United Airlines SUCKS! J3172 is DOA!

[roodyrocker]

Re: United Airlines SUCKS! J3172 is DOA!

Sorry to hear that about your Soloist. I have traveled before with my Charvel Model 6 in its Chainsaw case. I always took it with me onboard as carry-on. The Chainsaw case fits very nicely in overhead compartments.

Rudy

[atomic charvel guy]

Re: United Airlines SUCKS! J3172 is DOA!

tom,
that's a heartbreaker. i'm sorry. i am flying back home to southern cal tomorrow, and i might not bring the guitar my buddy jason lent me now. do they ever let you carry them on the plane, or only if it is in a gigbag?

[slo100]

Re: United Airlines SUCKS! J3172 is DOA!

I have a question, TM! Was the chainsaw case you used made for a soloist with a real Floyd nut? The reason I ask is because the so many of those chainsaw cases were manufactured for guitars with the JT-6/Kahler style behind the nut locks and a guitar with a real Floyd nut (with the nect extension for the locking nut to seat). As crappy as they seem, those chainsaw cases are pretty damn good because they do not allow movement of the guitar inside the form fitting tray (as long as the guitar being transported is meant for it). The reason for most transit related breakages is due to the guitar not correctly fitting in the case and subject to either shifting within the case or (as in this case) the headstock touching the end of the case, not being supported. When the headstock is touching, the energy from ANY kind of drop, blow, or airborn landing, is transmitted directly to the guitar's neck. The headstock should "float" in the case and not touch anything. The picture Charveljunkie posted indicates a blow to the tip of the headstock which would be impossible in a correctly fitted "form-fit" style case like the chainsaws are. It would be nearly impossible for a breakage like this to occur with a guitar in a form fit because a) the guitar does not shift, b) the headstock is suspended, c) the outer shell would have to be breached or physically crushed to impose direct contact on the headstock. This kind of break in Charveljunkie's pic would be caused by the same kind of force/impact as if you grabbed the guitar by the headstock with one hand, the neck at the 12th fret with the other, and struck the back of the neck right under the Floyd nut. SNAP!

I learned this lesson the hard way on a very nice San Dimas Charvel graphic star due to a bad case (for that particular guitar). Same impact, same damage in the same place...all due to a bad case.

The reason guitar manufacturers use/used these form fitting cases is because they do a better job protecting the guitar in transit than a G&G style where there is more wiggle room (unless it is custom fit for the guitar with a tray or form fitted which many are). Fender started using the plastic things for this very reason. They were losing money replacing/repairing damaged guitars in transit.

Whenever I ship guitars to GMW (from Virginia) I always use chainsaws or a plastic SKB/Fender tray type case. They are by far the best next to 50 pound ATA cases. Never had a problem with over 7 years and probably 20 shipments.

It is actually pretty hard to break a guitar that is packed decently (not even expertly or in an ATA case) and that has a proper case. It takes almost nothing to break a guitar that is in an improperly fitting case. If you have a guitar with a tilt-back headstock in a case meant for a strat style neck and the guitar's headstock is resting on the case supporting the neck, you can snap it putting it in the trunk of your car.

I was quick to blame UPS for my Charvel loss but as soon as I took a look at the case the guy used I knew whose fault it was.

Food for thought!

[slo100]

Re: United Airlines SUCKS! J3172 is DOA!

I just realized that Charveljunkie's pic is not TMDiamond's guitar. I'm a little slow. So my post may all be for naught but still informative for future reference! Sorry!

[tmdiamond]

Re: United Airlines SUCKS! J3172 is DOA!

Thanks LPC and everyone else. Here's a bit more info. The break on my 87 is not as severe as the pic earlier in this thread although it is identical in location. Only real difference is that, at this point in time, the headstock is still attached and the wood has not separated. The strings were loosened and the Floyd nut opened. It would still go back to standard tuning (which, for me is Eb). There is no doubt, however, that the neck is broken. It should be noted that mine has the Floyd nut mounting screws that go thru the neck and the crack goes right across, and up both sides thru to the headstock. Regarding the case: I used the term "chainsaw" to mean the hard plastic, rectangular, form-fitted style that has the round, white C/J emblem painted on it. The case was in mint shape prior to travel and, in fact, it is the case for my Shannon BGF, which is identical in dimensions to my '87. I'm not sure now if this is what is commonly called a chainsaw case but I assumed that that's what it was. I used to have a new DKMG that had a SKB case so maybe that is what is meant by chainsaw style. Regardless, the 87 having identical headstock length, neck length, and body dimensions, did not move inside the case. The tip did not touch the end of the inside of the case. When I discovered the damage upon our arrival in my hometown of Bozeman, MT, I noticed that one of the "feet" on the side of the case (headstock end) was pushed in and the was some brown crap rubbed into the coarse finish of the plastic near the foot. Could have been from a boot or a cardboard box for that matter. The "foot" I am referring to is really nothing more than one of the four areas where the plastic is extruded so that when you set the case on its side to take the guitar out, the case rests on these four feet thingys. When I saw the handler throw the case, my wife and I both watched as it landed on the side of one end. Now, I can't say for certain that it was the headstock end but it was certainly from a height of at least 2-3 feet and a distance of maybe 6 feet. My assumption is that it landed such that the stress was enough to crack that area where the Floyd nut mounting screws go thru the neck.
I was always told that these hard cases were designed for flight, being form-fitted and all. Ironically, I do own an Anvil flight case that came with my San Dimas B&W Bengal strat. I probably could have cut the foam to fit a Soloist.

As far as what I'm looking to get....They asked me what the guitar was valued at when new. I said that I could only estimate that a 1987 Soloist Custom was probably somewhere between 1800-2000 bucks. She wrote down 2k, which is fine with me. If they say that they'll replace it, I imagine that 1600 will do. If they will only pay out what I have into it, then about 1100 will do. I'm not going to be a prick and try and gank them for 2649 or whatever the retail is right now. All I want is the guitar replaced (best case scenario) or pay me what I'm into it for (least I would accept). I need to email a couple of dealers to see if they will write an estimate letter or two.

[wulfe13]

Re: United Airlines SUCKS! J3172 is DOA!

The chainsaw cases are like the old gray Charvel cases you see, that aren't rectangular but shaped "more" like a guitar. What you have is what I always thought was an SKB case. All the chainsaw cases I have seen are fitted for strats on the inside. I'd love to have one for my model 6 if they made them... I also haven't been able to find a form fitted case for my Shannon. I tried the JCC921 from Jackson that fits soloists but with the neck 4 degree neck angle of the Shannon it wouldn't fit. Anybody know what case fits the Shannon perfectly???

Sorry to hear about you guitar but, I always thought those cases were perfect for soloists... not a Shannon, but for soloists. [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[SeventhSon]

Re: United Airlines SUCKS! J3172 is DOA!

I keep a decent, cheapo guitar at my folks and my in-laws so I don't have to travel with one when I have to visit each every year.