Flying with the Kronos2 88

KronosCray · Post by **KronosCray** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 9:43 pm

Does anyone here have any experience flying with the Kronos2 88 in a hard shell case? I have quite a bit of touring coming and I will probably have to fly the Kronos2 with me since there aren't many out in the shops, especially for rent.
I feel as though since its so heavy (especially with the added weight of the flight case) that it's going to get mis-handled. I could possible get away with checking it at the gate, but even then it will have to be moved down the stairs to get into the cargo, and back up once landed. No matter how good the hard case is, to me, it's still a matter of the yolk inside the egg being broken from any falls or hard jostling. Am I right to be worried or can anyone tell me they've flown with no problems?

Any insight is highly appreciated!

aron · Post by **aron** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 1:15 am

Wow. First off, I don't think you can fly with it. Not in baggage. So I guess you are right - you would have to ship some other method which I would think would be $$$. Secondly, you are totally right - it's going to get slammed around so be prepared to check the RAM slots before playing.
I know my friend ships his older Korgs and he mentioned some way of protecting the joystick with foam - but still, I would be wary about that. It's not so much the joystick but those exposed tiny knobs - I would bet they would get cracked off and fixing those would be painful I would guess.
I would get insurance for damage before anything else and then pack as well as you can and get the best case you can. I would get a case that would suspend the entire keyboard in foam and have several inches of foam padding. It's going to be huge!

19naia · Post by **19naia** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 2:07 am

I was able to get the Vector stick off it's post but now its permanently detachable.
I unscrewed it thinking thats what i was doing, but when i got it off and then tried to screw it back on, it attached on and just keeps turning and turning.
No worries here because its a tight enough fit and only comes off if i put a little effort. Plus a pin prick of glue would set it firmly back in place. Any way i will just keep it loose for attempts to travel with it. Other than that, the pitch bend has a flexible stick that will flex and absorb shock on its own. The knobs are not such a big issue and a bit of 1 inch styrofoam or similar will do so long as you use the straps attached to the case to hold the bottom of the keyboard firmly to the bottom of the inside of the case.

So i am still worried myself about travelling with my kronos 2 and doubt it will go by passenger air except through an air freight bill with the right kind of case for that.
The thick heavy duty touring hard cases with round steel corner attachments and metal rimmed edges and seams, are the best bet. I shipped my 88 key Triton Extreme to asia by ship cargo forwarders and then sent it back by air freight in a heavy duty touring case, Gator. The case had some dings and mild warp on it when it went by ship but was intact just like the key board inside. The air frieght return trip was physically easier on it other than getting detoured to Tahiti. I wish i could get misrouted to Tahiti for a week.

I had the foam spacer/cushions and extra cushion packed in to make a very snug and shock absorbing fit and then the top with the knobs and all, had the operation guide laid over the screen and 1/4" cables laid across the top after laying some padded cloth over it. The keyboard straps in also, so it keeps it snug to the bottom rather than slamming arund against the keys.
I even had the keyboard case loaded and standing up tall long ways and then fall over flat in a huge splat, several times. Never any damage to the key board.

The cases are designed to take a fall from tipping over their own foot print on any side, but i always stuff the included padding and extra foam or styrofoam just to be safer. And the thing is too bulky to be thrown around by handlers anyway. It will likely just fall over or be shoved up against with other cargo.
I am still worried about the kronos though and not sure yet if i will do it.

Let me know if you find an airline that will accept it as over sized check in luggage.

Padding, padding and padding.
Just remember that every kronos was shipped brand new from factory to dealer warehouse and then to dealer show room or direct to customer, in the flimsy cardboard box with styrofoam shock and placement holders.
Im sure if they designed the Kronos, they also knew what they were doing shipping every last one of them out in a package of cardboard and styrofoam.
every Kronos has shipped before one way or another.

