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If your instrument is an archtop with a removable bridge, remove it.ħ. Some people like to put a sheet of newspaper between the fretboard and strings. Some people like to wrap the entire headstock in bubble wrap (small bubbles).Ħ. This is a good spot for T-shirts, not newsprint. Move the neck a bit and see if the headstock (where the tuners are) shifts. Get lots of crumbled padding under the headstock (peghead). This offers some resistance to pressure on any packing on top of the instrument.ĥ. Make a puck-like shape and mash it a bit.
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Begin with a bit of support for the neck heel (where neck meets the body). (Replace with clean souvenir/swag T’s for the return leg.) We can all agree that packaging peanuts suck, right?Ĥ. Not only do they help cradle the guitar, you can wear them at the destination. Another favorite of traveling musicians is T-shirts. Foam rubber, black & white newspaper pages, bubble wrap, the usual suspects for any packing job can be employed. If there’s a removable pickup, remove it.ģ. Remove the tremolo bar and wrap it a bit. (Why? If worse comes to worse and the guitar’s in the aircraft cargo hold, it’s subject to wild swings in temperature and pressure.) The tuning keys should end up parallel to the headstock. You still want some tension on the strings. Don’t get carried away - just lower the pitch somewhere south of playing levels. “The only time we have to do extra screening is when the owner has placed other items into the case with the instrument,” one sympathetic Transportation Security Administration officer says.Ģ. The main idea: Don’t give the TSA inspectors any reason to give your case any more than a cursory look or hold your instrument any longer than necessary. Put any tuning devices or pedals into checked baggage or your carry-on bag. Ensure that what’s left in the accessory compartment isn’t going to cause problems with the TSA machines or humans - for example, pliers & string cutters or liquids such as polishing oils. Remove all unnecessary items from the case. All suggestions are just that: Your mileage may vary.ġ. Here are some tips culled from various veteran guitar shippers and traveling musicians. Pack your guitar with care anticipate the drill at the airport. Successful traveling with your instruments begins at home.