Should my new ATA case be lockable?

Stephen Rethmeier · Post by **Stephen Rethmeier** » 27 Oct 2017 7:46 am

Recently got a new Williams PS guitar and ordered the ATA travel case with it (brand is Unitec). I'm getting ready for a trip in a couple days and just noticed there is no way to lock it. I have another travel case that has rings that match up and will accommodate a TSA lock. Should my guitar case be lockable?

I spoke to Bill at Williams and he said I was the first person to ever bring it up. He went on to say that they ship their stuff for shows without locking the cases, and then mentioned a well-known player who never locks his case when he ships his PS within the US and to Europe. Bill is great and I believe him, but I was also surprised. To be clear, I never specified that it should be lockable when I ordered it.

What do you guys think/do? Should it be lockable? Do you lock your gear cases (with approved TSA locks, of course) when you fly?

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 27 Oct 2017 8:38 am

I can't think of any reason to lock it. Maybe if somebody wants to take it out of the case, set it up and see if it has there set up on it before they steal it ?

Bill Rowlett · Post by **Bill Rowlett** » 27 Oct 2017 10:28 am

Somebody broke into my car and stole my banjo. They left the pedal steel:)

Brett Lanier · Post by **Brett Lanier** » 27 Oct 2017 11:49 am

Best thing to do is leave some instructions in the case about where to lift from if they need to remove it. Otherwise they are likely to lift from the crossroads, I've had it happen.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 27 Oct 2017 11:52 am

Bob Hoffnar wrote:I can't think of any reason to lock it...

Two reasons I can think of to lock it are to prevent anyone other than TSA from gaining access (unless, of course, they steal the whole thing), and also as an extra measure of insurance that the latches won't pop open accidentally in flight or other handling.

Having said that, my SKB case does have TSA locks and I never use them anyway...

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 27 Oct 2017 7:51 pm

With all the flying I do with my Zum's I have never locked the flight case yet ! Still have both Zum's :-}

Stephen Rethmeier · Post by **Stephen Rethmeier** » 27 Oct 2017 8:03 pm

Thanks for the responses. I won't stress about then.

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 28 Oct 2017 9:49 am

OTOH, if you're having a case built, you could ask for a lockable latch just in case you might need to lock it.

The TSA is known to steal from and damage flyers' baggage.

Rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Outta sight outta mind.

If they can't open the case then they have no idea what's in the case to begin with to give a potential miscreant ideas.

And also as mentioned about a case popping open, a lock keeps a case closed that without one, may have been opened away from you, and since most don't know how to lock an ATA flight case, it could be improperly latched and pop open. I see this happen a lot, when moving my gear for tour production, the roadie turn-over is a new set of guys every move and one has to watch to make sure the case is properly latched rather than leave it to someone who isn't an expert yet at closing a flight case.

Stephen Rethmeier · Post by **Stephen Rethmeier** » 28 Oct 2017 10:00 am

Godfrey Arthur wrote:OTOH, if you're having a case built, you could ask for a lockable latch just in case you might need to lock it.

The TSA is known to steal from and damage flyers' baggage.

Rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Outta sight outta mind.

If they can't open the case then they have no idea what's in the case to begin with to give a potential miscreant ideas.

Godfrey--I should have thought to ask for it to be lockable, but I didn't assuming I didn't need to. It's too late now since I've already gotten the case. However, it won't stop TSA from accessing. The authorized TSA combo locks have a special keyhole for TSA to access using their special keys. So it doesn't stop them from accessing the case and I've heard that if they have a concern about content, they will just cut a non-TSA lock. I was more thinking it would be nice to prevent anyone else from saying, "gee what's in here" and then damaging the steel in some fashion. Combined, the steel and case are over $4,000, so I have asked for my insurance agent to confirm my homeowner's ins covers it, and if not or it's limited, to put a special rider on it for the guitar. I fly out on Tuesday, so I will post my experience.

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 28 Oct 2017 10:26 am

Stephen Rethmeier wrote:
Godfrey--I should have thought to ask for it to be lockable, but I didn't assuming I didn't need to. It's too late now since I've already gotten the case. However, it won't stop TSA from accessing. The authorized TSA combo locks have a special keyhole for TSA to access using their special keys. So it doesn't stop them from accessing the case and I've heard that if they have a concern about content, they will just cut a non-TSA lock. I was more thinking it would be nice to prevent anyone else from saying, "gee what's in here" and then damaging the steel in some fashion. Combined, the steel and case are over $4,000, so I have asked for my insurance agent to confirm my homeowner's ins covers it, and if not or it's limited, to put a special rider on it for the guitar. I fly out on Tuesday, so I will post my experience.

For future reference then, Stephen.

I didn't see this thread early enough.

I realize the TSA lock system is what it is and you're right about locking to keep others out of it.

As an aside, a lock keeps someone from putting something in your baggage that might get one in trouble for an extortion racket.

We had a spate of that happening at the local airports, airport people putting live bullets in passengers' luggage without them knowing and when the passengers come out on the other side, they get pulled aside, shocked, and in a quandary.

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 28 Oct 2017 10:44 am

TSA does not like locked cases, From what I remember they have a policy that they will cut the locks off to look inside cases. When you board they will ask you to unlock them and leave them unlocked as I remember it. The chances of theft is very very slim but locked cases scream valuables hidden.

As far as on the ground, I travelled on the road by greyhound bus for 5 years back in the 90â€™s and I never locked my telecaster case, never had a problem, one time it ended up in Chicago and my gig was in Oklahoma, it got retrieved 3 days later and it was still in the unlocked case and my hidden $100.00 bill was still in there. Yip those were the hobo days lol been lucky maybe!

john widgren · Post by **john widgren** » 29 Oct 2017 6:18 am

So...take a look at your standard ATA butterfly latch. Some dont have the protruding lock tab as per the photo above. ( I offer no advice as to lock or not) You can slip a small cable with a psdlock or cable lock in the hole in the butterfly to the spring like ring underneath it. You can drill a hole easily if there isn't one

I always use heavy duty twisties (no lock) to secure the latch. I also tape over the latches.

If you are flying you could arrive early and get a thorough TSA inspection of the instrument in your presence, and then do a gate check.

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 29 Oct 2017 7:40 am

Flying just ain't fun anymore.

Stephen Rethmeier · Post by **Stephen Rethmeier** » 29 Oct 2017 12:07 pm

Jack Hanson wrote:Flying just ain't fun anymore.

So true.

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 29 Oct 2017 3:09 pm

I always lock my instrument cases when flying, purely to prevent them coming undone in transit. One of my guitars arrived on the carousel once with the case open and that was enough for me.

To keep security happy (even though they are TSA approved locks anyway) I attach a key to the handle as well.

Stephen Rethmeier · Post by **Stephen Rethmeier** » 1 Nov 2017 2:31 pm

Update--Took the flight yesterday and checked the pedal steel in the travel case as baggage. I put a couple 81/2 x 11 sheets of paper inside taped to the case with pictures of the steel set up and an explanation of what not to grab, etc. I retrieved the case from baggage claim and opened it. It was fine and actually appeared as if it hadn't even been opened. I return to LA next week and will see how it goes.

Also, I put the legs and pedal rods in a separate bag and the steel weighed in at 49 lbs. Phew.

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Should my new ATA case be lockable?

Should my new ATA case be lockable?

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