Advice on international instrument shipping please

[alyctes]

I would be grateful for advice on professionally shipping a harp from the UK to Norway.  Who would you use to do this?  Thanks

 

 

[Doctor J]

 

[nekomatic]

I would phone a harp shop and ask who they’d use. 

[Steve Browning]

8 minutes ago, nekomatic said:

I would phone a harp shop and ask who they’d use. 

That does make sense as shifting a harp sounds like something very specialised.

 

Takes pluck, I'd say. 🙂

[zbd1960]

It will be highly specialised and will almost certainly require specialised packing 

[alyctes]

7 minutes ago, zbd1960 said:

It will be highly specialised and will almost certainly require specialised packing 

I have no doubt.  Just to add expense and difficulty, it has no hard case.

[sammybee]

if it's a cheap harp, the cost is going to outweigh the benefit... if it's an expensive harp - are you sure you would trust ANY courier to deliver it safely? sounds like heartbreak waiting to happen

 

[Downunderwonder]

It would be an interesting drive.

[Old Horse Murphy]

1 hour ago, sammybee said:

if it's a cheap harp, the cost is going to outweigh the benefit... if it's an expensive harp - are you sure you would trust ANY courier to deliver it safely? sounds like heartbreak waiting to happen

 

more like a harpbreak

[alyctes]

3 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

It would be an interesting drive.

 

Yes.  We did that with a smaller harp once.  It just fit in the car (which is not small).  It was no fun at all, and it's a long drive.

Edited December 10, 2021 by alyctes

[Hellzero]

Couriers specialised in antiques and wines can do a great job.

 

Other than that, I wouldn't do it with any other courier unless I'm totally sure that the harp is perfectly packed (which is something I can do myself, but I'm not in your area at all).

 

Anyhow, it won't be cheap.

[Hellzero]

And take a full insurance, of course.

[pete.young]

15 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

It would be an interesting drive.

There used to be an excellent ferry from Newcastle to Bergen, which would have made this a great option. Unfortunately, I don't think it runs any more.

[Downunderwonder]

19 hours ago, alyctes said:

 

Yes.  We did that with a smaller harp once.  It just fit in the car (which is not small).  It was no fun at all, and it's a long drive.

So it's a proper big bastard of a shipping crate by the time it is packed up! I was thinking of something that would fit in the back seat.

 

Must be some fine expensive thing to be worth doing and doing right.

[alyctes]

10 hours ago, pete.young said:

There used to be an excellent ferry from Newcastle to Bergen, which would have made this a great option. Unfortunately, I don't think it runs any more.

There was, and it doesn't.  We used it a lot, back in the day.

[alyctes]

2 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

So it's a proper big bastard of a shipping crate by the time it is packed up! I was thinking of something that would fit in the back seat.

 

Must be some fine expensive thing to be worth doing and doing right.

 

I'm guessing its insured value would be £3000, maybe more.  It has sentimental value as well - we are selling mum's house and it's going to my sister..

[Downunderwonder]

20 minutes ago, alyctes said:

 

I'm guessing its insured value would be £3000, maybe more.  It has sentimental value as well - we are selling mum's house and it's going to my sister..

I see. Mum's Harp. Build a boat and row it there In my family there's a very old violin, much easier to deal with. Be thankful Mum didn't play a grand piano.

[alyctes]

We will be passing the piano to my nephew.

[alyctes]

Anyhow...  change of plan.  The harp will be going elsewhere, and it's no longer my problem.  Which is a relief.

 

Thank you, folks.