[Dixielandjazz] Fwd: Fw: Have Guitar will Travel.docx

[Marek Boym]

Strangely enough, the day Donna published her experience (she carried
her guitar - hand made for her needs - to the States an to Europe
several times), my newpapaer carried a story of an American musician
who was not allowed to take his 1965 Gibson on board, even though he
was prepared to buy a ticket for it.  Eventually, it was smashed in
transfer; luckily, the paper reported, it was not irreversible.
Cheers

On 10 January 2013 03:56, Gary Lawrence Murphy <garym at teledyn.com> wrote:
> I agree it is great to have an instrument with you, I took my guitar and
> banjo both when backpacking across Europe in the 70's, but these days I have
> just seen too many photos and youtubes of mangled guitars posted on the
> internet, some by musicians I know, it scares me to death.
>
> I travel very little anymore, when I do it is by car or train, so perhaps
> I'm just getting spooked by ghosts in my old age.  Nonetheless, between
> customs people compounding instruments from those who can't produce the
> documents to excuse bringing them and baggage handlers who somehow find the
> shape of an acoustic instrument reminds them of lacrosse, I think if I were
> going anywhere to play, I'd make arrangements to borrow or rent once I got
> there.
>
> mind you, all that said, I know for a fact my bari has been pretty much
> around the world multiple times with the previous owner, and all I had to do
> was carry it across the parking lot to stupidly lose my grip and invoke $100
> in key-mechanism repairs!
>
> On Wed, Jan 9, 2013 at 5:05 PM, Marek Boym <marekboym at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Subject: Have Guitar will Travel.docx
>>
>> I'm going to post this on my site and on Facebook.  You're welcome to
>> pass it on to DJML.
>>
>> Have Guitar will Travel
>>
>> I was wary about air travel with my beloved Yaakov Hoter model ERG
>> Gypsy swing guitar after seeing various warnings about airlines and
>> about restrictions on bringing wooden products into the United States.
>>  Before flying with the guitar for the first time, I looked up airline
>> policy and U.S. customs regulations, both of which seemed okay.
>> Friends had contrary opinions, but I was convinced by one who travels
>> to the U.S. with a guitar and mandolin in gig bags, as hand luggage,
>> once or twice a year.  He said the air crews were always accommodating
>> and found a safe place for the instruments and that he had no problem
>> with customs.
>>
>> Now, with some very positive experience of my own flying to the United
>> States a few times, with and without stops in Europe, as well as
>> flying from Tel Aviv to Eilat, I can confirm the advice of my
>> much-travelled friend.  Ground crews and flight crews on various
>> airlines have been helpful.  They often put the guitar in its soft bag
>> in a closet, but sometimes in an overhead bin, when it was clear
>> nothing else would go in with it.
>>
>> The only reaction I got from customs officials was along the lines of
>> "Wow, you play the guitar."
>>
>> I, for one, will continue to consider my guitar to be a welcome travel
>> companion (I even practiced quietly while waiting for hours in
>> transit).
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>>
>> http://www.eset.com
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Have Blog, Will Travel: blog.teledyn.com
> A Serviceable Substitute: post.teledyn.com
> eso: EighthStreetOrchestra.posterous.com