Sending the kemper on a plane

  • Hey


    Been wondering if anyone have tried to bring the kemper as handluggage on a plane and that it went smoothly?
    And also, if you were to send it in a hardcase, would it be enough to send it in a simple one with rackmount or is it needed to be shockmount? I know airports handle bags quite roughly so, but you know if you paid for fragile luggage.


    Anyone got any experience on this?

  • As long as the overall size fits the company's rules for hand luggage, you're good to go :)
    check in advance, some companies (specially for local flights) require the maximum size to be lesser, because luggage room is smalle (on smaller planes).

  • Alright thanks, now if anyone have experience with flightcases with or without shockmount, it would be great. the weight increases alot with shockmount so wondering if it's really necessary. so if someone who sends their equipment/amps could fill me in, it'd be great! :)

  • Have done it too - once - it was absolutely fine. They asked me why it doesn't look like a guitar amp they had ever seen. I said it's digital - it's where things are going.


    I had it in that green, original bag.

  • Just in case you don't already have it, get some insurance. I use Allianz instrument insurance and it's pretty cheap, and they'll repair or replace anything that's stolen, damaged whatever. They'll even pay for hire equipment while you're waiting for the repair. Even if you're abroad and something breaks or gets lost/stolen they'll apparently help you out pretty quickly with getting you sorted with hired equipment.

  • 2 times they did test it for explosives. But that was routine checking, nothing special.


    As long as you didn't have your rig gain up full and the fuzz stomp active and cranked to "10"...


    My brother (Fingers) insisted on these settings the other night (it was Saturday after all), so he could indulge in some Hendrix. I swear I've never heard sustain like that before. We tried to get it to die out but even the tiniest of movements like a couple of mm slip on one's leg (we were sitting) would undo all one's hard work trying to keep still. It'd have been even more impossible, if that's even possible, standing up. Hilarious. Conclusion: Impossible to wait out - regenerative and ongoing.


    Oh, and we had a 1 oct pitch shift (upward) mixed in at 50% or something, which caused all sorts of interesting interactions and movement as the guitar's output decayed, even 'though the KPA's didn't of course. The pitch algorithm's futzing around, switching from one source to the next during those times of absolutely minimal input strength, was surely responsible. The fact that it was inserted after the Fuzz stomp would've added to the confusion. The KPA was alive!


    Bottom line: If you'd set it up thusly, it would've exploded when customs looked at it, and worst of all, they'd have confistittycated it from you!

  • Always take mine in a bass drum pedal gig bag I bought from Thomann for around £12 as recommended on the wiki page. Perfect fit, straight on as hand luggage and in the overhead locker everytime no issue at all.

  • if anyone have experience with flightcases with or without shockmount


    No experience but from thinking about this, I would rather take it in a Gator plastic rack (for example Gator GR-3S) than a hard plywood rack.


    Another option would be a larger rack with more gear and stuffs inside, just to make it heavier intentionally. Maximum allowed weight for 1 piece of luggage is 32kg and the closer you get to 32kg, the less it will get thrown, hehe.

  • A hard case could be a problem. I once tried to bring a granite grinder (small one) as hand luggage and had to leave it behind because it could have been used as a weapon. The steel of the KPA and the edges of a hard case might qualify as a weapon as well. Probably depends on who's in charge at the check-in desk.

  • A hard case could be a problem. I once tried to bring a granite grinder (small one) as hand luggage and had to leave it behind because it could have been used as a weapon. The steel of the KPA and the edges of a hard case might qualify as a weapon as well. Probably depends on who's in charge at the check-in desk.


    Hahaha, with this logic most of the small hard case trolleys could be used as weapons, too. ;)

  • Would you send the kemper in one of these?


    http://www.thomann.de/intl/tho…ah_idr32_stagebox_6he.htm


    Feel like I would also put it inside my luggage and wrap clothes around it too. looked into this "Shockmount" but they're mainly just rubber feet. when the airport guys drop it on the plane, its still going to feel the blow.
    Would have to be sort of springs or something to actually cushion the blow. seen types with foam inside also, but it's all connected by the rubberfeet so the foam wouldnt help. unless the rack was loose there inside the foam, then maybe it would.


    I'm amazed there arent any good solutions to this, gonna have to make my own case it looks like, or pay 800Euros for a tank that weighs 20kg, but with that I would have to pay extra to send it. being it would go over the max capacity of 23kg.

  • Do you think they will make a film called "Kempers on a plane" ;)


    Naa. Not scary enough; everyone would be happy.


    Unless... they all had doom rigs like the one I described earlier active and were plugged in at the same time. The jet would shake, people would pee themselves and then... kaboom.

  • Naa. Not scary enough; everyone would be happy.


    Unless... they all had doom rigs like the one I described earlier active and were plugged in at the same time. The jet would shake, people would pee themselves and then... kaboom.


    Now I know why monkeys with doom rigs are not allow on planes!