Best/most cost-effective way to ship guitars these days?

  • Thread starter Thread starter CaseyCor
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CaseyCor

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I need to ship 3 electric guitars and my Breedlove acoustic from San Diego to Illinois. Not sure who to ship with. I'm packing them myself, gig bags with bubble wrap/paper and double boxed. Going to try and get some boxes from Guitar Center, but if that doesn't work out I'll need to find some elsewhere.

I'm pretty sure we're sending the rest of our stuff either UPS or Fedex Ground, but I'm not sure if sending my guitars the same way is a good idea or not. I'm working on a very limited budget, so I'm a bit limited in what I can do. Who do you guys ship with, and how much do you pay usually? My guitars are all lightweight, except for the Agile LP which is prolly 7 lbs or so.
 
Guitars do not cost allot to ship. 25-45. Really depends on how much value you declare. Fedex, UPS is who I use. Post Office loses shit too much or missends with their automated handling.
 
LP Freak":11rm2w13 said:
It's usually about $100 to ship a decent guitar
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I think if you pay them to pack. I have a UPS account and it's nowhere near that, even for a 3K+ guitar. UPS and Fedex stores charge double and more what it costs me on my account.
 
I usually ship guitars using FedEx and have had pretty good experiences. Usually runs about $50 give or take depending on insured value and how far it's going.
 
jc986":2hiyfaco said:
I usually ship guitars using FedEx and have had pretty good experiences. Usually runs about $50 give or take depending on insured value and how far it's going.
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This. I can pack it myself and ship it from UT to CA for around $35, depending on where in CA. Never really more than $50. I just paid UPS to pack and ship a guitar to the East coast and it was well over $100, so I'll be sticking to FedEx.
 
Make sure you create an account at FedEx or UPS if you decide to pack the guitar yourself. You can save yourself some money compared to taking it to the store to get a quote.
 
Pretty much covered already but make sure you make an account. I use FedEx, find them cheaper and I find the service to be better.
 
I would NEVER ship a guitar without a hardshell case. Buy used if you don't have $$$
 
I tend to use usps and ship 2 day priority. And it's still cheaper than ups and fedex. BUT I've found fedex to be the next best option. Ups tends to take a couple of days longer and they've destroyed 3 packages that Ive sent.
 
The Hoff":cfq3zw0i said:
Pretty much covered already but make sure you make an account. I use FedEx, find them cheaper and I find the service to be better.
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I need to do this. ^^
 
jc986":2nss9cie said:
I usually ship guitars using FedEx and have had pretty good experiences. Usually runs about $50 give or take depending on insured value and how far it's going.
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+1 for this.

It sometimes pays to check USPS if you want to get a guitar there on any service level > than ground too.
 
A guy at the FedEx store told me it would be more for him to pack versus me doing it. He then showed me how to do it and gave me the supplies. Pretty cool. He also suggested sending it to a local FedEx store near the person, and that will save you on shipping. Plus, the guitar won't sit on someone's doorstep to be stolen or damaged
 
Guitar should always have "signature required" and that way will never be left on a doorstep.

It's not hard to pack a guitar. Slack the strings a tad. Bubblewrap on the inside of the guitar case at any point where the guitar can move, unless it's nitro finish, then I would use something that will not tarnish the finish. I have heard on newer nitro finishes issues of the plastic eating into the finish of the guitar is still off gassing. Then I would use cloth instead or a bunch of paper towel or something. The idea is to not have the guitar able to move in the case. After that I usually put a box around the case, or a layer of cardboard over each side of the case somehow. I usually tape it on.

Then I will put the case with the cardboard in a proper guitar box and put a layer of bubble wrap on the bottom of the box for the "body end" of the case to rest against as the first step. I will then stuff bubble wrap on either side of the case and the top so the case is not able to move inside the box. I usually like to use a box that has no brand name on it. I mean you can tell a guitar box if you're not an idiot. But a box that says "GIBSON" all over it I think is asking for trouble. Sucks having to go to home depot to get bubble wrap, but $10 in bubble wrap vs. a paypal or shipping damage hassle is money well spent.

Finally I like to put UP PLEASE <<< Do not forget the please.... with an arrow facing up. That is if the box is standing on end, the headstock is facing God, not Satan. You dig? Insure and signature required always. I take pictures of the guitar in the case with my Ipad next to it with the Date showing, then more pics of each step of the packing process. I usually send these to the buyer and keep them on hand for a month or so.
 
The Hoff":2nmp93rz said:
Pretty much covered already but make sure you make an account. I use FedEx, find them cheaper and I find the service to be better.
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I've used them all, and had claims with them all. I will now only use FedEx.
 
FedEx is the way to go, it seems. I'm having a bunch of trouble with them, but everyone else is more expensive. I'm having a hell of a time tracking down boxes here in San Diego. Called 5 music stores, found 1 box. I've got 4 guitars to ship! The Taylor factory is supposed to call me back tomorrow. If they don't, I'll have to buy some more standard moving boxes, break them down, and make my own guitar boxes.

For whatever reason, Fedex's billing system is down, so I can't even schedule a pickup. The wife and I have 10 boxes to ship, plus our TV and my 4 guitars, and we have to get it done by Friday afternoon at the latest. We fly out very early Saturday.

Moving cross country with no warning is not a fun process.

Thanks for the help dudes, really appreciate it.
 
Try bicycle shops in your area to see if they have any boxes. Those boxes often are similarly sized and suitable for a guitar.
 
jc986":24f19gp7 said:
Try bicycle shops in your area to see if they have any boxes. Those boxes often are similarly sized and suitable for a guitar.
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Now that is a good suggestion. I was thinking about hitting up a furniture store if Taylor doesn't get back to me tomorrow. I would think the Taylor Guitars factory would have some boxes to spare, but who knows. Bicycle store is on the list now.

Getting all of this shit done without a car is most difficult, indeed. :doh:
 
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