stolen Gildaxe gilded solid-body - please let me know if it surfaces

[JIO]

FedEx stole a one-off custom gilded (maple) 12-string guitar body, gilded by me and final finished by Pat Wilkins. They said it was delivered last Friday (signature required) and the signature was NOT mine. Spent over an hour with FedEx talking w/four different phone people/representatives who all told me "it can't be found" - and "there is nothing we can do about it". It was insured for a standard $500. The clear-coat finish cost $300... so that leaves $200 for a custom-made maple body (by my client) with a sophisticated silver/gold-leafed gilded finish by me, and a professional clear-coat by Pat Wilkins. As in - give me a break... no, the issue is not a lack of insurance - it is the act of a criminal corporation.

Please inform me if it turns up here - here is a pic. It was sent to me to 'repair' some gilded issues after a structural repair - the pic illustrates a "before" pics. (front looks similar)

This is in the SF/Bay Area but may end up anywhere.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Sorry @JIO, that’s rough. My work had someone hack into a manufacturer shipping system and reroute some equipment in transit. It’s been several months and we’re still trying to get a new unit for the customer. Very frustrating and upsetting. I hope the body turns up and soon.

 

[JIO]

Sorry @JIO, that’s rough. My work had someone hack into a manufacturer shipping system and reroute some equipment in transit. It’s been several months and we’re still trying to get a new unit for the customer. Very frustrating and upsetting. I hope the body turns up and soon.

thanks, but a long-shot... I think it's an inside job

 

[JIO]

body from the front -

 

[winston]

My condolences!

FWIW and IME - FedEx is sucking harrrrddd in the SF Bay Area these days. I recently received a professionally-packed box opened by FedEx "for unreadable label", then somebody at FedEx removed 2 items from it and repacked/relabled it. Sender had to file a claim. Not to mention their tracking and delivery time estimates (and pre-delivery notifications, or lack thereof)...

 

[elgranluis]

Lesson learned : always insure for full value.

My fedex driver is always the same guy, maybe you can talk to your fedex driver and ask him ?

from my personal previous experience (I worked at a ups store), ask every neighbor, if there’s a “front desk” or a property management office , ask them. If you live in a commercial or industrial zone , go look for your box in a four block radius. For instance , if you’re in 123 , fourth street, go check second and sixth streets, and go check your own street at 223, 323.

most people at commercial addresses will sign for packages , no matter who the receiver is.

Anyway, good luck finding your package, I’m pretty sure it’ll eventually show up. If it’s only been lost for 48 hours , then you have to let desde do their job in finding the box.

 

[JimmyM]

Breaks my heart. You work so hard to do good and some cretin ruins it for you. I wish you the best in locating it.

 

[JIO]

Lesson learned : always insure for full value.

My fedex driver is always the same guy, maybe you can talk to your fedex driver and ask him ?

from my personal previous experience (I worked at a ups store), ask every neighbor, if there’s a “front desk” or a property management office , ask them. If you live in a commercial or industrial zone , go look for your box in a four block radius. For instance , if you’re in 123 , fourth street, go check second and sixth streets, and go check your own street at 223, 323.

most people at commercial addresses will sign for packages , no matter who the receiver is.

Anyway, good luck finding your package, I’m pretty sure it’ll eventually show up. If it’s only been lost for 48 hours , then you have to let desde do their job in finding the box.

Anything's possible and I am going to do my own sleuthing but FedEx called yesterday and said the "case is closed" - like, move along, we are too busy raking in the money from everyone buying on line. It was a residential address in an urban neighborhood. (the Mission) I'll be scanning Craigslist and contact Real Guitars in SF as it may end up either place. I mean, it's a custom 12-string guitar body (only) so someone will need to have it assembled. If it turns up anywhere there will be no debate that it is it - not another like it anywhere.

 

[JIO]

A more detailed pic of the (maple) body - I did a mix/blend of silver-leaf, gold-leaf and variegated black-gold leaf. This is a pic before it was wash-coated. (clear gilding sealer) Pat had just done the final clear-coat on it, which would have really enhanced the metallic nature of the gilding. (no pic of that~)

 

[fretno]

First of all that is a stunning beauty ,but that is a terrible story . Very sad to hear .

