Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Bouzouki description on shipping labels

  1. #1
    Registered User Kieran's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Galway,Ireland
    Posts
    155

    Default Bouzouki description on shipping labels

    There's a joke element to this but its a serious question,and not sure if it has come up here before.
    Anybody ever stop to think about how you should describe the parcel contents when shipping a bouzouki because of how the word is similar to small artillery? (bazooka)
    The last thing we need to do is cause alarm to customs officials and the vast majority of them won't have heard of a bouzouki.

    Has the word caused a handler or customs scenario that anyone knows of?

    I have called it mandolin-guitar and it works but I had to deal with someone recently where it took time to explain there wasn't two instruments inside.

    Might settle on 'large mandolin'.Or simply guitar.
    Kieran Moloney
    Musical Instruments
    http://moloneymusic.com

  2. #2
    Registered User Rob Meyer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Central Maryland, USA
    Posts
    86

    Default Re: Bouzouki description on shipping labels

    How about octave mandolin? Bouzoukis can be seen as a long scale octave mandolin, so I think simply declaring it an OM would work.
    Rob

  3. The following members say thank you to Rob Meyer for this post:

    Kieran 

  4. #3
    Registered User Colin Lindsay's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Tandragee, Northern Ireland
    Posts
    416

    Default Re: Bouzouki description on shipping labels

    Try posting a Waldzither and see the Post Office employee write in large letters on the label: World Zipper.

    Just call it "musical instrument".
    "Danger! Do Not Touch!" must be one of the scariest things to read in Braille....

  5. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Colin Lindsay For This Useful Post:


  6. #4
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Howell, NJ
    Posts
    26,875

    Default Re: Bouzouki description on shipping labels

    I agree. If you want to call it a wooden stringed musical instrument that would probably suffice. You can't argue with that description. If it was moving as domestic freight within the US it would have a National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) that would be similar to that anyway.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  7. The following members say thank you to MikeEdgerton for this post:

    Kieran 

  8. #5
    Registered User zookster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    148

    Default Re: Bouzouki description on shipping labels

    If you're traveling, it might be a good idea to avoid the "bouzouki" word when dealing with the TSA. Yes, "octave mandolin" seems much more user friendly.

  9. #6
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    0.8 mpc from NGC224, upstairs
    Posts
    10,054

    Default Re: Bouzouki description on shipping labels

    You could just write "Banjo"
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  10. #7
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Rochester NY 14610
    Posts
    17,378

    Default Re: Bouzouki description on shipping labels

    Quote Originally Posted by Bertram Henze View Post
    You could just write "Banjo"
    That would surely set off alarms throughout the customs office, and lead to inevitable confiscation and possible prosecution.
    Allen Hopkins
    Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
    Natl Triolian Dobro mando
    Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
    H-O mandolinetto
    Stradolin Vega banjolin
    Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
    Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
    Flatiron 3K OM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •