The Steel Guitar Forum

does anyone have any statistics on similar problems with usps? i've shipped successfully with them and haven't heard much bad about them.

Do a poll...not just on this forum, but i've read complaints on other forums as well.

I too have had horrible experience with ups. I bought one of the last new D10 carters from Al Brisco and when it arrived the shipping box looked fine but when I opened it up the aluminum apron on the back was bowed but not broken or damaged and the cross rods were popping out of their holes. However I was fortunate to rectify the problem myself and bring it back to perfect condition and it looks and plays perfectly. For what it might be worth to you I shipped a computer to my brother in Kansas City a few years back. It was very well packed in factory shipping and ups trashed it. I finally had to sue them in small claims court, then they settled with me and paid my claim in full. Don't let them intimidate you, hang tough, you have to play hard ball with them.

I will not ship a steel. Almost had a ShoBud damaged. The case was split but the guitar held up. I don't like to ship an amp.
I guess if you must ship take it to the UPS or FedEx store and pay them to pack . That way you are covered.

I'm about to send a console steel guitar, which I have spent six months of work on, to a customer a thousand miles away. The value of the instrument is in the number of hours I've spent building it, and those cannot be replaced. How do I send it and know that it will be received in the same condition that I sent it?

" know that it will be received in the same condition that I sent it?"
Alan,
There's just no guarantee of that. Box it as well as you can, then have them box it, and you insure it.

Alan. Send it by Greyhound bus. Also, see if you can secure private insurance for the steel before it is shipped.

Assuming you made it solidly, I'd make sure that WHEN it drops (with a 28-30% likelihood of jumping off the cart, I wouldn't trust UPS, FXG or USPS to not drop it. ):
The guitar won't be a battering ram inside the case, that the guitar is solidly braced in the case, perhaps with some cushion;
That the case is robust enough to take the drop;
That the case won't be a battering ram inside the box, and is cushioned a bit inside the box, and;
That the box can take a 10 MPH 3 foot drop onto concrete.

Or, if the recipient knows about it by now (I recall you saying it was a surprise gift), send it Greyhound Bus Freight. All hand carriage. But they'll have to pick it up at the station.

Jim Smith wrote:

Brian Henry wrote:Yeah John, he should be able to get it exact. What we are talking about is 2 pieces of wood- it's not exactly brain surgery!

Have you seen Mark Giles' work? It is brain surgery and more!

Yep, this sure looks pretty much looks like a surgeon built it!

According to what I have been able to find on Greyhound's site, they only insure up to $300 and no more...

This has inspired me to have a new laquer maple body made for one of my Carters.
I just got the maple plank yesterday, and now I need to find a cabinet shop to carefully cut this into two pieces. Here's the plank: