From: Greg Campbell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Hans's advice is invaluable. You must suspend the valve section. > Then prevent other moving around and bumping into things or the case. > Make sure the latches cannot come undone easily, and wrap it with a > luggage strap. If anyone could put photos online showing how to prepare the horn for shipping or plane cargo, including the valve cluster immobilization, I think it would help everyone a lot. Brass Arts' instructions for shipping a horn are great, but a picture is worth a thousand words for many of us.
What pictures cannot show, and what packing cannot protect, is this little gotcha: Since 9/11 air security has the possibility of opening _any_ checked baggage for inspection. That is why it is a bad idea to lock suitcases, since if security decides to inspect the bag they will need to break the locks. It happens only very rarely, but if an instrument case is selected for inspection it will be opened without you being present, and the instrument may be removed from its case by someone who has no idea how to handle it, an even less idea how to repack it. I believe there was mention some time back on one of the lists about an inspector who held a horn by a valve slide and dropped the whole instrument when the slide came out. Sometimes there is no choice, but putting a musical instrument in regular checked baggage is an extremely hazardous practice. I wouldn't do it to any instrument I couldn't replace. If you must, you should remove all the loose flotsam (oil, spare mouthpieces, tools) from the case, since these things are dangerous if repacked incorrectly. Put them in your suitcase. Take your choice mouthpiece in carryon. _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
