If you’re going to be in Nashville you need to visit Gruhn and Carters Vintage. Then you will only worry about getting back home with your purchases.
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That Steinberger’s neck is attached/one piece. I think most basses have a 32" or 34" so even if I went that route I’d only be saving 5" or so. We’ll see how it goes. I’m just hoping they can fix my name on this ticket so I can actually go 
I was thinking I can probably make a bubble wrap or foam sleeve that can slide on/off the neck pretty easy too. Maybe a foam sleeve for the body too depending on how much bulk it adds.
Hahahah I’m getting there and taking a shuttle an hour away to get lost in the woods. I plan on coming back with bloody stump versions of my fingers 
But if I get a chance to explore…
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I’ve read this thread with interest.
As many of you know, I have been travelling with a bass. Ok, it’s a cr@ppy £60, 14th hand Hofner Shortie…but it sounds surprisingly good when recorded.
To travel, I just take the neck off and put it, plus the body in a standard, checked in suitcase, along with my clothes. It works fine, takes a couple of minutes to reassemble the other side and has never needed to be re-set up. I’ve done this a few times now and have not experienced any problems. Ok, this bass isn’t as nice as my nice basses, but it’s good enough to play while I’m away, and if it does get trashed, it only cost £60. 
A couple of weeks ago, I was coming back from Amsterdam to London on easyJet (a low cost carrier). A couple of guys ahead of me had guitars in soft cases. They had obviously gone through security with the instruments, but were stopped at the gate and told they couldn’t take them inside the cabin. Despite arguing with the gate team, they were repeatedly told ‘no’, they would have to pay for them to go in the hold. I have no idea is they actually got on that flight…
@MattyD, you can buy a specific hard case for the Steinberger, if you want to travel with that bass. Personally, I wouldn’t trust mine in the thin gig bag the bass gets shipped with, even if I wrapped it in loads of bubble wrap.
BTW, for years, I’ve travelled with bikes on planes, but always with the bike in a bike-specific box. I’ve never had an issue (touch wood). I’d imagine that a bass, in a proper travel case, will be fine, as my bikes are.
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I can’t complain. only traveled twice with an instrument.
Both on Ryanair, actually.
Once Lisbon to Porto - Cabin, nobody asked anything… but flight was nearly empty. In a Fender Molded hard case.
Long one was Lisbon to Dublin. Same case.
Went in cargo hold… arrived in Dublin safe and sound, even the case was unscratched.
Yeah… I know… I was lucky and have uncommon experiences… but so far, these are my stories.
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Funds permitting, a good flight case is the way to transport a bass, whether on a plane or to an event. It’s a one-stop solution to myriad situations.
As I mentioned several posts up, the least expensive way to travel with a bass is to remove the neck. However, a naked bass would then need to be transported to an event, which is always less than ideal.
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From what I have read if you have to “gate check” a bass that won’t fit in the overhead they hand carry it to the cargo hold. It still goes off a conveyor but they also say that often they will return it to you at the gate you land at.
I’m going to mod up some foam and it won’t be the best but hopefully it will be enough. I’m also thinking since I’ll be there so early I might just play with my headphone amp in a corner of the terminal… Hearing about that hofner shortie has me jealous. I thought the Steinberger had a bolt on neck. I also have a Fender bronco but I’m only 1/2 way done the pickup and electronics mods I’m doing and I doubt I’ll get that done in time. Plus having the longer fretboard will be nice for playing.
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If you get a chance you won’t regret a trip to either of those stores. With the except going back home broke, of course. I’m not sure if you are familiar with them, but between the two of them they have the best selection of vintage instruments anywhere. Pretty cool to go in and have them put a $20,000 Les Paul in your hands as if it was a Squire. Hope you enjoy the camp. It is a goal of mine to get there. I have to build my skills a little first. I’m only a couple of months in so I’m pretty sure I’ve got a while before I’m ready.
I’m about 9 months into playing “seriously” but during that time I was unemployed and probably practicing 9 hours a week. I also joined a band and played some open mics and 1.5 sets of a show.
For me most of my time has been learning songs for the band and maybe grabbing a module of of B2BA (still not done!).
I will say there is something about playing in a band and having your a** on the line that makes it really real really fast.
My next show is 6/21 (holy crap that’s close). I’m excited to finish that one because then I might have time to get back into learning technique and practicing improv and pieces I REALLY like.
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Depends on your ticket and what comes with it.
The failsafe way (getting it in overhead is not a sure thing) is a hard case packed like someone shipping a bass for sale, in a shipping box with all the appropriate packing.
I get why touring folks don’t do this, but for occasional why not play it safe and do it the way the stores do. I brought two basses home from Japan this way and it went perfectly.
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