BluesBro's World Downunder

I just took 2 guitars around the US and Jamaica flying with 3 different airlines.

One of them was my Takamine which has been lovingly modified by Zel Tate ex Fender. It was covered in fragile stickers to the point that you could hardly see the case.

When I got to Orlando, my guitar case arrives off the belt and there is a big rip in the bottom of the case. I showed it to the crew who basically said it was a faulty case. Really I said, I bought it new especially for the trip because it has loads of padding. No it is definitely faulty they said. Yeah right, like who gives a damn, its just a guitar and guitar players are probably druggies or freaks anyway, was the attitude they gave me.

I took it to George's Music in Orlando, having to rent a car for the day because it was going to cost around $100 return by taxi (not that it saved a lot) because I was playing at the Handlebar & Grill in Longwood the following night and I needed my guitar.

They said the guitar tech had his day off, but I could use his bench and tools. No problem, I went and got the tools and fixed the guitar. The 9 volt battery holder for the piezo mike had been flung loose by impact (its actually hard to get out when you want to), it had gone flying around the inside of the guitar damaging wiring and the cable input posts.

Anyway the guitar was fixed, but I am pretty disappointed with United Airlines who really didn't give a shit.

Kudos though to Air New Zealand. Having grabbed my suitcase I was waiting at the fragile area and 2 guys came through genly carrying one of my guitars each with great care. Man it was good to be home where people care about music and musicians gear!