Anyone's guitar get smashed by the airlines?

[Subvamp]

Hey folks,

Got a question for some of you: I remember here and there reading posts about some of you who had your guitars broken by various airlines. I'm curious to hear what the outcomes were.

In a nutshell, I built a custom 12 string bass for a pretty high profile bass player. He takes it to show, plays it, all is right with the world.
He decided to fly home after the show, and take his new bass with him. He goes to pick up the bass from the baggage area, and they've snapped the headstock off.

He filed a cliam, I provided sale receipts and repair receipts. They said they'll pay...all fine and dandy, BUT, they won't give him the bass back. I'd rather repair the broken bass then have to build a new one right now...with all the other build projects I have on the schedule it's gonna take me a good 6-8 months before I can even think about building him another bass.

Can the airlines refuse to return your property???

[shreddermon]

If they've paid him for it, and he accepted, yes. Otherwise, he get's a "two-fer": cash value, plus the repairable instrument. This way, he gets his cash, and the airline may be able to recoup some small portion of that payment by selling the remains.

[toddstaples]

I had a similar experience with UPS. UPS paid and Insurance claim to me and at that point, they owned the guitar. They said it would be sent to auction and they would try to recoup some of the loss.
I didnt pursue it any further.....

[danastas]

The airline has to show the bass to the insurance company rep. That's what I'm guessing.

I once walked into a furniture store and saw an amazing couch on sale for $450. The thing had some damage from a rich college girl whose Dad bought it for her for $4k, and she tried to jam it into her NYC apartment. They returned the sofa, got a full refund because the store didn't want to offend a regular customer. After I bought it, I was told they'd get it to me in 2 weeks on their delivery truck. I ended up waiting for it for 8 months, because they were concerned that the insurance company rep would grab it.

[guitarsjb]

Once they pay you for the item, they own it. You can't get the money and the bass also. If they deny the claim then you get the bass, because they can't have both either.

[YetAnotherOne]

Yep, UPS cracked the neck of RR 0944 then picked it up after issuing a check. Of course by then I'd stripped off everything that wasn't glued on.

[Subvamp]

Ah, I see. So if they pay for the REPAIR, then we'll get the bass back and they've just paid to have it fixed, but if they pay the full amount, they they've basically bought themselves a broken bass. Thanks for clearing that up!

[lerxstcat]

He (or you) might inquire about the auction thing and try to buy it back for a song, then repair it. Decide how much it'd be worth as opposed to starting over.

And make VERY sure that headstock is properly packed and supported next time. If the next one breaks the same way they'll likely say you packed it or built it wrong. Now I'M NOT saying that, just telling you if the same thing happens twice they're more apt to fight the second claim.

[demeyes]

A friend of mine had the neck on his ibanez broken when he was flying.It was the best guitar he ever had and he still laments the loss of it. I don't know if he had any kind of refund or hassle getting money from airlines.

[wilkinsi]

when travelling to germany, i specifically requested my bass be put in fragile compartment. upon arrival, it came out with all the usual heavy luggage - bastards, i complained, got fobbed off. since then, i've never taken my guitars on planes.

[Subvamp]

I think they just bashed luggage on that flight. The guitarist had a Boss GT8 that they BROKE IN HALF on the same flight. How the hell do you break a metal pedalboard in HALF?! That bass was a 5 piece, opposing grain laminated neck with a volute. The amount of force it must have taken to break it had to be unreal, but if they're snapping pedalboards, I guess a wooden guitar doesn't stand much of a chance.

[Shawn Lutz]

yup...if claims are paid in full he no longer owns the guitar.

Just as if you totaled your car, the insurance company pays you for the total loss, they now own the car so you cant keep it and sell parts to make some xtra coin