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Topic: Shipping cost shock! |
Tony Boadle
From:
Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland
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Posted 22 May 2020 3:09 pm |
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I wanted to order a set of SIT strings for my eight-string lap-steel. Not available in Ireland, or the UK. So the next option was the USA. Around seven dollars, a great price. On to the check-out. Shipping cost: $25.
I'm just curious how it would cost that much to put a pack of strings in an envelope, write my address, and stick on a stamp?
I'll settle for a made up Ernie Ball set from Dublin! |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 22 May 2020 4:05 pm Shipping UK
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I ship to the Erie-UK-EU all the time.
The lowest postage is called 1st class mail international; up to 13 ounces allowed. There is a size limit too.
Strings sets in a bubble package ends up equal to the postal Thick Envelope minimum weight 4 oz. = 14.40 usd. Next Bracket is 8 oz. and it jumps price wise a lot.
US Postage is always going up in terms of parcels and internationals severely disproportionally to flat mail postage.
Every time the letters go up 4 cents, parcels go up 20 - 40 percent.
Ya Just Gott Love It. 
_________________
GeorgeBoards S8 Non Pedal Steel Guitar Instruments
Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 22 May 2020 4:21 pm
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| Yes. We are all dealing with this. The U.S. postal service shipping costs are OUTRAGEOUS. |
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Fred Justice
From:
Mesa, Arizona
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Posted 22 May 2020 4:44 pm
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Tony, if you can get the 10 string set over there, just go ahead and buy those and throw away the other 2 strings. A bunch cheaper.
_________________
Email: azpedalman@gmail.com
Phone: 480-235-8797 |
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Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 22 May 2020 11:46 pm
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Tony I gave up long ago with importing strings but your dilemma is probably where to get an 8 string set dedicated to lap steel.
The easiest and cheapest option is use Jon Ely"s string chart to figure out which gauges you need. Then order order individual strings from an online dealer in EU. I've used Thomann for D'Addario and recently strung all my instruments with the made-in-Germany Pyramid brand, also available as individual strings over Thomann.
Another German company I'm intending to check out is Optima. They make 6 & 8 string sets for lap steel but curiously only flatwounds. The tunings mentioned are odd but if the gauges are close to what you need, go for it. They aren't cheap but you support an EU company rather than the US Postal system!
https://www.optima-strings.com/en/lap_steel_electrics.php
\ paul |
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Tony Boadle
From:
Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland
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Posted 22 May 2020 11:52 pm
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Thanks for all the replies....the PSG set idea might be a worth investigating.
Paul, thanks for the European perspective! However, I should point out that Thomann charge 15 euro to deliver a pack of strings to Ireland! |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 23 May 2020 12:03 am
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I have yet to find a source of made-up sets for steel guitar in Australia. So I grin and bear the international mail-cost. The saving grace is that 6 string sets on ebay are quite cheap.
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 23 May 2020 12:18 am
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| Tony Boadle wrote: |
| However, I should point out that Thomann charge 15 euro to deliver a pack of strings to Ireland! |
Have you considered moving?
😀 |
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Tony Boadle
From:
Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland
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Posted 23 May 2020 12:36 am
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| Ha! My wife has often suggested a move. Just me, that is! |
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Oliver Phillips
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 23 May 2020 5:13 am Strings
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| Sent you a pm |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 23 May 2020 7:16 am
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You have Pyramid, Thomastik and Galli strings available to you, shoot you don't need no strings from us!  |
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Tony Boadle
From:
Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland
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Posted 23 May 2020 11:24 am
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| Just trying to help your economy, Glenn! |
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Glenn Wilde
From:
California, USA
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Posted 25 May 2020 4:18 pm
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| Tony Boadle wrote: |
| Just trying to help your economy, Glenn! |
Well, okay then
I put Thomastik flats on my Deluxe and they are sweet for that old time tone, just sayin. |
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Tony Boadle
From:
Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland
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Posted 25 May 2020 11:26 pm
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| Thanks for the tip, I'll check them out. |
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Todd Clinesmith
From:
Lone Rock Free State Oregon
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Posted 26 May 2020 12:00 pm
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| Kevin Hatton wrote: |
| Yes. We are all dealing with this. The U.S. postal service shipping costs are OUTRAGEOUS. |
Without the Postal Service, I would not get half the orders I do overseas. I'm speaking about lap steel guitars mostly. I can ship a lap steel to the U.K for around $130, the same for Japan, Russia ect give or take a bit. If this was UPS I would be looking close to $400 . I ship lap steels to the east coast via UPS or Fed Ex for about $85- $95. USPS ha been great to me, and is an excellent service. I hope it does not go away.
_________________
face book page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clinesmith-Instruments/1457245817911268?ref=bookmarks |
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Tony Boadle
From:
Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland
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Posted 26 May 2020 1:01 pm
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We have a strange contradiction over here. Last week I sent a tone bar to a friend in another town in Ireland. I used An Post (the Irish postal service) and the cost was €4.50.
The week before, I shipped a lap-steel guitar the same distance. This time using DPD, a courier service. I dropped the parcel off at a nearby collection point (a local convenience store). The guitar was collected by the courier van and delivered two days later. The cost....€9.86. |
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