How well did UPS ship my Bronco? PIC HEAVY

astro · Post by **astro** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 2:15 am

I refuse to use UPS. If I see something on ebay that I want, and the seller refuses to ship with anything else than UPS, then I won't buy the item. Period.

UPS seems to be particularly terrible in Canada. I honestly do not remember ever having a positive experience with them. They have lost many of my packages, and completely destroyed many others. Once one of their employees actually changed and rewrote my customs declaration despite my insistence that he not do so, on a film that I had made that was being shipped to a film festival in the UK. I ended up having to fax UK customs a new declaration (identical to my original) in order for them to release my film.

The absolute worst thing about UPS, is that they are literally thieves. Whenever UPS has shipped a package from America to me here in Canada, UPS has held the package hostage until I've ponied up an extortion fee, the minimum of which is never less than $45, regardless of the item's value. They never inform the person sending the package that they will be doing this to the recipient. This fee is in addition to anything the customs/taxes/duty charged by the government. UPS has the gall to call this their "brokerage fee" when the reality is that they just hand over the package to a government paid Canada Customs employee in their warehouse who does nothing more than read the customs declaration sticker for the box's contents to decide if there's any tax to pay. Basically UPS is charging me for something that the government is doing and isn't costing UPS anything to have done. They won't give you the package unless you pay up, and they only inform you of the fee once they're at the door with the box. There are few things more infuriating than having to pay $45 "brokerage fee" for a $15 item that the government didn't even charge any duty or tax on. If I did anything like that I'd be thrown in jail for extortion so I don't understand how UPS is allowed to get away with it. Fuck 'em.

Post by **dots** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:30 pm

brilliant. sucky journey it had to make, though.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:53 pm

the thing looks brand new except for the tuners

omari · Post by **omari** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:28 pm

Narco Martenot wrote:I might be wrong, but I think UPS have rules to where they are allowed to drop a package so many inches/feet from the ground. I don't remember what it is, but it's a large number; and I don't think other shipping companies allow this. I don't like UPS much, and I try to not deal with them.

I'm glad your guitar is okay. Nice looking cat, too.

they are allowed to drop your package 3 feet.

i deal with shipping companies every day at work, they all deliver damaged boxes regularly. UPS is probably the best for basic ground shipping. USPS for small packages. Fedex Express if you need it to arrive in one piece. regular Fedex ground is the most sketchy. expect that the package WILL BE DROPPED, THROWN AROUND, AND HAVE OTHER BOXES STACKED ON TOP OF IT, so pack accordingly. for all the major companies, if you pay for the extra "express" shipping or whatever they actually do tend to take better care of those packages. and, if you're sending something within or close to your state, look for a local courier, they're usually pretty fast and take better care of packages as well.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:35 pm

we used to ship DHL local but i think they went out of business last year? i haven't seen a DHL truck in 4 eva and eva

mellowlogic · Post by **mellowlogic** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:42 pm

You have to pay extra for insurance. To.. you know.. make sure they do their job properly. What a racket.

D34dBaWx · Post by **D34dBaWx** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 3:37 am

Man I suppose it could've been worse. Sometimes I get worried shipping new cheap guitars. I would've freaked out probably.

Pullover · Post by **Pullover** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:54 am

robroe wrote:get an solid plastic pickup cover and you are good to go

Done, I replaced it with a proper Mustang pickup, the one it had in it was some staggered pole strat type pup with a magnet on the bottom. Sounds loads better.

Leisureclub wrote:the hoe down applique is fucking awesome.

Narco Martenot wrote:I'm glad your guitar is okay. Nice looking cat, too.

Thanks and thanks! The cat, Otto, is growing on me.

Pacafeliz wrote:cheap USPS has never given me any probs. *knock on wood*

Pat.

