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November 2009
Posts: 177
Location: Milford, MI | Getting ready to send the 1866 to Mother and was trying to figure out the best way to ship it?
UPS,Fedex, how to pack it, how not to pack it, how much should I insure it for? I wanted to send it months ago but talked myself into waiting until the weather got better.
It's a 1996 and the top is perfect, not even a pick mark. But, it does need a neck reset and a fret polish. I would also like to upgrade the preamp to something with a tuner. Thanks for any advice and guidance you can give me. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | IMO... bad things can happen with any shipper. I think we hear more bad things about UPS because proportionally, they move more packages. |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Do a SEARCH. Bottom line, there is a REASON that both UPS and FedEx are in business. No universal "best choice". People have their own favorites, mine is FedEx. But that's 'cuz I like the color of their trucks better. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | With our company volume discount I get a good deal on UPS shipments.
That's reason enough.
Tho the guitar coming in tomorrow will be by Fed-Ex. |
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March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I use UPS because they are right next door to me, but I have had guitars delivered by FedEx. No complaints about either. (yet) |
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November 2009
Posts: 177
Location: Milford, MI | UGH! Thanks for the replies. I have both real close to me and can't figure out who to go with. Any ideas on packing? Thanks again. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Open an account on line with either. It's free and will save you money on shipping, and you can print the label at home, stick it to the box and just drop it off or have it picked up. Fedex is my choice. It's usually a little cheaper with an account. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Fed Ex is usually cheaper, and their 'insurance' is cheaper.
(This is just by paying cash)
Fed Ex does residential 'Home Delivery' on Saturdays but not on Mondays.
But Fed Ex destroyed my 1121-4 and refused my claim. (I was the shipper)
So... As long as you pack properly one is probably just as good as the other. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | If the shipment arrives early FedEx will deliver early.
The dipsticks at UPS will sit on it for a couple days until the "appropriate" time has come for delivery.
UPS has managed to screw up on average 25% of the shipments I receive.(not an exaggeration)
Contents aren't usually damaged but the outer box is more times than not beat to crap.
Always some lame "exception" and the package is delayed.
FedEx maybe 5%
Given a choice I ALWAYS go with FedEx over UPS. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Jim Beam or Jack Daniels
Grey Goose or Finlandia
Bushmills or Jamesons
Budweiser or Miller
Coke or Pepsi
.......................................... |
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March 2005
Posts: 2791
Location: Atlanta, GA. | Don't stick the label on as you would address an envelope. Turn the box upright and affix the label at the top.
I really think it makes a difference the way it's stacked for shipment (sometimes, maybe). |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Originally posted by Beal:
Jim Beam or Jack Daniels............BLANTONS
Grey Goose or Finlandia..............RUSSIAN STANDARD
Bushmills or Jamesons...............GLENMORANGIE
Budweiser or Miller.....................NASCAR BEER
Coke or Pepsi.............................DR PEPPER
.......................................... but my favorite is Sutton's Special Blend |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Either that or the plums. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Keeps you regular. |
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September 2002
Posts: 806
Location: Seymour, Tennessee | I shipped my Boy's 77 CB to from TN to SC last week through the regular Post Office.
I insured it for $700, it got there in perfect condition three days later and cost me about $35.
Seemed to work just fine that way for me. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4072
Location: Utah | I just put my 2007BCS into the UPS machine for MWoody this weekend. We'll see if it makes it ok.
Take lots of pictures of your packing process so you can prove you packed properly. Loosen the strings some, which may not make a real difference but it may make your claim easier.
I put some foam under the headstock to help keep it from snapping backwards if they drop the box flat on its back, a common cause of damage. I also put a bit of packing around the edge of the bowl, just enough to snug the guitar into the case so it doesn't bounce inside if dropped.
The case goes into a good condition guitar box. Put a bit of padding under the bottom of the case. Put some padding around the neck of the case, and put some padding at the top. The case should not be loose inside the box, but you don't have to bulge the box out with padding.
