Hello, I'm just wondering on getting some advice on shipping a bass guitar internationally. I live in Canada and this is my first time selling on tb. What are the do's and donts? Should buyer pay before it's shipped? Thanks! I appreciate the help
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First time shipper, need advice
- Thread starter bassman2001
- Start date
Do: Spend the extra money and use UPS or FED ex, no one else, trust me, you will be able to track and get confirmation of delivery, do not use economy, air mail, or the postal service
TRUST ME!!!!! Got burned before.
TRUST ME!!!!! Got burned before.
Have it packed by a professional. Find out if the country that it is beiong shipped to is going to try to collect a duty tax on it. Sometimes they go off the declared value and sometimes off the actual value. Occasionally, gear gets through without clearing customs.
Here is a link that might help.
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Here is a link that might help.
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If you ship UPS there will be a "duty fee" that will be collected when it's delivered to the recipient. UPS will only ship to a street address. Insure it. Since there will be a duty, the driver must deliver it to a person and can't just "leave it." Best advice - make sure that someone is home to receive it so they can pay.
Z
Z
pray the feds dont try to snatch it because you cant prove where and when the wood was harvested. At least the US feds....
Be paranoid and anal and everything will be fine. I have received basses with very little packing that were fine. (that's how they travel from the factory.)
Engine207
Losing faith in humanity...one call at a time.
It depends on whether there's a good, sturdy hardshell case in which to ship it. If you do, you should be fine with FedEx or UPS...insured.
With either a neck-through you don't have much choice. Either pay the shipping company to do it for you, or use lots of bubble wrap and don't let the bass move around in the box. If you are the praying type, do that too.
If the bass is a bolt-on, and I'm just padding and boxing, I check with the buyer and make sure they're cool with the neck being unbolted. Most guys will do a set-up, regardless, to make the instrument plays to their preference. Unbolting the neck lets you pad both the body and the neck, separately - securing them both, instead of creating a narrow, top-heavy parcel.
With either a neck-through you don't have much choice. Either pay the shipping company to do it for you, or use lots of bubble wrap and don't let the bass move around in the box. If you are the praying type, do that too.
If the bass is a bolt-on, and I'm just padding and boxing, I check with the buyer and make sure they're cool with the neck being unbolted. Most guys will do a set-up, regardless, to make the instrument plays to their preference. Unbolting the neck lets you pad both the body and the neck, separately - securing them both, instead of creating a narrow, top-heavy parcel.
What are you shipping, to where and how was the deal made?
Definitely make sure it's paid for before you ship and make sure that it's a legit payment. You're not going to travel overseas to try to collect on a bad deal.
Definitely make sure it's paid for before you ship and make sure that it's a legit payment. You're not going to travel overseas to try to collect on a bad deal.
Ship insured and make sure you know the insurance restrictions. UPS has a reputation for denying insurance claims if the package wasn't packed by them (which adds about $50-75 dollars to shipping costs).
I live in Canada and UPS and FEDEX are saying to ship a bass to New Zealand will be roughly $500 Canadian....Is this normal?? Seems a little on the high end...
