fernandraynaud - 9-8-2010 at 10:41 PM
The cost of shipping an oud varies enormously. Returning a problem oud can be a problem in itself. People sometimes learn, too late, that even where
the vendor in principle agrees to take back an unsatisfactory instrument, return shipping is often so expensive it's simpler to forget it.
For instance in the US, the limit on postal shipments is 108 inches of length plus "girth" combined. An oud in a case, tightly boxed, that's 34" long,
10" high and 18" wide, is calculated as 34 + 10 + 18 + 10 + 18 = 90". If you add even 2" of padding on each side, for 10 lbs total, you get 38 + 14 +
22 + 14 + 22 = 110", over the limit, and that's not enough padding for a cardboard box.
Say we use a wooden crate and reduce the padding so we are within 108", but now at 30 lbs. To France it's feasible, $100-170. To Israel, only postal
express service is available: $600 (and Federal Express is more).
It would be very useful for all of us to learn from the experience of people who have shipped ouds, for whatever reason, especially internationally.
Have you recently shipped an oud?
Please briefly tell us how you packed it, the approximate dimensions and weight if you remember, what the origin and destination were, the carrier
(post office, Federal Express, etc), how much damage insurance was included if any, and the cost in Dollars or Euros. Also whether the oud arrived in
100% condition, what happened. And any advice. Thank you!
p.s. Because it's getting harder to carry stuff onto airplanes, people who have recently flown with ouds might also tell their story.
ibn sina - 9-9-2010 at 05:36 AM
I recently flew to Europe (from NYC) on Lufthansa and carried my oud, with a soft case on board. One leg of the trip (w/ a smaller plane) they asked
me to put it in the closet, again, no problem. The transatlantic flights usually have large overhead compartments, so the only thing is to make sure
nobody puts a suitcase on top of your oud. Also, airport security was no problem in the US or Europe, it just went through the xray, they didn't even
open it.
I also brought it back from Egypt in the first place no problem.
However, local flights in the US might be more problematic, as there isn't a lot of overhead storage and everybody else wants to bring a suitcase on
board thanks to the charge for checking.
Sazi - 9-9-2010 at 07:53 AM
Yeah, happened to me, but strangely only with one of the crates, the third out of four so far, and as well as quarantine fees they charged me for
destroying the box! I ended up having to pick the oud up from the airport.
Also right on regarding the prohibitive cost of sending your baby back for repairs, (especially if you happen to live in Australia!)
I haven't had damages in transit with any of them, ( Oud in hard case in bubble wrap in wooden box ) but I have had problems not long after, due to
the swift journey from one climate to another completely different.
Coming from dry to around 90 o/o humidity, the 2 Rosewood ouds had problems with expansion of the timber, cracking the finish along the glue joints of
the ribs, the joints appear to be holding fine & it sounds great, so it's just a cosmetic thing, easily fixed with a bit of elbow grease, the
oldest one also developed cracks in the soundboard.
The two walnut ouds were fine, showing no sign of any trauma, funny though, I've sold the walnut ouds and kept the rosewood ones, they just feel and
sound better, regardless of how they look.
All four cost around $300 each, to the door from the middle-east via tnt economy express, cheaper if you can pick it up at an airport, average time
around 7 days.
- That's to here, would be less to somewhere not almost off the planet
fernandraynaud - 9-9-2010 at 12:19 PM
Sazi,
"That's to here"
Can we be a just a tiny bit more specific ? 
"All four cost around $300 to the door"
Per oud or all together?
The change in climate was from dry to wet or wet to dry? What happened?
When I took my Oud Adani from the moderate California coast to humid-hot Central America, within a few days it started smelling bad and the soundboard
+ fingerboard rose at the soundhole so it started making a "Tak" sound (from the bass strings slapping). Back in California, it only smells a little
and after 3 months the soundboard + fingerboard dropped back down without having to do anything hazardous.
Sazi - 9-9-2010 at 05:09 PM