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May 2009
Posts: 325
Location: Utica, NY | Who is your preferred, lowest cost shipper of choice when sending guitars around the lower 48? |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | UPS
YMMV |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by alpep:
UPS Same here. I even created an account there.
For overseas I use the USPS. |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| I get the best shipping rate from my workplace to another business address. Residential shipping is a little more. You can create an online account and print your own label. Usually works out cheaper than the independent UPS Stores. Of course that presumes you already have the shipping materials (box, peanuts/bubble wrap, etc.). |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | It's kind of like strings. Everyone has their own preference. Some have horror stories. I have used both Fed-Ex and UPS. UPS is cheaper, but they have size restrictions. When I had to ship a cello, I had to use Fed-Ex. Other than that, I have never had a problem with UPS. How you pack an instrument is the most important thing. If it is in the case, loosen the strings, get a guitar box, and pack crumpled paper around it so that nothing moves. It is also VERY important to pack around the peghead. If a box is dropped, even though there is no visible damage to the box or case, you may get a snapped peghead.
If you are shipping without a case, you need a triangular guitar box packed inside a rectangular guitar box. Still loosen the strings, and pack around the peghead. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | This last Winter I had a Claim with all three...
USPS - Shipper packed it poorly but was unable to respond as needed - I lost a $200 claim.
UPS - Damaged instrument, Claim denied, no way to challenge the second time. About $200 lost.
FedEx - I filed on behalf of the Shipper but FedEx lost/scuttled the waiver to allow my process.
In all it was a weird 2 month period, mid and post Christmas rush and severe cold weather. I think all of the carriers were overworked and then faced with layoffs/reductions.
Other than that I have shipped or received over 20 instruments using all carriers.
I suggest for the first timer or infrequent shipper that you have the Shipping Store do your packaging and provide the insurance confirmation in case of damages. Avoid the Box stores that charge an additional fee and go directly to the FedEx or UPS shippers.
I can cut corners and ship a full sized Acoustic with case from WA to NJ for about $40.
If you have them do everything for you expect to pay about $75 but it will pay off if any issues arrise.
I have and still use my FedEx account. |
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Joined:
August 2007
Posts: 494
Location: Location Location Location | UPS |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7211
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | If you do a search using "UPS USPS FEDEX" as the keywords, you will garner all the info you need... and probably some you don't |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Ship by air.
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Joined:
April 2009
Posts: 39
| USPS Express Mail. Overnight delivery for $120 or less, including insurance, is less than half the price of the alternatives. The less time any carrier has their hands on your shipment, the less opportunity they have to do something bad to it. Express isn't much more expensive than Priority Mail (perhaps $30-$40). For a $200 guitar, neither of these make much sense, but for anything valuable, you can't do better than Express Mail. I've used it perhaps 30-40 times and never had a problem. Another trick: have it shipped to a POB and they will hold it there (indoors, of course) for you to pick up at your convenience, usually earlier than it would have been delivered to your street address. This also saves it from bouncing around town on a delivery truck and exposure to excessively cold or hot weather.
And if you're concerned about damage or loss regardless of the value of the guitar, get yourself a Heritage instrument insurance policy. Instrument-specific coverage includes every conceivable kind of loss (except disappearance from an unlocked vehicle) and is, IMO, essential for anyone who has any sort of investment in a guitar collection. I still buy the insurance from USPS but know that I'm completely covered no matter what might happen. Knock on wood - nothing yet to report.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated in any way with USPS or Heritage other than as a very satisfied paying customer. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Fed Ex -- They do residential delivery on Saturdays (but not on Monday).
Yes... Fed Ex still destroyed a guitar on me...
and No, they didn't honor my claim and said that it was my fault. |
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Joined:
April 2009
Posts: 39
| Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
Fed Ex -- They do residential delivery on Saturdays (but not on Monday). If your box is at a PO which is open on Saturday (most main branches and some larger satellites offices are), only Sundays are questionable. I've picked up many guitars on Saturdays which were shipped Friday via Express Mail. USPS says "Delivery to most destinations 365 days a year – even Sundays and holidays", but not having tried a residential delivery on Sunday, I don't know how well that might work. |
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Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | I HATE shipping guitars. It's always a crap shoot no matter who you use. That's why I don't own a Santa Cruz now, the seller had two vintage Martins damaged in shipping last week (Fedex and UPS) and got cold feet. I just got one from Patch (USPS) that had a crack from the bridge to the bout. I have accounts with them all, but usually use Fedex, as I've had the best luck with them. Just sent Allison's 07 today, and am sweating until it gets there safe. I'm thinking it might be worth it to drive it there. |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I've used both the post office and ups. Both work for me. Then again that was only three guitars. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Think of all the guitar shipping that go on from the factory and from music stores. They just can't have the same proportion of problems we seem to have here. Can they??
I hate shipping guitars as much as I hate pulling a boat on a trailer.
It just ain't natural. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4821
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Why pay someone else to do it? Do what AJ does, visit people and pick up guitars! |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | The Esteban World Tour guitar has been all over the place, in the same Esteban case, and the same (now thoroughly battered) Taylor shipping carton.
Mostly UPS, but a little USPS.
Still "as good as new". |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I believe the way a guitar is packed is the problem. Packing peanuts, besides being NOT environmentally friendly, settle like cereal in the box. Crumpled up paper is the way my new Morgan Monroes come in, and I have only had one guitar come in damaged in three years. That was because they didn't pack around the peghead on that one.
Omaha, now THAT was funny! "Still good as new"! If someone dropped it off a ten story building without a case and without a box, it would be BETTER than new - then you wouldn't even have to break it up to use it as kindling! |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by Slipkid:
as much as I hate pulling a boat on a trailer.
I hate pulling 'em on also. That's why my trailer is set up to drive my boat on it!
Originally posted by Slipkid:
It just ain't natural. Practice, practice, ...
But like you, I don't look forward to shipping gits. Just sent Karen her '97C. Fingers, legs and eyes are crossed! |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | The human race will be out lived by the cockroaches and Estaban guitars.
What a horrible, horrible thought. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15656
Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Slipkid:
The human race will be out lived by the cockroaches and Estaban guitars.
What a horrible, horrible thought. Unless your a cockroach or own an Estaban guitar, or a cockroach who owns an Estaban guitar (probably the only ones who do own them).... |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | HEY!! What a great use for an Esteban! A roach motel! Probably don't even need to put any poison in them. The outgassing from the pressed board will do the trick. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15656
Location: SoCal | Now you're being mean to cockroaches everywhere... |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 35
| I always used UPS for guitars. They always seem to get the job done right and cheap. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Originally posted by Slipkid:
Think of all the guitar shipping that go on from the factory and from music stores. They just can't have the same proportion of problems we seem to have here. Can they?? The Factory fills-up whole trucks with their orders.
They are Extremely Valuable Customers.
If the shipping company does break one of their guitars, they will make it right IMMEDIATELY!
Now, all of us are just little piss-ant customers.
Even if you have shipped a hundred guitars... You still don't rate.
Weigh one guitar a month (or two a week) against a Trailer-load a week, or a truck-load a day.
You ain't worth the effort.
They think that they are doing you a favor by allowing you to ship with them.
And if they break something, you don't have a lawyer and they have Many! And lotsa time, too.
[Ah... Excuse me, that was alittle cynical, huh?] |
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Guitar Shipping
