I had a flight case pedalboard custom-made, it seemed like a great idea to go big and have ample space to expand and experiment with pedals. In reality a 40x24 box that weighs 36lb turned out to be a cumbersome thing to take on a DIY tour, and expensive to fly with. I'm thinking of ditching it and discarding a bunch of pedals to remake the pedalboard inside a bass hard case. It needs to be molded ABS like the Gator, Peavey or Ibanez cases. I'd like to have your opinions on:
size: the average rectangle bass hard case measures 71" linear inches, but 62 is the limit of most airlines. Do bass players who check-in their basses tend to pay an oversize fee?
damage: how resistant is the Helix to the shock, handling and throwing that checked-in cases are subjected to?
theft: how good an idea is to check-in valuable pedals, or is it better to remove the Helix and take into the plane cabin in a backpack?
There are two limitations to check-in luggage: dimensional limit, usually 62" linear inches (Length + Width + Depth) and weight limit which is generally 50 pounds (source). Most airlines abide by these. Exceed either and they charge an average of $100 for oversize and $100 for overweight fees. In my case, both, 75lb loaded with pedals and 72" linear inches. I picked red polyvinyl after I read reports that black luggage makes 95% of stolen luggage (source). As far as I know, injected polymer or molded ABS are the only lighter and sturdy alternative to wood and metal hardware. I haven't had any luck finding examples like that online.The Gator ABS bass case is 71.3â€/12.6lbs and the guitar is 64â€/9lbs. The guitar case is no problem but I do need the extra inches afforded by the bass case. Any thoughts?