Acoustic guitars in Egypt, good?

[Jole]

Will be coming to Egypt (Dahab) for a longish stay, 3-6 months. I'll be in Cairo for a couple of weeks before going on to Dahab. Any one know the quality and prices of acoustic guitars sold in Egypt? I have an expensive Martin which I don't want to risk taking with me

[Musical]

Originally Posted by Jole

Will be coming to Egypt (Dahab) for a longish stay, 3-6 months. I'll be in Cairo for a couple of weeks before going on to Dahab. Any one know the quality and prices of acoustic guitars sold in Egypt? I have an expensive Martin which I don't want to risk taking with me

If you just want a cheap acoustic guitar to thrash, you can buy inexpensive Yamaha or Tanglewood models at prices comparable with the US. Not sure about resale, when you leave, though.Btw, I have brought good quality instruments back and forth from Egypt, including my 555 Taylor 12-string, with no problems. I'd rather have my own guitar any day...

[Jole]

Thanks musical, I might just to do that (bring my own)

[PaulAshton]

If you do buy anything carefully inspect before you leave the shop anything is possible in Egypt including leaving the store with box containing bricks or a piece of wood and don't even expect Egypt Air to be careful transporting it on a plane

I am sure however you can find a guitar in the lost property office of any airport in Egypt

[Whitedesert]

don't put your guitar in the hold of an air-plane, any airline!

[Musical]

Originally Posted by Whitedesert

don't put your guitar in the hold of an air-plane, any airline!

Wrong.

I suggest that you do what professional musicians do:

1. Ensure that your instrument is carefully and properly packed in a secure case. Quality luthiers such as Taylor Guitars give advice on their website about transporting their instruments by air.

2. Make sure that you have proper musical instrument insurance cover for the journey in place. Do not trust extensions to household insurance policies, but take out a policy that covers your instruments and equipment with a specialist company. These can often be found through your country's professional musician's association, and are inexpensive.

I have transported instruments around the world as check in baggage hundreds of times during the past 30 years in connection with my professional musical career, and have only once had an instrument damaged. I have also carried instruments on planes as carry-on luggage with their own seat booked, and once had an instrument damaged by a clumsy cabin attendant! My experience has been borne out by the membership of the UK Musicians' Union, who I served as a National Executive committee member for a number of years.

Check-in baggage of any kind occasionally goes astray, or is damaged, but by paying attention to the two points I have made above, you can minimise any risk, or be adequately compensated in the unlikely event of the worst occurring.

Of course, while everyone else on the plane is worrying about terrorists, hijacking, crashing, missing their connection, you will be preoccupied with the fate of your cherished instrument in the hold... you will be so happy when you see it on the carousel that you will be in a better frame of mind than all the other travellers as you negotiate customs!