Beware of Instrument Travel Restrictions
Due to recent changes and travel restrictions in the laws regarding the transport of goods that contain rare or protected woods or ivory, musicians with older instruments should be wary when bringing them across borders. Both professionals and recreational players have experienced problems, ranging from fines to instrument confiscation. Two New Hampshire teenagers recently had their bagpipes seized at the Canada/Vermont border when returning to the US following a competition in Ontario, Canada. The ivory contained in the instruments was “legal” because they were built before any ivory banning laws. The bagpipes were returned, but the owners had to shell out an extra $576 for bringing the pipes across a “nondesignated crossing.” More information on the regulations involved can be found on the US Fish and Wildlife Service website