 

[Warpeg]

Lesson learned: always insure for full value.

This cannot be emphasized enough. I've lost count of how many times in the past 25 years or so that FedEx, UPS, and USPS have lost packages and I took a huge loss because I cheaped-out on the insurance. Heck, here it is 14 years later and I'm still waiting for the '73 P-Bass I bought to show up on my doorstep! Hahaha

 

[murphy]

Oh Jio, I cannot express how heartbreaking this is...I feel your loss.
What a beautiful and unique work of Art.

It cannot be hidden and I trust that it will show up.
Can you put posters up local to where it was delivered?

I am sure you must be Furious....and I do find myself outraged too.

Post it on Facebook too and get it spread!

Too beautiful to not be returned.
Keep us posted

 

[JIO]

This cannot be emphasized enough. I've lost count of how many times in the past 25 years or so that FedEx, UPS, and USPS have lost packages and I took a huge loss because I cheaped-out on the insurance. Heck, here it is 14 years later and I'm still waiting for the '73 P-Bass I bought to show up on my doorstep! Hahaha

I only use UPS and USPS and always insure for the maximum amount. Over many years and many guitar/bass shipments I have only had one issue with UPS and they resolved it to my satisfaction. Pat ships FedEx and again, over many years and bodies/necks shipped during those years - I never had something like this happen. He insures for a standard amount and luckily I never needed to know how much. Not his fault and partially mine trusting FedEx but from now on he will ship UPS to me and I'll pay extra for max insurance. FedEx attempted to close the case but Pat called and read them the riot act so they re-opened the case and will focus on the driver - who I feel is responsible.

 

[JIO]

First of all that is a stunning beauty ,but that is a terrible story . Very sad to hear .

thanks - I'm sure it looked amazing after Pat clear-coated it. Unfortunately no pics.

Oh Jio, I cannot express how heartbreaking this is...I feel your loss.
What a beautiful and unique work of Art.

It cannot be hidden and I trust that it will show up.
Can you put posters up local to where it was delivered?

I am sure you must be Furious....and I do find myself outraged too.

Post it on Facebook too and get it spread!

Too beautiful to not be returned.
Keep us posted

Thank you - it's not over yet, I will be visiting local pawn shops today and have contacted SF guitar shops and Guitar Center and will daily look at craigslist and ebay.

 

[Razman]

Just had a bad experience shipping an amp with FedEx. Make sure you follow their packaging recommendations. At this point I'm going to send them a demand letter (do some searching on that) and see if I can get some remedy for my loss. Sorry about yours and I hope it is recovered.

Raz

 

[Obese Chess]

I also hate, hate, hate FedEx, not least of which for their utterly abysmal customer support. I am so sorry for this and hope it turns up soon.

 

[bolophonic]

As a fellow gilder, this makes me even more bummed out for you than a regular stolen package.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Maybe get the police involved? Usually when you bring up law enforcement, a problem like this is solved quickly.

 

[Max Bogosity]

Will they even pay out on the insurance if they claim they successfully delivered it?

 

[JIO]

Just had a bad experience shipping an amp with FedEx. Make sure you follow their packaging recommendations. At this point I'm going to send them a demand letter (do some searching on that) and see if I can get some remedy for my loss. Sorry about yours and I hope it is recovered.

Raz

I also hate, hate, hate FedEx, not least of which for their utterly abysmal customer support. I am so sorry for this and hope it turns up soon.

Thanks - since this has put a spotlight on FedEx for me, I've learned they have a history of problems and as you say - their utterly abysmal customer support. If it was delivered on Thursday which is when the email announcement posted - I would have been there as I waited around all day and they blew it off. This is very common for FedEx. Then, instead of leaving a notice for the next delivery date - to forge a signature, enter that it was delivered and the package disappears? No - we are doing all we can to get to then bottom of this and it all stems from the driver.