Taking a guitar rig overseas...

[treeuh]

Hey, I was wondering of any of you guys could offer any advice on taking my guitar rig to Australia with me when I move there in January. I know it's not going to be cheap, but buying new over there would be laborious and probably more expensive in the long run.

Any help with airlines vs shipping or anything else would be much appreciated!

[xroads]

Originally Posted by treeuh

Hey, I was wondering of any of you guys could offer any advice on taking my guitar rig to Australia with me when I move there in January. I know it's not going to be cheap, but buying new over there would be laborious and probably more expensive in the long run.

Any help with airlines vs shipping or anything else would be much appreciated!

Do you move your household as well? If yes, just pack it in the container with the other stuff (that's what I did).
If no, I would send it with a freight service. Also, be aware of the customs regulations in Australia.

[CyberFerret]

Gear costs nearly twice as much here...so bringing your own is a smart move.

Having said that - you will need to get your amps, pedal power supplies etc. all converted to 240V to suit our power. Either that, or carry a large, heavy power converter around with your rig here.

I've spoken to a few boutique amp builder and most of them say converting their amps for our conditions is a fairly simple 1 wire change?!?

Also, if you convert everything to Australian power usage, when you go to leave Oz to return to the US then you can always sell your gear before you go for a tidy profit.

[mslugano]

Originally Posted by CyberFerret

Gear costs nearly twice as much here...so bringing your own is a smart move.

Having said that - you will need to get your amps, pedal power supplies etc. all converted to 240V to suit our power. Either that, or carry a large, heavy power converter around with your rig here.

I've spoken to a few boutique amp builder and most of them say converting their amps for our conditions is a fairly simple 1 wire change?!?

Also, if you convert everything to Australian power usage, when you go to leave Oz to return to the US then you can always sell your gear before you go for a tidy profit.

Assuming you have the right kind of transformer, it is very simple and cheap. I had it done recently since I go back and forth between US and EU often. I actually had the amp tech add a little two way switch making it super easy to change (put the switch in an out of the way spot and don't forget to check it after every trip!)

[gillman royce]

You won't be able to take it with you on the same plane - those days are gone. Whether you send air freight or in the same container as your household goods, I suggest you get locking anvils. You shouldn't have to worry about paying any duty if you're moving there. SPEND A LOT OF TIME PREPARING YOUR INSURANCE INVENTORY - always a last minute problem with the mover and they won't release your goods for shipment until they're satisfied. EXPECT DAMAGE AND THEFT. Get several quotes; DON'T GO WITH A COMPANY WHO THEN SUBCONTRACTS THE WORK TO A LOCAL; make sure it's door to door. INSURANCE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.

[RainingLogic]

You also need a letter from the manufacturer detailing the woods used in your guitar, where they originated from, or you could get fined.

[dumbell78]

Great advice here!!!

I just moved to Sydney this past October from Chicago, Im currently waiting for my container to get here from LA. Should take 8-10 weeks via container on a ship. INSURE and OVER INSURE if you have to. Make a detailed inventory list of EVERYTHING, and do door to door for a few bucks more. With most amps now they have multi taps so a simple one wire mod will get your amp working fine here. Just make sure you take it to a tech to verify, you might need to switch out the fuse as well.

I really didnt bring and amp over as Im just using an 11Rack these days. I did pack five guitars, pedals, etc. along with all my other household stuff. Total shipment size for me was just over 85 cubic feet (about 18 boxes and a bicycle), and cost was about $1,400 for door to door.

Originally Posted by gillman royce

You won't be able to take it with you on the same plane - those days are gone. Whether you send air freight or in the same container as your household goods, I suggest you get locking anvils. You shouldn't have to worry about paying any duty if you're moving there. SPEND A LOT OF TIME PREPARING YOUR INSURANCE INVENTORY - always a last minute problem with the mover and they won't release your goods for shipment until they're satisfied. EXPECT DAMAGE AND THEFT. Get several quotes; DON'T GO WITH A COMPANY WHO THEN SUBCONTRACTS THE WORK TO A LOCAL; make sure it's door to door. INSURANCE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.