Which hard case for flying?

DaevidJ

I am flying out to Vienna at the beginning of April and as yet do not have a decent hard case for my guitar which will be going in the hold.  After having a look round at the various options i have narrowed it down to two: The Fender ABS case (latest version) and Hiscox Standard Liteflite.  The guitar i am transporting is a Fender which is worth around £500.  Which of these two would be better or is there a better case out there?

guitarfishbay

Hiscox, and try to take it onboard rather than checking it in

Aidanspaghetti

Yup, gigbag and carry it on and if you have to, check the case in with the luggage. Win win.

DaevidJ

We have already booked space in the hold for our instruments, so if I tried carry on then it would be a waste of paid for hold space... 

Voxman

Which hard case for flying?

I think you need a Jumbo case, or a case for a Jet guitar! 

On a serious note, I concur with Hiscox suggestion - very tough, rugged cases.

ICBM

Hiscox every time.

The Fender cases aren't as strong as they look.

Gassage

Sylvester Stallone, deffo.

DaevidJ

Thanks Will check what is in stock at the local emporiums and pick one up hopefully this weekend!

guitarfishbay

ICBM said:

Hiscox every time.

The Fender cases aren't as strong as they look.

The other advantage with Hiscox cases is generally they're no bigger than they need to be.

This doesn't relate to flying but it's a pain getting suitcase style cases into smaller cars.  That extra couple of inches can make all the difference with it fitting in the boot vs needing to go on the back seat (meaning you can't conceal it from view).  Guess it doesn't matter in America where everyone drives a truck or SUV!

Voxman

guitarfishbay said:

That extra couple of inches can make all the difference with it fitting

Sorry, we're still talking about guitar cases yes?  Just checking!  

Evilmags

Hiscox

Hootsmon

.

fandango

Make sure you get some extra inserts to prevent the guitar from moving about inside the case. Alternatively bubble wrap may or may not be the answer.

I've got a hiscox and a strat, and to say it rattles around inside the case is a bit of an understatement.

Hiscox cases may be hard as nails, but because they are generic, they don't give you the fit inside.

DaevidJ

Yeah i will probably either get foam for extra padding or use t-shirts etc... have some bubble wrap lying around

ArchtopDave

Agreed Hiscox. Though maybe don't quite do what I did a couple of years back.

I took a Les Paul in a Hiscox Case. Slackened the strings a bit, and carefully padded the interior of the Case around the Guitar, particularly around the Headstock. I used all my underwear, and socks for this purpose, and the Guitar looked snugly padded.
My journey required me to change flights in Amsterdam. I got to my final destination, but the Guitar didn't get put on the second flight, so it arrived along with all my socks and underwear 2 days later!

DaevidJ

ArchtopDave said:

Agreed Hiscox. Though maybe don't quite do what I did a couple of years back.

I took a Les Paul in a Hiscox Case. Slackened the strings a bit, and carefully padded the interior of the Case around the Guitar, particularly around the Headstock. I used all my underwear, and socks for this purpose, and the Guitar looked snugly padded.
My journey required me to change flights in Amsterdam. I got to my final destination, but the Guitar didn't get put on the second flight, so it arrived along with all my socks and underwear 2 days later!

Yeah i did wonder just that... So will make sure i have a few days clothing just in case  

ArchtopDave

Yup - having to wear the same stuff for 3 days was not my planned intention.

Pete24v

Hiscox. 

One of my cases has done 30 odd flights, and it pretty beat up now.. A latch has broken, the case cracked in two places. But when it fell off a pickup truck in Bahrain a few years ago and got ran over, the guitar inside remained unharmed. 

Panama_Jack666

Fender guitar? Take the neck off, bang it in a suitcase with your clothes in two pieces!

Marshall_stax

Hiscox, Hiscox, Hiscox. All day long. They should make tanks and battleships out of the things - they're bomb proof. 

fretfinder

fandango said: Hiscox cases may be hard as nails, but because they are generic, they don't give you the fit inside.

They do make them fitted on the inside to suit particular guitars, including one for a Strat/Tele.

http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/hardcases.asp?brandname=Hiscox