Ah, summer time. The most lax season of the year. It's that time when many of us decide that we need a vacation. If you're not a fan of packing out the Winnebago, or you just don't feel like a weekend getaway at the Jersey Shore with Snooki and her gang of orange misfits, you'll likely find yourself boarding a plane in the near future.

Now, here's the thing that a lot of the airlines seemed to forget up until recently: musicians exist. Yup, we're real, living entities. It's understandable if they thought we were all replaced with computers, especially with Dubstep being so popular, but no, we are still very real.

Thankfully, Congress passed a new bill that will set in place a standard policy for flying with instruments. Let's be honest, we can't all afford a TSA approved flight case for our guitars. We'd like to be able to carry them on with us. Most of us have heard the story by now of the man who was forced to check his Taylor acoustic guitar, only to get it back at his destination with a busted neck. Luckily, Taylor heard and replaced the instrument free of charge. I hate to say it, but the chances of that happening to you are slim to none. That is, unless you can make a viral video about it. But, I digress.

The new law states that any instrument can be carried on, as long is it can fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you. That's all well and good, but what about those of us who are cursed to lug around a 3/4 upright bass, or a contrabass saxophone? Clearly, you're not taking one of these on vacation to Bermuda, so hopefully the gig you're likely flying to will cover your travel costs. Those of us who hold down the bass lines will have to purchase a second seat for the instrument to be stored in. Good luck buckling it up, though.

Still, this is a good thing. The new law states that all airlines must adopt these policies by 2014, so you'd still be wise to call ahead at this point. Another thing to note is that even guitar players need to be aware of the size of their instrument when they're traveling. In short, your best idea would be to ditch the hard shell case in favor of a gig bag. Our metal friends may still have a hard time though. A flying V or an Explorer (or any less conventionally shaped guitar) may not meet size requirements. My recommendation? Bust out the ruler and call your airline. They should give you a definitive answer.

Hopefully, these standardized rules make life easier when you've got that layover in Kentucky and you're switching from American Airlines to NorthByNorthWest Air.

Oh, and on a final note, don't be the dude who checks his awesome guitar in a factory (read: not TSA approved) case. We're all just going to say "I told you so" when you start complaining how your $5,000 Tyler Studio Elite bit the dust at the hands of a baggage handler.