KD Banjer - Posted - 04/30/2021:  18:57:56

Hi Everyone,



Many of you know that I have been planning on moving to the island of Sri Lanka with my wife, but then Covid got in the way last year.



Finally, we are doing it.



We have both doses of our Pfizer vaccines, and have been carefully packing for 3 months.



This Sunday, we load a 40 foot shipping container with all of our possessions, and then I am flying to Sri Lanka on May 15th (just over two weeks from now).



One of my dilemmas is how to SAFELY transport my 10+ banjos, guitars, mandolins and fiddles.



I do want almost all of them to come with me, and I will take care of those instruments by keeping them in a climate controlled space (my two room office in Sri Lanka).



I have bought a Calton flight case for each instrument that is traveling with me (both to protect the instruments during travel as well as to keep humidity and heat out while in Sri Lanka). It was expensive, but I want to protect my instruments.



My wife and I have 4 check in bags each (we're playing extra for 2 additional bags each), and the plan is to take as many instruments via checkin luggage as we can, and then put the rest in the shipping container. (We have rented an entire dedicated 40 foot shipping container for our possessions).



The plan is also to place all of the Calton cases (with instruments inside) into cardboard instrument boxes (to provide added protection and moisture absorption).



Also, at this time, I plan on buying an airplane seat for my Martin D-42, since I think it is at the most risk of all of my instruments.



I know that checking in an instrument or placing one in a shipping container for 30+ days are both risky, but I have to make the best choice and choose what is the least risky.

From what I understand, the risk of the instruments inside the shipping container is the possibility of periods of high heat (as the sun heats up the metal walls of the container), and the risk on checking in the instruments is that they could get banged around (although the Calton case inside a cardboard box would probably mitigate that damage risk). I guess the airline might also lose the instrument, or someone might steal it, which everything in the shipping container should remain safe (and it will be sealed after we load it). Inside the shipping container, I am putting the amount of moisture-absorbing desiccant that is recommended for a 40 foot container. My container will be on the ocean for 30 to 45 days.



A friend of mine who moved from Tanzania, Africa to Los Angeles 10 years ago said he sent all of his music studio equipment via air freight, but I don't know at this time if that is affordable, If it is, then I would definitely consider sending my instruments that way.



I have also had a "tropical-proof" banjo made by Eric Sullivan (he does amazing work), which will have all torrefied mahogany wood (mahogany is native to Sri Lanka), so that is the one I will take out and keep out of the AC room where most of my instruments will stay.



Thank you for any of your thoughts...

Edited by - KD Banjer on 04/30/2021 19:04:33

Alvin Conder - Posted - 04/30/2021:  19:22:39

Congratulations on your move. An amazing part of the world.

I have zero advice about moving the instruments. I’m sure others here can weigh in and help.

On another note, I cannot imagine a more inhospitable place on the face of the earth for string instruments. I have family in the tropics, even air conditioned areas are prone to things that absolutely devour instruments. Termites and other insects of innumerable species. Various funguses and the heat outside of the air conditioned area. At that latitude, an hour in the sun, on a dock or in a car spells the end of that instrument.

I’m sure you are aware of all this, but a little more awareness is not a bad thing.

KD Banjer - Posted - 04/30/2021:  19:31:58

quote:

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Originally posted by Alvin Conder

Congratulations on your move. An amazing part of the world.



I have zero advice about moving the instruments. I’m sure others here can weigh in and help.



On another note, I cannot imagine a more inhospitable place on the face of the earth for string instruments. I have family in the tropics, even air conditioned areas are prone to things that absolutely devour instruments. Termites and other insects of innumerable species. Various funguses and the heat outside of the air conditioned area. At that latitude, an hour in the sun, on a dock or in a car spells the end of that instrument.



I’m sure you are aware of all this, but a little more awareness is not a bad thing.

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Thank you for the kind words (and your thoughts), Alvin...

Your concerns are exactly what I am worried about...

I would love to hear if anyone has experience with shipping instruments in shipping containers...

An alternative plan would be to CHECK-IN as many as I can on the airplane (in Calton cases with a cardboard box around the case) and then leave the rest with a friend until I can fly back to the U.S. to bring the rest to Sri Lanka.

But, including them in a shipping container would be the easiest (but only IF it is safe).

