The EM Poll

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Mar 14, 2008 4:54 PM, By Pat Kirtley

           

PROTECT YOUR INSTRUMENTS FROM THE HAZARDS OF TRAVEL

The Three Demons

Once you pick your case, you need to take a few more steps to protect your instrument from a trio of fiends waiting to assail unwary travelers.

Demon No. 1: temperature. Stringed instruments–whether guitar, bass, violin, mandolin, acoustic, or solidbody electric–have one thing in common: they are made primarily of wood, and wood is often highly sensitive to ambient thermal conditions. The range of tolerated temperatures is roughly the same as the human comfort range, about 50 to 90 degrees, though like people, wooden stringed instruments prefer a constant 70 to 75 degrees. At approximately 140 degrees (possible in a parked car on a sunny day), the glue that holds instruments together begins to liquefy, and an instrument can literally fall apart. Beyond the ambient temperature, instruments are also sensitive to temperature’s rate of change. Going quickly from hot to cold or cold to hot can cause all kinds of problems, from finish cracks to serious separation of glued joints. The kind of temperature-rate change that can cause damage is much more likely to occur while traveling than while the instrument is sitting in a building.

A good instrument case provides critical protection from temperature change as long as it has enough insulation or thermal mass to slow down the rate change at the instrument’s surface. Because of thermal rate-change problems, always leave the instrument in its case for a while if it has been subjected to an abnormally hot or cold environment. That simple precaution prevents potentially serious damage. Don’t peek in the case to see if everything’s okay–you’ll only accelerate the thermal rate change by immediately exposing the instrument.

The worst bearer of bad temperature is the sun. Direct sunlight on an instrument case, even when the ambient air temperature is moderate, can cause the temperature inside the instrument compartment to soar. Avoid exposure to sunlight, especially with dark-colored cases, whenever possible. That includes direct exposure to the sun while the instrument rides in the backseat of your comfortably air-conditioned car. Instead of placing it in the direct sunlight, cover it with a light-colored cloth or put the instrument in the trunk. Most recent-model cars feature flow-through ventilation that takes the tempered air from the passenger compartment through the trunk, moderating the temperature extremes there.

Generally, as long as the car is moving and the occupants are comfortable, your instruments should also be comfortable. A final word of caution: never leave an instrument sitting in the sun in a parked car, even if the temperature seems moderate.

Demon No. 2: mechanical damage. During travel, breakage and mechanical damage are always possibilities. Although you may treat your instrument with extreme care, inevitably people other than you–bus drivers, roadies, airport baggage handlers, limousine drivers, or other band members–will handle it, too, and they might not be as careful. Instruments in their cases tend to look rugged, so sometimes people assume they can be treated with abandon. You know better, and you can take steps to lessen the possibility of your axe showing up on the roadkill list.

The most common cause of mechanical injury is inadequate support and cushioning of the instrument within its case. That’s right–some of the worst damage comes from movement of the instrument inside the case, and often there is no external sign of damage. The assault comes when the case accidentally drops, falls from a shelf during transit, or merely tips over. The most frequently damaged area is at one of the weakest spots on a fretted instrument–near the top of the neck, where the headstock joins the fretboard. When a case slams against a hard surface with the right amount of force and in the right direction, the headstock (weighted by the added mass of solid metal tuning machines) gains enough momentum to snap right off.

Figure 1: The most vulnerable point on a guitar is where the headstock meets the fretboard, and it can suffer damage during transport (top). To prevent this kind of damage, place soft packing material in the case, both underneath and above that point (bottom).

That break is a serious injury to a fretted instru, and it’s difficult to repair. However, the best preventive action is --> (see Fig. 1). Simply make sure to cushion under (and over) the headstock as you pack the instrument in its case for transit. Some people use extra pairs of socks (you can never take enough socks on a trip!), crumpled newsprint, or wads of bubble wrap. The object is to restrict any possible movement of the headstock, so pack that area tightly. A snapped neck is one of the worst stringed-instrument tragedies but also one of the easiest to avoid.

Cases aren’t cheap, and you want them to last as long as possible, too. Abrasion and harsh contact with other objects damages cases. Most often, case hardware–latches, handles, and hinges–takes the brunt of the damage. In airport baggage-handling systems, some contact damage is almost inevitable, given enough trips and exposure. A better case helps, and really good ones feature hardware that doesn’t protrude and has no sharp tabs and edges sticking out.

Figure 2: The most secure case latch is the rotating twist lock (left). It's much less likely to open accidentally during transit than a convention latch is (right).

Speaking of tabs and edges sticking out, instruments have actually fallen out of their cases in transit because the latches somehow popped open. When you buy a case, check to make sure that its latch tabs will not open easily by bumping against things. My favorite latch is the rotating "twist lock" (see Fig. 2); it’s difficult to open accidentally once it’s fully rotated and snapped down. I advise against using the key locks provided by nearly every case maker, as the little keys are too easily misplaced. The person having the most difficulty getting the case open might turn out to be you. A better solution during transport is to cinch the case around its middle with a tight web belt (you can find them in hardware and auto-supply stores). That way, even if all the latches are sprung, the case will stay closed.

For added protection, some people like to use canvas or woven-nylon zippered case covers. Although it’s an extra hassle to open and close them, they really do protect the case itself from abrasion and keep objects from bumping against the latches and opening them.

Demon No. 3: loss. What could be worse than arriving at the gig destination and finding that your instrument–your soul and inspiration–is missing? Even if you get it back the next morning, your gig may be compromised or, worse, canceled. In air travel, temporary loss of baggage is common. The airlines almost always find your luggage, but usually many hours pass before they return it. The best way to think about guarding against loss is to think through the possibility of its happening. How is the instrument going to be lost? In whose possession will it be?

The surest way to prevent the loss of your instrument is to keep it in your personal possession at all times. That’s not always practical, but the possibility of loss should make you think twice before you toss your instrument in with the rest of the band’s gear when loading up a rented equipment truck or checking it as baggage when flying (more on airplanes later). Having it in hand or with a trusted associate generates peace of mind. Likewise, always be vigilant when carrying an instrument and waiting in public places. It’s not enough to keep your eyes on it–though it’s sometimes inconvenient, it’s better to keep your hands on your instrument in unfamiliar surroundings.

When you travel, you should tag your instrument right away with your name, address, and telephone number. Amazingly, that simple act can be crucial to retrieving an instrument quickly if it is lost or stolen. There sits your instrument in the unclaimed baggage area of the wrong airport, at the hotel security desk, or downtown at the police station. No one is exactly sure how it got there, but a name tag can make the difference between the authorities diligently trying to find you or shuffling the poor object off to the shelves of the lost and found. Attach a permanent name tag on the outside and a card with the same information somewhere on the inside, such as in an accessory pocket.

Despite all precautions, severe damage or loss is always a possibility. Special insurance covering a single instrument, a collection, or an entire band’s worth of gear is available at reasonable prices from specialized insurers (check the Internet and phone directories for sources) and as a perk to union members of the American Federation of Musicians.