Nike : Haha wow geez that's a pretty bad misread!
beboptang: Whoa. Okay, haha any recommendations?
Peace.
Recommendations? Hmmm... I don't usually buy really big items (like whole drumsets or amps), unless I wanna get hassled with shipping it over. I stick with things I can either put on the plane as odd-sized baggage, or things I can hand-carry.
If you are buying cymbals bigger than 16", either bring an empty cymbal safe -- the hard-case type -- or buy it at Tom Lee. Don't bring a soft cymbal case, because you will definitely have to check-in the cymbals. Normal carton boxes aren't that great protection either, because the flat side can still get crushed in carriage. No matter how many "FRAGILE" stickers you paste on your package, the luggage handlers still throw them around.
Buy travel insurance! A lot of insurance companies have single trip plans. That way, if your purchases get lost, you can get some money back.
Best to purchase with a credit card or VISA/Master debit card. But may be wise to set a ceiling on what you wanna spend on this visit. Remember to include excess baggage costs if your luggage exceeds the maximum set by the airline. Cost and max weight info can be found on airline websites.
Do your research to see if the prices on other online sites (like Musician's Friend) are cheaper, ie inclusive of shipping. Sometimes I just buy while I'm there, even if it costs more, cuz I'll have it immediately.
I do a lot less planning when I buy music stuff from Tom Lee, cuz HK is a lot more accessible. Sometimes I go into Tom Lee for a long time and walk out of there with some lugs! Sometimes empty-handed. I do a lot more purposed shopping, research and planning if I go to the US or to Istanbul.
Just some thoughts, hope they're helpful...
Peace,
Beboptang
i'm leaving on the 27th..which iss in 10 days so yeeeah still got some time to do my homework hehe. Thanks all of you for the info, looks like i'm gonna have a ball of a time there...