Thank you again for your feedback.

wizofos - Posted - 05/01/2021:  05:19:12

Have you investigated how oriental instrument makers ship instruments? I am sure that they do not ship them by air which could be expensive for the volume they are shipping. You might contact Scott Zimmerman (Desert Rose) on here and see what advise he has for you.

Helix - Posted - 05/01/2021:  05:21:29

Or ship your instruments in a metal oven.  Then don't put your instruments in a single basket, they can end up at the bottom of the ocean, or worse, Moscow. 



I suggest you research the Guardian Featherweight cases, they even have a double for two mandolins.



These art 6" thick black zippered canvas over styrofoam, so they ARE shipping cases.



I've been spec'ing them for a decade, if you pack properly on the inside, then a banjo cocoon carried by the exposed handle might help you.



I use US Postal service exclusively because they are conversant with other countries and regulations, take the time to purchase special handling, then your banjos don't get thrown down the dock. they get their own cart and a tracking number at the border.

Two layers of large bubble wrap

Shrink wrap with clear plastic wrap

Clear postal shipping tape to make it waterproof, humidity proof, and holds the lid tight .

Don't get in a situation with insurance where you have to make a claim, that's a labyrinth of their construction.  

I contacted management before shipping this way.  I received an acoustic bass by air freight from New Zealand, I know this is possible with the right preparation. 

Edited by - Helix on 05/01/2021 05:27:04

Banjo cocoon

 

KD Banjer - Posted - 05/01/2021:  06:12:13

Thank you, wizofos and Helix , for your thoughts and suggestions.

I feel pretty confident in the Calton cases I purchased, as they are tanks and waterproof and mostly humidity proof.

Larry... I agree with the discomfort in sending my instruments in the metal coffin of a steel shipping container...

So, my two options are airplane checked-baggage, or air freight...

Does anyone have an idea of how much air freight from Washington D.C. to Sri Lanka would be (if I ship a shrink-wrapped pallet of personal instruments? Does anyone have an idea of who I could contact?

My friend who transported his music studio equipment from Tanzania to Los Angeles suggested I contact a "Freight Forwarder"... Does anyone know a reputable and affordable one who could help?

Thank you again for all of your help and suggestions.

neilends - Posted - 05/01/2021:  11:10:40

Congratulations on your move! I would love to hear more about it. I am Indian-origin and my wife's family is South Indian. There are many cultural similarities between Sri Lanka and South India, but I've never actually been to Sri Lanka. Whenever I do get to visit some day, it will be good to know at least one banjo player who lives there.

OM45GE - Posted - 05/01/2021:  11:33:42

I used to work for a trucking company that, among other things, hauled ocean containers between ports. I would NEVER, EVER send valuable instruments via ocean freight. The potential for overheating the instruments is only one problem, but it’s a huge one. Picture your prized instruments sitting in the tropical sun for days during the Suez Canal blockage!

Containers can, and do, get lost overboard. Even with the huge container vessels of today, storms can violently shake containers. That trucking company once brought two containers of British antiques to a landfill. Another worker and I had the pleasure (sarcasm alert) of emptying them out by hand. The items were smashed into pieces beyond salvage. There was literally nothing intact.

Air freight isn’t inexpensive and items do get damaged or lost, but the risk is minimal and your Calton cases are excellent. I would either do that or I would pay extra to check them on your flight.

rcc56 - Posted - 05/01/2021:  12:04:39

I agree that you should try to talk to Scott Zimmerman about this. I also suggest that you speak to George Gruhn. He has shipped as many valuable instruments as anyone. He is an approachable fellow, and he knows the ropes as well as anyone.

KCJones - Posted - 05/01/2021:  12:43:19

quote:

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Originally posted by wizofos

Have you investigated how oriental instrument makers ship instruments? I am sure that they do not ship them by air which could be expensive for the volume they are shipping. You might contact Scott Zimmerman (Desert Rose) on here and see what advise he has for you.

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From what I've seen, the PacRim manufacturers take little care in shipping. They solve the issue through volume, and the ones that don't make it get sold as B-stock or stripped for parts. Or they just get sold in their damaged condition at places like Amazon and Guitar Center. 

