moving precautions

[srfogel]

Hey folks.

I am relocating cross country.  Moving my beloved instruments (basses and guitars).  Anyone have experience/suggestions on climate control.  I want to make sure no heat/humidity changes in the move damage my instruments.  too many to just keep them in the car with me.

thanks

[keith_h]

One thing I've done when moving is to get some extra wardrobe boxes for packing the instruments and their cases into. They are large enough to allow for padding around the cases and the top bar adds some extra rigidity. Inexpensive furniture pads from Northern Tool or Harbor Freight work well.  Wardrobes will always be loaded on the truck headstock up so there is little chance that the guitars get shoved into empty spots upside down or who knows where in the trailer. I don't pack them full and try to intermix lighter instruments with heavier ones (3 - 4 per wardrobe). I also don't label the wardrobes with anything that indicates they are musical instruments. I just label them master bedroom closet so if any questions come up I can reply they are closet organizers.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I do declare what instruments they are carrying on the bill of lading for insurance purposes should something happen. The attempted subterfuge is to keep the casual browser from guessing what is in the box. 

I've always used enough of a trailer that our possessions never leave the trailer until it is at its destination. That being said the destination might be the movers storage so there are a couple of things I do. The first is I always arrive at the new location storage facility when the truck does. I run the shipping inventory into the storage containers just as I would if delivery was to my home. I try not to put my instruments into storage and take delivery of them right away when I can. Both of these reduce the risk of things disappearing from my vaults in the movers storage facility. You might also consider a private self storage location and have the movers put your stuff in there. The advantage is you have better control and access over your items but the downside is you are on the hook for moving the household goods from storage to your new dwelling. 

One other thing. I don't know if you are moving any amps or speaker cabinets but I usually oversee their loading on the truck requesting they be padded with grills facing the trailer wall even if they have covers. For equipment I keep in road cases about all I do is ask is to not be too rough with them.

As to temperature you have no real control over that while things are in the truck. I look at it like I did when I lived up north. The case will moderate the temperature changes so any swings should be slowed. If I have to put items into storage I make sure the facility is temperature controlled as I have many possessions where extreme temperature swings would be undesirable. Either way it is probably a good idea to get some desiccate packages to throw in the cases to reduce the risk of condensation. I don't know if it was overkill but it is something I use to do during the winter when I lived up north or when we moved (any season). 

[keith_h]

Something else came to mind. I don't know how much experience you have with relocations so please forgive me if you already know this. It is important to have your own insurance for the move. The insurance provided by the carrier will not cover anything close to the value of damaged or lost items. They will also do everything in their power to deny the claim. Frequently your homeowner's or renter's policy will cover moves but you might need to get a rider added. If this is an employer paid move they or the relocation service might provide coverage of some type. I have had both employer covered and personal moves. I was fortunate with my employer covered moves in that they provided replacement cost coverage no questions asked. On my personal moves my homeowners policy covered losses subject to deductibles though I did need to add a rider specific to the move and pay extra for a couple of higher cost items we own.   

[srfogel]

Something else came to mind. I don't know how much experience you have with relocations so please forgive me if you already know this. It is important to have your own insurance for the move. The insurance provided by the carrier will not cover anything close to the value of damaged or lost items. They will also do everything in their power to deny the claim. Frequently your homeowner's or renter's policy will cover moves but you might need to get a rider added. If this is an employer paid move they or the relocation service might provide coverage of some type. I have had both employer covered and personal moves. I was fortunate with my employer covered moves in that they provided replacement cost coverage no questions asked. On my personal moves my homeowners policy covered losses subject to deductibles though I did need to add a rider specific to the move and pay extra for a couple of higher cost items we own.   

Thanks for both of these answers.  Super helpful

[gtrguy]

Watch out for theft.

[StephenR]

If it were me I would consider shipping the most valuable instruments separately. Pay the carrier you choose to pack and insure for full replacement value. When my mother moved across country some of her things had to be tracked down since they were mis-delivered to Nevada instead of CA. Unless you have enough possessions to fill a large moving truck on your own it is common when moving cross country for them to gang a number of moves onto the same truck and drop them sequentially as they reach their various destinations making it easier for the carrier to mess up. Another consideration would be if you have more than one vehicle, ship one car on the truck with instruments in it, less chance of them getting lost along the way unless they drop the car off at the wrong location which is unlikely.

Good luck with the move. When I moved cross country I was able to get all my instruments, a small guitar amp, my titanium mountain bike and my collection of Bukowski first edition books into my Volvo 240 Series wagon. There were all sorts of nooks and crannies in that car and every single spot had something in it. The place I used to service the car pointed out that the center of the steering wheel could be removed and there was space in there to put weed or money behind the cover, that got utilized too. Now I have too many instruments to get them all in one car and next time I move any distance it will be more of an issue.

[lbpesq]

When I moved cross country I was eighteen and fit everything I owned into a backpack and carried one guitar in a case.  Sometimes I look at all the stuff I've accumulated and miss those days.  Things sure get more complicated as we get older!  Good luck with the move.

Bill, tgo

[cozmik_cowboy]

When I moved cross country I was eighteen and fit everything I owned into a backpack and carried one guitar in a case.  Sometimes I look at all the stuff I've accumulated and miss those days.  Things sure get more complicated as we get older!  Good luck with the move.

Bill, tgo

When our youngest moved to Alaska, he had briefcase in one hand, his acoustic guitar (in a case) in the other, and a backpack with some clothes (and his lap steel).

On the other hand, when he & I briefly moved to FL (Mom was already there), we filled my Suburban top to bottom, side to side, and front to back, then hooked a car hauler with his Probe, likewise packed; 1 bass, 3 guitars, 2 amps, a drum kit, 2 dogs.......

Peter