19naia · Post by **19naia** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 2:18 am

Eventually, the cost of shippng my 88 key korg Triton extreme added up to the value of it in it's used state and i was not travelling for music performances. I was travelling and taking the keyboard as a trusty companion during my alone time in places i cant understand the language.
Decided to sell the keyboard by end of 2013 and just got the 88 key Kronos2 this year.
Cost is my main restriction being that my travels aren't for Kronos performances. So I may travel with it out of the country again, but still not sure because i dont really have to other than if i care to take the risk and pay the cost of freight just to have it with me. Its tempting though, having the Kronos with me everywhere.

aron · Post by **aron** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 2:21 am

Actually you brought up a good idea. Maybe use the original foam and put foam around that. I still think the knobs are a terrible idea for shipping. I haven't pulled the knobs off, but I bet those are plastic potentiometers and those break easily. I think it would be a nightmare to replace a pot. I know that I played a concert and they shipped the Kronos (1) to us. It didn't start up and yeah it was the memory that popped out.

I had a Kurzweil PC361 - no exposed knobs etc.. very durable, but the poor thing got dropped over and over. It was too heavy at 50 pounds.

I came to the conclusion a while ago that the lightest keyboards are the best for shipping. We will see. I just play my Kross!

And I rent any heavier keyboards.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 4:52 am

Your Kronos should be safe in a properly designed road case. My case is built for the rigors of traveling. In the lid at the ends there should be pieces of high density foam holding down the ends of the keyboard. There should NEVER be anything touching the top of the keyboard ever! The keyboard should sit in the case so that all the sides and bottom are touching foam. When the lid closes, the lids end foam blocks should hold the keyboard firmly in place. I build cases for a living and my cases get shipped all over the world. Even into orbit to the International Space Station! It's true!

Your case should be strong enough to travel with the cargo.

KronosCray · Post by **KronosCray** » Tue Apr 05, 2016 5:01 am

jeremykeys wrote:Your Kronos should be safe in a properly designed road case. My case is built for the rigors of traveling. In the lid at the ends there should be pieces of high density foam holding down the ends of the keyboard. There should NEVER be anything touching the top of the keyboard ever! The keyboard should sit in the case so that all the sides and bottom are touching foam. When the lid closes, the lids end foam blocks should hold the keyboard firmly in place. I build cases for a living and my cases get shipped all over the world. Even into orbit to the International Space Station! It's true!

Your case should be strong enough to travel with the cargo.

That's great to hear. That is the exact case I have had made. I got it done by Big Deal Custom Cases in Winnipeg Manitoba. 600-700$.

I just cant help but think that no matter how good the case is, it all boils down to the insides of the Kronos being able to handle the commotion, as I said about the yolk in the egg analogy. I'm not sure if I want to test it.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Wed Apr 06, 2016 11:52 am

Maybe somebody can do some research into how the big touring acts do it.

They use road cases! They transport their equipment in planes and trucks and unless they own their own plane, do what the rest of the world does. And they buy insurance.

aron · Post by **aron** » Wed Apr 06, 2016 5:31 pm

A lot of times sound companies rent locally too. Over here - my friends fly using cargo and yes, huge road cases.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Fri Apr 08, 2016 11:52 am

There is always a risk when travelling with you equipment. It's just the hope that it gets there intact. Usually it's fine.

SeedyLee · Post by **SeedyLee** » Sat Apr 09, 2016 1:00 am

Well, everyone's Kronos made it from Japan to wherever they are now in one piece, didn't they? Each one survived multiple couriers, trucks, dock workers, ships, cranes, possibly air freight and the storeroom worker and retail staff where it was eventually purchased from.

It'll be fine in a proper case.

aron · Post by **aron** » Sat Apr 09, 2016 2:07 am

Not every one. In fact I said I had a concert where the RAM came loose.

SeedyLee · Post by **SeedyLee** » Sat Apr 09, 2016 3:01 am

Good point, and I think that if I were touring with mine I'd be inclined to put some hot glue on the dimm sockets to prevent that.