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Location: big island | so, after i plug in the shipping info into the online usps postage calculator to ship the elite 2078T to london, england, insured for $500, the shipping amount totaled $298 for express service. carton dimensions: 46 X 19 X 9. i print out the declarations and cut an inch off the ovation carton that is 47" (an inch over the max allowable). get down to the post office and am informed the shipping cost will only be $103.50 express or $78.12 priority. now i gotta issue a refund to the buyer who should be delighted.
aj ~ perhaps we will have a similar good experience when i ship yours next week... |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I just got a BC Rich electric in the mail... The Real mail, Priority Post.
It was shipped from WVa on Saturday, and I got it Monday!
I used to have an SSB guitar case in which someone sent me a busted guitar,
and it cost $36 to mail. Priority!
Especially after yesterday, I may give up on Fed Ex.
I think they have been scamming us all.
Also, someone once said (might have been Miles) that if you send a guitar by the Mail, they will be careful with it cuz it will be the biggest thing in the truck, and it sez "Guitar" all over it! |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | The only downside to USPS priority is the lack of trackability and if you ever need to file a claim for loss goods or damage.
I use them all the time. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by stephent28:
The only downside to USPS priority is the lack of trackability and if you ever need to file a claim for loss goods or damage.
I use them all the time. Can you request a signature, or is that prohibitively expensive and thus defeats the savings? |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | i now see where i erred. the first three times i calculated the postage at www.usps.com, i used the "global express" option which is guaranteed delivery 1-3 business days. regular "express mail" takes five business days and is the option the postal worker chose. i don't know if the international tracking works better than the domestic, but the post office does issue a tracking number for this service. and, so far, the postal service has never failed my shipping or receiving of guitars in the past ten or so years. |
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Posts: 13994
Location: Upper Left USA | They may have an "intuitive" site but I think you need to be "Psychic" to navigate it. |
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September 2004
Posts: 777
Location: East Wenatchee, WA | I have used USPS on several guitars in the last couple of years as it is the fastest/cheapest and easiest for me. HOWEVER....get an insurance claim and look out.
They denied a claim for me on a W597 I shipped for about 4 months. Even then, they would honor repair, but not full amount of insurance. This was with extensive photo's of packing and statement from the postmaster where I shipped it attesting to the packaging. Real nasty folks in the claims department. |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by JeffreyD:
Real nasty folks in the claims department. True, oh too true! I've had my 'run in' with 'em up to the vice-pres level of the division; to no avail. Granted the seller did have a bad case of dumb azz.
I still ship via USPS due to the price break. I've shipped several gits with no issues, including two overseas. |
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Posts: 4619
Location: SoCal | I used to be an advocate of USPS Priority for over eighty guitars I have sent. Not anymore.
I won't even go into detail on this thread about USPS on a computer destroyed and a copy of Fm 2856 (not to be filled out in front of customer) that was incorrectly filled out by a specific employee (yes, I have the copy of the form and color photos for proof).
Never good but with their high losses ($1.1 BILLION) in 3rd FY quarter, little consequence for lack of service, etc., it will only get worse. |
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Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by lanaki:
aj ~ perhaps we will have a similar good experience when i ship yours next week... Don't bet on it Randy. :( |
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Posts: 1900
| I mailed (USPS) a Balladeer w/ case in an Ovation box and insured for $500 to Nebraska yesterday for less than $30. Beats UPS and FEDEX. |
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Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by JeffreyD:
Real nasty folks in the claims department.
They are the rejects from Customs and the Motor Vehicle department |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | The worst part of USPS is the inability to track a package: inevitably, may times when entering the shipping numbers, "Item Not Found" is the result dsplayed...Still, I use it consistantly... |
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Location: notts | they cost me 92$ from usa to uk usps i have no way of tracking this item also he charged me 5£ for gas and ebay fees...... |
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Location: big island | so far, this shipment is tracking just fine on the usps website. i wuz surprised. |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | i just re-checked the usps postal guidelines and have determined the postal worker, albeit a very nice guy, made a blunder. he did not even measure the box. if he did, he would have noted the box is 10" longer than the max allowable (36") for "express international". this is why i used "global express" to calculate the costs initially. the ovation carton is 47" long so i had to shave an inch off of it to make it 46" which leaves no room for additional packing with the 8158 case. here's hoping that nobody between here and england measures the box and challenges the shipment. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Fear Not... Once it is on it's way, they have to violate those same guidelines to send it Back!
