I just paid $64 to ship a bass with hsc from Houston to Albamy, NY with FedEx ground. UPS was $80+...
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How not to ship a bass guitar
- Thread starter hyperjed
- Start date
My question in all of this is whether you can get the insurance coverage if you self-pack and drop it off. The way I understand it you can't, so I'm not sure I would be bragging about all of the inexpensive shipping prices that some of you are paying.
1) The previous time I shipped at my UPS store they said "our insurance does not cover any damage, only a lost instrument". To cover damage you had to pay extra, and I won't say just how much I paid, but the bass itself was north of 5k, so I paid it...I had to ship it right then because of what I had promised my buyer, and they said that they had to pack it up to give the full coverage. They specifically said that you/they could NOT use a used box. FWIW, these people have since given up the store after a very short period of ownership.
2) Once when I shipped an instrument from the UPS store back to the builder, it was trashed on the way. Control cavity was smashed inward (I packed it with the exact material with which I had received the instrument). I made an insurance claim, and my guy at the store with whom I had shipped many basses told me had he not vouched for me that he had seen the instrument go into the box during the packing process then UPS insurance would not have paid the claim. Even though I had self-packed the bass he vouched for me, and they paid the full damage. The whole process took close to three months if I recall correctly.
My guy has since given up the store and the people from 1) above gave me the gouging. Since then, another owner has come in and they didn't say anything about their insurance policy when I recently shipped a bass and I didn't ask because the bass was inexpensive.
3) When I first shipped FedEx years ago they said up and down they can't give more than $600 insurance on any instrument even if you agreed to pay them 10k for the policy, so I stopped shipping with them.
4) I just received a $3600 bass for which I paid half price used. My guy brought it in a gig bag to the UPS store and had his regular shipper pack it up. It was packed perfectly in peanuts and bubbly bliss. I paid $130 shipping+insurance+packing fees. Again, my understanding is that if they follow their own rules, that you cannot get the coverage for damage if you self-pack.
I am not saying that everything I was told by the above shippers is the exact truth, only that it is for sure what they told me. I will hash this out with the new owners the next time I ship an expensive bass...
FWIW, I know my UPS guy and I have his cell number, so when I have something coming in I call him and he gives me very special treatment, including letting me meet him somewhere, or him adjusting his route occasionally so I can pick it up and still beat traffic downtown. Great guy.
I will stop there!
Cheers.
.
.
1) The previous time I shipped at my UPS store they said "our insurance does not cover any damage, only a lost instrument". To cover damage you had to pay extra, and I won't say just how much I paid, but the bass itself was north of 5k, so I paid it...I had to ship it right then because of what I had promised my buyer, and they said that they had to pack it up to give the full coverage. They specifically said that you/they could NOT use a used box. FWIW, these people have since given up the store after a very short period of ownership.
2) Once when I shipped an instrument from the UPS store back to the builder, it was trashed on the way. Control cavity was smashed inward (I packed it with the exact material with which I had received the instrument). I made an insurance claim, and my guy at the store with whom I had shipped many basses told me had he not vouched for me that he had seen the instrument go into the box during the packing process then UPS insurance would not have paid the claim. Even though I had self-packed the bass he vouched for me, and they paid the full damage. The whole process took close to three months if I recall correctly.
My guy has since given up the store and the people from 1) above gave me the gouging. Since then, another owner has come in and they didn't say anything about their insurance policy when I recently shipped a bass and I didn't ask because the bass was inexpensive.
3) When I first shipped FedEx years ago they said up and down they can't give more than $600 insurance on any instrument even if you agreed to pay them 10k for the policy, so I stopped shipping with them.
4) I just received a $3600 bass for which I paid half price used. My guy brought it in a gig bag to the UPS store and had his regular shipper pack it up. It was packed perfectly in peanuts and bubbly bliss. I paid $130 shipping+insurance+packing fees. Again, my understanding is that if they follow their own rules, that you cannot get the coverage for damage if you self-pack.
