Shipping organs in the USA

[james]

Does anyone have information regarding shipping companies that would haul an organ from several states away for a reasonable fee? I would like to have this information asap.

James

[Pipeorganbuilder]

Hi James,

I have used Joe Long 609-444-7874 for years to move Seeburg nickelodeons from Ca. to Tn . Also used Russell Lauterback 407-301-2474 to move a player pipe organ and nickelodeon from Tx to Tn.

Good luck with your move. Both guys were very reasonable and very careful with my instruments. Must say I have not had any luck reaching Joe lately and the other Michael tried to get him but no luck.

Michael

[toodles]

Uship.com permits you to request a quote from shippers who are planning a shipment between 2 locations and have space available. You'll probably get the least expensive option using this service.

I've used plycongroup.com, but they aren't inexpensive.

[Admin]

Keyboard Carriage has been mentioned many times in the past. I've had no experience with them or any other mover.

[james]

Many thanks for your replies, and keep others coming if possible.

James

[myorgan]

James,

It depends on how much you're willing to pay. I tried *ship, but didn't have much success getting an organ from Phoenix to New England, from one corner of the country to another. I think with any shippers, the route between two points is everything.

I attempted to contact other shippers recommended at that time. One was WAY too expensive (over $4,000), and the other led me on for approximately 6 months with one thing after another. Eventually, he called me-only 3 hours after I had picked the organ up myself in Phoenix! I guess I didn't feel the need to keep him updated after 6 months of leading me on (while I continued to pay storage charges). I used *Haul, and it was a commitment of my time, but was worth it in the long run.

Hopefully, you'll have better luck than I did.

Michael

[KC9UDX]

Properly crated, it can go LTL. You can get incredible deals on LTL shipping if you're online savvy. But you will either need access to a dock at both ends, or pay extra for a truck with a lift.

[Organkeys Jones]

I shipped a Hammond Model A from Oregon to Pennsylvania on Amtrak. Put it on a pallet and wrapped it in padding & cardboard. At the time the cost was low (15-20 years ago). Have also shipped with a moving company (can't remember the name). I lived near I-5 in Oregon and got a very low price by just waiting for the next time one of their trucks was passing through and had some extra space. But most of the times when I needed an organ moved, a rented trailer behind my pickup truck did the trick.

[Pipeorganbuilder]

Keyboard Carriage has been mentioned many times in the past. I've had no experience with them or any other mover.

I have used them a number of times with much success. At the times I needed them, they would only ship to a place with a dock which I did not have. They would drop off at a music store fifty miles away and I had to go after it myself.

Michael

[Goff]

Keyboard Carriage has been mentioned many times in the past. I've had no experience with them or any other mover.

I used Keyboard Carriage to ship my B3 from Arizona to New Jersey. They don't fool around.
Paul Studer of Organ Service Co of New Jersey, circa 2010 helps Keyboard Carriage get the B3 into his van as the semi is too large to get to Paul's house.

As far as needing a dock to drop off the B3 this wasn't the case with me as seen in the above photo.

Paul Studer gets ready to recap and calibrate/overhaul on the B3 at his home/shop, fall 2010.

I also used uShip to ship my 122RV from Florida to New Jersey.

Photo below is in Jacksonville Florida, uShip couple loaded the 122RV into their van and sent this photo. Circa 2010

The uShip couple wrapped the Leslie in blankets and strapped it down. But this was a smaller object speaker not an organ console.

You get a uShip account and mom&pop movers (people who have their own vehicles of various types and sizes who have joined the uShip system) will bid on moving your item(s) depending on where it needs to go from point A to point B and will quote their fee to you for your item's moving. Sometimes you'll get more than one quote from more than one mover. Those uShip workers will respond if they happen to be plying the route you need your gear to go.

Last time I used uShip had no complaints. The mover/couple kept in constant contact through email as they drove up from Florida to NJ and sent me photos when they'd picked up and delivered the Leslie.

Paul Studer receives the uShip delivery of the 122RV. Above photo was taken by the uShip movers and sent to me within minutes by email, 2010 in NJ, within days of receiving the B3.

Crating an organ could be a waste of money. Keyboard Carriage must've used blankets.

If you're going to spend money on crating, might as well buy a flight case and if you don't use it but only once, sell it. A crate done by pros is going to cost as much as a flight case and it can only be used once. After that it's firewood. But if you have an unusual console, a flight case for it will be hard to move (sell) vs a B3 as the most traveled organ on the planet.

But rather than spend time and money on crating/flight case, Keyboard Carriage would be the way to go IMO.

[Darth-Car]

I am a big fan of A-1 Piano Movers. They can move them all, big, or small. They have the right custom trucks. They even have lifts to get instruments out of those upper deck choir lofts. Their prices are very reasonable. They do not need dock access; ground level is fine for them. They even have no qualms about doing residential work. Here is their web site:

http://pianotruck.com/

[Bucky]

I have used the following mover for a large upright player piano moved from South Carolina to Texas, and a small coin-operated player piano with art glass from South Carolina to Michigan.

Ron Brewer
(tel. 1-419-356-0403)
[email protected]
Third Party Services
Perrysburg, OH

They provided excellent service on both ends, and the buyers of the instruments were pleased. They do not need a loading dock.

When they picked up both times, we noted that they had a truck and trailer full of rare and costly instruments that they were delivering to various places around the country.

They handled a small number of stairs on both moves, but ask them about more challenging moves when you contact them.

Don't be spooked by their location. They move pianos all over the country and beyond. They need from one to three months lead time to schedule a move. That is so they can minimize their empty miles.

I DO NOT recommend commercial household moving companies. Most do not have the expertise or experience to properly protect and ship large/heavy musical instruments.