International Piano Moving
Trust International Sea & Air Shipping, the leading international piano movers, to handle your cherished instrument with care, precision, and expertise.
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If you own a piano and have found this page while searching for overseas piano moving services, we deeply appreciate the importance of your valuable asset. We consider piano moving an art because we recognize that a piano is more than just a musical instrument. Every owner has a unique emotional attachment to it. And we handle these sentiments with the utmost care and attention, treating your piano as if it were our own.
Our international piano movers excel in understanding techniques for moving various types of pianos. We are true masters of this art, ensuring your piano arrives without a dent.
The International Piano Moving Specialist
International Sea & Air Shipping has been moving pianos for 75 years and is a leader in the field. They offer personalized moving solutions to their customers. We offer full support for both short and long trips. We make sure that your valuable piano is delivered by professionals who are closely watched.
IMPORTANT: New Federal Regulations prohibit the import and export of pianos, so we remove ivory keys before packing and moving. Proposed rules include an “antique” exemption for pianos over 100 years old. However, proving the piano’s age and recent ivory repairs would disqualify it from this exemption.
We recommend speaking to our expert before scheduling the piano shipping service.
Are International Piano Movers Worth It?
Many people ask, “Are piano movers worth it?” Yes, especially for moves to other countries. Pianos are worth a lot of money and are very fragile, so they need a lot more care than other things in the house. You can’t match the level of skill, tools, and insurance coverage that our international piano movers have.
Our Expertise is Our Strength
We are a unique overseas piano moving company with seven decades of industry experience. We hold expertise in safely and successfully moving various pianos. When handling antique pianos, we address additional concerns and give special attention to packaging digital pianos. Similarly, upright, grand, and player pianos each require a unique approach for moving. Therefore, our expertise is vast and we apply strategic planning based upon the kind of asset we are moving.
Our Tools are our Most Valuable Assets
To move an asset safely and quickly, it is mandatory to use the right equipment. We have made substantial investments in state-of-the-art equipment specifically designed for moving pianos. Our equipment includes:
- Custom-made crates
- Dollies and ramps
- Vehicles with air rides
- Boards for moving pianos
- Climate-controlled storage facilities
They are the backbone of our business. They enable us to deliver the highest level of service to our customers.
Our Emotional Care is Our Exclusivity
We understand the emotional connection our customers have with their pianos. That’s why we go the extra mile to offer emotional care that distinguishes us from other moving companies. We maintain transparent communication, handle items with respect, accommodate special requests, and provide reassurance and support throughout the service.
Our Employees are Our Pride
Our business is built on our team. We look at more than just experience when we hire our servicemen. We make sure that the people we hire are friendly, professional, well-trained, pay close attention to detail, and have good morals. We think that we can only win over our customers with the right team.
The Types of Pianos We Ship
Our piano moving meets the shipping needs of most pianos, from small uprights to grand pianos. Each variety is treated with care and expertise on our part:
- Upright Pianos: These are the most popular kind of piano found in people’s homes, and though they’re smaller, they still require some thought before you move them.
- Baby Grand Pianos: With their slim construction and complex parts, baby grands demand custom crates for safe shipping.
- Grand Pianos: Grand pianos are bigger and heavier which is why they require professional care when being disassembled, packed and shipped to prevent possible damages that instruments can endure.
- Digital Pianos: While they are generally lighter, these instruments do contain electronics that makes them vulnerable to damage if not protected properly.
Whether the piano is upright or grand, we have a team of highly skilled movers that will treat your instrument with the utmost professionalism.
How Do We Carry Out Our Piano Moving Services?
Our piano moving services involve a series of steps and verified procedures. All packaging materials and equipment used in the process are thoroughly examined and approved by higher authorities before use. A safe trip is assured, as your precious cargo is secured within one of our fleet vehicles. Your piano will be carefully packaged and carried, with no detail spared.
Here is the step-by-step process of piano shipping from the team at International Sea & Air Shipping:
- Assessment and Planning (Pre-Moving Survey): We will start by inspection of piano. Then we obsess over every detail. This involves measuring doorways, stairwells, mapping the path to your desired location and handling packages.
- Packing for Overseas Moving: We make certain to utilize archival and custom made crates to add a layer of protection during the Piano shipping services. We also concentrate on seasonal packing to safeguard the piano from extreme weather.
