You should partner up with an ukulele company and design the perfect travel bag. I travel quite a bit too and sometimes leave my ukulele behind because I would rather keep it safe :(
I found a good solution, I bought an old violin case on eBay for 16$. It perfectly fits for my Ibanez concert uke. It is made of wood and gives really good protection. Protective, custom made, concert ukulele cases are very expensive, so this is probably the best solution, but make sure it fits to your personal ukulele.
Tano Bokämper Well, when I bought the exact same Ibanez concert Ukulele I think you’re talking about, I ised the Gigbag I got with it. I traveled for about 10 hours and it worked like a charm soo..But the Violin case solution seems good and cheap!
I recently got a Concert Ukelele from Journey Instruments (I love it) and it came with a killer travel case. Protective, sturdy, strap built in, and lots of storage space. I flew last week, and it worked and carried on without issue or incidence.
I would suggest going to a foam rubber molder. The same type of foam they use to ship your new ukulele. Have the foam formed to fit the two ukuleles together, as tight and small as possible. Then slip them into a carry on size backpack.
I’m a flight attendant and travel with my inexpensive concert uke just to keep up with practicing! My case isn’t the best at protection thus traveling with a cheaper uke but I just use extra caution.
I travel with a custom ukulele in its hard case placed in a backpack, placing the case in the overhead storage and the backpack under the seat in front or the entire setup in the overhead space. The backpack holds the extra stuff. The neck portion extends out of the backpack and the body portion is in the backpack, works great and no worries with soft side and bulky type cases.
my dad lives in costa rica and I got to his house every summer. I live in the USA. I had gotten a $250 ukulele and I'm in LOVE! My dad is a musician and he told be to bring my ukulele. I have concerns about traveling with it. I do not have money for an expensive case. Would it be safe to possibly put it in a carry on suitcase and add blankets and sheets around it? Or could I put it into a backpack and keep it with me?
The Reunion Blues Continental Case is the best! I traveled several times to Europe with it and it was great. Also, best ergonomic straps of any case!!!
Taimane, you should get a reunion blues case. It runs for a little over $100 but it is light weight, protective, has a front pocket, and comes with backpack straps. this case can survive a 4 story drop test. I have this case and it has been the best one I've ever had.
First let me say that you are so fascinating and talented. I think that you have enough power to have someone make the right case for you, and therefore for others too. I think that someone like Carlos Santana would know who you can reach out too. You are likely not alone, needing a practical, relatively light, and protective case.
The Ritter bag is also one of my favorites. I was hanging out at the factory with Chris Kamaka years ago when Jake Shimabukuro came in and Chris introduced me to him. Jake showed me his Ritter and I've been using it since that time. Much better than the black pressboard case my uke came with originally!
@@chappykenek4504 Gosh, I wish I had a better answer because it's been a long time since I bought mine - and I got at the shop in Honolulu that Jake told me about. But you might try emailing the company and asking them who is carrying their product nearest to you: ritter-bags.com/ Good luck!
Eric Nilsson- music teacher I think for the long run, Bernadette is spot on! For the short-term, a Uke Crazy brand lightweight hard foam case with straps might be of use. The straps can be made to function like a backpack. Some people have had durability issues, but I have been bringing my tenor uke case to work every day for 9 months with no problems.
I bought a Cordoba 35T and it came with my favorite case so far. Its a hard/soft case that is very light and not too bulky. It has a small near useless front pocket but a compartment under the neck of where the uke sits which is nice. It would be perfect if it had bigger front pocket. It makes me feel like my ukulele is safe.
Love your playing. For cost effectiveness, I like the Crossrock. Sturdy ABS, I've dropped mine twice. Not a mark on it, and my ukulele is fine. And they are between 70-100$, in soprano, concert, and tenor. Come in 6 different colors. Not sponsored by them, I just like them and use them. And they have fittings for backpack straps.
Taimane, here’s a case I’ve used since 2014: hard (eps foam) but light (3lbs) with pockets and backpack straps. Pro Tec MX218 MAX Tenor Ukulele Case Black Mo Dere
I have just bought a kanile'a from o'hau and the case it came in was perfect for travel. Lightweight but super strong and padded. They may do a twin case but I think it would be too big
The Crossrock Hybrid case (400 series) is nearly perfect!The only thing missing is a large pocket, it only has a small one inside. But it is *very* strong; it's made from aluminum, covered in plastic.Instead of clasps, it has a zipper, but it is a real hard case - but about half the weight of regular hard cases, because of the material. It only comes with one strap (although they may add a second one in future, I think), but it has attachments for two straps, so if you add another one, you can wear it as a backpack. I also would *very* much prefer not to check my ukulele, but if I had to, this case would be ok I think.
