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

[mellowgerman]

That is a stunning body and I wish you all the best in recovering it somehow!

FedEx basically attempted to steal $150 from me a little less than 2 years ago. The shortest possible version of the story:
I intended to ship a bass from FL to CA. Cost shipped and insured was just shy of $150 and expected delivery time was about 1.5 weeks. Fine. It arrived in it's city of destination pretty much right on time, but within miles of the destination started moving back toward FL. The buyer had asked them to hold it at a local facility for pickup but apparently the FedEx driver tried to leave it at a Walgreens FedEx counter of some sort, where they deemed it too large to hold. That was when they chose to return to sender... without any attempt to contact either me or the intended recipient even though both of our contact info was on file and on the labels. As soon as I noticed it was coming back toward FL I called customer service. Had to wait an eternity to get a human who eventually told me they promised to get it's direction reversed again and to the original destination. No dice though, the next day it tracked even closer to FL again. So I called again. Repeat this every day for about another week and a half before it showed up at my doorstep in FL again. I refused to accept delivery because I worried then they'd just shrug it off and keep my money. Called FedEx again and the person told me the best option is to accept delivery and then contact another department to sort out a refund or a shipping voucher of some sort since this was obviously their mixup. The next day I accepted it and sure enough, FedEx shrugged it off and decided their end of the deal was fulfilled. I had even insured this bass in full, but they said that because of COVID all of their guarantees of any kind had been nullified. I couldn't believe it. In their utter incompetency as a shipping company, they literally tried to steal $150 from me and left me high and dry.
Now it had been 3 weeks since the poor buyer paid for his bass and it was at my house again in FL. This time I shipped it via UPS, which cost $40 more, but at least it arrived a week later, safe and sound.
LUCKILY my bank turns out to be the exact opposite kind of company, one with great customer service. I disputed the charge on my credit card in light of it being an unfulfilled service. I forwarded call logs, tracking info, etc. to them. They didn't even need all the photos I took (of the stacked labels I painstakingly peeled off, clearly revealing a bunch of the idiocy on FedEx's part) to rule in my favor and get my money back from those crooks.
Never again will I choose to ship something via FedEx and I've told this story at every opportunity to try and help others to see this company for what it really is.

 

[JIO]

I'm confused.
Your title says:
View attachment 4444900
But in the thread you flip back and say/show a guitar 12 string body. Seems like an odd thing to not be certain about. I'm also blown away they completed their internal processes around this so suddenly. I've never heard of them completing one in 3 business days. The ones I've personally been involved with took weeks (and one was a $150k+ claim for medical equipment).

I highly, highly doubt FedEx contractor actually stole it. Forged a signature, sure, while pretty terrible I can envision that happening for the contractor to make quota. I'd posit that it was delivered and then stolen from the delivery area by someone else. Leveling such an accusation with such a paltry amount of "evidence" is... well, odd. Not certain I'd want to do business with someone / a company that jumps to such conclusions.

In any case, if it was stolen, I hope it is located and returned promptly. If it was simply lost in the FedEx machine, similarly, I hope they locate it and deliver it along with an explanation.

My client who made the body also made a 5'r around the same time that I gilded and w/o thinking I mis-posted it as a 5'r. Once I realized that I decided to leave it because this is talkbass and the 12'r is a guitar. I'm just trying to get the word out. I'll correct it now.

I was taken back by their decision to 'end the case' so quickly also. That didn't give me a good feeling about how they handle their source of income. Both Pat and I pushed back (made numerous calls) and they reopened the case. You are correct that they could care less about (to them) "small change".

If the driver signed my name (I didn't that's for certain) no official notice of delivery was left to sign which is how UPS does it. As I suggested, there is only two possibilities of what happened based on that. If signed, left and then stolen by someone who scoped out the situation - it still points to the driver. How would I know who stole it? If attempting to get to the bottom of something one should consider all possible scenarios.

 

[JIO]

My experience is the exact opposite; FedEx has gone out of their way to figure out our rural address and get our packages to us.

