the locks are locked, and the cases are shrink-wrapped or taped over the latches to ensure that the case can not open while the guitar is being handled or in transit. This works perfectly!

Jeff Marks, JD Strum, Monroeville, Pennsylvania

How do you pack your guitar: I've checked guitars through baggage and carried them on the plane. If I check it, it will of course be in a hardshell case, with a towel or extra padding wrapped around the guitar, if there is room. One or two bungee chords around the case may help in case it comes open. This is good because you can't lock your luggage anymore, due to security. If I'm carrying my guitar on the plane, it's in a gig bag and again the guitar is wrapped in a towel or some kind of extra padding before I put it in the case.

Safe flying techniques: I try to get on the plane early, and get my guitar in the overhead compartment first thing. For an electric guitar it's usually easier than an acoustic. My acoustic doesn't have a thick body, so it works out well that way.

Flying Tips: Call the airline and ask about any requirements or restrictions. I recently took a trip to London and took my acoustic with me to perform there. I called the airline in advance and double checked with the agent when I checked in. If the flight is relatively empty they may let you put the guitar in the seat next to you, if it fits, which is what I was told. I haven't flown all that much, but I've never had any problems taking my guitar either as checked baggage or as a carry on. If you're able to get the guitar in the overhead bin early and position it so it's sort of on end as though you were playing it, all the other stuff in the compartment doesn't seem to affect it. That is my experience at least.

Shre, Optic Lock, Providence, Rhode Island

How do you pack your guitar: Bubble wrap

Safe flying techniques: Do not check it through baggage!!

Flying Tips: Play while you fly!

Rebecca Sullivan, Ember, Salt Lake City, Utah

How do you pack your guitar: I take it in its soft case, on board the plane with me.

Safe flying techniques: Don't fly on Easyjet! They don't allow any musical instruments on board, except a cello if you buy an extra seat.

Flying Tips: Don't take any other large carry-ons on board with you.

Adam Hollander, Counterpart, Boston, Massachusetts

How do you pack your guitar: I take bubble wrap and put it around the neck and body of the guitar. Then I put it into a softshell case and place that inside a hardshell that also has bubble wrap around it. I have done this numerous times and have never had a problem.

Safe flying techniques: Use the bigger bubble wrap, not the tiny ones - it works better for this type of packing.

Flying Tips: Try and take it on the flight with you, some airlines will let you put it in the closet upfront where the coats go.

Ripley Caine, Chicago, Illinois

How do you pack your guitar: Loosen all the strings. Pad it with socks and other clothing to keep it well padded.

Safe flying techniques: Demand that the guitar be brought on the plane with you!

Flying Tips: Be calm and assertive.

Dana Detrick-Clark, Serious Vanity Music, Kansas City

How do you pack your guitar: I pack it in an SKB flight/keyboard case.

Safe flying techniques: Don't check it if you can avoid it!

Flying Tips: Prepare for the worst.

Sandy Andina, Chicago, Illinois, USA

How do you pack your guitar: I used to put it in gig bag, with all accessories except wire cutters (which go in checked baggage). Now I use a 5-ply archtop wooden case, padded with socks and underwear, and I loosen the strings two steps. All loose accessories are secured in the accessory compartment. I pack my smaller dulcimer in a larger soft gigbag which holds my purse and emergency items -- that and either the laptop or guitar constitute my "personal" item plus carry on.

Safe flying techniques: Pack as if it'll have to be checked; loosen strings only 2 steps, and have nothing harder than cloth loose inside the case. If they are adamant about making me check it, I ask that it be taped shut to avoid latch failures. If I ask about gate checking, they usually wave me aboard with it.

Flying Tips: Expect to have to surrender it, but be nice, especially to the skycap at curbside check-in -- they talk to their colleagues on the tarmac. Be cooperative. For SW Airlines, get there EARLY to be in the first boarding group and be first in line at boarding time so you get your pick of the overheads. Never grouse about having to pay for gate-checking -- and watch them load it from the jetway window before you enter the plane. Find out before you leave what aircraft it'll be --777s are huge but have short overhead bins, as do Fokkers; 737s are a crapshoot; 727s usually have long enough bins; puddle-jumpers have NO bins but you personally hand your guitar to the tarmac attendant at the baggage compartment.