:D Always the Optimist! :D |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | true, OMA. i like your way of thinkin'. |
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August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
The worst part of USPS is the inability to track a package: inevitably, may times when entering the shipping numbers, "Item Not Found" is the result displayed... Yeah. Unfortunately, that's currently MY "item not found". :rolleyes:
For anyone needing to send a guitar to Australia, it IS possible to send them via USPS as long as you find a PO that forgets to measure it. It will still get delivered at this end. Worst case scenario is we'd have to go to the port to collect it.
I had my 2 US bought guitars sent at great expense via UPS, not USPS - but both were still delivered by Australia Post. Go figure. |
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Posts: 7228
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Lanaki, once it's in the system you are safe... to a point. So far USPS will just let it slide and you won't hear anything of it. Unfortunately with UPS and FedEX (and I'm assuming USPS won't be much behind) you occasionally get love letters (bills) up to a month after delilvery, for the balance.
I just received one from FedEX for a guitar that was shipped to me for "Customs Prepartion" charge that the sender didn't include (it came from Cananda).
But as stated... so far anyway.. if you can get it INTO the USPS system... it's good to go. |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | thanks, miles. like i said previously, i've never had a usps problem to this day. and i'm planning on shipping AJ's guitar to him using the same postal worker who happens to be an ovation guitar fan. :D |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | Originally posted by muzza:
Originally posted by lanaki:
aj ~ perhaps we will have a similar good experience when i ship yours next week... Don't bet on it Randy. :( |
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December 2001
Posts: 7228
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Lets hope someone doesn't pick up on it and bill you later like DHL, UPS and FedEX do. So far, I've never had USPS "back bill" anything, but as they now use FedEX and DHL as carriers.. it wouldn't surprise me. Keep us posted. AJ may have me send the guitars I have here for him for you to ship.
Of course, I guess I must add, that the Ovation FanClub, it's founders, nor any member or affiliate, nor Kaman Music or Fender Music Corp condone or encourage anyone to commit mail fraud which is a felony. :) |
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Posts: 2487
| The Deacon I sent to Jim in OZ went out for a lot less than we were quoted. (I think around $130) I am in NYS so half way around the planet I'd say it was a real bargain. I think the real problem comes up when the guitar box for an Acoustic gets way oversized. I had a Taylor Box once that was just way to big and had to be cut down. So far the electric guitars in a reasonably sized box have not a problem to send to OZ fairly cheaply. my only recent shipping experience I suppose things can be changing weekly with fuel surcharges. |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I have been using Fed Ex, and their rates vary so much with distance and fuel charge... I walk in there with $50 and usually that is cool for the lower 48, but I've had a $54 one.
I just hand them the box and pay whatever they say.
So... If they say it is $22 to ship something that was $46 two days before, I hand them the money and say Thank You.
[I still may look into USPS for my next shipment.] |
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | It all depends on who you get at the PO period.
I got an email today from my mate in Denver telling me he shipped my Breadwinner Limited in case just bubble wrap and wrapped in plastic for $95.
Randy, if this works out ok we might try another.
AJ |
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Posts: 5575
Location: big island | do i own another guitar you would like to buy, jim? |
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | I meant you might become a shipping agent!! :D
For a fee of course!!
AJ |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | well...you don't have a 1271 viper in your list and i've one for sale. but sure, i'll be your central pacific shipping agent, for a fee of course!! |
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | I have a few Vipers "Viper11,Viper111" :D
Woody still has two of them, getting a "Woody Makeover".
Plus the Celebrity BW and a Hagstrom 1 :)
AJ |
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December 2003
Posts: 13994
Location: Upper Left USA | AJ hasn't noticed that so far I am all "Get" and no "Give"...
I have been looking into shipping options and it is frustrating.
More than likely I will end up separating necks from bodies and shipping in smaller boxes. Its probably better for the instrument anyway.
Cases and acoustics will still be problematic.
I need to make friends with some Flight Crews at Qantus I guess. I hope to send AJ the Celebready and a Viper soon.
This discussion never comes up over at the Ukulele Forum!!
Oh yeah, the Hagstrom - What an interesting blast from the past. Did Abba play these? |
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going postal