Drums in checked baggage?

wocketpatch

Junior Member
Hi all, anyone had any experience bringing drums on a flight as checked baggage? I'm particularly concerned with my kick drum.. The max size on most airlines is 62 linear inches per bag. This is generally measured as L + W + H by the airline. My kick drum bag for my 20" kick (18" depth) measures 23" (dia) by 21" on the outside. If it were to be measured by this formula it comes to 67 linear inches, 5 inches too large. However, basic geometry tells us that since this is a ROUND object, the linear length is actually not calculated the same way as a normal suitcase. With my limited math skills, I get 60" linear length (correct me if I'm wrong) which means it should actually squeak by. I worry though about being caught at the baggage counter with my kick drum -- oversize baggage fee for my airline is $80.

Anybody had experience with trying to bring a 20" kick drum on a plane as checked baggage? I am considering buying an 18" kick as I've got a few flights coming up where I'd like to bring it -- however, I'm having a hell of a time finding such a kick without having to buy a whole jazz or "bop" kit -- the rest of which I don't need.. plus, truth be told, I don't really have the money to be spending on another kick drum when I already have 2, especially because I'd feel inclined to pick up a Kelly SHU for the lil' bugger to keep it easily mic'd up.. Still, I'd rather get something for my money in the way of a new 18" kick if the probability of getting stuck with hefty oversize baggage fees is high... Dilemmas!!!!

Thanks for any input on this.
 
I'm afraid I don't have any experience with a 20" inch bass drum. I did, however, take a 16" bass drum, 14" floor tom, 10" rack tom" and a 14" snare on a plane as checked baggage when I move to England. I stripped all the lugs off and put it in a separate bag nested all the shells in a hard 16" case, put foam in-between the shells, and the bag of lugs, etc. inside the smallest tom. I laid the heads on top of it all and duct taped it shut. It was, of course, oversized, and overweight, but it actually only cost a hundred bucks, which, I believe was far cheaper than shipping, and everything arrived in perfect condition.

I've seen some people take some pretty big crap on planes. Maybe you could nest the drums inside your 20?
 
I suggest insured fedex over checked baggage...lower loss rate. get DETAILED video of what you put in package along with attached shipping slip.

My issue with rental is that I dont get what I really want without paying alot...your pickyness may vary : )
 
I'm afraid I don't have any experience with a 20" inch bass drum. I did, however, take a 16" bass drum, 14" floor tom, 10" rack tom" and a 14" snare on a plane as checked baggage when I move to England. I stripped all the lugs off and put it in a separate bag nested all the shells in a hard 16" case, put foam in-between the shells, and the bag of lugs, etc. inside the smallest tom. I laid the heads on top of it all and duct taped it shut. It was, of course, oversized, and overweight, but it actually only cost a hundred bucks, which, I believe was far cheaper than shipping, and everything arrived in perfect condition.

I've seen some people take some pretty big crap on planes. Maybe you could nest the drums inside your 20?

I did the same thing when I was a teenager. Drums, hardware, cymbals, all in one box. It did not make it on the initial flight because of the weight (it was a little puddle jumper initial flight. The flight was full so the drums had to wait for the next flight). I arrived at my destination at about midnight, and the airline delivered the box to my door the next morning. Nothing was damaged, and it cost about $100.
 
I've had to fly with a lot of field location recording gear for film. Airline reps and TSA security have always been extremely helpful when I took my gear in ahead of time and asked questions on what could fly checked and unchecked. They were downright grateful I asked them and their advice made it very easy to get all my gear quickly through security.

My suggestion is to take your drums in to the airport you intend to fly out of and ask your airline agents and TSA the best way to pack your kit. If there is an issue--especially with the size of your kick drum--you'll know ahead of time so you can come up with Plan B. You should also find out how much extra this will cost you in advance to fly everything with you.
 
I'd call ahead and rent a kit in the city. Just bring sticks. Rental would probably cost you about the same in baggage costs, no?

I'm gonna go with no. My first thought was actually to rent -- that seems the obvious solution, right? Well as it turns out, at least as far as I can tell, backline rentals are strictly for acts with corporate backing, and fools. I shopped around a bit and the prices are basically obscene. To rent a small 2x10 bass cab and a basic drum kit was upwards of $700 for an 8 day rental, pretty much across the board. Seriously. I mean, for $700 I can go to guitar center any day of the week and pick up a mid level used drum kit and small bass cab, possibly even for a couple hundred less if I'm lucky. Maybe the rental kit would be somewhat nicer, but 8 days and $700 later I could either be left owning said OK kit and small bass cab, or absolutely nothing.

I suggest insured fedex over checked baggage...lower loss rate. get DETAILED video of what you put in package along with attached shipping slip.

My issue with rental is that I dont get what I really want without paying alot...your pickyness may vary : )

I don't believe you can get ANYTHING without paying a lot from a backline rental place, though if I've just been barking up all the wrong trees, then PLEASE, tell me where to look!

As far as shipping, the trouble is, who do I ship it to? When we get to the air port we grab a rental car and hit the road. If I know what hotel I'm staying at the first night, then OK.. but more often than not I don't have anywhere near enough advance notice of where we are staying to orchestrate a shipment. I'm sure there are numerous other solutions for the shipping option, but I have a feeling most of them are going to be a bigger pain than they are worth.. bringing it on my flight with the rest of my checked baggage is definitely preferable.

