Hey there,
I'm sure the topic of flying with instruments has been ground to a pulp here, just like it is on every other discussion board.
With risk of raising the dead, here is my question:
What instruments should I bring for an extended stay in Ireland?
I play mostly mandolin and guitar, some fiddle and claw-hammer banjo. I am sure to bring my mandolin but I am staying for a 3 months and would rather not go without playing the rest of them for that long. I do not need to bring the banjo, it would do my brain some good to go without it I think.
What do you folks do? Are people likely to lend me an instrument, should/can I rent one?
I'm staying with an accordion player so he might have connections who I can borrow from.
"I do not need to bring the banjo, it would do my brain some good to go without it I think."
Is that some sort of crack about banjo players?
If not, why not?
To answer your question, I'd say bring your harmonica and your tin whistle, because they're easy to carry. Or else bring the one thing that you'd least like to do without, and take the time to really get deep into that one.
Course not, who makes fun of banjo players anyway?
All seriousness aside now.
I like the way you look at it, taking it as an opportunity to focus on one. I guess it would be mandolin that I would focus on, bringing the one I am most comfortable on makes sense...I mean, I will be in a foreign country playing with people I don't know. Then again I would learn to play my fiddle real quick in that situation.
Thanks for giving me a different way of looking at it...rather than being forced to leave behind one or the other it will be an opportunity to studying one more in depth. This was supposed to be an opportunity to get away and practice more on songwriting and other things anyway. Thank you.
Another way to look at is --- if you're a good American Trad
clawhammer style banjo player, the Irish would probably enjoy
your music and want to learn from you.
That idea of focusing on the one instrument is a good one. Recently I got a trip to Dublin but was flying with Ryanair who seem to have set their luggage sizes to exclude even a Martin backpacker mandolin. My Goldtone mandolin banjo is a wee bit shorter so I put it in a rucksack and despite being a smidge too big for the specification it fitted in the notorious basket. But -the point at last - a few weeks before I left I stuck the bjm by the setee and so it was the one I picked up and then a weekend of playing it and only it left me much happier with it. Whew - ramble over. Have a great time.
Aiden,
I play mando & tenor banjo. Since the draconian laws re bringing more than one item of luggage of a very restricted size onto the flight deck of a plane, I therefore can no longer put my banjo in the overhead locker. I also made the mistake of putting the banjo in the loading bay a couple of years ago and watched horror-struck as one of the gobsh*te loaders merrily tossed it through the air onto the loading buggy. But it now also costs bigtime to even put the banjo in the hold as it has to be registered as a separate piece of luggage. So in order to prevent any damage I have a further choice. I can buy something like a Calton fibre-glass case for several hundred pounds and, in addition, pay extra to the airline for the pleasure of seeing how long it takes them to bust that as well.
I now have arrived at a compromise both for my sanity and my wallet. On holiday, I only take a mandolin in its own case and put it in my main suitcase, well cushioned with towels, etc. It might mean cutting down slightly on clothes, etc, but they can always be bought anywhere.
You can also place it in a smallish rucksack along with your camera, etc, and take that on to the flight deck if you wish.
The over-reaction of governments in relation to aircraft security has made it all the more difficult for normal passengers but for musicians it has led to even more expensive and stressful travelling.
Of course, if money is no object you can always buy your instruments separate seats. And, if that is the case, I wish you and your boxes, Bon Voyage!
You ARE allowed to bring one musical instrument on board as well as one other piece of hand-luggage. The real problem is those people avoiding great long collection queues at the end of the flight by bringing ever-bigger and more solidly packed hand luggage to fill the overhead lockers.
However, yes, rationalise your load. Mandolin sounds good.
And when you're back in the US of A you will return refreshed to your 5-string !
Have a whale of a time !
Depends on where you're going in Ireland, and how much "real" trad you're interested in playing.
In general, though, I recommend leaving the banjo and guitar behind and bringing the fiddle (and mandolin if you must). You'll get treated better carrying melody instruments.
A tin whistle could be perfect for playing in a session that's very crowded and standing-room only.
On the other hand, should you want to help yourself to a new house in a huge empty development, the banjo might be just the thing for bashing out the locks.
I agree with the advice above to use this as an opportunity to focus on one of your instruments. And if this is your first time in Ireland, I would expect that you should spend a good amount of your time listening, with whatever instrument you bring resting in your lap.
"...leaving the banjo and guitar behind and bringing the fiddle (and mandolin if you must). You'll get treated better carrying melody instruments"
"Melody instruments" Ha Ha. I know what you mean though. Its a shame, but you may well be more welcome without banjo and guitar no matter how well you really play them.
