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Post subject: Traveling internationally with my deluxe reverb amp
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 6:37 pm
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Dear Forum,

My name is Antonio. I went to music school here in the U.S and the time for me to go back to Guatemala has arrived.

I want to take my 65 Reissue Deluxe Reverb with me. I am flying delta.

1) My first option is to buy a Gator Case ($399). The G-Tour Amp 112 to be specific. I would chose this one because it weights 58 pounds. The deluxe reverb is 42 pounds, and the limit for the airline is a 100 pounds. It would be right on, also the measures wouldn't exceed the 115 linear inches that the airline requests. The airline would charge me $240 Dollars.

On the Guatemalan end, I would probably have to pay some taxes to enter the equipment to the country. I don't know how much, and there is no way to find out.

2) Option two would be for the deluxe reverb to travel in its original cardboard box. If I protect with heavy duty scotch tape and buy some extra foam for the inside, the airline might charge me $40 if they allow it as an extra bag, or $115 if it goes as a musical instrument. The difference is on the weight, only 44 pounds. The problem is if they decide to inspect it, they will break the tape and I don't think they will take the time to tape it back again nicely before it goes on the plane. Anything could happen. This option plus flight insurance plus taxes on the other side, might be a good solution.

What do you guys think? To fly with the gator case I would spend $640, plus maybe taxes on the other end. The other option is to use the cardboard box with hopes that it will make the trip.

Option three would be to sell my amp here in the U.S and buy it back in Guatemala. In Guatemala, they sell the amp for $1600 dollars.

The amp is 6 months old and there is no way someone is going to pay me what it is worth here, I would be loosing money and would have to pay more in Guatemala.

What should I do? Thank you very much


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Post subject: Re: Traveling internationally with my deluxe reverb amp
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 6:51 pm
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Buy the Gator case and pay the shipping premium when it arrives in Guatemala.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: Traveling internationally with my deluxe reverb amp
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 8:31 pm
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You might want to consider shipping it via a mail carrier. e.g. USPS, which has the most reasonable rates. It might be more expensive or not. It's just a possible option worth checking. You can check the cost on the USPS web page. As far as the box, Fender ships amps around the world in these cardboard boxes. Obviously a case would be a far safer bet. As far as customs, I think there is an official US website that can give you information on countries with trade agreements with the US regarding imports duties. Lots of countries have a free trade agreement with the US.


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Post subject: Re: Traveling internationally with my deluxe reverb amp
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:53 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Here's an update for you. Bad news I'm afraid. http://webportal.atlasintl.com/Customs% ... temala.pdf
You're looking at a possible 39% extra cost for import & VAT taxes. That 39% includes the cost of the merchandise plus shipping & insurance. You might want to consider selling it if you can get one there. :cry:


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Post subject: Re: Traveling internationally with my deluxe reverb amp
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 7:45 am
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Update: So I decided to take the amp in its original box. It was almost impossible to find insurance for it, the Delta insurance was too expensive. I bought big and small air bubbles. I removed the tubes and packed each individual tube with bubbles, then put all of them in an envelope that had the insides covered in more bubbles. I put the tubes inside the open back of the amp. I made sure the cables for power, speaker, and reverb weren't wiggling inside and filled the cavities with more bubbles. I put the foam corner protectors outside the box and sat the amp in upside down. I covered the remaining of the amp with big air bubbles. Then I put it inside the box and put extra card board wherever I could fit it in. I sealed the box with Extreme Shipping tape from Scotch. Reinforced the corners and everywhere I could find a weakness in the box. I wrote my name with a sharpie and all my information in three different places. Bought tags and wrote fragile on them. It was weighing 51 pounds.

Just so you know, the rules of delta say that if you have something fragile but it is suitably packed ( original retailer box ) and could stand regular shipment, you don't have to sign a waiver realese saying that your item is fragile and unsuitably packed, so that Delta is not responsible if they poop it up.

At the airport they made me sign it anyway. It was 3:30 am and the lady at the counter had no idea and was being difficult. I signed my life away because I knew I had packed it very well and was hoping for the best.

They put more Delta fragile stickers and I had to put it on a trolley were all the other overweight or fragile items are put at MSP.

Only had two pay $40 for my other bag that I checked.

In Guatemala they inspected the item but I wasn't charged anything, as I could prove it was a work or personal item and it was less than $1000 dollars. My good friend at GC got me a good discount for $916.00

So the amp made it! The box didn't take any banging. No nicks, or anything. They did open the box in the united states when I couldn't see it, but the closed it very well with TSA tape.

Also, I didn't have any troubles putting my 339 overhead in both planes. I did cringe when I saw a Gibson robot guitar being gate checked from my little window.

I don't know if I was lucky or what. Thanks for all the help. Installed the tubes last night and it is working like nothing.

Antonio


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Post subject: Re: Traveling internationally with my deluxe reverb amp
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 10:34 am
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¡Bueno!

Glad to hear everything worked out for the best.

Rawk on!

8)

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


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Post subject: Re: Traveling internationally with my deluxe reverb amp
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:58 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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That's great news. Sounds like you took the risk & managed to have made the right choice. Sometimes things just turn out well. Good thing for loopholes. Enjoy your amp.


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