Double Bass A Warning to Bassists, Luthiers, and Dealers

[cacophonic]

Ladies and gentlemen,

Many of us ship our instruments from time, and it's always a matter of great concern as we place our valuable, beloved, and often irreplaceable instruments in the care of a shipping company. Therefore, we try to find a responsible, professional shipper that understands the special care required when transporting musical instruments, and that we can count on to exercise ordinary and reasonable care for our bass while it is entrusted to them.

Recently, a close friend and bassist had a very bad (and I do mean VERY bad) experience with Worldwide Cargo Services, Inc., located at 2 Johnson Road in Lawrence, New York. I want to inform the bass community of the disaster that befell his bass while in the care of Worldwide Cargo Services in hopes that doing so may save others from a similar catastrophe.

My friend had shipped his late 19th C bass to a top luthier for a total restoration. After many months of painstaking labor, the restoration was completed and the bass was prepared for shipment and loaded (by the luthier) into its Kolstein shipping trunk, whereupon it was picked-up by World Wide Cargo Services for return to its eager owner. Upon delivery, my friend opened the case to discover that his bass had been virtually DESTROYED in shipment. The neck had broken completely off at the heel, the bridge was in shards, and the top was completely split lengthwise along the bass bar. Even the Kolstein trunk (a respected, well-made, and well-proven design) had a split in the fiberglass just below the bulge that accommodates the bridge. I've attached photos for your viewing horror.

We all know that our instruments are subject to banging and jostling during shipping, which is why we ship them in expensive cases like the Kolstein. The damage World Wide Cargo Services did to my friend's bass goes far, far beyond normal wear and tear. Indeed, the damage could only be caused by an event resulting from gross and egregious negligence, or an intentional act of outright vandalism.

Worldwide Cargo Services admits responsibility for the damage and offered to reimburse my friend $50 in compensation. That's right: fifty bucks for the total destruction of a $15,000 bass that occurred while in their care. Insurance issues will need to be sorted out, and the bass may or may not be covered for its full value. Regardless, the bass is DOA and no amount of money will put it right again. Keep this in mind if you own a rare, valuable, or cherished instrument.

Don't let this happen to you! When you choose a shipper to transport your instrument, consider what Worldwide Cargo Services did to my friend's bass and tell your luthier or dealer to avoid shipping your bass with Worldwide Cargo Services. Also, if you know other musicians who ship their instruments, do them a favor and tell them about what Worldwide Cargo Services did to my friend's bass.

best regards,
bob

 

[doberman]

really hate to hear about this kind of thing, i hope this all gets resolved the best it can at this point. i'll need to be shipping a bass in a couple of months, so thanks for the heads up.

 

[knigel]

That is so awful. I just shipped an 800 dollar bass, and I'm stressed to the max. I can't even imagine! Your story made me ill.

Hopefully insurance will cover it, not that it will bring the instrument back.

 

[bass_snake]

That' s really bad! Sorry to what happened.

Fred

 

[james condino]

Bummer on the shipping scenario, but.....

While it took a few good hits, that bass is far from totaled. I've had basses brought into my shop in so many parts that they fit into a hockey dufflebag, and these days they are back in the trenches playing great music.

There are plenty of well qualified luthiers who can do a nice job on restoring that one.

'Still a bummer ....

j.

 

[Knifedge]

I have a formula that applies to this (I applied the formula after the same sort of thing happened to my own bass)....

Basically, the number of fragile stickers on a case or shipping crate is inversely and exponentially proportional to the actual care put into said case or crate...

Personally, if my $15000 double bass was destroyed in that manner, I would first try to work out a solution with the shipping company.. if the shipping company gives you the run around, or gives you a ridiculous attempt at a settlement, I would talk to a lawyer.. I may be able to overlook a $500 bass being destroyed, but that has to be one of the grossest negligence of shipping I have ever seen.

I know airlines are just as bad. My 5'er Fender PBass has an amazing case. I took it on an Air Canada jet to the east coast, and after the staff assuring it would be safe, and with all the fragile stickers on it, the case took a hell of a beating. Corners were pushed in and cracked, case was scratched deeply.. there is no excuse for it..

My heart goes out to the OP's friend... nobody deserves that...

