Fedex- The Evil Empire?

Silvio Bello · Post by **Silvio Bello** » 1 Jun 2005 11:25 pm

IMHO packing is key .I ship delicate camera gear in my business , and it's very important to use both adequate packing materials and ample spacing around the item that's being shipped .
The guitar cases made of plywood or pressboard are not strong enough to withstand the not so "white glove " treatment from UPS, FedEX, or others .When using these cases , ample bubble wrap and foam blocks should secure the guitar within the case , and the entire case should be put in a heavy cardboard or wooden box , with at least 2"-3" of foam peanuts or bubble inside the larger box . .Many of the Mailbox , etc . type places will do a decent job...lastly , don't forget insurance !

Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 2 Jun 2005 3:11 am

I recently bought a 66 Emmons bolt on from forumite Herb Steiner. Herb had that sucker packed right too. He had sock and towels inside the case kinda wrapping the guitar. Then foam sheets all around the case inside a proper cardboard box. The box wasn't damaged at all but you could tell the guitar had been dropped and had taken a pretty hard lick because some of the springs and pins had been knocked off. UPS handled it and thankfully due to Herb's care in packing my guitar wasn't damaged as much as it could have been. I've received a couple of guitars that had only a box around the case. Thanks for the great packing job Herb!

Rick
P.S. Farris, your Sho Bud is packaged in the same stuff that Herb used for my Emmons so we'll keep our fingers crossed.

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 2 Jun 2005 6:06 am

shipping and handling $5.95, it's just a phrase anymore. Most of these guys from these musical mail order house's pack a $3000
guitar, the same way they ship a $10 CD.. i ordered some cables from a music store, about 30 miles away, paid for UPS Ground of course, checked the tracking number, just for the fun of it...they held my package 2 days in the UPS warehouse, just so i wouldn't get next day service, for the ground shipping price!

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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....

Webb Kline · Post by **Webb Kline** » 2 Jun 2005 6:15 am

My best luck so far has been with USPS although it is hard to track when shipping with them. But, they've gotten everything there without breaking it. UPS is easily the worst in my experience. Oh, do I have some ugly tales and more that a few.

John McGann · Post by **John McGann** » 2 Jun 2005 6:43 am

The Mime/UPS Incident (AP, Boston, August 1991)
The scene: A corporate gig at a fancy hotel in Boston. The genius behind entertainment decided to have an "ethnic festival" in a circular room. The "Celtic Group" was myself on Zeidler dreadnought guitar and fiddlers Matt Glaser and Johnny Cunningham (RIP). We were set up to play with no sound system in a room to accomodate about 200 people. In the same room was an organ grinder with a monkey, a hermaphrodite on stilts, jugglers, an "Italian" band, a string quartet, and THE MIME (Who shall not remain nameless: ROYAL SORRELL). We knew we were in for an enriching experience.
We play a tune and THE MIME comes over asking to juggle the fiddler's bows (which, you know, can cost thousands of $ themselves). They say no, and I tuck my guitar aside my chair, laying on the floor, seemingly safe from the dreaded aforementioned instrument stands (accident bait).
I proceed to the men's room one floor below. Upon my return, Johnny is coming down the down escaltor as I am coming up and looks ashen- and says to me (read w/ Scottish accent) "John the mime's brrrroken yer gitar anum not jokin!!!" I walk in and Matt Glaser holds his face like the painting "The Scream"- the headstock of the guitar is snapped off but still attached by the strings- jagged wood like shark's teeth- and Matt says "THE MIME ran to get a security guard so you don't attack him".
It seems THE MIME returned to the fiddlers whilst I was indisposed, to smugly say "I work with folk musicians all the time, you know. You don't have to be afraid of me. I'm a human being, just like you!" took a MIME step and landed on my headstock.
THE MIME returns wearing the security guard like a mink stole and pleads "I'll mortgage my house..anything..." I pick up the pieces and leave, distraught. My favorite guitar in the world.
Two days later, I get a call from THE MIME'S LAWYER who puffs from behind a fat cigar "Look...I've worked for this family for years...we're prepared to meet you for half the damages because the instrument was not properly secured in it's case". So much for the mortgage.
Here's the kicker: I sent the guitar to John Zeidler (RIP) to be repaired, and when he opened it UPS HAD DESTROYED THE GUITAR. End block punched in; sides split, back split. Finito. This is a guitar PACKED IN A GUITAR SHIPPING BOX WITH STYROFOAM PEANUTS, NEWSPAPER AND HARDSHELL CASE. It was either hurled from the plane to the tarmac butt first by an angry gorilla, or "fell" from 30,000 feet. Insurance paid to replace the guitar, and in the 6 months I had to wait, I gig with my wife's Yamaha.
UPS auctioned off the Zeidler splinters (isn't it great that they can recoup some of the damage money for themselves?), someone rebuilt it and last I heard somebody in Alabama bought it and resold it. I'd love to track it down if you happen to come across a Zeidler dreadnought guitar that looks like it went through a food processor, let me know.
Oh yeah, the replacement guitar is lovely, but didn't have the "thang" the destroyed one had. Thanks to The Folk Musician's Friend aka THE MIME and our friends at UPS.