Hello Taimane, First of all you are the one who made me know the Ukulele! Thank you! That was years ago! And still you are one of the best Ukulele players on this planet. Back to the case, I tried almost all cases :) For straps, pockets and padded well that you can travel safely with is - Pro Tec MX218 Max - and I have 4 of em! Traveling every month all over the world never disappointed me. And the best protection but no pockets sorry! Is - Crossrock CRF Fiberglass case - it's an awesome hard case. And btw, there's a fusion double UKe case 👍 Keep Playing.. Stay safe, God Bless 🌹 Aloha!
Plus : For a string winder, check D'addario Pro Winder with a cutter 😍 and bridge pin puller if you'll have a Kanilea one day ! Will make life easier 😊👍 And for a file and buffers : Check strings by mail nail care kits specially their crystal glass file! And they sell Oasis nail shaper which is an awesome tool! 🌹
I've travelled to Japan and the neighbor islands using a Aranjuez Standard ukulele case. I've never had a problem getting through TSA with this case or storing it in the overhead compartment. Might be hard to find considering that the makers are Japanese. More notable people who use this case are Honoka & Azita, Chris Salvador, Alto, and Jody Kamisato. Check out my ukulele quartet by searching "4U ukulele" in the search bar!
Taimane, I work for an airline and take my mandolin along with me on trips. Check into the Levy's leather case. It is heavier than a gig-bag but nothing like your Calton. The leather is fairly stiff, it is well padded and it has back pack straps. Unfortunately, it is a single instrument case. I hope this helps, keep up the good work Glen
Check out Lanikai Ukulele's Hard bag!!! I've had this bag for years, used it while flying, and never had any issues. It's really lightweight and is a strong, durable case. Inside your ukulele is protected by soft foam which helps secure your instrument and prevent it from moving around and what-not. I REALLY RECOMMEND THEM!!! Much love xx
Almost nobody makes hard cases with backpack straps. I saw one such solution, but expensive (about $ 1,500), as made of Kevlar and probably not very comfortable because of the hard cover. I think the best option for you will be buying a hard case made of modern lightweight materials and separately purchase the backpack straps, then sewing soft "clothes" on housing case and handles sewn on the back. It will be practical (because "clothes" can be removed for washing) and more convenient - softer to the touch on the back. Sorry for my English.
These guys are making interesting cases, but I do not know if they are light: www.guardiancases.com/cv032m.html Lightweight modern materials in order probably from lightest and most expensive is kevlar, carbon fiber, fiberglass and thermoplastic. Separately, the handles on the back you can find in google under "backpack straps." A clothes can sew aunt, neighbor or friend. :-)
Hello Taimane ! Try the Mono case M80 for Ukulele. It s super light and protective ! Serious stuff. with all the major airlines I took in years , i always carried on with me in the plane ! I never check in my ukuleles....
I really admire you and I watch your videos almost everyday and try to pick things up as much as possible. Your tutorial videos are very helpful. Could you please do a video on strumming patterns? Thanks :) Love. xx
Nice review, very informative. thank you for everything you share. it really does help the casual ukulele players. any suggestions on pickups, transducers and EQ options ?
Tai, you can almost never find a hard case with pockets. Many hardshell violin cases also have an exterior bag with pockets, (with carrying straps), but I haven't seen many of these in the ukulele world. But, if there is some lonely case designer looking to have a song dedicated to him, you gave him the spec sheet. The balance is always between lightweight and maximum protection. High-tech materials help bring those two competing things together, but it's still a choice between comfort and protection.
Sadly with all carriers that work out of the United Kingdom - we dont have any policy that will allow cases this big through in the cabin. They 'might' allow them through - but they might not - so in my experience with UK carriers, if it's bigger than a soprano - you might not get it through. You might fancy an argument -but hey - do you want to be dragged off?
Yes- but he was referring to that song that was written about United Airlines destoying that dudes guitars. Its called 'United Breaks Guitars'. It'a about airline travel with musical instruments
I travel with my uke in a cheap solid case. But, here's the but, I put it inside a hybrid backpack that also contains my t-shirts, jeans, shoes etc etc.
