[CjChris]

Hello, folks.

I'm trying to figure out how to best prepare my baby grand for its ride over in the container. It makes me pretty nervous thinking about it, but I do really want it with me in NZ.

OH called a local music store, and they said they'd build a crate for $1500!! :wah Geeze, that was scary!

What have others of you done regarding a crate for your piano? Where did you get one, and if you had your own built, what did it look like (and from what materials was it built)?

Alos, what packing materials did you put in with the piano? And for that matter, with what did you wrap the piano (and how) before it went in the crate?

Where did you put the piano in the container related to other things?

Sorry for all the questions, but it's time to get serious about this! :yes

Thanks!

Christine

[Nienke]

I've shipped my piano to NZ, the movers just packed it really well (no crate though) and it arrived here without any damage to it. But it's no grand piano, that makes a lot of difference I think.

[Sam B]

Our piano is due to arrive with our stuff in 2 weeks. Our removals company did it, they built a crate for it and packed it, I'll know more about the packaging etc when it arrives. They said it definitely can't go in the container without it's own crate - it's quite a valuable piano. It was about £450 altogether for the crate and shipping.

[CjChris]

Thanks! Yes, I do want a crate. My piano has a glossy finish, so I need to treat it like a baby!

Let me know how yours comes how, Sam.

[Lupin]

I shipped with crown who offered to build a crate (at a cost) but we declined as it's quite old and has survived many moves thus far plus a repair job after some movers dropped it out the back of the van! It lost a wheel and has a minor chunk out of the lid but arrived still in tune. We shipped groupage and our stuff was unloaded and re-packed several times I believe.

[CjChris]

It lost a wheel and has a minor chunk out of the lid but arrived still in tune. We shipped groupage and our stuff was unloaded and re-packed several times I believe.

I think I'm feeling faint (said as hits floor) :uhoh

:wah

[Chiba]

Question: are pianos massively more expensive in NZ? Reason I asked is that I promised to buy my wife one when we finally settled somewhere with enough space, but maybe I'd be better off buying one here and importing it when we move?

[CjChris]

I'm not sure about the price...I'm sure someone here can check. I really want to take mine as it belonged to my late husband....and I just cannot see parting with it (although it sure will take up some space on the container and is a pain to figure out how to best care for it during shipping!).

From what I've read, it seems like everything is more expensive in NZ. I bet you can get it cheaper ANYWHERE else. :uhoh

[Sam B]

Ditto, mine is sentimental, it's over a 100 years old and a bechstein, and we love it.

[Lupin]

Mine's sentimental too as my husband and his siblings learned to play on it.

[Nathan]

Mine's sentimental too ....

Why can't people be sentimental about manageable things....like, maybe a small pebble, or a thimble?!! ;)

We found a good vid clip of a baby grand being unpacked.
http://rickjonespianos.com/?gclid=CPDH0ofO_YwCFQOHHgodaxN5-A
I think we can manage to build a crate and pack the piano with that information. We'll probably get a local company to help get the piano ready for shipping. And I think we can do a crate for my upright bass the same way.

Thanks for all your input.
And any more information you have would be appreciated.