UPS, on the other hand, has been caught by a witness leaving my package on a neighbor's trash can in their driveway 100yrds from my house and marking the package as "delivered on porch" to my address. This was after the neighbor told the UPS driver that he had the wrong address and gave explicit instructions how to get to the correct one, which was visible from where the driver left the package on the trash can. It was in no way miscommunication, but a malicious act to get the package out of their truck so they could go on their way.

I don't doubt there are many stories related to all the possible shippers, both good and bad. This location is urban and you just don't leave packages at doorsteps.

 

[JIO]

FedEx stole your guitar body? That's quite an accusation.

I said it was one of two things that could have happened.

 

[BioWeapon]

I suppose you're probably in a commercial building of some sort, but...

I've had the post guy deliver boxes to the wrong house - same number, different street. Happened a couple times, once with a proof of delivery showing someone else's signature. My workplace has had the same issue - we have an address is one quadrant of the city, and another quadrant has an identical address and we've had parcels end up at the wrong place a few times. Since you're on the hunt, worth seeing if your area has a similar characteristic.

 

[JIO]

I suppose you're probably in a commercial building of some sort, but...

I've had the post guy deliver boxes to the wrong house - same number, different street. Happened a couple times, once with a proof of delivery showing someone else's signature. My workplace has had the same issue - we have an address is one quadrant of the city, and another quadrant has an identical address and we've had parcels end up at the wrong place a few times. Since you're on the hunt, worth seeing if your area has a similar characteristic.

No, urban residential here - always people walking/driving down the street. Yes, I had something happen like that when I lived in coastal Pacifica which was eventually resolved in a similar way as your story. If it was delivered to the wrong address it's as good as gone in this neighborhood. Besides - the official delivery email address was correct - but the signature was not mine.

 

[GretschWretch]

Perhaps there is a reason that in the movie Cast Away the Robinson Crusoe character (Tom Hanks) was a fedEx supervisor?

 

[JIO]

Perhaps there is a reason that in the movie Cast Away the Robinson Crusoe character (Tom Hanks) was a fedEx supervisor?

Never saw it but I'll take your word for it! Remember all the "going Postal" references in movies from the late '80s into the '90s? Stressed out worker bees - no different now.

 

[LukeSlywalker]

I don’t work for FedEx but at Big Brown, forging a signature is grounds for termination. We also have way higher standards for customer service than the Feds. Best of luck, hopefully it turns up.

 

[JIO]

I don’t work for FedEx but at Big Brown, forging a signature is grounds for termination. We also have way higher standards for customer service than the Feds. Best of luck, hopefully it turns up.

Thanks - yes, UPS has been a company I use and support, and especially after they correctly resolved the one issue I had with them. (a damaged gilded finish that occurred sending a completed/assembled bass in a HSC during the holiday season) Like I said - things happen and it all comes down to how they deal with a customer in a problem situation. It took a while but they made good on the insurance claim. I understood UPS's need for thoroughness in that resolution and was not happy when FedEx attempted to close this case after only 3 days! Right there is a very stark difference in customer relationships.

 

[MVE]

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~)

View attachment 4444605

That is an absolutely beautiful finish.
I hope the package is found soon.

 

[JIO]

That is an absolutely beautiful finish.
I hope the package is found soon.

Thanks - I just wish I could have seen it completed (with Pat's clear-coat/gold-dusting) and I may never get that opportunity.

 

[CryingBass]

That really sucks man and I hope it shows up for you soon. That, or the culprit gets run over, soon.

 

[blastoff]

im in the city too, ill def keep my eyes out. hope its not in a bush or under a bridge somewhere. have you tried reaching out on Nexdoor?

 

[JIO]

That really sucks man and I hope it shows up for you soon. That, or the culprit gets run over, soon.

At first I was really pissed - but at the end of the day... life goes on. It sucks for certain, but because of a series of factors beyond my control - it's gone. I'm still alive, the guitar bodies owner is still alive - things could be a lot worse and we'll both get over it. For the moment, I just want to compensated in the way it should be. (insurance coverage) I really don't want someone to lose there job over it - I blame the company that isn't making that clear enough to their employees. (never sign the receivers name and leave the package) It's in their rules - I looked it up.

