Best Way to Ship Multiple Basses Overseas?

[Samfordia]

I will soon be emigrating to the US and I have no real idea as to the best way to transport my basses.

I've decided to sell or leave behind three of them and take the remaining three with me in some way.

At first I thought that shipping all of my belongings by sea would be the best way but that now seems to be way too expensive. It would also take a very long time, although I wasn't massively bothered by that as long as everything turned up.

From the parcel shipping sites I've looked at the prices to send three basses seems to be fairly high too. So I'm now getting a tad anxious as to what to do.

Anybody have any ideas as to shipping to the US?

[uncle psychosis]

If they're bolt-on necks then take the neck off and put them in a suitcase.

Other than that you're probably looking at either proper flight cases in the hold of an aircraft or getting them shipped over freight.

Anyone I've ever known who emigrated across the Atlantic found that shipping via sea worked out as the best balance of price to volume.

[Graham]

I'd be inclined to sell everything and buy new ones out there. Of course, if you have emotional attachment to any of them, then that's different.

However, whilst the £/$ exchange rate isn't what it was, you'll still be at an advantage, particularly with the typically lower retail price of instruments over there.

[chris_b]

Don't forget CITIES. Taking a bass with a rosewood neck into the states might be problematic with the authorities but getting them out again might also get them confiscated.

Read the rules.

I'd sell the lot and buy 1 or 2 good (Maple or Morado fret board) ones out there.