That reminds me, when my sister lived in Brooklyn NY I used to have to ship her USPS packages to her work in Manhattan if I wanted them to get to her. One time she shipped my mother a box; they actually opened it and took out everything but a blanket and a shoe then passed it on. I guess they left them for the weight to throw off suspicion. Maybe the lesson is: some zip codes should be avoided.

robroe wrote:the thing looks brand new except for the tuners

The neck feels great and plays incredibly well. The body has been cheaply refinished but they did a great job on it. Overall I'm really happy with it. I love the one pickup.

gpselmer · Post by **gpselmer** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 9:05 am

Nice to know the guitar is fine. I always open with fear when UPS delivers...

glitchathon · Post by **glitchathon** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 5:43 pm

wow never had a problem with UPS yet but I agree I am always nervous when opening an expensive package. Your Bronco looks sweet! I have been looking for one for awhile now but they seem hard to find.

captain38 · Post by **captain38** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:26 pm

I've also never had any problems with USPS. Did you get any compensation for the case being the way that it was?

analogsystem · Post by **analogsystem** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:56 pm

USPS= no problems in my experience and much quicker

UPS= 50% break rate and 7 days minimum

I shipped a 1980 Les Paul, the most expensive guitar I'd ever bought (and then sold because it was too much $$ to keep around) and the packed the hell out of it. The guy I sent it to said that when it arrived the case was hanging out of the box! Fortunately the hardshell case saved the day and all was good.

I always thought USPS had a lower weight limit so shipping a heavy guitar or amp was out of the question. They rule for small stuff.
Next time I ship a guitar I'll try fed ex. You can also have Greyhound put it on a bus which is supposed to be cheap, but I haven't tried it.

oolu · Post by **oolu** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:09 pm

analogsystem wrote:USPS= no problems in my experience and much quicker

UPS= 50% break rate and 7 days minimum

Next time I ship a guitar I'll try fed ex. You can also have Greyhound put it on a bus which is supposed to be cheap, but I haven't tried it.

I've shipped stuff across the country with Greyhound and it went well... nothing vintage or too heavy though.
The thing about Greyhound though, is that when the stuff arrives at the station, anybody can pick it up. I had a friend grab my stuff for me and she had no problems. I just described my luggage and she walk right in and grabbed it.

This lack of security makes me fearful to send anything that's actually worth a bunch of money thru Greyhound.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:10 pm

y'alls got me scared to send the LP JR to sloan.

MrMaxima · Post by **MrMaxima** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 1:05 am

It doesn't look like any packing material was used inside the case to immobilize the guitar. Thus the guitar shifted around and broke through the case. The case is too long for the guitar which doesn't help either.

A guitar needs to be packed to mimic a "form-fit case" with packing material surrounding the body so the guitar doesn't move around inside the case. Crumpled up craft paper is a good material to immobilize the body and will also cushion the guitar in the case of a drop. Don't use newspapers as the ink rubs off. Don't forget to support the neck and the headstock also to prevent a "whiplash" causing the headstock from shearing off.

The cardboard box is the first line of defense, then the packing material between the box and the case, the case, and finally the form-fit liner (or packing material) inside the case to protect the guitar... Fender guitars are much tougher than Gibson guitars where the headstock has a habit of shearing off.

I've shippped 20+ guitars with UPS, USPS, DHL, and FedEx and never had a problem. Usually the cardboard box gets battered, but stuff inside arrives intact with no damage.

Mr.Maxima

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:43 am

HLYSHIT IT'S MR MAXIMA!

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 2:41 pm

I fill the case full of strawberry jelly and the let that shit set. A layer of ice cream and some iron filings creates a reversed tachyon particle stream that suspends the guitar in space/time for the duration of the journey. A side effect of this warp field performs a complete set up, some subtle relicing on the contours and causes the guitar to become self aware, have gender confusion issues and take a lifetime subscription to The Beano comic.

Mr Maxima are you a super hero and is your sidekick called Mr Minima?

Welcome to shortscale!

GEISHA · Post by **GEISHA** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 5:29 pm

Nice looking guitar and cute cat!

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 9:29 pm

Yeah. I bought an Epi LP off some guy who said he'd ship it USPS on the auction, he shipped it UPS ground. It arrived undamaged.
Dinged his feedback.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sun Aug 29, 2010 9:40 pm

Motherfuck UPS and their extortin' ways.

That is all.