Korean Job Discussion Forums

TD · Joined: 15 Oct 2010

Howdy,

What's the best way to get a guitar from the USA to Korea? Should I take it with me on the plane? Should I ship it to myself? What if I'm not clear on my Korean address? Could I send it to myself using the physical address of the local UPS location and pick it up there with ID?

Any suggestions?
Thanks.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

banjois · Joined: 14 Nov 2009

I brought a banjo in a hardcase, inside a guitar shipping box stuffed with clothes, with some particle board pieces between the body and the box. You might get dinged for oversize, but somehow on three different airlines I got lucky and they just shrugged it off. There was a few holes punched in the cardboard, but the banjo got here in one piece....

Oreovictim · Joined: 23 Aug 2006

I brought a guitar to Korea. I knew I had to pay for it though - $200.00 big ones, to be exact. But if you plan on being here for only one year, just buy one when you get over.

machoman · Joined: 11 Jul 2007

i brought mine as a carry on. i brought home an acoustic in a hard case and brought an electric in a soft case both as carry on. i thought they would stop me with the hardcase but they didn't. i heard it's kind of up to the stewardesses as to how anal they are and how packed your flight is.

i just don't trust checking it in or sending it over.... they are my babies, i need to have them by my side.

if there was a fire in my apartment, i'd grab my laptop, passport, and guitar.

some waygug-in · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

Why bother? You can get good quality guitars at reasonable prices in the land of K. Just sell it or give it away when you leave.

warmachinenkorea · Joined: 12 Oct 2008

I brought mine as carry on and had no problem. I also had a backpack and no one questioned it. When I got on the plane they gave me a little piece of paper to give them at the end of the flight just for comformation. They put it in a closet in hte front part of the plane.

fugitive chicken · Joined: 20 Apr 2010 Location: Bucheon

whatever you decide remember to loosen the strings, found that out the hard way Sad

fezmond · Joined: 27 Oct 2008

i had my parents take over my les paul (epi) in a hard case last year. i believe they put it in the hold for the flight from london. however, when i opened the hard case upon arrival, the metal pickup selector was snapped in the middle completely and the wires haven't been the same since. i'm not sure if there is anything else wrong, but i'll be off to c/g-cat (name??) in the next few weeks.

be careful

Cedar · Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 6:32 am Post subject:

a small amount of research will reveal that a huge percent of major brands of stringed instruments sold in the US are made in Korea. unless your guitar is very specific pick up a new one here, and then worry about this on the way home. on the other hand my husband brought two stringed instruments (one rare, one a bouzouki which can be hard to find a really good one) on the plane in the cabin in AUgust, no problem

fortysixyou · Joined: 08 Jun 2006

I brought my American 2005 Fender Stratocaster Deluxe on a Korean Air flight from Dallas two years ago.

It didn't count as a carry on. I had two checked bags, a carry on, and my guitar in a hard case. The girl saw it when I got on the plane and asked if I'd like to put it in the coat closet and I said, "yes please" and she gave me a little ticket. Then when the plane landed, as I was getting off the plane, I gave her the ticket, she gave me my guitar. Simple as that.