 

[Bassholio]

I guess I'm lucky...I have a custom jazz that I wrapped in a few towels, rolled up a few more, closed my "yard sale" Carvin hardshell case, took plain old carton tape and wrapped a few dozen feet around the case, and put a return label on it.

UPS shipped it from California from Maryland and back again, TWICE.

It was intact with no damage whatsoever, actually a little damage from the straplock inside the case, but that was it.

I think it was a fluke as I also had a Fender Twin that was shipped from N. Carolina to Maryland, and UPS had dropped it so hard, the speaker magnets had popped off and were on the side of the speaker baskets...

Best advice...BUY INSURANCE...LOTS.

AND TAKE PICTURES, LOTS.

 

[alangoldstein]

im laughing about the way you said "viewing horror" but im very sad about your friends bass loss.... damn.

i will say this i worked for fedex express ( you know the ones that go in the airplanes and semi trucks to the airports and hubs ) not ground.
i was always careful with packages and peoples instruments. i even saw my old drummers' ( mike marsh from dashboard confessional ) his bandmates gear came thru my airplane canister =) but yeh i was always carefull but **** happens. people drop stuff and throw stuff down the slides. usually just the small stuff tho like letters and books, office documents and overnights.

ive never had a problem with dhl, fedex

but UPS lost my bergantino ht322 cab in new orleans somewhere. they paid me for it.

pack well!!! use foam peanuts and bubble wrap and double box the basses or send in the gig bag in a box surrounded with foam.

 

[robobass]

...i was always carefull but **** happens. people drop stuff and throw stuff down the slides...

pack well!!! use foam peanuts and bubble wrap and double box the basses or send in the gig bag in a box surrounded with foam.

Yes, accidents do happen. Sorry to sound cold (I do feel for you!), but I think that many accidents like these are preventable. I know of a bass that was dropped in a Gage trunk and shattered into splinters, even though the trunk was undamaged. Something people fail to realize is that even a 3" thick cast iron case won't protect the instrument if it isn't properly packed. A photographer I know who has travelled all over the world told me that the most important thing is to make sure that the gear is firmly packed inside the case and can't move around. I've always taken this to heart and never had any damage myself.

This said, shipping a bass can never be 100% risk free, so make sure it's properly insured. If you have an expensive bass, verify that your own policy will cover not only repair, but devaluation. You can also purchase additional insurance from the shipper.

 

[Roger Davis]

I am so sorry for you, but take heart James Condino's post. It will repair.

Typing this, I'm looking at my Upton that flew in undamaged to UK. I consider myself a fortunate guy.

 

[cacophonic]

Thank you for the replies. I know that my friend whose bass was crunched will appreciate the comments and support from the TalkBass community.

I’d like to reiterate a few points if I may. With full knowledge of the fact that shipments get routinely beaten-up in transit and, yes, accidents do happen, the bass was very well prepared, packed, and secured for transport, by professionals with decades of experience shipping double basses around the country (if not the world). The Kolstein case is one of the best available (depending upon whom you ask, I suppose), with its inflatable cushions and highly adjustable suspension system. Truly, there isn’t much more that could have been done to insure the instrument’s safety. This returns us to the purpose of the original post: a word of caution and warning. This bass was virtually destroyed by the shipper, World Wide Cargo Services, despite being professionally prepared and packed for shipment in a high-quality, purpose-built shipping container, and despite the shipper’s claim that they routinely ship musical instruments and know how to handle them. Therefore, I very strongly recommend that bassists avoid using World Wide Cargo Services to ship their instruments.

Thanks to James Condino and Roger Davis for the encouragement and for suggesting that the bass can be repaired. Mr. Condino is a professional in the field, whereas I’m just an amateur bassist. Nonetheless, I’ve known a few musicians whose instruments (violin, cello, and db) have suffered serious fractures lengthwise along the bass bar (one of the worst of fates, apparently), and who chose to have the instrument repaired. All of them complained that their instrument didn’t sound, project, and/or respond as well as it had before the damage. Certainly this bass can be repaired, but prospects for a return to the full glory of its previous state are not promising (I’ve attached another photo that better shows the severity of the crack). That said, repair is under consideration and I’ll post an update if and when the bass is returned to playable condition.

Again, many thanks for the comments, suggestions, and support.

