I don’t have a musical instrument, but if I did you bet your ass I’d be keeping it in my sight rather than let the cargo handlers beat the absolute shit out of it.

If overhead bins are for anything, they should be for important things like that.

The reason overhead space is so crowded in the first place is because airlines have created a perverse pricing structure which charges extortionately for checked luggage and encourages everyone to take the biggest carry-ons they can.