I'd never thought of using mine for poison darts - gosh, how exciting! The things these security johnnies know!
All my life, I've laboured under the illusion that what one had to do was to sweet-talk one's intended victim into eating a puffer-fish or licking a live venemous tree-frog.
As these are not obviously available round here, my tally of victims rests at zero.
As long as you stay away from RyanAir, you shouldn't have trouble with a musical instrument on the flight. Except for a banjo. I believe they're classified as a dangerous weapon these days.
"You ARE allowed to bring one musical instrument on board as well as one other piece of hand-luggage." Not with Ryanair.
"As long as you stay away from RyanAir" - who are bad news transatlantic anyway, (given that Alden W is coming from NH. )As Michael O'Leary said, "we'd be happy to do transatlantic flights, but you'll have to swim the last bit...." (They only have Boeing 737s.)
If you do buy a seat for an instrument, it has to sit by the window, which seems a great waste.
Not that I'm knocking Ryanair, their "bus" from B'ham to Dublin is great for visiting my partner's folks at low cost.
What instruments should I bring?
What instruments should I bring?
Hey there,
I'm sure the topic of flying with instruments has been ground to a pulp here, just like it is on every other discussion board.
With risk of raising the dead, here is my question:
What instruments should I bring for an extended stay in Ireland?
I play mostly mandolin and guitar, some fiddle and claw-hammer banjo. I am sure to bring my mandolin but I am staying for a 3 months and would rather not go without playing the rest of them for that long. I do not need to bring the banjo, it would do my brain some good to go without it I think.
What do you folks do? Are people likely to lend me an instrument, should/can I rent one?
I'm staying with an accordion player so he might have connections who I can borrow from.
Any thoughts on this?
Thanks.
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Alden W
Re: What instruments should I bring?
"I do not need to bring the banjo, it would do my brain some good to go without it I think."
Is that some sort of crack about banjo players?
If not, why not?
To answer your question, I'd say bring your harmonica and your tin whistle, because they're easy to carry. Or else bring the one thing that you'd least like to do without, and take the time to really get deep into that one.
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: What instruments should I bring?
Course not, who makes fun of banjo players anyway?
All seriousness aside now.
I like the way you look at it, taking it as an opportunity to focus on one. I guess it would be mandolin that I would focus on, bringing the one I am most comfortable on makes sense...I mean, I will be in a foreign country playing with people I don't know. Then again I would learn to play my fiddle real quick in that situation.
Thanks for giving me a different way of looking at it...rather than being forced to leave behind one or the other it will be an opportunity to studying one more in depth. This was supposed to be an opportunity to get away and practice more on songwriting and other things anyway. Thank you.
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Alden W
Re: What instruments should I bring?
Another way to look at is --- if you're a good American Trad
clawhammer style banjo player, the Irish would probably enjoy
your music and want to learn from you.
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Hup
Re: What instruments should I bring?
That idea of focusing on the one instrument is a good one. Recently I got a trip to Dublin but was flying with Ryanair who seem to have set their luggage sizes to exclude even a Martin backpacker mandolin. My Goldtone mandolin banjo is a wee bit shorter so I put it in a rucksack and despite being a smidge too big for the specification it fitted in the notorious basket. But -the point at last - a few weeks before I left I stuck the bjm by the setee and so it was the one I picked up and then a weekend of playing it and only it left me much happier with it. Whew - ramble over. Have a great time.
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by wodeninjun
Re: What instruments should I bring?
Aiden,
I play mando & tenor banjo. Since the draconian laws re bringing more than one item of luggage of a very restricted size onto the flight deck of a plane, I therefore can no longer put my banjo in the overhead locker. I also made the mistake of putting the banjo in the loading bay a couple of years ago and watched horror-struck as one of the gobsh*te loaders merrily tossed it through the air onto the loading buggy. But it now also costs bigtime to even put the banjo in the hold as it has to be registered as a separate piece of luggage. So in order to prevent any damage I have a further choice. I can buy something like a Calton fibre-glass case for several hundred pounds and, in addition, pay extra to the airline for the pleasure of seeing how long it takes them to bust that as well.
I now have arrived at a compromise both for my sanity and my wallet. On holiday, I only take a mandolin in its own case and put it in my main suitcase, well cushioned with towels, etc. It might mean cutting down slightly on clothes, etc, but they can always be bought anywhere.
You can also place it in a smallish rucksack along with your camera, etc, and take that on to the flight deck if you wish.
The over-reaction of governments in relation to aircraft security has made it all the more difficult for normal passengers but for musicians it has led to even more expensive and stressful travelling.