How do you pack your guitar: I have a hard shell case. I take it in that and pack my clothes in my soft case for lighter travel after I arrive at my destination.

Safe flying techniques: I BEG them to let me carry it on. If so, then I check my soft case. If not, the hard shell is gate checked and I loosen the strings a touch, lock it up, and get knots in my stomach for the duration of the flight...

Flying Tips: Drink heavily! No, just PUSH for carrying it on, or at very least, gate check it and push for it going ON the plane, not in luggage area.

How do you pack your guitar: I use a soft-sided case, leave the strings in standard tuning, and pack any extra space with paper and/or clothes.

Safe flying techniques: I never loosen my strings when I'm flying. Everyone has an opinion about this - but when manufacturers ship guitars to stores they do so with the strings in standard tuning. This leaves the proper amount of pressure on the neck of the guitar so it can protect itself from bumps and knocks in travel. www.larrivee.com has good tips, too!

Flying Tips: I have taken guitars on lots of flights and I've never had a problem carrying it on as long as it's in a soft case. I have been forced to check my guitar several times when it was in its hard case, and the airline would not accept my guitar for checking until I signed a waiver releasing them of liability for damages. Needless to say, this really irritated me. I then watched in horror as my guitar was thrown from the baggage cart into the plane and then thrown down a luggage conveyor ramp directly in front of several HEAVY sets of golf clubs in giant, hard, shockingly speedy cases, all of which went crashing into my poor Taylor at the bottom of the ramp. ALWAYS insure your instruments. It's really very cheap and you don't have to worry so much about damage, loss, theft, etc. I also carry CDs with me to give to anyone who wants to take my guitar away from me at the gate. They don't know me from Adam - but an autographed CD seems to instantly transform me into a superstar in their eyes - and suddenly they want me to keep my guitar in case I get the urge to write a song about their kindness and generosity while in flight.

Morrigan, m o r r i g a n, Alexandria, Virginia

How do you pack your guitar: I use a TKL hardcase. It has a lock, but I don't lock it any more because I know they have to open it up to inspect it. The guitar is wedged into place inside the case with towels. There is absolutely nothing else in the case, no strings, capo, picks, lyrics sheets, wire cutters, string winders, nothing. All that stuff is packed elsewhere.

Safe flying techniques: I leave the expensive one at home.

Flying Tips: I'd be willing to pay an "instrument fee" of $25 or so in order to be permitted to carry on my guitar in a soft case. I have no problem with it being opened and inspected by TSA on my way through security.

Che Zuro, South Pasadena, California

How do you pack your guitar: De-tuned and either: In a soft case with clothing stuffed to fill up the space in between the guitar and the case to cushion the guitar if I am carrying it on. OR in a huge flight case that's virtually impossible to carry along with other things if the airline that I am flying on insists that I MUST check it.

Safe flying techniques: Being as nice as pie to everyone, although that sometimes pisses people off and you end up paying for it (nice to airline person in LA, no extra $$$ to check in my oversized flight case vs. nice to airline person in Omaha, and she charged me $40 to check my flight case which was a mere 3" over the limit, TOTAL... when I told her that I wasn't charged en route from LA, she said she should charge me $80. I shut up and paid). Make sure you call the airlines for their overhead specs; as I DID get on a plane whose overhead length was a mere 36", WAY too short for a guitar

James Apollo, San Francisco, California

How do you pack your guitar: Insert guitar into case. Insert case into super-tough 'road case'. Write "Property of Hulk Hogan" on the outside of road case. Fly contented.

Safe flying techniques: Think, "Do I really need the 52 Gretsch?" Why not take something replaceable? It'll probably be stolen anyway.

Flying Tips: As a former baggage handler, I can say this: Never look while they're loading the bags. There are some things you were never meant to see.

