Moving overseas - what to take and what to buy

samzadgan

So...I'm going to be moving to Oz in around April...and the questions now are what I take, what I leave behind...and if i should buy anything more to take

I've come to realise that the more you take the lower the cost per item actually becomes...but I dont want to buy new stuff for the sake of it. Also, the prices in australia are nuts...amps especially are really expensive.

So, not up for discussion is i will be taking all my guitars (4 of them) and my Marshall Super Bass head.

The other gear I have and not sure if I should take is a Marshall 4x12 and a Laney Cub 12. Now, neither of these are very expensive items, but replacing these would cost considerably more.

Right now, I could ignore those extra pieces of gear, and pay a relatively high price per item, but given the quality of stuff im taking, i'm ok with that. However, if was to buy more amps and cabinets etc, then it would be worth taking back my marshall and laney as well.

So, I'm just fishing for ideas and experience on this...is it worth buying more to ship? is it a false economy of tryng to reduce the cost per item by shipping more?...

 

 

ecc83

Can't help you with the shipping/buy "equation" but be aware that parts at least of Australia are on 240 volts nominal so you could get a coruscating 264V mains input at times!

Not much you can do about it* except perhaps make sure all valves are biased pretty cold.

* Well, I would use a Variac and a meter!

Dave.

guitarfishbay

Not sure, but have you searched local eBay/Gumtree equivalent prices for replacing stuff you're on the fence about, and balanced against the shipping cost?  Might make it a bit more easy to decide.

Sounds like you need an excel spreadsheet.  

samzadgan

ecc83 said:

Can't help you with the shipping/buy "equation" but be aware that parts at least of Australia are on 240 volts nominal so you could get a coruscating 264V mains input at times!

Not much you can do about it* except perhaps make sure all valves are biased pretty cold.

* Well, I would use a Variac and a meter!

Dave.

oh cool...thanks for that Dave...that is very good to know.

samzadgan

guitarfishbay said:

Not sure, but have you searched local eBay/Gumtree equivalent prices for replacing stuff you're on the fence about, and balanced against the shipping cost?  Might make it a bit more easy to decide.

Sounds like you need an excel spreadsheet.

I think you are right about the excel spreadsheet. When it gets to crunch time, what i'll need to do is call the removalists and give them cubic measurements of the size of the whole thing...which wil inlcude boxes and suitcases as well...at that point they will give me a proper quote.

ICBM

Take the Marshall and the 4x12" for sure. If you're getting a shipping container the size of the cab is not an issue.

The 240V mains isn't an issue either if the amp is set to 240/250 on the selector - it should be even for the UK. They were designed in the days of the Empire! (Well, nearly…)

samzadgan

ICBM said:

Take the Marshall and the 4x12" for sure. If you're getting a shipping container the size of the cab is not an issue.

The 240V mains isn't an issue either if the amp is set to 240/250 on the selector - it should be even for the UK. They were designed in the days of the Empire! (Well, nearly…)

thanks @ICBM...that makes sense...the cab, although its a 1960a is a very early one and the speakers are the old Made in UK ones...which are really nice i think.

I was thinking about taking the cub, but would have to spend some money on nicer tubes and a better speaker...but may not be worth the effort.

There's an amp builder in Australia that i have talked to about make me a back up to the marshall...a sold-state 2 channel GT120 type amp...if the cab shipping is going to turn out cheaper, I might another cab before I go too...save me money, as cabs are really expensive over there.

ecc83

ICBM said:

Take the Marshall and the 4x12" for sure. If you're getting a shipping container the size of the cab is not an issue.

The 240V mains isn't an issue either if the amp is set to 240/250 on the selector - it should be even for the UK. They were designed in the days of the Empire! (Well, nearly…)

Ah! If you have that voltage tapping choice, no problem!

Dave.

samzadgan

yeah it has one of those twisty knobby things on the back that allows you to choose volts.