You are absolutely fantastic! 1.Does the thinner ukuleles still sound just as nice as thicker Ukes? . Does it affect the sound? 2. And does a pick up mean electric plugged into power to use with a actual amp? . 3. What is the difference with your Taimane signature acoustic plus ukes and the five string acoustic plus . Does the five string have something extra other , than the obvious low g and five strings? 4. I know your signature ukes have effects but can you also plug in power to use with a amp to amplify / make louder the sound . am confused with ones with effects are they still plug in electric?
Your play is always the best Many musicians upload tutorials Your tokata performance is a song that many fans like and want to play. If you upload the tutorial for that song, will not more people remember you and play ukulele happily?
I wonder if something light and strong could be fabricated with Carbon Composite? I know there are "makers" out there who tinker with such materials (probably most make surf boards and guitars out of carbon composite, but it would be interesting to find crafters who can build small instrument cases for musicians who fly. The "check-in" is the terror of most instrumentalists who carry valuable "tools" on business.
What I've also seen in guitar players - long fingernails on the right, short fingernails on the left - Taimane has taken it to the extreme. And I really hope those fingernails hold up in the way she plays!
That custom Calton case looks super protective. It looks large in the video we're you able to carry that case on and stow it in the overhead bin? Great video love hearing about gear and what works for people!
Taimane have you used The kamaka cases that come with the standard kamaka ukuleles ? I know you are looking for a gig bag i just want to know your toughts on them
Yes! The Reunion Blues Continental Case is the best! I traveled several times to Europe with it and it was great. Also, best ergonomic straps of any case!!!
I like my Fender Mini Strat Bag they call it. It may have been designed for a mandolin. It is light and nice and plenty big for my baritone uke. I hate zipping a bag that is just big enough for the instrument. I keep it with me in the seat. Holding it makes me worry less about hard protection and more about weight. Yes, I always worry about the dreaded flight attendant but they do have a special law for musicians. If push comes to shove, there is FAA Rule 403...
From DOT .... "The rule requires that each U.S. carrier subject to this regulation allow a passenger to carry into the cabin and stow a small musical instrument, such as a violin or a guitar, in a suitable baggage compartment, such as the overhead bin or a closet, or under the seats, in accordance with FAA safety regulations and the carrier’s FAA-approved carry-on baggage program." If you want to see the whole rule check my Rob Kunkel Fb Timeline. Great video...Thanks! ⛩🌴🎶〰
If you overlook the brand what do you think of the Lanikai sidekick hard bag? ;) It doesn't hold two ukes, though, but has a hard frame, a pocket, and backpack straps. I have the gray tribal print where the backpack straps are padded compared to what's currently shown on their site. I think these were available prior to Fusion coming into the scene, too. lanikaiukuleles.com/product/lanikai-sidekick-printed-ukulele-hard-bag/
First time I saw you performing, honestly, I didn’t like you. Very stagey. But then I saw your personal videos on RU-vid and thought, this is someone I can be friends with. This video, totally, I connected. I look forward to seeing you live! By the way, flight regulations are that instruments are not checked in, ever. You hand it over to the flight attendant and they stow it safely, since before Bob Dylan, that’s how old that standard is. -- Thought I was done, but I’m not. Basic physics. At sea level, the air pressure is about fifteen pounds; that is the weight of the atmosphere on you, on the ground. In a pressurized airplane cabin, it’s about half, maybe eight pounds. In the cargo hold, if you weren’t in reasonable health, you wouldn’t be able to breath; you would suffocate and die; air pressure is what allows us to actually get the oxygen into our lungs, blood, and so forth. I don’t know on Ukulele, but on a guitar, the tension is about 150 pounds of the strings pulling on the bridge. Bicycle tires can explode at altitude if not depressurized. Any material, depressurized, is softer and so what may be able to take 150 pounds on the ground may need to take double that at altitude.
Hey girl, good question! Slack means to loosen the strings by tuning them down...Tuning down you'll hear the strings get lower and lower. Hope that helps. :)
Ok Thank you soooooo much I am leaving on a trip next week and i want to bring my ukulele and now that i know what that means i can bring it! Thank you
I'd reckon that lot of small inter-island flights might not have the overhead space, but if a roller bag or suitcase can fit in the overhead, so can your ukulele case. They have to, by law, allow you to put your case in the overhead if there is space --- even if it means that someone who comes after you has to check their suitcase. Check the American Federation of Musicians website for detailed information (they helped to write the laws). www.afm.org/what-we-are-doing/travel-resources/afm-travel-kit/