Shipping a piano from Overseas

[Jon Rhee]

Kuang,

If the customs route doesn't work for the ivory situation, International
Piano Supply has a source (an American museum I think selling their surplus
pre-ban tusks) which is working with a reputable Ivory cutter to produce NEW
ivory piano keys.  So I suppose if you had to, you could remove your ivories
and replace them with these new legal ivories and only for the small sum of
around 2,000 dollars if I remember correctly.  Maybe a last resort.

Jon Rhee
Weymouth, MA

> From: "Kuang Wang" <wang@datanaut.com>
> Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 23:49:18 -0500
> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Subject: Shipping a piano from Overseas
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I'm shipping my Boesendorfer from Vienna to the states.  Has any of you
> shipped a grand from overseas?  If so, I would appreciate some advise.
> 
> So far I've contacted 2 shipping companies and they're gonna get back to me
> on the cost (air and sea).  One of them may "pack" the piano so I don't even
> need to be there in Vienna.
> 
> This piano has 92 keys so it's probably the model 225.  I'm considering
> shipping the keys separately because of Ivory problems.  Or even strip down
> the ivory keys and make a new set at Pianotek.
> 
> As soon as it's shipped here I will be looking to sell it.  HOpefully the
> lack of ivory keys won't affect the price too much...  Does anyone know if
> new keys would depreciate the value?
> 
> Last but not least.  If you know a technician in Vienna who can help me,
> please let me know.  Boesendorfer doesn't encourage people shipping their
> pianos to other countries so I need external help.
> 
> Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post!
> 
> Kuang Wang
> DataNaut, Inc.
> www.datanaut.com
>