Traveling with Instruments
‘Tis the season for traveling to see family, and chances are pretty good that you’ll be bringing your instrument with you!
We all know the stresses of traveling with instruments: is the weather super different in the new location? Will the airlines allow you to carry your instrument with you? The list goes on. We’ve tried to compile a few helpful solutions to these questions below! As always, if you have any questions we’re here to help and available Tuesdays through Saturdays from 12-6 MST for a phone call :-)
FAQs
Q: “Should I take the tension off the strings?”
A: It’s usually better to leave the instrument set up with normal tension: there is a much better chance of the bridge and sound post staying put if they’re under tension.
Q: “What should I do with my bow?”
A: Just go ahead and keep your bow in your case as usual.
Q: “What should I do if the humidity levels at my destination are different than the levels where I currently live?
A: Whether the humidity levels are significantly higher or lower at your destination, we like to recommend Boveda Humidity Packs— they’re two-way humidity control, so it can keep the environment within your case at steady levels. Additionally, it’s always a good plan to keep your instrument in the case whenever you’re not using it, as it keeps the instrument in a more stable environment.
Tips and Tricks for Traveling on Airlines
1.) Smaller cases are always easier to get on a plane. They’re less attention-catching, and it’s always nice to not have to have a conversation with the gate agent.
2.) Try to be in one of the first seating groups to board, which will insure that you have cabin space available for your carry-on instrument.
3.) Keep in mind that you might need to remove your instrument while going through security. Our experience has been that TSA agents are usually considerate as long as you’re kind and ask them to be careful with their wands and bomb-testing strips. Please don’t fight with them— they’re just trying to do their jobs.
4.) Speaking from personal experience, it’s always best to take a friendly approach when you’re met with difficulty from a gate agent. The FAA requires airlines to allow musicians to travel with small instruments (such as violins, violas, and guitars), so it’s a good idea to have a copy of THIS FORM with you (in paper or digital format) so you can show it to a troublesome gate agent.
International Travel
If your bow or instrument has elephant ivory, tortoiseshell, pearl, or ebony, make sure you have the paperwork to prove that the currently illegal materials were used on the instrument or bow prior to the CITES agreement for that material. If you do not have this paperwork, or don’t know if the materials were legally obtained, DO NOT TRAVEL INTERNATIONALLY WITH YOUR INSTRUMENT OR BOW. There is a fair chance it will be confiscated and possibly destroyed.
There are likely to be new rules for traveling with the materials commonly used in bowed string instrument and bows, so please keep an eye on alliance-international.org. We will try to keep you updated as to these new rules via our newsletter as well. You can see more updates in the article below.
Shipping Cellos
If you do not want to buy an airline seat for your cello, we’ve found Southwest Cargo to be very professional and easy to work with. You do need to apply for an account with them prior to shipping, but if you’re planning on shipping your cello with any sort of frequency, it’s definitely worth looking into!
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