|
Post by bellyshere on Aug 29, 2020 12:11:04 GMT
Has anyone shipped expensive guitars before? Any tips? Who to avoid etc.
|
|
ocarolan
Global Moderator
CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
Posts: 33,972
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"c0cfe1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 182a3f
Mini-Profile Text Color: 733a1c
|
Post by ocarolan on Aug 29, 2020 13:08:43 GMT
Yes, many times, but it's a risk. Never had any problems though, other than one delivery to the wrong address in the same town, soon sorted by prompt action by the recipient's wife. Be aware that you're unlikely to be able to get insurance cover to the value of the guitar. Parcelforce are particularly bad here - although they do make it clear in their Ts&Cs that there is a (low) limit up to which they'll cover musical instruments, they'll happily let you pay for whatever (huge) level of cover you'd like when booking on internet - but you'll still only be be reimbursed to their low limit if the worst comes to the worst and you need to claim.
I wouldn't actually recommendany courier in partic - heard horror stories and also good things about pretty much all of them.
Make sure the guitar cannot move at all in it's hard case - extra packing is likely to be needed. Then place in proper guitar transit box (try cadging one from your local shop) with more packing inside (esp at both ends) - old newspapers scroobled up can work well. I'm always in two minds about putting Fragile tape all over it in case it's an incentive to handlers to chuck it around. Cynical? Me? I do trust our regular Parcelforce bloke locally, who works out of the Exeter depot, but whatever happens once it gets to Exeter I have no idea. But, as I said, no real problems so far.
There must be thousands if not millions of guitars shipped with no dire consequences. The only trouble is if yours is the one that has a problem....
Can you deliver personally/meet up half-way to avoid couriers altogether? usually makes for a pleasant day out! Recommended.
Keith
|
|
colins
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 2,321
|
Post by colins on Aug 29, 2020 16:32:00 GMT
A slightly different take on shipping guitars, this came to me via Dave White, but is a Stefan Sobell method. I have sent more than a dozen or so guitars overseas using this method and all arrived in perfect order, all of course in Hiscox cases. The vulnerable part of the guitar is the neck/headstock junction so make sure to take any pressure off this by slackening the strings, and packing behind head with bubble wrap fill out the case with more bubble wrap so that the guitar is really solidly fitted into the case. The case itself is then wrapped in layers of bubble wrap and parcel tape and finally in layers of cling film and more tape. The cases handle should be left free so that the guitar can be carried by the handle. You are trying to make it easier for the guitar to be carried and placed by the handle. If the guitar is put into a cardboard box it just becomes another box to be thrown around in distribution centres and delivery vans. Anyway this has worked for me.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2020 19:19:27 GMT
I think packing them securely is the key. I've sent quite a few guitars and never had a problem. I've also delivered a few personally if it's not been too far.
I like trains so if I can get a cheap day return for the same or only a few quid more than I budgeted for delivery then I'm quite happy with that. It's almost as good as going to watch the lifts in the Arndale Centre (although to be fair that is free).
|
|
|
Post by curmudgeon on Aug 31, 2020 21:55:47 GMT
Yes, shipped a few around the UK, and Europe, and had three guitars shipped to me from the USA.
Never had an issue but in every case, (sic) they were tightly packed inside the appropriate hard case which was then packed in an appropriate shipping box.
Don't look for the cheapest, look for the quickest.
|
|
|
Post by bellyshere on Sept 1, 2020 7:31:38 GMT
Cheers guys. I’m still nervous as hell about doing it.
|
|
|
Post by vikingblues on Sept 1, 2020 9:39:02 GMT
I remember finding out what Keith mentioned above about the Parcelforce ceiling on the insurance after I'd paid for insurance well above that level on a previous delivery. Thankfully there wasn't a problem on that one. There was a courier (can't remember who), who said they specialised in shipping guitars. A look at their small print revealed not only that you couldn't insure the guitar, but that lack of insurance applied even if they lost the guitar through incompetence. Shame the small print usually runs for a few thousand words! Not to mention the exhaustive list of particular standard of all the elements of the packing, so you find that although the guitar was in a hard case the box it was inside was marginally thinner than required. How strange - who would have thought Insurance would be set up in a way to minimise the change of a pay out being made!! Mark
|
|