Travel with a nice mandolin

[Charles E.]

My wife and I are discussing going to Belize some time this year and she is encouraging me to bring a mandolin. I no longer have a beater mandolin so I would have to travel with My Girouard F-5. I don't think I would have any trouble with the airlines but for those who have traveled to Central America or Belize in particular, do I need to have any concerns?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[gtani7]

I wouldn't.

Besides the unknown airlines, there's needing to document that your instrument doesn't have materials on the CITES act list unless you get the specific permit: http://americanorchestras.org/advoca...avel-tips.html

and: https://www.ibma.org/press/archives/...ow-about-cites (there were some threads here about how mother of pearl can cause confusion, i think)

also Madagascar ebony is now on the 3rd listing: http://www.fws.gov/international/pla...e-species.html

(I've read that cellists and double bassists are reluctant to take fine instruments to countries with high heat and humidity, but mandolins should be fine).

[George R. Lane]

Charley,
I would suggest investing in a beater. Belize is a tropical country with high humidity and that can reek havoc on your Girouard. Perhaps something that is laminated. I would hate to see anything happening to your mandoline.

[texaspaul]

Several years ago pre 9/11/01 I took my Guild D-55 ( I know not a mandolin) to Costa Rica. Ichecked it. Houston , TX climate not a big change so no worries there.
At the time I packed it like I would ship one, extra neck and head stock bubble wrap and support. I also made sure there was no movement inside the case, then duck taped the latches. I am not sure you can seal one that way today.
When I travel with my mandolin in the States, I carry on and when I have to check it. I again do extra support and cushion in case.
I would consider buying a beater to take along and sell upon return if nothing happens to it. You might loose a little on resale probably not much. May be a used Rogue A with solid woods.
I traveled often to my elderly parents in SC. I had a Epiphone MM 30 (solid top) and a laminate Yamaha guitar that I left under their bed to play when I visited. I had under $250 in both and was worth not worrying about my good instruments.

[JonDoug]

Charley,

I've taken my beater (from the same factory, it would appear, as the Rogue-100A with a different headstock/name) twice to Belize in a padded gig bag with shoulder straps and have had no problems. Airline personnel and passengers were so respectful of finding a spot in the overhead, I wouldn't want to tell them how little it is worth! I did have a customs person on return ask me if I bought it overseas--it is silly to think you would go to Belize to buy a mandolin--but maybe it is a good idea to carry your receipt (I don't know anything about CITES issues).

I wouldn't anticipate any problems with a more expense instrument--it might be a little tough awkward on the water taxis out to the cayes, but no real problem. Personally, I take the less expensive instrument just to take the focus off the instrument and its security in travel, plus the stability of the "plywood" and the overall quietness is a bonus in what is essentially a practice instrument. And, of course, my real mandolin feels so good in the hand and sounds so good in the ear when I get back!

[colorado_al]

+1 on buying a travel mando. I travel Central America often and I would not bring an instrument worth any more than $500. Too many opportunities for it to get ruined, stolen or confiscated.

I'd pickup this JBovier for the trip.
http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/98808#98808

[Paul Busman]

You can always sell a beater when you get back home. Or stash it under the bed until your next trip. Or picnic. Or hiking... for the price of a Rogue you can't go wrong.

[Charles E.]

Thanks all, I think I'll leave the Girouard home and look for an A style beater to take with me.

Been looking up the music of Belize and am excited about the music of the Garifuna and Punta music.

I think I will join the organization "Mandolins Without Borders".

[Robb Todd]

I bought my first mandolin from the delightful Stan at mando brothers on Staten Island whilst on a round the world sabbatical. A Collins MT.
My next stop was Costa Rica. I carried it as hand luggage. After a few days at a pretty luxurious home stay my travel agent had booked me a "Eco" resort. All was going well as we wound down a hill into deep jungle valley when a trailer appeared behind us with rubber rafts. Strangly the rafts kept following us. It wasn't until we were at the bottom that I realized the rafts Real purpose. One small problem I had my mando, this of course was no problem to the rafties it went into a barrel with my other luggage.
After a quick lesson on how to raft in Rapids we were off. And this proved not to be a drift down the river some 4 and 5 patches of Rapids.
I arrived at the resort very wet and tired. It was literally in the middle of a jungle with only one way in and the same way out. All supplies came in that way. At night is was pretty noisy with the sound of the water in the river.
My MT in its TKL case was totally unaffected.
Now I wouldn't do that by choice again but overhead lockers seem pretty tame by comparison. When I look back it was probably safer than putting it in a hold it was carefully packed in the middle of a waterproof drum surrounded by clothing and the like.