 

[JIO]

im in the city too, ill def keep my eyes out. hope its not in a bush or under a bridge somewhere. have you tried reaching out on Nexdoor?

Thanks - no, I tried to consider (based on my neighborhood) where it could end up and I doubt Nextdoor would help. This incomplete instrument is exotic/unique - it would seem that anyone knows flashing it around would instantly call attention to where it came from. Either traded between friends (tight network) or sold on eBay or possibly Reverb - and I've been and will continue to check there. That's why getting the word out is important - with so many eyes, there are a lot of roadblocks to consider.

 

[Dynacord]

My favorite (?) FedEx story is my brother-in-law builds drum sets (world class stuff) and FedEx completely destroyed a $7K kit (fully insured IIRC - and he knows how to pack drums having shipped 100s), became clear that there was not going to be a quick resolution. B-I-L wanting to take care of the customer built a replacement kit while the claim was (hopefully) being sorted out, shipped that, which FedEx ALSO destroyed. $14K. Not small change for a small business. It was clear he was going up against a wall of lawyers who dragged it out for ages and was headed to court. Not sure of the outcome but it appeared to be much the same tactic as some insurance companies dealing with small businesses with major claims; drag it out so that the business becomes desperate enough to settle for pennies on the dollar - or just drop it.

 

[JIO]

My favorite (?) FedEx story is my brother-in-law builds drum sets (world class stuff) and FedEx completely destroyed a $7K kit (fully insured IIRC - and he knows how to pack drums having shipped 100s), became clear that there was not going to be a quick resolution. B-I-L wanting to take care of the customer built a replacement kit while the claim was (hopefully) being sorted out, shipped that, which FedEx ALSO destroyed. $14K. Not small change for a small business. It was clear he was going up against a wall of lawyers who dragged it out for ages and was headed to court. Not sure of the outcome but it appeared to be much the same tactic as some insurance companies dealing with small businesses with major claims; drag it out so that the business becomes desperate enough to settle for pennies on the dollar - or just drop it.

Yep - that's how they work it ~

 

[blastoff]

Thanks - no, I tried to consider (based on my neighborhood) where it could end up and I doubt Nextdoor would help. This incomplete instrument is exotic/unique - it would seem that anyone knows flashing it around would instantly call attention to where it came from. Either traded between friends (tight network) or sold on eBay or possibly Reverb - and I've been and will continue to check there. That's why getting the word out is important - with so many eyes, there are a lot of roadblocks to consider.

well, moreso in case it was mistakenly delivered to the wrong address. a few months ago i was SURE porch pirates plundered a red sparkly Rio Grande pickup marked as delivered. i was just imagining it tossed in a bush somewhere. i even opened a case with UPS and was about to order another one when it turned out my neighbor had it the whole time. they were doing home construction and weren’t around much and never looked at the address apparently. well. good luck anyways

 

[JimmyM]

My favorite (?) FedEx story is my brother-in-law builds drum sets (world class stuff) and FedEx completely destroyed a $7K kit (fully insured IIRC - and he knows how to pack drums having shipped 100s), became clear that there was not going to be a quick resolution. B-I-L wanting to take care of the customer built a replacement kit while the claim was (hopefully) being sorted out, shipped that, which FedEx ALSO destroyed. $14K. Not small change for a small business. It was clear he was going up against a wall of lawyers who dragged it out for ages and was headed to court. Not sure of the outcome but it appeared to be much the same tactic as some insurance companies dealing with small businesses with major claims; drag it out so that the business becomes desperate enough to settle for pennies on the dollar - or just drop it.

They all do it. I used to work at UPS and their response to any claim was deny deny deny. Sometimes they would pay out, most of the time not. But they sure put up a fight. And every day I’d see packages get dropped. We were under so much pressure to get packages unloaded that they would tell us to pull down the outer wall of packages from the trailer and let them drop. They would also regularly fall off the rollers and belts. I used to call them United Package Smashers. Boy, they were ruthless bastards running that company. And God forbid you became a lower level supervisor. No union protection and they would fire supervisors all over the place.