- Loading and Transportation: Our drivers are taught and supervised to load your vehicle for a safe and secure transport. We seem to have a set professional servicemen escort the security of transportation and we also have a professional logistics tracking personnel keep a watchful eye on the safety in transit.
- Customs Clearance: We take care all paperwork which requires seeing that your keyboard is cleared rapidly, and without inconveniences at the customs according to the particular nation’s laws.
- Delivery and Unpacking: We use a piano-specific shipping dolly to bring the piano into your home, and we secure it carefully to prevent any damage or dents.
- Final Inspection: Once the piano is placed at its final location our staff will inspect it one more time thoroughly. After that they honk the horn letting everyone know, Its Official – Service is Done!
Shipping Methods for Pianos
Selecting the optimal way for piano shipping overseas will have a big impact on how easy and safe the entire process is. Air Freight vs Ocean Freight: Air Freight and ocean freight are the two most common options for international shipments.
If you want your piano asap and waiting 8-12 weeks is not an option, air freight is for you. But the trade-off is cost — it’s typically more expensive.
Ocean freight, on the other hand, is cheaper and effective for larger instruments such as grand or upright pianos but it will also take longer get to you.
And whatever your method is, good packing makes all the difference. Our international piano movers provide custom built crates and padding to ensure the safety of your piano while it is being transported. For shipping via sea, we go a step further — using moisture resistant materials in order to minimize potential harm.
How to Ship a Baby Grand Piano
Shipping a baby grand piano internationally requires careful planning and protection. Here’s our streamlined process:
- Securing the Lid: The piano lid is lowered and secured to prevent movement during the journey.
- Disassembly and Wrapping: Legs and pedals are removed and individually wrapped to avoid damage.
- Padding the Body: The piano’s body is carefully wrapped in protective materials to preserve its finish.
- Custom Crating: A custom designed crate to keep the piano perfectly stable and safe during transport.
- Transport: The crated piano is placed on a specialized truck or overseas container and is shipped by either air or sea.
How to Ship a Digital Piano Overseas
The electronic components of a digital piano and shipping overseas As with any electronic device, the electronics on a digital piano are sensitive. Here’s our process:
- Disassembling Parts: Stands or pedals are detached and packed independently.
- Protecting Electronics: Body, keys and screens are virtually impervious to damage with its moisture resistant design.
- Custom Crating: The piano is completely crated to be safe on its trip.
- Shipping Options: If you are pressed for time, you can air freight the piano.
- Monitoring: The condition of the piano is observed while it’s in transport, guaranteeing safe delivery.
Avoiding the Mistakes When Moving a Piano Internationally
Piano moving mistakes can be expensive in terms of repair bills and time. Here are a few errors to avoid:
- Hiring inexperienced movers: Moving a piano is not really on the list of household DIY undertakings. Never hire just anyone to be international piano movers for you.
- Using inadequate packing materials: Insufficiently decent or just poorly made packing materials can result in serious damage. You’ll never regret your investment in professional crating services which will provide the best possible protection.
- Not purchasing insurance: Shipping a piano without insurance is taking it on the chin. Make sure that your piano is always covered against damage.
- Ignoring customs regulations: Customs documents are part and parcel of shipping a piano. And if you don’t prepare it ahead of time, the prices can add up.
How Much Does It Cost to Move a Piano Internationally?
Piano shipping is a sensitive operation, and it comes with costs that fluctuate based on a several factors. Knowing where the money goes can help you plan and alleviate surprises. Depending on what kind of piano and how far, as well as any stairs or packing materials (<this is a biggie), the total fee can vary greatly.
- Type of Piano: The bigger the piano – such as grand or baby-grand models – the more it will cost to move due to its size and weight. An upright is cheaper and may cost less to build.
- Distance and Destination: The further the destination, the higher the cost. The more distance, the greater the expense. Rates will depend on the shipping line and international laws.
- Packing and Crating: Professional packing and a custom crate are important for shielding your piano from damage in transit, adding to the price but protecting its safe arrival.
- Mode of Transport: Air freight is faster but more expensive, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. Sea freight is more affordable, costing $1,000 to $5,000, but takes longer.
- Customs and Taxes: Customs duties and taxes vary by country, potentially adding several hundred to a few thousand dollars to the cost.
- Storage: Temporary storage services may also be necessary, adding flexibility but increasing costs.
To find out the exact price of shipping your piano to your international destination fill out our piano moving quote form.
Is It Worth It to Move a Piano Internationally?
Deciding to move a piano overseas Who decides whether you can or cannot transport a piano over the pond is determined by the worth – both in terms of dollar value and sentimental value — of your instrument. For house-owners with such valuable, or even heirloom pianos, the cost of moving is justifiable when demonstrating the savings in buying a new one.
Here’s why it may be worth it:
- Sentimental Value: If you are considering a piano move and the instrument has significant sentimental value – perhaps it’s been in your family for many years or holds deep personal meaning – then moving it is likely the right choice.
- Replacement Costs: Good pianos, especially grand and baby grand models are quite costly to replace. It could be less expensive to move your piano than buy another.
- Condition and Craftsmanship: If you have an instrument in great shape or which is rare, taking it with you means that you maintain the quality of that device.
Our Pros at moving piano overseas will transport your piano securely, allowing you to tune into the soft and beautiful music that fills your home no matter where life takes you.
Trust the Experts for Your International Piano Move
The only safe way to make sure your expensive instrument is moved without damage or inconvenience is by choosing seasoned international piano movers. You can count on us to arrive safely where you need to be, moving from any location in the world, across town or around the globe! Reach out to International Sea & Air Shipping for a custom piano moving schedule, and we will take care of the rest.
FAQ’s
Our Case Study: We shipped a 7ft grand piano from Central London to Connecticut
We shipped a 7ft grand piano from central London to Connecticut via NYC. The process included a complex move. It involved navigating a heavy piano down narrow stairs in London, removing a window and banister, and later reassembling everything. When we completed our service, here’s what our happy customer said:
“The agent movers in London were extremely professional and did an outstanding job. After pickup and crating, I was given regular updates on the progress of the vessel that shipped the piano to the USA, and assistance with the customs clearance when it arrived. Finally, the local movers who delivered the piano to CT were courteous, on-time and extremely careful. Highly recommended for any overseas move”.
What Are a Few Important Details to Note in Piano Shipping?
For taking a piano overseas, pack and pad the overseas skid board. Secure the skid board to a deck or platform and chock securely so that it cannot move. Then tag it, and ship it on a truck to the freighter.
Insurance – We suggest taking out insurance to cover the replacement value of the goods at destination.
Ivory Ban – Shipping a piano with genuine ivory key tops out of the country might have issues with customs. They could stop the ivory as a condition of passage because there’s no production or sale of ivoy. If the piano is older than 100 years of age, properly documented it may pass through customs. For pianos under 100 years old If the piano has ivory you may want to have a (lace) plastic key top put in before shipping, or use some other method. Find keys before shipment to prevent breaking during customs check into your country.
Who Will Ship My Piano?
One of the very first steps to shipping a piano is locating someone who does it. If you’ve located a company that’s capable of shipping your piano overseas, the business likely collaborates with a freight forwarder.
The freight forwarder will group the items to be shipped together in containers and there you have it—no need to worry about the steamship line. Your items will be picked up by the company and forwarded to the freight forwarder. The forwarder will supply you with the details of the steamship line, sailing and arrival dates, and container number.
There are foreign piano manufacturers wrapping their pianos in tight sealed plastic to keep out excessive humidity contact.
Do digital keyboard needs the same care provided to an acoustic piano during international move?
Even if digital pianos are lighter than the acoustic variety, they need to be taken with care – you don’t want to knock them and ruin their electronics. Appropriate package, disassembling and moisture defense is to protect the goods from damage during long-distance transportation protection of sea freight in particular general humidity.
How long does it take to move a piano internationally?
International piano moving generally takes between 30-60 days depending on the destination and method of shipping. Air shipments usually only take a few days but sea shipping can take weeks depending on where it is in the country, what ports it’s waiting for customs and which route it takes to get here.
How do I prepare my piano for an international move?
Clear out any personal items, make sure the path for movers is open and maybe have a professional inspect the piano first. Latch down any loose parts like covers or benches and share any special requests with the movers.
Can I ship a piano and other household items together?
Yes, you can. “The Piano” will be in a separate crate for safekeeping though. It may be financially sound Shipping household goods and piano together but make sure your motorcycle mover is aware of the extra items so that they are packed and handled accordingly.