 

now im looking at more 4x12 cabs...

ICBM

samzadgan said:

yeah it has one of those twisty knobby things on the back that allows you to choose volts.

 

now im looking at more 4x12 cabs...

I hope it's a proper rotary switch and not one of those "twisty knobby things" which are actually pull-out/fall out/fail for no good reason inserts...

Those are responsible for many transformer failures in old Marshalls. If your amp has them, it's essential to have them hardwired for 240V and whichever impedance you use, if you don't want to replace them with the rotary switches.

I prefer to wire the 16 and 8-ohm taps one to each speaker jack, which gives you the choice, although you can't then use two 16-ohm cabs without a splitter cable.

bandmaster188

Don't take anything open back or buy anything open back. Redbacks, funnel webs and snakes like to live inside them and watch out for dingo's, they steal babies.

samzadgan

bandmaster188 said:

Don't take anything open back or buy anything open back. Redbacks, funnel webs and snakes like to live inside them and watch out for dingo's, they steal babies

As funny as that sounds...the closed back is a very good point. Speaker cabinets make great homes for spiders! This is one reason, I'm not having my gear sit in a the garage...it will have to be in one of the bedrooms that i will selfishly take (my kids can share a room!)

ICBM said:

samzadgan said:

yeah it has one of those twisty knobby things on the back that allows you to choose volts.

 

now im looking at more 4x12 cabs...

I hope it's a proper rotary switch and not one of those "twisty knobby things" which are actually pull-out/fall out/fail for no good reason inserts...

Those are responsible for many transformer failures in old Marshalls. If your amp has them, it's essential to have them hardwired for 240V and whichever impedance you use, if you don't want to replace them with the rotary switches.

I prefer to wire the 16 and 8-ohm taps one to each speaker jack, which gives you the choice, although you can't then use two 16-ohm cabs without a splitter cable.

ok...i'm pretty sure its one those "put a penny and twist" type knobs. but will check again tonight.

Also, on the cab, i want to rewire it so its just an 8ohm cab rather than the stereo/mono thing. thats one thing i get very nervous about!

ICBM

samzadgan said:

Also, on the cab, i want to rewire it so its just an 8ohm cab rather than the stereo/mono thing. thats one thing i get very nervous about!

Rightly. They kill amps too.

Although you can't rewire it to 8 ohms if it's the standard 1960, your options are 4 or 16. Go for 16. Best of all, fit two jacks in parallel so you *can* then connect two 16-ohm cabs to an amp with only one 8-ohm jack, by daisy-chaining from the first cab.

samzadgan

ICBM said:

samzadgan said:

Also, on the cab, i want to rewire it so its just an 8ohm cab rather than the stereo/mono thing. thats one thing i get very nervous about!

Rightly. They kill amps too.

Although you can't rewire it to 8 ohms if it's the standard 1960, your options are 4 or 16. Go for 16. Best of all, fit two jacks in parallel so you *can* then connect two 16-ohm cabs to an amp with only one 8-ohm jack, by daisy-chaining from the first cab.

two cabs...1 head...you know me too well mate.

there are bunch of cheap cabs on ebay...especially in london where the prices are even lower due to shortage of demand. most of them aren't half bad...even some ok speakers. I may have to check out Aussie ebay and compare some prices before i commit. There is a nice old 70's sound city cab with original fanes which would be real nice.

mike257

I bought a bass brand new in Oz for what was a good price at the time but I think things have changed in the 11ish years since then. I sold an Ampeg head to a chap over there last year who told me it was cheaper for him to buy mine, pay shipping and taxes than it was to pay the going rate for a used one over there!

samzadgan

i've been having a look and even cabs in australia (mainly in QLD or VIC, seems to be a shortage of guitar players in Sydney!) seem to be going at over $600 for an ok one...the prices are rediculous...i saw a Marshall SL-X for $1000, although a good amp, i doubt you would be spending more that £350-£400 for it here.