I really just want to get a feel for my odds of being made to pay the extra $80 for oversized bags, considering that TECHNICALLY it is not oversized, however, using the standard formula for measuring a cube would measure it out as too large, which I'm concerned they'll do, even though it is actually a cylinder.. Overall it seems like lugging your gear on a plane is not a popular option round here :)
 
I don't think I'd ever consider checking my drums. I have a hard enough time checking my cymbal case (gotten burned twice doing that). Not only would it be expensive (multiple oversized items, but I wouldn't trust baggage handlers to handle it properly.

Whenever we play gigs where we have to fly, I bring my cymbals and pedals (sometimes my snare) and then play whatever I get on the day. It's usually a either venue backline kit (usually a half-decent kit with various pieces of broken hardware) or a kit belonging to another drummer on the bill (usually a better kit, but the owner might be picky about what I can adjust). It's the curse of the drummer.



Just buy it a seat. Then you can play it.
Fixed that for you.
 
Oh geez. I feel like even trying to explain why I need to carry that much refined metal through the security check is going to cost me money in the form of in-flight beverage service stress relief. My biggest cymbal on the road is my 18" ride though so I usually just nestle my cymbal bag into one of the kick drum hoops.

Apparently many people have their nightmare stories about checking bags, but I've never had a problem, so for now I guess I'm bent on learning why not the hard way.

And yes I COULD nest floor tom in the kick, and for that matter, my rack tom inside of that... except that I have my Kelly Shu installed in the kick which ruins everything! But really what I'm concerned with here is not efficiency per se, but whether my kick (in it's bag) will be too large to check without the totally unreasonable oversized baggage fees. I guess if I knew for certain that I'd get charged for that, then nesting and loading up as much crap as possible into one bag would be key.. That's the whole issue though -- the ambiguity of expectations. I'd love to hear just one person's account of checking or attempting to check a 20" kick drum on a flight. Anyone?
 
As far as shipping, the trouble is, who do I ship it to?

Call or visit Fedex, UPS, DHL, or other shippers and ask them. Those companies are all in the business of solving precisely this type of problem. UPS lets me redirect shipments addressed to my house to their local processing facility. I actually had a drum set shipped to me that way. You could probably work it out to have them hold it at a distribution center near your destination and then pick it up once you have your rental car. Just explain to them what you need and they should have an option to meet it.

Airlines are in the business of getting you to a destination quickly. Any luggage beyond a few changes of clothes is a nuisance to them. The nuisance to an airline is the core business of shippers like Fedex, UPS, and DHL.
 
Call or visit Fedex, UPS, DHL, or other shippers and ask them. Those companies are all in the business of solving precisely this type of problem. UPS lets me redirect shipments addressed to my house to their local processing facility. I actually had a drum set shipped to me that way. You could probably work it out to have them hold it at a distribution center near your destination and then pick it up once you have your rental car. Just explain to them what you need and they should have an option to meet it.

Airlines are in the business of getting you to a destination quickly. Any luggage beyond a few changes of clothes is a nuisance to them. The nuisance to an airline is the core business of shippers like Fedex, UPS, and DHL.

+1.........................
 
Yeah, that all totally makes sense, it's just that our tix for most flights include 2 free checked bags -- so between my bandmate and me, that's 4 checked bags -- enough for all our gear (heads only tho, no speaker cabs) to come with us.. provided my kick isn't considered oversized, that is. I actually double-checked, and on some flights the oversize bag charge is a cool hundo.

I'm keeping the shipping option in mind but sometimes we'll have a couple shows and then another flight -- I worry about our stuff lagging a day or two behind.. not to mention the extra cost.
 
For now what I think I'm gonna do is test the 20" on a relatively short upcoming flight from PDX to OAK, and see how it goes.

If it doesn't make it on the plane (or it costs me my left arm) then when we get back I'll pony up for an 18" that will pass baggage manifesto without issue. I'm kinda cracking up at how against the idea of checking the stuff you all are and I want to take y'alls warnings about the dangers of checked baggage into consideration, but damn, my touring kick is not exactly the mona lisa. It's just got a straight frame with a good head and a familiar but strong yet also caring face and OK you got me, it's the mona lisa.

Anyway I guess I'll report back, even though everyone here thinks its such a terrible idea :p
 
For now what I think I'm gonna do is test the 20" on a relatively short upcoming flight from PDX to OAK, and see how it goes.

If it doesn't make it on the plane (or it costs me my left arm) then when we get back I'll pony up for an 18" that will pass baggage manifesto without issue. I'm kinda cracking up at how against the idea of checking the stuff you all are and I want to take y'alls warnings about the dangers of checked baggage into consideration, but damn, my touring kick is not exactly the mona lisa. It's just got a straight frame with a good head and a familiar but strong yet also caring face and OK you got me, it's the mona lisa.

Anyway I guess I'll report back, even though everyone here thinks its such a terrible idea :p

We don't all think it is a terrible idea. Vintage Old School gave some great advice about how to go about making sure you can do it. Furthermore, if you ship it FedEx or UPS, it will be going on a plane anyhow.
 
Fighting an airline about lost luggage and culpability is far harder than FedEx.

Airlines do not guarantee your stuff will be there when you get off the plane...but FedEx will.

Airlines are just poor service providers.
 
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