Of course, if money is no object you can always buy your instruments separate seats. And, if that is the case, I wish you and your boxes, Bon Voyage!
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Gerry_McCartney
Re: What instruments should I bring?
If you're buying extra seats i'll hold an instrument for a free flight...
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by deltasalmon
Re: What instruments should I bring?
Harmonicas kept in a pouch look like an ammo pack to the X-ray machine. Split 'em up and put in the hold luggage!
As for your banjos, to make 'em fit the cabin regulations, can't you just cut them into two halves?
I'll get me coat then...
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Steve Shaw
Re: What instruments should I bring?
Don't most people who go to Ireland take the necks and strings off their banjos anyway?
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by ...
Re: What instruments should I bring?
You ARE allowed to bring one musical instrument on board as well as one other piece of hand-luggage. The real problem is those people avoiding great long collection queues at the end of the flight by bringing ever-bigger and more solidly packed hand luggage to fill the overhead lockers.
However, yes, rationalise your load. Mandolin sounds good.
And when you're back in the US of A you will return refreshed to your 5-string !
Have a whale of a time !
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: What instruments should I bring?
Depends on where you're going in Ireland, and how much "real" trad you're interested in playing.
In general, though, I recommend leaving the banjo and guitar behind and bringing the fiddle (and mandolin if you must). You'll get treated better carrying melody instruments.
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Georgi
Re: What instruments should I bring?
A tin whistle could be perfect for playing in a session that's very crowded and standing-room only.
On the other hand, should you want to help yourself to a new house in a huge empty development, the banjo might be just the thing for bashing out the locks.
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by nicholas
Re: What instruments should I bring?
Ah, banjo bashing again.......
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Dont
Re: What instruments should I bring?
My concern is leaving the fiddle behind more than anything else.
Maybe I should look for a compact mandolin-fiddle combination case. My rule is, If the instrument can't be carry on it won't be going.
I'm not sure how crowded the session/s will be. I am going to Clare Island but my host might go to session on the mainland too.
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Alden W
Re: What instruments should I bring?
Edit to above post*
I won't be far from Westport so maybe the sessions will be larger...I guess...I won't actually know 'till I get there really.
# Posted on March 11th 2011 by Alden W
Re: What instruments should I bring?
I agree with the advice above to use this as an opportunity to focus on one of your instruments. And if this is your first time in Ireland, I would expect that you should spend a good amount of your time listening, with whatever instrument you bring resting in your lap.
# Posted on March 12th 2011 by AlBrown
Re: What instruments should I bring?
Upright organ should do.
# Posted on March 12th 2011 by mcknowall
Re: What instruments should I bring?
For the whole flight?
# Posted on March 12th 2011 by RichardB
Re: What instruments should I bring?
"...leaving the banjo and guitar behind and bringing the fiddle (and mandolin if you must). You'll get treated better carrying melody instruments"
"Melody instruments" Ha Ha. I know what you mean though. Its a shame, but you may well be more welcome without banjo and guitar no matter how well you really play them.
# Posted on March 12th 2011 by harmonic miner
Re: What instruments should I bring?
A tin whistle makes a very efficient blowpipe for poison darts. You aren't allowed whistles in the cabin.
# Posted on March 12th 2011 by geoffwright
Re: What instruments should I bring?
I'd never thought of using mine for poison darts - gosh, how exciting! The things these security johnnies know!
All my life, I've laboured under the illusion that what one had to do was to sweet-talk one's intended victim into eating a puffer-fish or licking a live venemous tree-frog.
As these are not obviously available round here, my tally of victims rests at zero.
# Posted on March 12th 2011 by nicholas
Re: What instruments should I bring?
My tin whistle playing sounds like it should be shooting darts as it is, so I might leave that behind.
# Posted on March 14th 2011 by Alden W
Re: What instruments should I bring?
As long as you stay away from RyanAir, you shouldn't have trouble with a musical instrument on the flight. Except for a banjo. I believe they're classified as a dangerous weapon these days.
# Posted on March 14th 2011 by DrSilverSpear
Re: What instruments should I bring?
"You ARE allowed to bring one musical instrument on board as well as one other piece of hand-luggage." Not with Ryanair.
"As long as you stay away from RyanAir" - who are bad news transatlantic anyway, (given that Alden W is coming from NH. )As Michael O'Leary said, "we'd be happy to do transatlantic flights, but you'll have to swim the last bit...." (They only have Boeing 737s.)
If you do buy a seat for an instrument, it has to sit by the window, which seems a great waste.
Not that I'm knocking Ryanair, their "bus" from B'ham to Dublin is great for visiting my partner's folks at low cost.
# Posted on March 14th 2011 by TomB-R