You really gotta feel for this guy !

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/vi ... 34001.html

cheers!

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'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele

That's why God invented Anvil cases!



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Brings back horrible memories of when I finally got off a plane from Boston after a rather elongated journey and sat at Heathrow waiting for my '76 335 to come rolling around on the carousel.

The case looked like they had dragged it down the runway a few times then entered it in a 'Kick the baggage' contest, complete with one of the latches completely ripped out, causing the case to gape ominously as it came into view. Thankfully, the guitar was absolutely fine, but I've been stupidly picky about cases ever since.

Actually, considering the amount of times I've flown with guitars over the years, that's the only event of note aside from the Hiscox case one of my old Taylors was in acquiring a rather deep dent, so I can't be too harsh on them.

This is not the first time touring musicians have clashed with baggage handlers.

In 2009, Dave Carroll, a Canadian singer-songwriter, turned his experience with United Airlines into a music video ("United Breaks Guitars") that went viral and landed him a book deal.

Schneider, though, says he isn't looking for that kind of fame.

"I'm not a greedy dude," he said. "I'm just looking for $1,980."


It's not greed, you wienie, it's JUSTICE!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

And I still really love this song!

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

sorry, I don't feel for this guy at all - he's an idiot to the nth degree.

Flying with a $10,000 Gibson in its original case? Seriously?

Either man up and buy a real ATA tour grade case (at $750, still a fraction of the value) or buy a cheap 335 for fly dates and leave the real one at home.

There should be no pity for unthinking people like this.

_________________

'59? Bogen Challenger CHA-33, '65 Bandmaster, '65 Tremolux, 65 Showman;
'74 SF Princeton; '77 SF Princeton Reverb; Dr. Z Mini Z

Our band: http://www.facebook.com/thetoysband

Putting a valuable vintage guitar in a flimsy equally vintage case is just as foolhardy and reckless as taking the Mona Lisa out into a raging downpour in a paper bag.Some people don't deserve to own such incredible instruments and shouldn't be allowed to purchase anything more valuable than a Walmart Special.The airlines and ground crews are incredibly notorious for obviously purposely setting out to damage or destroy musical instruments-it's a game to them and will be as long as the destructive idiots know that there no consequences for their actions no matter how diliberate.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

"Schneider says he even showed them a link to a story about Congress passing the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 that made it easier for musicians to fly with their instruments—allowing them to purchase an extra seat on the plane for their fragile instruments.
But he was denied."

If he was willing to pay for an extra seat and was still denied, let the person that denied him pay for it.

_________________
My ability to spell is in direct proportion to the amount of coffee I've had.

No insurance?

I have to agree.

But the airline HAS to fund him his damage.

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AVRI 62 J Bass, AVRI 62 P Bass, USA Std. FSR Hand stained P Bass, USA Std. J Bass, F Cabronita P Bass, Squire P Bass special fretless, Squire HSS Strat.

But do they? I'll bet there's a whole bunch of conditions of carriage and stuff that determine that...

I bet if that had been Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, or Jack White flying into Detroit they wouldn't have treated it the same way. It wasn't the guy's first rodeo. He did try to carry on, but I would have invested a few dollars in a flight case... just in case....

I think it all depends on how you approach them too.

I had a lightweight hard-sided, Titanium-framed samsonite bag (spent some $$ on it) and flew into New Orleans. The bag was 5-6 yrs. old at this point and bore the scars of previous wear & tear.

When the carousel started, my bag came out with my clothes piled on top of it and was TOTALLY mangled. When I say TOTALLY mangled, think of it as being an obstacle in a Monster Truck course. There was NO WAY that this wasn't deliberate damage by the baggage handlers... it would have taken me a full 10 min. of intentional driving back & forth over it with the Tarmac Tractor to make it look like that.

My wife, who travels 50% of the time, and who has to replace her luggage every two years, told me to just shrug it off, that that's the way it is... I travel quite a bit and realize how rough baggage handlers can be, but I NEVER saw anything like this.

Undaunted, I read my ticket which stated that the Airline is not responsible for 'Normal' wear & tear and then went to the Airline Baggage Ofc. situated just to the side of the Baggage Area.

Fortunately for me (and perhaps to shield Airline Employees from irate travellers), the ofc. had a chest-high counter. The Airline Rep. came out and I began to tell him my problem. He cut me off spouting the Airline Policy for 'Normal' wear & Tear...

I thanked him for his concern and calmly said that ANY reasonable person with an I.Q. North of 30 would consider this to be far in excess of 'Normal' wear & tear and swung the bag up onto the counter.

The Attendent must have bit through his lip trying not to laugh out loud at the sight of my bag, I mean there was practically a tear rolling down his cheek and his face became all flush. He said he would look into it and took our contact info. I repacked the bag and had to use 3 of my belts, fastened together, to keep the bag closed for the ride into the Quarter and our hotel.

We checked-in and left immediately to get some lunch and a stiff drink upset at the fact that I'd have to forego at least one nice dinner in order to pay for replacing the bag.

Anyway, we returned to our Hotel about 2 hours later and when we opened the door to our room, there standing in the middle of the room, was a brand new identical Samsonite bag (still in the box) and a letter of apology from Delta along w/ a 25k mile award certificate and 4 in-flight drink tickets. The most interesting thing was, Samsonite had discontinued that bag 2 years before.

So at least from my experience, you really do catch more flys with Honey than with Vinegar.

But, if it were an instrument of great or sentimental value, I would never put it in the hands of an Airlines. Not as easy to replace as a suitcase

cheers!

_________________


'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele

Yes an anvil case would have fared better, but renting one once you got there is also an option these days. Yes your own instrument is more familiar and comfortable, however air travel is murder on guitars including the wood, the electronics, setup etc. Even if the case isn't damaged at all the guitar goes through things it should not have to endure including pressure changes, heat/cold extremes, depressurization and all sorts of other things none of which are good.

I also question the wisdom of gigging with a $10K instrument in the first place. Recording yes, gigging no.

Anyone touring with instruments that nice should be AFM members and AFM members have instrument insurance as part of their union dues, but I'm not sure if AFM instrument insurance covers maniacal baggage handlers. Theft yes, fire yes, gorillas yes, but I think the AFM insurance claims adjuster would want to hold the airline responsible for this.

The insurance companies will hold the airlines responsible but it is the insurance companies responsibility to go after the airlines. That's what insurance is for.

Just like if you're in an auto accident. If you have full coverage you report it to you insurance company and they should handle everything.

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In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.

If it had been any of those pro musicians,

a)they wouldn't have tried carrying on a $10,000 vintage guitar in its original case

b)they have flight cases that usually either are checked or go in the trucks so they don't have to carry a $10,000 vintage guitar on a plane

c)they don't tour with vintage guitars - they call up the Custom Shop and get good playing guitars and leave the good stuff at home.

Agree on investing in a flight case. Just because he never had to check it before shouldn't be an excuse. I know he tried to buy a seat for the guitar, but again, no way of knowing if the flight will be oversold. Had he bought tickets for the guitar for the whole trip ahead of time, different story. He did none of these things and for that he's an idiot.

_________________

'59? Bogen Challenger CHA-33, '65 Bandmaster, '65 Tremolux, 65 Showman;
'74 SF Princeton; '77 SF Princeton Reverb; Dr. Z Mini Z

Our band: http://www.facebook.com/thetoysband