International Flight with Full set of Strings

[Gerrard Els]

Hello fellow harpists,

I would like to ask advice to those who traveled internationally with a full set of strings (for a Salvi /Lyon and Healy 40 strings pedal harp).

Will customs have a problem with all the gut and wire strings? I can’t have it confiscated nor take the chance of putting them in my luggage, unless its only for some strings. The strings’ value will be more than my flight lol 🙂

Thanks in advance

Els

• This topic was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by Gerrard Els.

[Philippa mcauliffe]

I have taken strings from Australia to Europe and the USA and all around Australia in hand luggage and so far fingers crossed no issues. In fact, the things that tend to get them very interested at the baggage X-ray are the tuner and the Zoom H4. But it’s a risk as they could be deemed dangerous garrottes. I dont think customs will care – its the baggage security that will get you. I didn’t take the wires though as they seemed much more risky. Gather evidence you own a harp, pictures, videos…if you are going to do something harpy a letter confirming what it is…be prepared.

[balfour-knight]

Hi Philippa,

My, I had not thought of harp wires as “dangerous garrottes!” I knew that piano strings had been used that way, but harp strings? You learn something new every day, I suppose!

Hope your concerts are going well. You play so beautifully!

Harp Hugs,
Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

[Philippa mcauliffe]

Thank you. Well I didn’t think of strings as that either until my mother told me about the attempted assassination of Hitler story where the perpetrators ended up hanged with piano strings. Which was during a very long examination of my tuner and tuning key at Dubai airport last time we were there changing flights! She asked me if I had any strings with me which I didn’t and said maybe
put them in the real luggage next time and just make sure they were insured.

[balfour-knight]

Yes, we all need to take strings with us in case any break on our harps, since it is not as simple to find them as it is with violin or guitar strings. Hope it all goes well for everyone who needs to take extra strings on a flight in the future.

Best wishes,
Balfour

[Gerrard Els]

Yea especially with the 7 dangerous garrottes bass wires.

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