Waiting for FedEx Sucks!

[Plutonium244]

I work at UPS. I can tell you folks firsthand: avoid sending your bass, or amplifiers through delivery services if possible. Whether the box says, "Fragile... Do Not Stack... And So On," it almost always means nothing to the loader or unloader.

If it weighs over 70 pounds, there is 99% guarantee that it will be "dropped", (hopefully gently,) from ~3 or 4 feet, from the conveyor belt to what we call the bulk chute. (Anything over 70 pounds, 6 feet in length, or 4 feet in height can not go through the "standard" sorting process, and is considered bulk.)

My advise for shipping guitars and basses is to make a case out of wood, and stuff it with protective material around the actual case.

I am not saying stay away from delivery services, because something like a pedal or two, cables, small accessories or something should be fine- but when you have a long guitar case, or a heavy amplifier, I feel I must warn of the dangers involved.

That's good info from an insider, thanks.

It's almost impossible not to use UPS/Fedex etc. I know of no other means to convey items from one part of the country to another. I don't know if USPS is any better for parcel handling, but if anyone has 1st-hand experience working for USPS and doing parcels, I'd love to know.

 

[Johnny Crab]

Reminds me of our guitarist watching his decades-old SG in a factory hard case(not an Anvil or ATA-approved case) being tossed off of a plane unloading conveyor belt onto the concrete runway while he sat in a plane waiting to get off in LA. He was lucky. I think his blood pressure spiked after seeing that though.

 

[biggredd]

Wait, wait... You've been a TB member for over four years and you only have ONE bass?!?!? I admire your restraint.

No I have a takamine acoustic bass (but that doesn't count) and an old Peavey Patriot that's lent to a friend.

 

[Fat Freddy]

View attachment 874978 Finally!!!

Looks like the wait was worth it!

 

[gln1955]

Learned during the "sell basses I don't use a lot to help fund college for children" days, most all residential deliveries can be "Drop and Go" events. Part of why I shipped USPS and had them go to the Post Office to sign for things.

Pictured below is how Fed Ex delivered an amp to my home. Luckily, I had the tracking number and had gone to their site and subscribed to emailed updates. When "DELIVERED" showed up and they had not dropped it off to wifey at her work, I sort of went into a panic and drove home to find it 300 yards from our home and about 10 feet from the street. My posted thread title might be done without the words "Waiting for".

UPS knows to drop it to wifey(saves him 20 miles) or move the cow-blocking rope and drive to our home to deliver stuff.

View attachment 874992

That looks like the last scene from 'Cast Away'.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

So...
We get a 4 hour suggested "window" for delivery.
I have my preteen twins on high alert. I really gotta use the can, rite? Lol!

So of course I hear the doorbell. I won't gross you out but you get the idea. I'm yelling "don't let him leave I'm coming! I'm coming!"
Wash hands grab shirt.
She was halfway down the freaking walkway to her truck!
@#$&!
Signed sealed delivered.
My new IEM wireless receiver is charging.
Double u tee eff!
HOW DO THEY ALWAYS SHOW UP WHEN WE'RE ON THE CAN????

 

[gln1955]

So...
We get a 4 hour suggested "window" for delivery.
I have my preteen twins on high alert. I really gotta use the can, rite? Lol!

So of course I hear the doorbell. I won't gross you out but you get the idea. I'm yelling "don't let him leave I'm coming! I'm coming!"
Wash hands grab shirt.
She was halfway down the freaking walkway to her truck!
@#$&!
Signed sealed delivered.
My new IEM wireless receiver is charging.
Double u tee eff!
HOW DO THEY ALWAYS SHOW UP WHEN WE'RE ON THE CAN????

Your "window of delivery" just happened to line up with theirs.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Your "window of delivery" just happened to line up with theirs.

Excellent post. Would read again.