I am not saying that everything I was told by the above shippers is the exact truth, only that it is for sure what they told me. I will hash this out with the new owners the next time I ship an expensive bass...
FWIW, I know my UPS guy and I have his cell number, so when I have something coming in I call him and he gives me very special treatment, including letting me meet him somewhere, or him adjusting his route occasionally so I can pick it up and still beat traffic downtown. Great guy.
I will stop there!
Cheers.
.
.
I went to FedEx with a bass yesterday. From TX to NY they wanted $72 for ground. I said no gracias. Same bass, same day, same trip at UPS:$59. Just goes to show ya.
When shipping a bass I make sure it is securely wrapped in bubble wrap and secured in the shipping box. I also almost always do not ship basses with the necks attached either, too much risk. I generally ask all this of someone I buy a bass from as well. I have never had any problems buying or selling/shipping a bass.
That's a load. If UPS didn't insure packages that they didn't pack, most business would be SOL if something happened. I've packed most of my shipments, many times in "used" boxes, and have never had a problem when it came to filing a claim, and yes I've had to.
Whoever told you that was dead wrong. They will deny a claim if it's not packed to their standards however but it doesn't matter who did it. If someone at the UPS store told you that, they were saying it just to get you to pay them to pack it.
I had someone pack something at a UPS store a few days ago but I didn't want them to ship it because I was using USPS (per the buyer's preference). The guy lied to me on the price and was trying to get me to ship it through them, but then eventually he crumbled and said the price was marked up.
I've been told I go a bit overboard when it comes to shipping, but it's worth it for the peace of mind I get in return. Here's a few general tips to avoid the dreaded "Damage Claim Form":
1. Always wrap the bass in large bubble wrap, especially the ends. If you're using a HSC, use the bubble wrap to fill any gaps in the case. You don't want the bass moving around. If you're not shipping in a gig bag or HSC, double or triple up on the wraps, taping it to itself. This is the last line of defense between the bass and certain doom, don't skimp on it.
2. Use good cardboard. If your box has been shipped 4 or 5 times already, put it out of it's misery. The corners are dog-eared, the corrugations are crushed, it's got 6 shipping lables on it. Do you really trust it to make another cross country haul? Most UPS Stores carry an "Instrument box" which is plenty big enough. U-Haul sells a 50x16x16 box for $4.99. I fabricate each box to fit the specific bass it's shipping in. Instead of using another 4 inches of expensive void fill, cut the box down. This saves on materials, and it shrinks the billable cubic inches.
3. Styrofoam peanuts are ok, but only to fill voids. You want a 2-3 inch barrier of protection around the bass. Fill, shake, compress repeat. Filling a box tight will help it stay rigid, and not compress in it's weak points. Also, loose peanuts are prone to breaking down during transit. Tightly packed boxes provide less room for things to shift, and thus, the peanuts do their job more effectively. **It's considered poor taste not to use anti-static peanuts. There is no hell quite like a house full of statically charged styrofoam.
4. Use tape liberally. Leave no seam exposed on your box. Tape makes a great reinforcement to help sturdy a box. I like to go all the way around the box several times in every dimension. The ends of the box get extra tape, because this is where most boxes get bumped. I usually issue an apology along with the tracking number, because it's gonna take a sharp utensil and some good effort to get into the box.
5. Create your UPS shipments via Paypal. I have found that the prices are considerably cheaper than UPS.com. You can run off a shipping label right on your printer, tape it to your box, and drop it off at an authorized UPS pickup center. I used to drive 15 miles to drop off shipments, and pay out the nose at the UPS Store. Now I drive a few blocks into town, and drop it off at the local print shop.
1. Always wrap the bass in large bubble wrap, especially the ends. If you're using a HSC, use the bubble wrap to fill any gaps in the case. You don't want the bass moving around. If you're not shipping in a gig bag or HSC, double or triple up on the wraps, taping it to itself. This is the last line of defense between the bass and certain doom, don't skimp on it.
