The Steel Guitar Forum

Will TSA let me carry a 3-1/4" X 7/8" Bar on the airplane?
Has anyone been refused this option?

I took one to Oklahoma City two years ago, along with a set of picks. I put them in a carry-on, in an easy place to get to. When they pulled me aside, I put on the picks, pretended to play steel and asked if they knew what steel guitar is. They chuckled and sent me on my way. The other end of the trip didn't ask.

I'd say no worries, just have it in a place you can unzip and show them.

Never been a problem. I do it often, both with pedal steel and dobro bars. Sometimes I remember to take the pouch I carry them in out and put it beside my carryon in the tray so that if it raises any questions (as metal objects that are not easily identifiable sometimes do) they don't have to open my bag. But the times that has happened have been no big deal either.

Leaving Portland for one of the recent Texas Steel Shows, the TSA agents discovered my picks and my BAR in one of my carry-on bags.

I saw two or three of them puzzling over it and then they called over a more knowledgeable superior agent who confronted me and even after taking it out and in his hand, he wanted to try and disassemble it. I told him if he thought he could disassemble a solid stainless steel bar, more power to him.

He shrugged his shoulders and left in bewilderment.

At that point, I figured I'd won.

no trouble in the USA, pulled aside in Japan and they went thru my carry on looked the bars over ask a few quesions and let me go, same thing in Manila pulled me aside and went thru my carry on.

I flew Friday night. Had bar and picks in carry on. It was spotted in the x-ray machine, so I was sent to secondary search station. The two TSA guys couldn't figure out what it was, so they brought their boss over. I had to explain what it was for. It was a BJS bar with a gemstone in the end of it. They just couldn't understand what it was. Finally, they let me go. Glad they didn't take it away from me.

I put my Z bar in the tray with the picks at DFW after the TX show. It went through with no problems. I also took the Lonestar through security with no questions. It came home in the overhead bin.

The young lady at the gate let me board early when I told her it was a guitar.

It might be a good idea to carry a photo of you or someone playing a pedal steel, a nice close-up showing the bar and picks in use. Put it in the pick and bar bag.

The last time my luggage was checked at an airport the customs guy when he saw my bar, said you must be a steel guitar player.

I get asked all the time - it's just part of the great education of the public for me most of my local airport guys now know what a steel guitar bar is hehe