Helix - Posted - 05/01/2021:  13:38:18

I misread about the Caltons
Some of my customers pay extra
Caltons work for sure. I’m out

Fathand - Posted - 05/02/2021:  12:58:59

Put your instruments in hard shell cases between 2 mattresses in the shipping container. Tie or tape the mattresses together without too much weight on top.

KD Banjer - Posted - 05/21/2021:  09:52:10

Thank you, everyone, for your feedback and thoughts...

After the first shipping container arrived for loading to our storage unit, it did not look like something that I wanted to keep my banjos in for 30 to 40 days, so...

I decided to take my banjos as checked in luggage, each of them in a Calton flight case which is them placed inside a cardboard banjo box.

Then, we stretch-wrapped and taped two cardboard boxes together (to make one check in bag).

My wife flew last week to Sri Lanka, and the airlines accepted two of those double-boxed check-in boxes (for 4 banjos successfully making the journey).

So, I will be taking 8 instruments in 4 check-in boxes when I fly during the first week of June.

Thanks again.

neilends - Posted - 05/21/2021:  10:21:51

@kd banjer Post pictures when you get a chance!

Thanks to Andy Eversole I know you will not be the first banjo player to play a banjo in South Asia/India, but maybe you'll be the first in Sri Lanka? :)

KD Banjer - Posted - 05/21/2021:  10:41:19

quote:

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Originally posted by neilends

@kd banjer Post pictures when you get a chance!



Thanks to Andy Eversole I know you will not be the first banjo player to play a banjo in South Asia/India, but maybe you'll be the first in Sri Lanka? :)

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Yea.  :). I think I am the first and only banjo player to play banjo in Sri Lanka.

Although I saw one Sri Lankan on stage with a 6 string banjo, playing it with a guitar pick like a guitar.

KD Banjer - Posted - 05/21/2021:  10:43:27

And neilends , I do want to start a bluegrass/vintage country music band in Sri Lanka, somehow... They do have some talented acoustic guitar players and vocalists.... And I am bringing banjos, madolins, fiddles and my Martin guitars with me.

I know it's a big task, but I gotta keep playin' bluegrass, even in Sri Lanka. :)

neilends - Posted - 05/21/2021:  10:47:15

A couple of interesting observations to pass along:

First, there are some musicians and music shops I've found through the Internet, in India, that carry American-style banjos. So for whatever reason, banjos do exist in that part of the world. My bet is that there's a lot of guitar-like playing of them, though.

Second, in India and maybe Sri Lanka too there is a totally different musical instrument that is coincidentally called the banjo. Its origins are believed to be Japanese but it is hugely popular among Indian street musicians. Link to an example: youtube.com/watch?v=aTGyjkzcUVQ

neilends - Posted - 05/21/2021:  10:48:50

quote:

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Originally posted by KD Banjer

And neilends , I do want to start a bluegrass/vintage country music band in Sri Lanka, somehow... They do have some talented acoustic guitar players and vocalists.... And I am bringing banjos, madolins, fiddles and my Martin guitars with me.



I know it's a big task, but I gotta keep playin' bluegrass, even in Sri Lanka. :)

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I would love to follow the progress of your journey over there! If you post anywhere on social media please let us know here.

KD Banjer - Posted - 05/21/2021:  10:55:06

quote:

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Originally posted by neilends

A couple of interesting observations to pass along:



First, there are some musicians and music shops I've found through the Internet, in India, that carry American-style banjos. So for whatever reason, banjos do exist in that part of the world. My bet is that there's a lot of guitar-like playing of them, though.



Second, in India and maybe Sri Lanka too there is a totally different musical instrument that is coincidentally called the banjo. Its origins are believed to be Japanese but it is hugely popular among Indian street musicians. Link to an example: youtube.com/watch?v=aTGyjkzcUVQ

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Very interesting, Neil... that Indian "banjo" looks like a kind of harmonium...

And it's interesting that some Indian shops carry banjos...

KD Banjer - Posted - 05/21/2021:  10:56:28

quote:

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Originally posted by neilends

quote:

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Originally posted by KD Banjer

And neilends , I do want to start a bluegrass/vintage country music band in Sri Lanka, somehow... They do have some talented acoustic guitar players and vocalists.... And I am bringing banjos, madolins, fiddles and my Martin guitars with me.



