Shipping PSGuitars USPS

Lee Dassow · From: Jefferson, Georgia USA

Do any sellers ship their steel guitars USPS. I think their rates are compariable to FEDEX and UPS up to 75 pds. Seems like it would be a lot safer than dealing with the other carriers. Any comments please. Tenn.Lee
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2015 Mullen D-10 Royal Precision 9x8,-1990 BMI S-10 5x5-1972 Silver face Fender pro Reverb amp,-1965 Fender Super Reverb Amp,- 1966 Fender Showman Amp Two 15" JBL speakers,- 2006 65 Fender Twin Reverb reissue Amp,- 1982 Peavey Session 500 amp,-1978 Peavey Session 400,Goodrich Volume Pedals,John Pearse Steel Bars,

Larry Allen · From: Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii

HI Lee...living in Alaska and Hawaii where we have the highest shipping rates on Fedex and UPS...I have used the USPS Priority 3 day....the last steel I shipped in Sept..was $84, Anchorage - Kauai, HI; compared to UPS Ground (2-3 weeks) at $185..great service delivered to my house..I also shipped a Taylor guitar in the factory box for $68..3 day.Those rates are w/o ins....Larry Smile

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Excel steels & Peavey amps,Old Chevys & Motorcycles & Women on the Trashy Side

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I think the USPS works together in conjunction with FedEx.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Erv, only some mail uses the FedEx Smartpost system. And not usually the oversized stuff.
Whoever you use, remember that a steel will go from truck to truck on a cart with solid rubber tires and stands a good chance of dropping to the ground. Package accordingly.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Robert Parent · From: Gillette, WY

Around here the USPS can't even get normal mail in the right mailbox.... Going to the local PO is an experience everyone should experience once in life, but never more than once. The whole thing should be shut down. No way I would ship anything of value with them.

Never had an issue with commercial shipping companies. As mentioned above, pack well and you should be fine.

Robert

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

I've been lucky shipping steels as I've shipped over 20 and never had any problem and I use FedEx. Don't know where you all get those good prices though. If I've shipped in lower 48, it's always $100 or more and I shipped a D-10 to Alaska and it was $430. Shipped a D-10 over seas to England and it was over $500.
I never use UPS as I don't trust the way they handle stuff and I don't trust USPS either as they lost a payment that was sent to me.
I do always pack a steel really good as to where it can't even move in case but this is no guarantee if it is dropped. I think a big chance is taken every time one is shipped, no matter who you use. JMTC
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Dan Beller-McKenna · From: Durham, New Hampshire, USA

Fedex has the lowest rates around here. I've shipped dozens of items with them, mostly damage free. Two speakers were damaged in transit over the years. Fedex made me whole in both cases.

USPS does fine by me with smaller stuff. Given the volume of stuff they move around, I think it's amazing they do as well as they do.

Ron Sodos · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

I like Fedex better but they told me they will not insure for large amounts like a steel guitar. UPS will insure. I shipped my old Shobud and insured for $1200 I also shipped a Music Man guitar and they insured for $850. I am about to Ship my Zum for $3600 and UPS will cost me around $150 for the weight,size and insurance. I called Fedex and confirmed they will not insure big ticket items.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

That's weird because Fedex always ask me the value and I asked them was that for insurance and they said yes.
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Ron Sodos · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

Calvin Walley · From: colorado city colorado, USA

you folks are lucky , i can't even get the U.S. postal service to deliver mail to my house ,
where we live everyone has to drive down
to the post office just to get the electric bill
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proud parent of a sailor

Mullen SD-10 /nashville 400
gotta love a Mullen!!!

Guitars that i have owned in order are :
Mullen SD-10,Simmons SD-10,Mullen SD-10,Zum stage one,Carter starter,
Sho-Bud Mavrick

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

I also live in Anchorage Alaska,Last year some guy took one of my pedal steel guitars to Pennsylvania which surprised me he was gonna start payments...When I found out that my guitar was in Pennsylvania and not Alaska I t old him to send it back,so he sent it USPS,When the guitar arrived every thing looked okay until I set it up.The pickup was touching the strings which tells me that the guitar took a hit somewhere,Lucky for me Dave Beaty at Telonics sent me a replacement pickup.Whenever I send or receive guitars from Chuck Back in Tucson we use FedEx and so far no problems.I don't think that I would ever ship another pedal steel guitar through the post office.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

When I took FedEx to court over the damage they did to my Emmons p/p. I told the judge that I paid extra for insurance and FedEx said: "That wasn't insurance, that was declared value".
The judge said: "I will determine that". And she did and I got was I was asking for out of FedEx.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Thanks Erv, maybe I'm wrong but I did ask if it was insurance and clerk told me it was. In fact, they have even ask me if what value to insure for.
I had a reel to reel 16 track shipped to me one time and they must have dropped it because it was destroyed, case bent and all. I shipped it back to shipper upon their request, they refunded my money $800, and found out later they did get refunded by FedEx because it was insured. Will have to do more checking on that--Thanks again
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I just shipped my Zum Encore, Steelers Choice seat and a Roland XL80 amp via Fedex to Bismarck, ND. They asked me for a value and I declared $2400. The clerk did ask if any of the items were irreplaceable but he seemed happy with my valuation and entered it accordingly.

Of course, I'm not able to determine how effective the coverage would have been in the event of a loss because all three packages reached their destination yesterday in good shape.

It was expensive, though - $188 for Fedex Ground!
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Bob Knetzger · From: Kirkland, WA USA

I've shipped a steel four times with UPS and things worked out fine each time.

I packed it in its case (with firm soft foam between the strings and pickup so no room to move there) then two inches of styrofoam all around the case, then a double carton of cardboard, all tight around that. Left a cut out for easy access to the carrying handle and labeled it "LIFT HERE- HANDLE!" with a big arrow in hopes of it being used for any hand-carrying... it could only fall a few inches if dropped (did that every really happen? who knows? but the same carton survived with no obvious bashes for all trips.)

With insurance, from Seattle to WI for about $100 each way in 2013. I'll likely do it again this summer, let's hope I haven't used up all my UPS shipping luck!

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

There seems to be a bit of a disconnect here, possibly relating to only seeing items handled by the drivers on and off their vehiclesâ€¦ most damage is going to occur in the giant automated facilities, conveyors way up in the air, stuff dropping into giant cages which are then emptied onto other conveyors, etc. etc. The occasional forklift that can be run directly through the strongest cardboardâ€¦ if you ever see one of these facilities you might wonder how anything ever arrives safely.

Last time I had a lost package, after quite a few calls I got a supervisor who told me another client that week had been expecting a vintage 70 lb. cannonball that arrived as an empty box. "My guess is it's still rattling around in the system, maybe that's what took out your package". Not encouraging.

I have shipped a number of steels with cardboard around the case, hole for the handle, (the Herby Wallace method!) and all arrived mostly intact. It's rolling the dice, though.
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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

well this topic lives..in a new body ! Personally I have shipped easily a dozen or more Steels over the last several years, not one damaged, not one lost. I have also received several , not one damaged. All the baby's arrived safe and sound. both directions.

Mostly UPS , a couple FED EX. NONE USPS

In all cases, shipping and receiving ,they were packed to withstand a drop and the case handles had access for the driver. NEVER were they packed by a UPS or MAILBOXES clerk in a box with peanuts.

Packing for UPS, FED EX or USPS is not a task to take lightly. It's critical.

I use UPS exclusively but I can tell you this, although I live close to a hub and several drop off locations, the delivery address can and will dictate cost.

IF you are shipping to a remote location,far away from a hub, expect to pay a premium. Same thing applies if you live in a remote location.

Regarding insurance, UPS requires a form be signed by the driver for high dollar insured items, , make sure they sign it, if you drop it off at a UPS location, the store will have them sign the form and hold it for you. BE SURE to get it , as that is confirmation that the driver accepted the package .Also be certain to get a counter drop off receipt. Sometimes the little things matter. The one drop off center I use THEY do this stuff automatically. Others may not.
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Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years

CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

Stu Schulman · From: Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)

I forgot to mention that I didn't send this steel guitar...it was sent to me USPS,When I went to pick it up the poor woman at the counter had to walk it out to me..complaining about the weight the whole time.
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Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952.

Paul Redmond · From: Illinois, USA

NEVER ship a guitar with a Mailboxes Are Us or any other similar "stores". I was told this by a guy who runs one of these places. UPS and FedEx are NOT legally responsible for a thing until THEY physically take possession of the item shipped. If the store burns down while your shipment is inside waiting to be picked up, too bad. You cannot go after UPS or FedEx for damages. Also, when insurance is purchased at one of these "stores", the insurance has nothing to do with the "store" itself....it does NOT take effect until UPS or FedEx physically take possession of the item.
I ship everything FedEx because they have never damaged a thing on me in over 15 years. ALWAYS drop off the guitar or item to be shipped at a bona fide branch terminal....NOT one of the so-called "stores". The split second the person behind the counter scans the bar code on the shipping label, they become legally responsible for everything.
I was told all this stuff by a branch manager from UPS in Asheville NC when I lived near there, a Mail Boxes Are Us franchisee in Southern Pines NC, and a counter worker at my local FedEx branch terminal in Peru IL. DO NOT EVER use a middleman when shipping ANYTHING of value!!! And NEVER let ANYONE else pack a guitar for you...Ask Al Vesel about that!!! He had quite an experience with a rare Multi-Chord he was selling for another person. The seller allowed some "store" to pack the guitar for him. They never even wrapped the legs....just threw them into the box loose. There went a 10-grand, one of only 14 made, instrument!!!
I have never even been questioned about insurance values declared on any of my shipments, but then I have a business account with FedEx and that may be different from the general public...there may be different rules.
PRR

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