jefflopezstuit - 8-19-2011 at 10:46 PM
I'm going to be visiting Turkey next month, and am going to be purchasing a Tanbur. Unfortunately, the maker I'm working with doesn't ship to my home
in the USA.
I've looked into shipping it home via UPS or FedEx, but the estimates I've gotten are extremely expensive.
Can anyone offer some advice on shipping instruments from Turkey? ...or maybe even the name of a dependable shipping company in Istanbul that I could
work with to get my Tanbur back home?
Many thanks for any advice or ideas.
MatthewW - 8-22-2011 at 01:03 PM
this may seem obvious, but why not put the tanbur in a strong box/case thats very well padded and take it back with you when you leave Turkey; in the
hold of the plane or in the cabin if possible? I think shipping anything like that from Europe to USA in a good box will cost something; if you have
an idea of weight and size of box, see what it would cost to ship it from USA to somewhere in Europe just regular US airmail, not UPS, and you'll
have a rough idea of the costs going the other way. good luck!
Mehran - 8-22-2011 at 02:22 PM
I just came back from Istanbul and brought an oud back with me. I brought it in the cabin as well (turkish airlines - i called first to check). Had no
problems at the airport (Ataturk) and I spotted a few other people with tanburs and guitars travelling too.
It may be worth checking your airlines policy on travelling with musical instruments.
Regards, Mehran.
jefflopezstuit - 8-22-2011 at 10:05 PM
Yeah - when I first posted this, I was nervous about the size of the tanbur, and whether it would fit in an overhead bin. I've done a lot of research
since then, and I think I'll be in good shape. Good thing - shipping was a fortune!
arsene - 9-21-2011 at 05:52 PM
Should be no problem indeed, I once brought with me 2 ouds from Istanbul (also Turkish airlines) the cabin crew were all very helpful and
understanding! good luck