John Pattitucci's bass wrecked by TSA

[Larry Kart]

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10152380949652025&id=131251177024

How this happened I think I know. The TSA regards wooden musical instruments as outside-the-box (so to speak) problems and is inclined to wreak vengeance upon them. OTOH, I have heard tell of basses, cellos, guitars, etc. being pried open to make sure that there's nothing hidden inside.

[CJ Shearn]

That's just........... man.

[Ted O'Reilly]

I wonder if this would have happened to Anne Sophie Mutter's violin? I doubt if she carries duct tape...

[colinmce]

Some friends of mine were in a band in St. Louis about 10 years ago. The cops raided their practice space on a "tip" and trashed it, including slashing open every drum head. Of course, they found nothing and had zero culpability.

[erwbol]

Some friends of mine were in a band in St. Louis about 10 years ago. The cops raided their practice space on a "tip" and trashed it, including slashing open every drum head. Of course, they found nothing and had zero culpability.

And the cops footed the bill?

[colinmce]

Ha! Never.

[sonnymax]

TSA, or the airline baggage handlers?

[Larry Kart]

TSA, or the airline baggage handlers?

Don’t know the details here, but based on a 2011 post by Pattitucci:

http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2011/01/17/flying-with-an-upright-bass/

the TSA and/or customs can leave your instrument and its case in a state where fairly normal baggage-handling behavior can damage/wreck it. See the sentence below (from the above):

"TSA and customs can be a nightmare, so expect them to do things like fail to strap your bass back in after inspection, forgetting to put your bow back in the case (I travel with mine as a carryon) or not re-latching all the latches."

[papsrus]

Reminds me of the fellow who had his hand-crafted bamboo flutes destroyed because they were deemed by some Customs asshole to be agricultural products.

[JSngry]

TSA, or the airline baggage handlers?

Don’t know the details here, but based on a 2011 post by Pattitucci:

http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2011/01/17/flying-with-an-upright-bass/

the TSA and/or customs can leave your instrument and its case in a state where fairly normal baggage-handling behavior can damage/wreck it. See the sentence below (from the above):

"TSA and customs can be a nightmare, so expect them to do things like fail to strap your bass back in after inspection, forgetting to put your bow back in the case (I travel with mine as a carryon) or not re-latching all the latches."

The thing about the removable neck really creeps me out. I mean, I'm sure it's doable and when done right won't alter the sound to any but the most dog-eared, if at all (and besides, how often will that really matter these days, all things considered with both venues and listeners), but still....damn. Some of those great old basses were designed/manufactured as a whole, ya' know, not as exchangeable components.The idea is a lot creepier than the reality, I'm sure. I'd make a lousy surgeon, except when/if drunk, and there's a conflict from jump, right there.

I like the notion of using Fed-Ex, though. The tenor I play now, got it from a cat in Florida in 1992 or so, a wonderful mid-50s VI, and it came via Fed-Ex, very well packed and equally well delivered.