Elaine Stef, LOUD, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

How do you pack your guitar: Strings loosened until slack. Clothes packed around the guitar so it doesn't move around in the case. I can't afford a flight case, so I use a hardshell case, and then surround the case with high-density styrofoam and tape it up. Sort of an inside out flight case.

Safe flying techniques: The main one is asking for special handling at the airport check in. Someone comes up with a trolley and takes fragile things down to baggage in an elevator as opposed to putting them on the conveyor belt. I make a point of waiting for the person who does the special handling and saying hi and having a bit of a conversation. Sort of personalizes the instruments so that they might take more care with them. Since I travel a lot in Canada, I also have "this side up" "this side down", and fragile stickers visible in both French and English.

Stu Shulman, Cowboy Surfer, Ventura, California

How do you pack your guitar: I always pack my guitar in a locked hard shell case with small pillows placed inside. No strings attached.

Safe flying techniques: Take the strings off as the pressures encountered in flight may adversely affect them. Take good care of your wood.

Mike Campbell, Anchorage, Alaska

How do you pack your guitar: I use a Calton case that was custom made for my guitar, a Martin J-40.

Flying Tips: In the enormous expanse of Alaska, I fly on everything from large commercial jets to single engine float planes. The Calton case takes good care of my Martin no matter what the conditions. I simply check the guitar along with my other luggage and never worry about it. In the past decade of travel, I have never had a problem with getting my guitar to my destinations on time and in good condition.

Scott Mackin, Morristown, New Jersey

Safe flying techniques: Be one of the first in line to get on the plane! I am not shy about getting to the front of the line and using a frequent flier card to get on board before all the overhead compartments are full. If you are too late, you have an albatross on your hands.

Flying Tips: The only other thing I would say is don't be shy that you have a guitar on board. It becomes a good conversation piece. Indeed, one time Dustin Hoffman insisted that I go before him in line at immigration at Charles de Gaulle airport because I was a "musician."

Ann Pence, Anchorage, Alaska

Safe flying techniques: Always try to take guitar ON THE PLANE. Airline employees will discourage you, but be persistent. They will tell you the guitar doesn't fit in the overhead bins, but most guitars will fit.

Flying Tips: Try to get seats in rear of plane; if you get on first, you don't have to search for bin space.

Wil Van Winkle, Raindance, Tashkent, Uzbekistan soon Berlin, Germany

How do you pack your guitar: Loosen the strings, put it in the case, and pray. Call ahead to the airline & find out if the flight is booked full a few hours ahead of boarding, especially on over seas flights. If the flight isn't full most airlines like Lufthansa, Air France, and Turkish Air will allow you to bring it on board.

Flying Tips: I find that looking sad & pathetic generally helps. Electrics in gig bags rather than hard cases are usually acceptable on board luggage, just don't take anything else. Acoustics, regardless of what they are packed in, are always treated with reluctance unless the flight isn't full. Put a Fragile sticker on the hard case (SKB is the best bet).

Matthew Rankin, Han Shot First, New York, New York

How do you pack your guitar: I take the strings off, and wrap the neck in a soft cloth. I use either a cloth diaper (clean!), or a pillow case. I make sure to lock my guitar case, with those plastic ties, of course, so security can get in and make sure I'm not a terrorist.

Safe flying techniques: If an Exit Row seat is available, I carry my guitar in a soft case, and stow it in the empty space next to the seat. If not, I store it in a hard case, locked with a plastic tie (so security can inspect it for explosives), and check it at the ticketing counter. If possible, my guitar is de-strung. If it does have strings on it, they are wound VERY loosely. Altitude changes can and HAVE snapped necks.

Nick E., Broadcaster

How do you pack your guitar: Hardshell keyboard case on the outside, hardshell case inside of that with, of course, your guitar inside.

Safe flying techniques: Keep it as a carry on, shit gets lost. I lost one of my favorite guitars by not carrying it on with me.

Flying Tips: Loosen your strings before takeoff. The pressure of flying snaps the strings right off. Or even worse, it can tighten up a lot and your neck can become slightly bent.