2. Use good cardboard. If your box has been shipped 4 or 5 times already, put it out of it's misery. The corners are dog-eared, the corrugations are crushed, it's got 6 shipping lables on it. Do you really trust it to make another cross country haul? Most UPS Stores carry an "Instrument box" which is plenty big enough. U-Haul sells a 50x16x16 box for $4.99. I fabricate each box to fit the specific bass it's shipping in. Instead of using another 4 inches of expensive void fill, cut the box down. This saves on materials, and it shrinks the billable cubic inches.
3. Styrofoam peanuts are ok, but only to fill voids. You want a 2-3 inch barrier of protection around the bass. Fill, shake, compress repeat. Filling a box tight will help it stay rigid, and not compress in it's weak points. Also, loose peanuts are prone to breaking down during transit. Tightly packed boxes provide less room for things to shift, and thus, the peanuts do their job more effectively. **It's considered poor taste not to use anti-static peanuts. There is no hell quite like a house full of statically charged styrofoam.
4. Use tape liberally. Leave no seam exposed on your box. Tape makes a great reinforcement to help sturdy a box. I like to go all the way around the box several times in every dimension. The ends of the box get extra tape, because this is where most boxes get bumped. I usually issue an apology along with the tracking number, because it's gonna take a sharp utensil and some good effort to get into the box.
5. Create your UPS shipments via Paypal. I have found that the prices are considerably cheaper than UPS.com. You can run off a shipping label right on your printer, tape it to your box, and drop it off at an authorized UPS pickup center. I used to drive 15 miles to drop off shipments, and pay out the nose at the UPS Store. Now I drive a few blocks into town, and drop it off at the local print shop.
I've always thought that using static peanuts should be considered a felony
I have to add that if you do use these kind of packing peanuts, for the love of god, wrap the bass/case/gig bag in something to protect it from the peanuts when they break up.
gnjpowell
Inactive
- Nov 12, 2010
- 562
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- Bass & guitar tech, FOH sound, backline rentals
USPS and pack your own, and they will actually pay a claim if it arrives broken.
I just don't understand the love for UPS and FedEx.
Just another alternative.
Dirk
I just don't understand the love for UPS and FedEx.
Just another alternative.
Dirk
I use UPS to ship all the time, insured, packaged, etal., and the average cost is between $110.00 and $150.00. If I'm shipping an expensive bass I want it to arrive intact, and UPS hasn't failed me yet. Those shipping charges are included in the sale, and I send a receipt showing the cost. Unfortunately, many basses fall into the oversize catagory, upping the shipping costs considerably.
I guess I always have a box and packing material in my basement. If not, boxes are free from most Music stores and packing material you can pick up from just about any trophy or small sporting goods stores for free as well. Dollar store for some tape and save yourself $30
$150!! You could pay me half that and I'll box/ship it for you lol. I am right down the road from you in Hebron, after all.
Bought a GK-MB210 combo at Guitar Center in Vegas NV and told them to send it to L.A. Cal. It went off for $10.
But cost for sending it to Paraguay, South America was rated at $465, allmost the cost of the amp itself.
End of the story: took it with me as baggage on the plane.
Altough carrying the big box was no pleasure, cost was 0.00
But cost for sending it to Paraguay, South America was rated at $465, allmost the cost of the amp itself.
End of the story: took it with me as baggage on the plane.
Altough carrying the big box was no pleasure, cost was 0.00
It cost me $65 to ship to California from Memphis once. I packed it on my own, and the total weight was right at 20lbs. Ever since then I've always charged extra to ship west of the Mississippi. It's just too expensive to do it any other way.
I didn't have enough packaging, so I knew I'd be paying for someone to pack it...but...OUCH.
Yeah screw UPS. Try Save On Boxes or Box City/equivalent in your city. They have packing material too. I think I paid $10 for a box large enough for a Jazz. $10? Yes, $10.