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 2 Jun 2005 8:14 am

A MIME is a terrible thing to WASTE!

Ah... but it's sooo tempting![This message was edited by David L. Donald on 02 June 2005 at 11:01 PM.]

George Redmon · Post by **George Redmon** » 2 Jun 2005 11:39 pm

Just a great story John...i loved it...well not that your guitar was broken...but you know what i mean...

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Whitney Single 12 8FL & 5 KN,keyless, dual changers Extended C6th, Webb Amp, Line6 PodXT, Goodrich Curly Chalker Volume Pedal, Match Bro, BJS Bar..I was keyless....when keyless wasn't cool....

Bill Myrick · Post by **Bill Myrick** » 3 Jun 2005 2:28 am

I'd like to give credit to Bob Rains for an excellant job of packing my guitar !! UPS bought it in and the corners or the box were damaged some so I held my breath while opening it but there were enough peanuts and bubble wrap around the case that it was in great shape ! (I owe him that after telling him in Tulsa it arrived in two pieces *LOL*) My neighbor planted some of the peanuts but--I don't know--havn't had much rain --

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 3 Jun 2005 4:27 am

Billy Crystal in Spinal Tap: "C'mon people...mime is money!"

Ain't that the truth...

Sorry,

Drew

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Drew Howard - website - Fessenden D-10 8/8, Fessenden SD-12 5/5 (Ext E9), Magnatone S-8, N400's, BOSS RV-3

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 4 Jun 2005 11:35 am

Q> What do you get when you cross FedEx and UPS?

A> FEDUP

I try to use USPS Priority Mail whenever possible. In any case I always buy the fast service, it gives them less time to mess things up.[This message was edited by Dave Grafe on 05 June 2005 at 01:59 PM.]

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 4 Jun 2005 12:57 pm

Well if I could have gotten someone to get it for me in a day or so I would have been OK, but they are taking until Wednesday for the holiday, so it sits in the truck, in the sun, for 3 days. That is the real problem here for me, I can be patient if my stuff isn't at risk but 3 days in the heat is not a good idea for any instrument.

First,
FedEx Ground is called "ground" because it is NOT Express or overnite,average delivery time for Ground is 3 days.If you wanted guitar sooner you should have paid more and overnite the instrument.
Second,
if you think that your instrument will get hot (could happend un Jun)use a fresh meat delivery truck with cooler.FedEx does not have a cooler trucks,nor they charge you extra to deliver guitar cold.
Third,
if you are not happy with USPS,UPS,FEDEX etc, load the instrument in your car cover it with ice and deliver it yourself.It might cost few hundred bucks more but at least you`ll know what`s going on.
Fourth,
package doesn`t sit in the truck for three days,every truck is unloaded and amptied upon the return to the terminal.

FedEx steel guitar forum representative, Damir

ps

bottom line,never ship expencive instruments if you can deliver it yourself,there is always a chanse they will get damaged

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"Promat"
~when tone matters~
http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne2/PROMAT.html

[This message was edited by Damir Besic on 04 June 2005 at 01:59 PM.][This message was edited by Damir Besic on 04 June 2005 at 02:01 PM.]

Jim Florence · Post by **Jim Florence** » 6 Jun 2005 11:45 am

I've had good luck shipping steel guitars, but like has been mentioned, I Leave the handle exposed. Have you ever lifted a big cardboard box with no handle? it's hard to do, and in my case my UPS guy is a girl. Cute too!!

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 7 Jun 2005 4:24 am

Over the years I have shipped and received hundreds and hundreds of parcels, big and small, privately and on behalf of my business. I have yet to meet a transporter with an IQ higher than a bag of peanuts, or someone who actually cares about doing what he's paid for in a professional manner.

Anytime something arrives on time (hardly ever) and in one piece (a bit more often) it's just pure luck. It seems they take the "Handle with care" stickers as a challenge - how bad can we beat this up? Worst of all, they call themselves professionals, and charge us as if they were! In my experience, UPS cares the least .

