Moving a digital piano. Difficulty filter: UK to Belgium.
November 12, 2013 1:08 PM Subscribe
Further to my earlier question, I want to have my digital piano with me in Belgium. Suggestions?
The piano in question is a Roland HP107. The piano weighs approximately 80kg and fits in the back of a Vauxhall Zafira or similar MPV (it disassembles into 2 major parts to make things a little easier). Everything else I want will happily fit in the back of a small car, but this one is just a bit trickier. My stuff is in Northumberland, so it's not feasible to use the Eurostar; the Hull-Zeebrugge ferry would be doable if I had the right vehicle, but I'm finding it tricky to locate one. It's also been quite a long time (14 months) since I've driven so a big journey in an unfamiliar car isn't really my idea of the right way to get back on that horse again. How else could I move this thing?
The piano in question is a Roland HP107. The piano weighs approximately 80kg and fits in the back of a Vauxhall Zafira or similar MPV (it disassembles into 2 major parts to make things a little easier). Everything else I want will happily fit in the back of a small car, but this one is just a bit trickier. My stuff is in Northumberland, so it's not feasible to use the Eurostar; the Hull-Zeebrugge ferry would be doable if I had the right vehicle, but I'm finding it tricky to locate one. It's also been quite a long time (14 months) since I've driven so a big journey in an unfamiliar car isn't really my idea of the right way to get back on that horse again. How else could I move this thing?
Response by poster: What I'm asking here is that while I can find plenty of international house removal operators and international large parcel shipments, this piano seems to fall between the two - it's too big for UPS and similar services, and if I go for a house-removals type deal I expect I would be paying so much it wouldn't be worth it. I need help finding services that would do end to end shipping for a reasonable price or information on an alternative method (deliver to UK location, collect from Belgium location? Do alternatives even exist?)
Basically, my google-fu has failed me.
[edit] I say "I expect I would be paying so much" because none of them seem to want to give you any idea of cost through a simple internet form, so I'm in the dark until I can speak to a human tomorrow.
posted by fearnothing at 3:40 PM on November 12, 2013
Basically, my google-fu has failed me.
[edit] I say "I expect I would be paying so much" because none of them seem to want to give you any idea of cost through a simple internet form, so I'm in the dark until I can speak to a human tomorrow.
posted by fearnothing at 3:40 PM on November 12, 2013
none of them seem to want to give you any idea of cost through a simple internet form
Just as a data point, I have to deal with "too big or heavy for UPS or the Post Office" every so often at my job, and although I'm in the U.S., we have to get a quote from a live person every time (although sometimes we can do it by email). So it doesn't really surprise me that you're encountering this. You might just have to call around.
posted by soundguy99 at 4:21 PM on November 12, 2013
Just as a data point, I have to deal with "too big or heavy for UPS or the Post Office" every so often at my job, and although I'm in the U.S., we have to get a quote from a live person every time (although sometimes we can do it by email). So it doesn't really surprise me that you're encountering this. You might just have to call around.
posted by soundguy99 at 4:21 PM on November 12, 2013
Best answer: Some of the UK based shippers recommended to Ebay users could be worth contacting. I am pretty sure you will be able to find somebody to do the job for less that you could do be driving yourself.
I would then also try some of the companies that offer UK to Belgium removals. You will probably find one who is going out there with a major load to which they could add your piano.
In either case I think that talking to somebody on the phone will pay dividends - shippers will worry what an object weighing 80kg will mean in practice - and will want to know how is splits into 2 and how fragile it is. The removals people will possibly know about the specifics of moving acoustic pianos and thus will be aware of how to deal with large, fragile instruments - couriers will tend to just think of them as boxes.
posted by rongorongo at 4:40 PM on November 12, 2013
I would then also try some of the companies that offer UK to Belgium removals. You will probably find one who is going out there with a major load to which they could add your piano.
In either case I think that talking to somebody on the phone will pay dividends - shippers will worry what an object weighing 80kg will mean in practice - and will want to know how is splits into 2 and how fragile it is. The removals people will possibly know about the specifics of moving acoustic pianos and thus will be aware of how to deal with large, fragile instruments - couriers will tend to just think of them as boxes.
posted by rongorongo at 4:40 PM on November 12, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:49 PM on November 12, 2013