Shipping solutions???

[mchn13]

Man. I haven't shipped anything across country for awhile, and totally got sticker shock at the ups store. They wouldn't reuse my boxes (which were all from sweet water who ships guitars), plus extra packing materials, and insure the guitar as well. So about $40-45 in shipping materials, plus $136 in shipping?? I thought a lot of the sellers on reverb were on crack with their high shipping prices, but I guess not. ? Anyone have any luck with another shipping service, or any hacks??
I know, price accordingly, etc....and I know this is due to my ignorance on prices right now, but damn. Anyone have a service that lets you use you own packing materials at least? I'm pretty sure I can pack a guitar better than the counter girl. Smdh.

 

[maddnotez]

USPS.

I don't ship a lot but from what I remember I packed myself and it was fully insured for cheap. You pay for the amount of insurance you need. I think it's like $2 for every $100.

 

[Metlupass2]

What did you ship and how much was it insured for?

 

[mchn13]

What did you ship and how much was it insured for?

Esp horizon. $900.00

 

[mchn13]

Even without the packing materials and letting them pack it to insure it, I just don't remember shipping a 15lb guitar box to be $130-140. Heads; possibly... just gonna have to see if I have anymore local options.

 

[mchn13]

USPS.

I don't ship a lot but from what I remember I packed myself and it was fully insured for cheap. You pay for the amount of insurance you need. I think it's like $2 for every $100.

Did you encounter any problems? The one time I shipped an amp through them it got dropped so hard one of the chassis screws pulled through the headshell. Fortunately it didnt cost me a bad transaction but it was close, and left a bad taste for usps.

 

[FourT6and2]

I just shipped two amps with UPS. $125 each. And that was within my own state. It's complete BS.

 

[Chris6870]

UPS store is a ripoff. They make a profit on top of the actual shipping charges and rape you on supplies. Create a FedEx or UPS account. Print your own label,pack it yourself and leave it at a dropoff center. Most amps I have shipped are in the $45-$80 range depending on distance of course. I try to avoid shipping across the country.

 

[8len8]

I always ship FedEx. I hear too many horror stories about other carriers.

I ship at the local FedEx hub. The FedEx stores (they used to be Kinkos) are locally owned and each has their own rules as far as how they require things packed.

 

[JMMP]

I ship using Reverb to purchase the label, but I pack at my house recycling shipping supplies. Granted I have never shipped a guitar, but based on my experiences, the shipping cost shouldn't be over $40 or $50. The most expensive shipping cost I have had was $32, and that was a large piece of rack gear.

 

[mchn13]

I just shipped two amps with UPS. $125 each. And that was within my own state. It's complete BS.

Eeeks. Heard.

 

[mchn13]

Thanks for the replies fellas. Good to know there are better methods.

 

[Starman22]

My opinion based on shipping millions (yes millions..) of dollars of stuff around the USA with the "big three" carriers your safest and (after understanding the correct way to get a real rate) most cost effective way to go:

1) FedEx

2) USPS

3) UPS

If DHL had more efficient pickup and transfer locations they would outweigh UPS.

 

[jkdsteve]

Never let UPS pack anything, they haven't got a clue...oh, out weighs 60lbs? Better use two bin liners of peanuts then....no protection at all.

 

[jkdsteve]

UPS store is a ripoff. They make a profit on top of the actual shipping charges and rape you on supplies. Create a FedEx or UPS account. Print your own label,pack it yourself and leave it at a dropoff center. Most amps I have shipped are in the $45-$80 range depending on distance of course. I try to avoid shipping across the country.

This! Double boxed, the heaviest amp I've had to ship and insure (RM100) was $80 across 7 zones.

 

[spliffsperlunk]

I learned my lesson as well a while back ,now I avoid the shit out of those small conveniently placed UPS stores and always go to the Hub whether its UPS or FED EX.
Small stuff goes USPS.

 

[Deanmachine]

Get a FedEx account it's easy use your own supplies the UPS store is a scam they do not pack amps correctly and once insurance is involved things go up from there

 

[lowmantotempole]

The ONLY benefit to using a UPS store (and paying for them to pack) is if it your shipment gets damaged. Then they absolutely have to pay you whatever you insured it for.

 

[FourT6and2]

What if you don't have boxes? Where the hell do y'all get boxes that fit amps? The UPS stores around here always have to custom make my boxes because guitar amps are apparently odd sizes. That's really why I go to the UPS or FedEx stores. Ideally, I'd pay them to pack the box and then I'd bring it to USPS to ship. But that's a hassle sometimes in and of itself.

When I ship a guitar, I stop in at my local GC and they give me a box. But they don't have boxes for amps. Or at least they don't give those away.

 

[paulyc]

I go to GC and ask for guitar or amp boxes, they've never turned me down. I always use UPS, only ever had one problem (broken Nightswan headstock, but the seller put the guitar in a case not correct for the guitar). The amp boxes have the styrofoam ends that slip over a head and suspend it inside the box away from all sides/top/bottom. Works great for Marshall type heads.