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´75 Emmons p/p D10 8+4, '96 Emmons Legrande II D10 8+5, ´74 Sho-Bud Pro III Custom SD10 4+5, Peavey Nashville 1000

Keith Cordell · Post by **Keith Cordell** » 7 Jun 2005 4:33 am

First,
FedEx Ground is called "ground" because it is NOT Express or overnite,average delivery time for Ground is 3 days.If you wanted guitar sooner you should have paid more and overnite the instrument.

That wasn't the issue- it was ON THE TRUCK and the guy didn't deliver it. No excuse.

Second,
if you think that your instrument will get hot (could happend un Jun)use a fresh meat delivery truck with cooler.FedEx does not have a cooler trucks,nor they charge you extra to deliver guitar cold.

No but I don't accept that the guitar should have been left out like that- Once again, BS. And the Fedex terminal manager agrees- they are taking disciplinary measures against the driver for not making the deliveries on the day scheduled.

Third,
if you are not happy with USPS,UPS,FEDEX etc, load the instrument in your car cover it with ice and deliver it yourself.It might cost few hundred bucks more but at least you`ll know what`s going on.

That's just stupid. If that is the delivery companies' attitude they should be forced out of business. THEY offered the tracking service, I only followed what they offered for information. Tracking said it was out for delivery. It never got delivered, and it turned out that the driver decided not to do the deliveries on the scheduled day and delivered them on a day off- irresponsible and stupid.

Fourth,
package doesn`t sit in the truck for three days,every truck is unloaded and amptied upon the return to the terminal.

Which didn't happen this time, Damir- it sat there for 3 days, unloaded, as the driver never informed anyone that he was making the decision to deliver at the end of the holidays. VERIFIED by the terminal manager. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, bub- you are wrong on EVERY count- a service was paid for and not acceptably performed. Your company stinks, and won't get any more of my $$.

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Rickenbacher T-Logo Bakelite lap steel, Peavey Delta Blues, Proco Rat, Lap Dawg bar

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 7 Jun 2005 4:37 am

i consider FedEx the lesser of the Evils
they're cheaper than UPS
FedEx came up solid when i shipped a Emmons S10 to Spain
it got a little wet & a tuning gear broke from shock
result : Free shipping & some $$$

i too, leave the handle accessible
obviously handy

i pack myself , filling in all loose or empty areas round' the horn
using bubblewrap, newspaper, steel t shirts, etc..
a carton 'round the case
another layer of styrofoam 'round that
1 more thick carton 'round that
& "Throw Me ! you bastards " or just " Throw Me !" instead of "Fragile" on the outside
that's how my Zum got here w: Fedex
USPS regular Air Mail or Global Priority is great for small stuff
if it's over a certain weight, it is subcontracted & that's where a lot of anguish & despair take root.
Rooty Tooty !

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 07 June 2005 at 07:45 AM.]

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 7 Jun 2005 5:22 am

Luckily, I have had success sending/receiving steels on six occasions, once with FedEx and five times with UPS. In each case, the steel was VERY well packaged and the instrument arrived safely. The first (ONLY) rule of packing these things is this.....pack it well enough to withstand a drop of five feet or so. If you do that, you'll be AOK in almost all circumstances.

Everyone is mentioning FedEx, UPS, USPS.....anyone use DHL?

Joe[This message was edited by Joe Alterio on 07 June 2005 at 06:23 AM.]

Gary Spaeth · Post by **Gary Spaeth** » 7 Jun 2005 5:34 am

Gruhn guitars has packing instructions on their website for packing instruments. i used their banjo packing instructions for a '37 Mastertone. i sent it second day air which is supposed to have less handling than ground. with the $8000 insurance i put on it fedex wouldn't even ship ground so they must know it's safer. no problems with that. $111 to ship from WI to GA.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 7 Jun 2005 5:51 pm

Which didn't happen this time, Damir- it sat there for 3 days, unloaded, as the driver never informed anyone that he was making the decision to deliver at the end of the holidays. VERIFIED by the terminal manager. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, bub- you are wrong on EVERY count- a service was paid for and not acceptably performed. Your company stinks, and won't get any more of my $$.

FedEx ground does not guarantee time delivery.It usualy takes about three days and it costs extra but with Overnite or Express ,not sure here.I never had any major problems with UPS or FedEx but things do go wrong from time to time.I can assure you there will be no mesures taken against the driver, as I can also assure you that you didn`t talk to terminal manager bub.You might think so and if that makes you feel better,good,so be it.Now I`m going to go and smoke my pipe and worry about all that business and cold cash I lost.

Db

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"Promat"
~when tone matters~
http://hometown.aol.com/damirzanne2/PROMAT.html