I know it's a big task, but I gotta keep playin' bluegrass, even in Sri Lanka. :)

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I would love to follow the progress of your journey over there! If you post anywhere on social media please let us know here.

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Thanks, Neil...

I will probably post video vlogs to document and share the journey of bringing bluegrass to Sri Lanka...

It should be an interesting and eye-opening experience.

neilends - Posted - 05/21/2021:  11:00:17

quote:

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Originally posted by KD Banjer

quote:

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Originally posted by neilends

A couple of interesting observations to pass along:



First, there are some musicians and music shops I've found through the Internet, in India, that carry American-style banjos. So for whatever reason, banjos do exist in that part of the world. My bet is that there's a lot of guitar-like playing of them, though.



Second, in India and maybe Sri Lanka too there is a totally different musical instrument that is coincidentally called the banjo. Its origins are believed to be Japanese but it is hugely popular among Indian street musicians. Link to an example: youtube.com/watch?v=aTGyjkzcUVQ

---

Very interesting, Neil... that Indian "banjo" looks like a kind of harmonium...

And it's interesting that some Indian shops carry banjos...

---

It's a really strange and fascinating instrument, the Indian banjo. I want to buy one one day just to have it. It's kind of like a mini-piano married to a violin. A musicologist could describe it better. Here's a better demonstration of it: youtube.com/watch?v=dKOTRHX-QEU

KD Banjer - Posted - 05/21/2021:  12:28:47

quote:

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Originally posted by neilends

quote:

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Originally posted by KD Banjer

quote:

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Originally posted by neilends

A couple of interesting observations to pass along:



First, there are some musicians and music shops I've found through the Internet, in India, that carry American-style banjos. So for whatever reason, banjos do exist in that part of the world. My bet is that there's a lot of guitar-like playing of them, though.



Second, in India and maybe Sri Lanka too there is a totally different musical instrument that is coincidentally called the banjo. Its origins are believed to be Japanese but it is hugely popular among Indian street musicians. Link to an example: youtube.com/watch?v=aTGyjkzcUVQ

---

Very interesting, Neil... that Indian "banjo" looks like a kind of harmonium...

And it's interesting that some Indian shops carry banjos...

---

It's a really strange and fascinating instrument, the Indian banjo. I want to buy one one day just to have it. It's kind of like a mini-piano married to a violin. A musicologist could describe it better. Here's a better demonstration of it: youtube.com/watch?v=dKOTRHX-QEU

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That's very interesting, Neil...

Thanks for sharing.

I'm thinking that the closest Indian instrument to a banjo is either the Sitar or tar... (At least they are similar in the quality of tone, but not in how they are played).

neilends - Posted - 05/21/2021:  12:37:44

quote:

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Originally posted by KD Banjer

I'm thinking that the closest Indian instrument to a banjo is either the Sitar or tar... (At least they are similar in the quality of tone, but not in how they are played).

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If you can find a sitar player to jam with, I would pay good money to see video footage of that! My mom is a sitar player. There are a lot of interesting commonalities between the design of the two instruments. There are probably also ancient, anthropological connections dating back to the India-Africa trade routes that are lost in the mists of time. 

KD Banjer - Posted - 05/21/2021:  18:06:41

quote:

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Originally posted by neilends

quote:

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Originally posted by KD Banjer

I'm thinking that the closest Indian instrument to a banjo is either the Sitar or tar... (At least they are similar in the quality of tone, but not in how they are played).

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If you can find a sitar player to jam with, I would pay good money to see video footage of that! My mom is a sitar player. There are a lot of interesting commonalities between the design of the two instruments. There are probably also ancient, anthropological connections dating back to the India-Africa trade routes that are lost in the mists of time. 

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That's wonderful, Neil.

Yes, I do want to experiment with the banjo and some Sri Lankan instruments... It will require me to play really outside of the box, but I welcome the challenge.

banjonz - Posted - 05/21/2021:  18:33:16

I would seriously advise NOT sending instruments in a container to a hot country, Those containers can get like overs inside. I have heard horror stories of instruments springing apart at the glue joints due to the heat. An expensive alternative is to ship them by air or possibly arrange for them to go in a refrigerated container; one that is only chilled not freezing inside. Just my 2c worth.