[Toni Schula]

...
And, of course, my real mandolin feels so good in the hand and sounds so good in the ear when I get back!

Yes, exactly that.

[dschonbrun]

Charley, get a beater, it's not worth the risk.

[Ron McMillan]

Or get the Girouard insured.

[dschonbrun]

My instrument is insured, and I wouldn't bring it under the conditions Charley cites.

[Roger Moss]

Get a beater. In that part of the world anything can happen.

[J.Albert]

Don't take it unless you can afford to -lose it-.

If you can afford a trip to Belize, you can afford a "travel mandolin" ...

[Mark Wilson]

Make some memories and take the Girouard

A life without risk(s) is a life less fun and less full

or get a beater

[DataNick]

A used Kentucky, Eastman or JBovier in the $300-$400 range I think would be ideal for your purposes!

[Charles E.]

I dug out a mandolin that I made in 2010 and have not played in four years. It is a flat top and back and needs some fret work and a new set of light gauge strings. It turns out that there are a couple of luthiers in San Pedro Town and I have been in touch with Dale Wallace who kindly invited me to visit his shop.

http://www.wallaceguitarsbelize.com/about/

As he put it "I am on the lagoon side among the mangroves and crocodiles". It turns out that there a couple of open jams in town as well.

[Scottydawg]

Took my TKD..not a beater, but not a Fern, to Playa del Carmen, MX in April. Carry on..never left my sight unless locked in my condo. Very high humidity and played at some beach bars. Just wiped it down real well. Strings showed corrosion as I was there for 2 weeks.
I'm glad I had it as it was a pretty uncommon sight in those parts.
My 2 pesos

[Ron McMillan]

Some people have to get out more. Belize is not Afghanistan or Aleppo or Medellin in the 1980s.

[colorado_al]

Some people have to get out more. Belize is not Afghanistan or Aleppo or Medellin in the 1980s.

I've been to Belize and many other places in Central America. I would not bring a $5000 mandolin there, or a $5000 anything there.

[almeriastrings]

I've also traveled in that part of the world and add my voice to those who urge caution. While you do not have to take a complete "beater", there are loads of playable, decent sounding instruments that you could take, such as used Kentucky, The Loar, Eastman, etc. that if the worst did happen, you'd only be out a few hundred bucks. They is no way I'd take my Ellis or a Gibson there. I did have very high value camera and recording gear with me, and protecting it was almost a full time job in itself... not to mention being very stressful. The last thing you need on a vacation.

[dschonbrun]

Some people have to get out more. Belize is not Afghanistan or Aleppo or Medellin in the 1980s.

Ron, While that may be true, it doesn't change the fact that unless we're talking about an artist going to play a gig and bringing his/her concert instrument, that the risk of traveling internationally with a prized mando isn't something anyone Must assume.

A travel mando works just fine to keep your fingers limber. I have several friends who have an Eastman for international travel, even though they are escorted by security while travelling.

[Delaware]

I have been to Belize as well last summer and unless you are going to Hopkins or the Cays, it is most definitely not a country for a fine mandolin. Too humid, rough roads. That said, a beater mandolin would be nice to hear along the Hummingbird Highway where we stayed.

[JeffD]

Here is another thought. Are you going to have opportunity to play it?

I know for the way I am, I would consider bringing it if I were going to a festival or a jam or performing, or going to show the mandolin to someone of import. But if the mandolin has nothing to do with the purpose of the trip, perhaps, regardless of how replaceable an instrument it is or how safe it is, I might consider leaving it at home:

My worry about it would distract me from enjoying exploring where I am.

I would be finding opportunities to play it rather than opportunities to experience things unique to where I am. In fact, just to justify all the effort and hassle I would aggressively look for or fabricate opportunities to play it, rather than relaxing and casually taking advantage of any naturally occurring musical opportunities.

The person/people I would be traveling with are not musical, and so me playing mandolin is robbing them of me at a time when perhaps sharing the event/location/experience with them would be more valuable.


The only exception would be a very long term trip, more than a month or so, where there would be more unstructured personal time not related to the trip, and I would be getting itchy.


There is more than the safety of the mandolin to consider I figure.