You may want to take the battery out of the battery box if it is not an OpPro series preamp. You don't want the battery box or battery popping loose and damaging the guitar. |
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September 2005
Posts: 3619
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I use UPS because it's a lot easier to find a UPS Store in my area. To use Fedex I would have to drive longer to find the Fedex terminal in an industrial park, or I'd have to use a "middle-man" shop like Pak-Mail. I have a good relationship with the UPS Store people. They know me and the guitar shipment-thing, and they just do it right. |
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May 2008
Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | The FedEx Store is called Kinko's |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Plums or Peach |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Yes. |
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November 2009
Posts: 177
Location: Milford, MI | Thanks again for the help everyone. |
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March 2005
Posts: 2791
Location: Atlanta, GA. | Most mail box stores (Mail Boxes Etc., PostNet and such) are pick-up points for UPS AND FedEx.
At least, they are around here. |
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March 2010
Posts: 486
Location: Suisun City, Ca | Originally posted by FlySig:
snapping backwards if they drop the box flat on its back, a common cause of damage. Urrrgggg!
It's not THAT far to drive from Michigan to Conneticut, is it?
I hate these type of horror stories! |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by stephent28:
. . . but my favorite is Sutton's Special Blend If he's as good a distiller as he is on the banjo, I may have to try some. |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | ever hear of "Popcorn" Sutton? |
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February 2009
Posts: 194
Location: Huntington Beach | I have use FEDEX, UPS and USPS all with equally good results. Lately I've used USPS for lower cost. Packaging is the hardest part. If you can get your local music store to give you a guitar shipping carton that is sized for a full size acoustic in the case - great. Put a little bit of cushion inside the case so that the guitar is snug. Make sure there is cushion at the top and bottom of the case inside the carton. Check ahead with whatever shipper you use to verify shipping cost of the package - too big and it will be very expensive. Just shipped an Elite in case for just under $30 cross country insured for $500. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | UPS or FedeEx?
Maryanne or Ginger |
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November 2009
Posts: 152
Location: Corpus Christi, TX | I have no particular preference between UPS and Fedex but I have had an experience I would like to relate.
I needed to ship a guitar from Texas to Mass. so went to the local mail joint by my home. Turned out that Fedex was cheaper so shipped it Fedex. With Insurance the cost was $120.
After seeing shipping costs on evil bay quoted much lower I became curious and went online to both UPS and Fedex, input my package weight and deminsions and the destination and lo and behold the price was more than 50% cheaper.
I was miffed because I have a UPS store a block from my office. So the moral of the story is, use the mail forwarding for convenience but be prepared to pay a huge premium for doing so. |
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Those "UPS Stores" and other multiple mail/shipper drops are independent, paying a fee to use the shipper name. So they can (and do) charge a premium above the going shipper rate to recover their "franchise" costs. You always get a much better rate going directly to your favorite shipper's website, entering the package size/weight/insurance, paying the charge online and printing out the shipping label yourself.
I once tried dropping off a high-value guitar (requiring a signature on a separate form that says it's packaged correctly) by dropping off the pre-paid package at my local UPS Store & they refused to accept it. It was close enough to the time the UPS driver comes y that store so I just waited and gave it to him directly, no problem. |
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August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | I had to chase the mailwoman (?) around the block one saturday to get a guitar out on time.
I have no problem using priority mail to ship a guitar. |
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February 2004
Posts: 548
Location: Up North | I had a guitar shipped from Hawaii to Ontario, Canada for $50 with USPS. No problems at all. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15677
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by CrimsonLake:
I had to chase the mailwoman (?) around the block one saturday to get a guitar out on time.
I have no problem using priority mail to ship a guitar. I have no problem chasing the mail woman..... |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
I have no problem chasing the mail woman..... Just wait a few more years...  She might slow down fer ya. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | How do you think he met his wife?
She let him catch her... |
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February 2009
Posts: 194
Location: Huntington Beach | With regards to ups store etc. - Staples turned out to have the cheapest Fedex and UPS rates and great service. |
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UPS or Fedex?