The Steel Guitar Forum

Bottom line is 50 Lbs maximum for for one piece of luggage here in the states. Most flights only allow 2 pc check in and 2 pc carry on. Anything else will cost you.

Don't know what the limits are for the smaller Euro airlines like Ryan Air or Easy Jet are these days, but my experience was that they would'nt cut any slack whatsoever.

I did a gig with Gerry Hogan last year, and they charged the equivalent of $600 (or more?) to fly his D10 JCH from London to Holland. A relatively short trip. It was such a shock, that we had to re-route the whole rest of the trip to driving the steel back to the UK.

This is a big reason why I'm only taking gigs as a bass player when flying is involved.
A one or two way trip is one thing, but an entire tour is quite another.

I'm a dyed in the wool double neck player, but if I were to ever get a serious flying gig again, I'd be seriously looking at an MSA U12.

Good luck Dag!!

Rick (owner of the worlds heaviest D12 Dekley 10+6)<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Rick Schmidt on 21 June 2006 at 02:48 PM.]</p></FONT>

My MSA Millennium D10, 8+7, is 51 pounds in the case, and 31 pounds out of the case. I wouldn't want the guitar itself any lighter. (A little bigger, or laid out differently, perhaps, but not any heavier or lighter.)

My refurbished Shobud D-10 "The Professional" weighs 48 lbs out of the case. I may look into cutting back the inner legs. I just shipped an original Shobud D-10 "The Professional", and it weigh 80 lbs in the original case.

My BMI d10 with 8 floor and 6 knee levers weighs 80 lbs in the case. I'm looking for something lighter.

If you want a light guitar, buy a light guitar.
Apres: Dont complain about the guitar.

I just sold my Emmons Legrande II, D10 8+5, and the buyer wanted to know the weight so I checked. On its own, it weighed 19.5 kg, 29 kg in the Thomas case.

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´75 Emmons p/p D10 8+4, ca '72 AWH Custom D10 8+3, Hybrid Zum coming soon, Peavey Nashville 1000

I think that todays steels are made as light as they can get them.Look at the different kind of materials builders are using.
Builders try everything to get the weight of the steel guitar down and still sell a good looking and sounding Steel guitar.

Ron<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ronald ! on 22 June 2006 at 03:20 AM.]</p></FONT>

Like Reece Anderson stated, the weight issue for the pedal steel has pretty much been settled and the ball is in the field of the case builder.
I build cases for a lot of different PSG, and done a lot of test runs and research prior to coming up with the case I now produce. My finding are that if you just want something to carry your PSG around in, a 2 pound gig bag will work. However, if you want to protect your PSG while carrying it around, a hard case is the way to go.
The bottom line here, if you want to take the risk out of damage to you PSG you need a case with some strength to it and strength = lb's. Our case weight's in at 19.0
(average weight)and has the strength to carry and protect your PSG under normal every day use. If you get any lighter, you lose strength.

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Fred Justice,
Fred's Music www.fredjusticemusic.com
Rains Steel Guitars

If you want the guitar w/case to weight less, consider split cases.

Guitar in one case and legs, pedal bar and rods in another.

I have a D-10 Fulawka, which is quite heavy and that's the way Ed Fulawka handles the situation. <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 22 June 2006 at 07:51 AM.]</p></FONT>

As I understand Reece and Johnny C., it's not the kind of stability problem that splaying the legs will help. It's that you don't want the instrument to lift or scoot across the floor when you hit the levers.

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<font size="1">Student of the Steel: Zum uni, Fender tube amps, squareneck and roundneck resos, tenor sax, keyboards

<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by David Doggett on 22 June 2006 at 08:12 AM.]</p></FONT>

When I bought my guitar I didn't care about how light it was It has legs it will stand on its own just fine. I like a heavier guitar myself, the heavey guitars is a gibson les paul strapped around ya for about 4 hours! I can see where flying could be an issue.

Maybe it's time for a Carbon Fiber case??

If some one could come up with the proper inserts or support material the SKB drum trap case is ideal..check it out.
SKB 36 X 11 X 8. $ 179.00.

Let's see if I can figure this out.

Me plus the guitar on the scales weighs: Oh WOW!
Me without the guitar: You got to be kidding!
Subtract me from me with guitar: Not near enough!

Dekley D-10: need Saturn 5 launch vehicle to move it across room.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 23 June 2006 at 12:03 PM.]</p></FONT>

My 2000 D–10 GFI Ultra Keyless w/9 & 8 weighed a whopping 67# in the case and my 2001 D–10 Franklin w/9 & 8 weighed 62# in the case. My 2005 D–10 Derby w/6 & 8 weighs almost 62# in the case. I put wheels on the GFI, so; I guess 62# is my allowable~wieght-limit! But, if it was a sack of RICE; there's no way for me to carry either one comfortably! (a wheel~barrow!)

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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
Current Equipment

Fender PS-210- in case 65lb, Fender 1000 in case 28Kg, Emmons D-10 in case 26Kg.
Thank God for 'Roadies' !!
Baz

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<SMALL>Steel players do it without fretting</SMALL>

Hey Dag, I just flew over to Brisbane for the steel show there on the weekend with my Zum --- because they have a weight limit of 32 kgs (if it's more than that they won't lift it), I had to pull the leg and rod bag out of the case. The case is a Bob Dell wheeled roadcase and without the legs and rods it came to 29.5 kgs!, they just put my leg/rod bag in a big plastic bag, taped it up and put that in the baggage as an extra bag ! .....