How To Travel With A Guitar? A Complete Guide In 2023

how to travel with a guitar

Traveling with luggage is the norm. That is a necessity. Traveling with a musical instrument, however, is not, unless you are a musician. In any case, many people who own such instruments are often unaware of any precautions they need to take. And the guitar is no different. So today, we have brought you a complete guide on how to travel with a guitar.

How To Travel With A Guitar?

Follow these simple but effective tips to ensure the safety of your guitar while traveling.

Get A Travel Guitar For Starters:

Well, why not? Travel guitars are made with specific requirements. They are lightweight, smaller in size, sturdy, and can take a lot more hits without getting damaged. They are the definition of portability. Moreover, they often come with the accessories that you might need on your travels. So keep your “main” guitar at home, and take your travel guitar on your journeys.

Invest In A Guitar Case:

Whether it’s a travel guitar or a normal one, having a case is a must. Even if you are not taking it anywhere, you still need to store it in a safe place, and there is nothing safer than the case. It not only protects the guitar from dust and physical damage, it also protects it from things like drying etc.

Or A Gig Bag:

In some cases, hard shell guitar cases often pale in comparison to soft, but padded gig bags. It is easier to carry and does not make the guitar as big as the hard shell case makes it out to be. If you are traveling by air, the flight crew will also be more sympathetic and careful with it.

Pack Your Accessories:

Yes, the guitar also needs a lot of accessories to be packed with, especially if you are going on a long journey. Even for a short trip, you still need to pack up extra strings, never mind the entire set of accessories.

Here is a list of things you should pack with your guitar.

  • Extra strings
  • Extra picks
  • Guitar cable
  • 9v Battery (optional)
  • Guitar tuner
  • Guitar maintenance tool (optional)

Bubble Wrap:

Bubble wrap, while alleviating your boredom, also provides the best protection for anything. All you need to do is to wrap it around your guitar before placing it in the case. Pad the base and sides with more layers, and then close the lid.

Don’t Leave It Unattended:

Guitars can fetch a pretty penny on the market, even the 2nd hand ones. Thus, it makes sense how someone can steal one. This is why you should never leave your guitar unattended or leave it with random strangers even for a short period of time.

Board Early When traveling Through Air:

You can always expect to find controlled chaos the closer it gets to the time of flight. In the rush, security will not be more careful with your luggage. Thus, try to board the plane early to avoid the rush. The earlier you are, the easier it would be for you to check out your guitar case without any damage.

But keep one thing in mind: bubble wrap can leave marks on the guitar finish in high temperatures. Thus, make your research before you take this step.

Secure The Case:

When traveling by car, leaving the case as it is can leave it vulnerable to a lot of bumps. It will be constantly moving around, taking a toll on its build. Thus, instead of placing it in the trunk, secure it on the car seats. Even if you place them in the trunk, do place something beside it, like a backpack so that it won’t be able to move around.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Can I take my guitar on a plane?

Ans: Of course, you can. Domestic law states that it has to meet all the carry-on restrictions, and should be able to fit in the overhead storage bin. Of all of that checks out in your case, you can definitely take it with you on the plane.

Q: Do hard cases protect guitars?

Ans: They are not indestructible, but they are definitely up to the challenge of protecting your guitar, especially on your travels, small trips, or even for storage.

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