Re: Does this sound reasonable for shipping a semi-acoustic??...

Surfoverb · Post by **Surfoverb** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:51 pm

Oops...51 degrees north, 0 degrees west is England?

Post by **OffYourFace** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:52 pm

PorkyPrimeCut wrote:
I've a feeling he wants to use UPS cos its at the end of the road from work. I'll try & persuade him to go with USPS. I don't know why UPS is so much more expensive!

UPS has no government funding... USPS doesn't break as many guitars as UPS either.

djetz · Post by **djetz** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:56 pm

Surfoverb wrote: Oops...51 degrees north, 0 degrees west is England?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenwich_meridian

Post by **zhivago** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:08 am

I had my J50 FedEx'd in two days from Canada for $300.

My XII case that was empty was shipped via USPS for $120-$150 or so.

I don't think the main problem here is the weight, but the sheer dimensions of the boxes...remember, the prices did go up a while back, and most are dependent on dimensions.

I'll actually go against what everyone else here is saying and tell you to pay what is needed and have peace of mind....my J50 was shipped in a Gretsch box...it was HUGE, and even though the guitar itself is FEATHERWEIGHT, the box with all the stuff inside was pretty heavy (I had to carry it from my aunt's place to mine and it wasn't very pleasant carrying it)

with the exchange rate at the moment, 300 dollars isn't even that much...and I doubt that a tight-fitting box would protect that guitar adequately (taking under consideration the bublewrap etc) - go for the full-size box that is needed (or the guys at the UPS place would provide)

as my closing arguement, I'll say that since you're buying this guitar to keep, just make sure that it arrives safely...if it gets lost or smashed or whatever, you'll be kicking yourself, and you won't have much ground to stand on if you opt out of the tracking number and the parcel gets delayed by weeks (which also happens every now and then)...I would never cut corners there....

my 2p (and I've bought loads of stuff form the USA in the past, including several vintage instruments and amplifiers)

Post by **mezcalhead** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:03 pm

I think the prices he is giving you are correct .. USPS will charge you about $150 and UPS will charge $300-$400. Whether that's reasonable or not is another issue, but I don't think your seller is inflating the cost to benefit himself.

I reckon zhiv's advice is pretty sound - I wouldn't be so worried about shipping a solid body, especially a Fender, but acoustics and semi-acoustics are pretty fragile and need all the protection they can get, even if it makes the package bulky. You won't remember an extra £100 shipping cost in a few years' time but you will remember getting a boxful of splinters.

As far as choice of carrier, in one of your three or four other threads about this transaction I mentioned that I just got my VI through Fedex and I was pretty happy with them. However, I've never had any trouble with USPS or UPS either, and I've bought my fair share of stuff from the US with all three carriers. As far as insurance goes I think all the carriers are rubbish - they'll all try to deny your claim and give you the runaround as far as I've heard. Most have limits on how much they will pay for musical instruments and/or vintage equipment too so it's worth knowing about that.

One last piece of advice - make sure that you or someone is home to collect when they arrive. The longer a package spends in transit the more chance of it getting smashed up IMO. In fact, when stuff comes in via USPS here it arrives at the local Parcelforce depot and they send a letter advising of the VAT owing which you can pay by phone and then they'll deliver .. I just go straight to the depot, pay the VAT there and pick the package up since that makes it one less trip in their truck.

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:09 pm

mezcalhead wrote: ...........when stuff comes in via USPS here it arrives at the local Parcelforce depot and they send a letter advising of the VAT owing which you can pay by phone and then they'll deliver .. I just go straight to the depot, pay the VAT there and pick the package up since that makes it one less trip in their truck.

Yeah. I had the same deal when I got my Fender Jazzmaster case.

The seller has just got back in touch & said he may well go with FedEx after all.

He's also asked for my mobile number in case the delivery men need to contact me. Does that sound reasonable or dodgy??

I'm getting paranoid about this guy again, convincing myself that he's somehow scamming me.

mjet · Post by **mjet** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:13 pm

Private couriers *strongly* recommend a contact number. I just got a package via FedEx from the US a few days ago and they called me in order to ask how I wanted to proceed with customs - ie if I wanted to do it myself or authorize them to do it for me. They sent me the clearance forms by email, I returned them, and then a few days later they delivered it and I paid them cash for the customs and their handling charge.

If they don't have a phone number, they can't contact you to coordinate. And unlike the post office, FedEx probably doesn't drive down your street every day. They want to reduce the amount of missed delivery calls so a phone number is key. Mind you it doesn't have to be your mobile - any number where they can reach you (or an answerphone) will do.