Bob

 

[Jeremy Allen]

That really stinks. That's why insurance is so vital--your investment is protected, and your insurance company deals with the at-fault party (Worldwide Cargo, apparently) to recover the funds after they take care of you. I'm insured through Merz-Huber (the ISB people) and they paid for a $29,000 repair on my $40,000 bass without batting an eye. Then they got the money back from the trucking company that destroyed my bass and even got me some money on top to pay for my other losses (bass rental etc.).

I would have been thrilled if my own bass had "only" been damaged as badly as the one in this story; and after the repair, it was not the same bass--it was better! So if your friend is well-insured, there may be a light at the end of this tunnel.

 

[Don Higdon]

Noisemaker: All is not lost. I can't give my friend's identity, but Arnold Schnitzer saved a bass that was busted into so many parts that when I picked up the case it sounded like someone tipped over a marimba. I have before and after pictures that no one but the owner will ever see. It's working in a major orchestra.

On another note, Steve Koscica ships all over the country, and has tracked not only which airlines are best, but which airport freight handlers can and cannot be trusted. So it was that instead of Newark, LaGuardia, or JFK, I had to go to Long Island to fetch my Jacquet. When I dealt with the crew, I understood why. This was in December; the manager called me at home and asked if I'd like him to take it from the warehouse and keep it in his heated office overnight.

 

[Mystic Michael]

It's really true: most transportation companies don't have a clue when it comes to shipping expensive and fragile musical instruments. It can be most difficult to penetrate their tough outer membranes of corporate incoherence with a message of "Fragile: Handle With Care".

In such cases, apparently the only way to get their attention is with a hefty insurance claim (and/or legal claim) for damages when they f**k up. If it comes out of their pockets to a sufficient extent, they'll start "getting it". That's always the way it works...

In solidarity,

MM

 

[mpm32]

I tend to think fragile stickers on a package invite rougher handling. Imagine a handler having a bad day - "oh yeah this is fragile, let's see how fragile it is" as he chucks it down the chute.

Or, "hey Billy Joe, this here says it's fragile, catch!"

It's just scary that once something is out of your hands, you have no idea how it's going to arrive on the other side.

 

[drurb]

I tend to think fragile stickers on a package invite rougher handling. Imagine a handler having a bad day - "oh yeah this is fragile, let's see how fragile it is" as he chucks it down the chute.

Or, "hey Billy Joe, this here says it's fragile, catch!"

It's just scary that once something is out of your hands, you have no idea how it's going to arrive on the other side.

I have always found cargo handlers to be consummate professionals who would never engage in such behavior.


You can laugh now.

 

[cacophonic]

Thanks for the replies. We are fortunate to live in a renaissance era of double bass luthiery, and it’s reassuring to read about basses that were resurrected from the dead only to sound and play better than before. In fact, based upon the anecdotes posted by Mssrs. Condino, Allen, and Higdon, one might surmise that a merciless thrashing is actually good for a bass if the subsequent reconstruction is done properly. But I suspect that those cases are exceptions (it’s also possible that the basses were in need of a good restoration, and would have sounded even better if they had been undamaged prior to being restored).

Mr. Higdon refers to Steve Koscica’s tracking of airlines and freight handlers. That could inspire a very useful thread: whom to ship with and whom to avoid.

Perhaps my friend should try the tactic employed by singer/songwriter Dave Carroll, whose guitar was damaged by an airline and who documented his experience in a song that went viral on YouTube (now at over 8,500,000 views and counting). Unfortunately "Worldwide Cargo Services Breaks Double Basses" just doesn't quite have the same poetic ring to it.

P.S.: Speaking of poesy, thanks, Don, for the terrific description "...a bass that was busted into so many parts that when I picked up the case it sounded like someone tipped over a marimba." With that concept, there's surely a Ph.D. in Music Composition awaiting you!

 

[Square Bear]

I tend to think fragile stickers on a package invite rougher handling. Imagine a handler having a bad day - "oh yeah this is fragile, let's see how fragile it is" as he chucks it down the chute.

Or, "hey Billy Joe, this here says it's fragile, catch!"

It's just scary that once something is out of your hands, you have no idea how it's going to arrive on the other side.

i guess i just always assumed that things marked as fragile break more often in shipping because they actually are fragile... i doubt that things are often broken by people being that intentionally negligent. more often it's just stupid things that they don't realize or accidental stuff.

sorry to hear about your friend's bass. i'm sure it will all work out okay if the instrument is well insured though.