UPS is Going to be the Death of Me....

[doctorwho]

Congrats, John, for a happy ending to your worries.

The moisture issue is one reason that I usually wrap the guitar case in a big piece of plastic sheeting for protection in case the box gets wet.

[winston]

I removed the last three posts because the comment that caused the last two was as David said, was completely unnecessary and besides serving no real purpose in this discussion, it was also inflammatory.

My apologies for the interruption of the flow of this thread. The choices became rather limited.

[ken_j]

Congrats, John, for a happy ending to your worries.

The moisture issue is one reason that I usually wrap the guitar case in a big piece of plastic sheeting for protection in case the box gets wet.

At one time I had a source for plastic bags large enough for a bass. I also used sheet foam used in the construction trades and totally surround the case with it. It is good to hear that this ended on a positive note.

[paul_yan]

Thanks for the enlightment, Jeff, John, and Greg.

[doctorwho]

... At one time I had a source for plastic bags large enough for a bass ...

I've seen these in use, but I don't know of a source for them.

One other thing about shipping guitars: the boxes should be prominently maked with "Up" so that the box will (hopefully) always be handled in the upright position, not lying flat. I had a problem once which most likely was caused by the shipper's inadequate packing (case only bubbled-wrapped and kraft-papered, no box) and the lack of "Up" markings, resulting in a broken pickguard from (probably) a heavier box being laid on top of the package.

[opticnerve]

NO BOX?!

[doctorwho]

NO BOX?!

Yep ... and it was the 381JK, too!

(The oversized Tele knob probably didn't help matters!)

[jsm610]

NO BOX?!

Here's a classic no box - just tape the ends and put a fedex label on it....!

[admin]

Werner: I believe that the word "axe" was first used in reference to saxophone in the mid to late 1950s. I also have a memory that it was used later to describe the trumpet as well, although I cannot cite the reference for this memory. I remeber the reference to saxophone when I first took up the instrument in 1965.

It would follow that as a lead instrument that it would have applicability to the lead guitar as well. At least the shape of the guitar is somewhat closer to an axe than a saxophone or trumpet. I am not sure if the reference, at least in the beginning, referred to the instrument,s ability to cut through the mix whether this be a saxophone, trumpet or guitar.

Certainly the guitar reference seems to have stuck with us, while as a reference to the other instruments it seems to have faded. Thanks for the great question, even though I am not sure that I answered it.

[schoolside]

I removed the last three posts because the comment that caused the last two was as David said, was completely unnecessary and besides serving no real purpose in this discussion, it was also inflammatory.

My apologies for the interruption of the flow of this thread. The choices became rather limited.

My post is missing, ....I'd like to point out that the conveyors at UPS don't know your package contains an expensive Rickenbacker and knocks them about, drops them and then drops another package on top, this process could be repeated several times. I have received many guitars delivered by UPS and about half have carton damage (always if it is a soft large box with lots of air inside). Thankfully in those cases my shipper double boxed. Knowing the conditions your carton may face, we should all pack accordingly. Sorry that I was not clear in my first post, but I take offense when a Company like UPS gets blamed for damages that were the result of false expectations of the shipper. I learned this firsthand when I had to refund buyers for shipping damage. No offense intended to David, whoever that was.

Happy Holidays to all

[collin]

That being said, such complaints are seen by the companies identified and they come to demand that threads be removed, not infrequently with some clout. While many people may comment, at the end of the day these parties want to have a response, not from the shipper, not from the receiver, not from those who share in the horror and comment on the injustice of it all, but from admin.

To this end, I would ask that you make comments of a more generic nature in the future and omit titles that identify the party directly. The thread in its present form amounts to, at least in part, taking a grievance and setting it here. I will let this stand for a short while and then it will be removed.

Peter---does the RRF receive kickbacks from UPS or something? Maybe I'm missing something, but I saw nothing inflammatory about his post at all.

This shipment ended up lucky, but PLENTY of people lately (including myself) have been at the recieving end of a shipment damaged by UPS.
I think people should know exactly how UPS treats it's customers, and warn others (ie my friends here on the RRF) not to use UPS unless they want broken merchandise.

But hey.....we could just bow to the corporate giant as they destroy more packages and evade responsibility (with their name and reputation intact!)

[winston]

Collin I assure you we are not bowing to corporate pressure. We are just carefully managing our risks and that involves avoiding litigation which is only the one of the risks that we constantly have to deal with.

Most of you are insulated from this type of correspondence. You therefore and understandably so, have preconceived notions of the job we do with respect to managing this board, but let me tell you it is no picnic sometimes.

[rickenbrother]

Collin I assure you we are not bowing to corporate pressure. We are just carefully managing our risks and that involves avoiding litigation which is only the one of the risks that we constantly have to deal with.

Most of you are insulated from this type of correspondence. You therefore and understandably so, have preconceived notions of the job we do with respect to managing this board, but let me tell you it is no picnic sometimes.

+1!

[opticnerve]

NO BOX?!

Yep ... and it was the 381JK, too!

P9200003.JPG

(The oversized Tele knob probably didn't help matters!)

Oooh!!! That hurts Gary...and a JK no less!

One guy sent me a re-issue Epiphone solid body SG shaped bass...what are those...EB-2s?

Anyway, he packed it in a light weight trapezoid box with NO packing material...NONE!
By the time it got to me, the tuners tore through the top of the box, and the headstock was sticking out!!!
Thank god it was a cheep-oh bass. By the way, there was no damage to the bass ...only to the box!

[opticnerve]

PS Merry Crimble to ALL!