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:17 pm

It just got worse.....

O.K., so there's good news and bad. The good news is that UPS did a really good packing job, with lots of bubble wrap and plastic peanuts. I de-tensioned the strings and they packed it securely, so it should get there just fine. In addition, it only cost $23.50 to do all the packing, and the weight only came to 15 lbs. However, the bad news is that the ample padding made the box dimensions 47" x 21" x 10". That runs into what is called "dimensioned weight," in which they counterbalance size and weight, because how big a box is determines how much else they can get on the same plane or truck. As a result, UPS wants $438.56 to ship it by their World Wide Expedited rate, which is their only international rate. However, the good news is that it only takes 2-3 days, which is a plus.

FedEx will do the same thing, in 4-5 days, for $422.64. However, for the $15 difference I would highly recommend UPS, for two reasons: 1) I think they do a slightly better job--I've had things badly damaged by FedEx, and never by UPS, and 2) UPS also did the packing, so they can't come back later and say that something got damaged because someone packaged it wrong.

I about died when I got the price quotes, and I am sure you will as well. However, short of coming over here and carrying it home, I'm afraid that those are the only options. I would not recommend the USPS, mostly because they are newer to the international game and don't provide a tracking number. I could cut down the box dimensions and take out padding, which could save you up to $100 or so. Personally I think that the added security of the extra padding is worth it, but that would have to be your call.

At this point everything is good to go--as soon as you put in the money, the Gibson can fly. Like I said in the beginning, I am only charging you my shipping costs, and I am pro-rating the extra $$ you had to bid towards the shipping. However, by my calculation the packaging, shipping, and $1300 for the guitar still brings it to $1762.06 U.S., which I am aware is more than you intended to pay. Please let me know what you want to do ASAP. If you decide to back out I need to know right away, because I can still contact the two dealers who bid and see if they are interested. I would stand to make an extra $100 on the deal doing it that way, but I'd rather sell to an individual than a dealer, and we had a prior agreement.

However, do let me know ASAP, and e-mail me your phone number so that UPS can have that if you want to go ahead.

Ouch!!

What do you reckon??

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:16 pm

Doing the maths this thing is gonna cost me over half as much again just to get it through customs.

£700 for the guitar.
£200 for the shipping.
£230 for VAT & duty.

I don't thing I made any mistakes but please, PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong!!

kle · Post by **kle** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 2:46 am

PorkyPrimeCut wrote: What do you reckon??

If you do have the money, buy it. I'm totally with Yannis on that issue. It's an awesome guitar, do everything you need to get it.

mjet · Post by **mjet** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 10:13 am

How much is a London-NYC return air ticket?

idiotbear · Post by **idiotbear** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:12 am

Good point - BA are charging under £300 for a return to JFK next weekend.

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 11:51 am

idiotbear wrote: Good point - BA are charging under £300 for a return to JFK next weekend.

Believe me, I've considered that since getting the "all in " price tag.

I'd have to get it delivered to a UPS, USPS or FedEx depot first (thats coast to coast, which will cost). Then on landing in NY I'd have to get to the depot, which would cost. Then once I'd got it (and payed a possible handling fee) I'd go back to the airport, which would cost. Then fly back & possibly end up paying duty to get it through customs.

All this before I've even thought about the possiblilty of an overnight stay in the US. Food while I'm there - plus the possibility of, well, of things I've not considered.

At the end of the day ebayUK are charge £1600, as is Wunjo on Denmark Street. The same goes for other UK sellers.

This '59 looks mint, the ones I've held & checked out online have been much more played & dinged.

Fuck it. For piece of mind I'm gonna pay whats asked. Someone on a previous thread mentioned just how much money we squander on shit & on a daily basis - this is pay back for my squandering!!

idiotbear · Post by **idiotbear** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 2:03 pm

PorkyPrimeCut wrote: Fuck it. For piece of mind I'm gonna pay whats asked.

I think that's the right choice. Expensive, but it's one of those times where you just need to close your eyes and swallow it. Feel free to insert a Paris Hilton joke of your choice here.

PorkyPrimeCut · Post by **PorkyPrimeCut** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 3:20 pm

idiotbear wrote:
PorkyPrimeCut wrote: Fuck it. For piece of mind I'm gonna pay whats asked.
I think that's the right choice. Expensive, but it's one of those times where you just need to close your eyes and swallow it. Feel free to insert a Paris Hilton joke of your choice here.