| Author |
Topic: Shipping guitars across the Atlantic? |
Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
|
Posted 1 Jul 2003 3:19 pm |
|
Without using up a lot of server space ranting about the US Postal Service, I'll go straight to asking for some suggestions:
More than three weeks ago I dropped off a guitar at my local post office, bound for Steinar G. in Norway. Yesterday, I found it waiting for me on my doorstep, marked "Oversized."
After lots of head-scratching by a postal clerk who couldn't explain why it had been returned -- I think he was the same guy who measured it when I dropped it off -- it was determined that reasonably-packed guitars exceed the maximum dimensions allowed by the Norwegian post office. I was told that this has been the policy since Feb. 20, 2003.
That's odd, since I've personally shipped a Superior and a Flinthill to Steinar since February, and he has received a bass and another guitar from other American shippers. They've all been delivered by the Norwegian post office.
Whatever. The fact of the matter is a $40.15 shipment that was supposed to take less than ten days is going nowhere, and I'm now getting quotes of $200+ from UPS, FedEx and Airborne. That strikes me as a bit steep for shipping a $100 parlor guitar ...
Does anyone know any reasonable, reliable alternatives?
[This message was edited by Russ Young on 01 July 2003 at 04:32 PM.] |
|
|
 |
CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
|
Posted 1 Jul 2003 11:24 pm
|
|
i have recently been having^probs w: the Air Mail Postal System, whether it be American or French
there seems to be something goin'on and i don't know exactly what it is, what it is Mr Jones....
American 911 policies, French strikes, or just plain bureaucracy. Whatever it is, it's not runnin' smoothly or efficiently.
1) 1 1/2 months ago i bought an EH150 in the US.
it was returned 1 month later to sender because the insurance value was way above "declared value for Customs"
the EH150 went out 2 weeks ago and it still has'nt arrived.
2) i purchased a Tele that was sent out 3 weeks ago.
Has'nt arrived either !
3) a Lexicon MPX1 i purchased that was sent out 3 weeks ago
Not here either.
Cds and small stuff came through normally: No Probs !
A friend here ordered a National Style O from Elderly 10 days ago. He got his axe 48 hours later by Fedex. Free shipping and No Customs duties
it could very well be that the US Postal is being fidgity or overwhelmed by security obligations.
So Far Fedex and UPs don't seem to be hindered any and are runnin'jes fine.
Any of you other Europeans been havin' similar experiences ?
------------------
Steel what?
|
|
|
|
Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
|
Posted 2 Jul 2003 12:38 am
|
|
I have now checked with the Norwegian postal services and they can confirm that what Russ' local post office told him is pure BS.
Seems to me that some parcels take very long while others get here in no time. I recently got a Supertone parlor guitar from the US in only one week (it was destroyed during shipping though, but that's a whole other story...), the Flinthill Russ shipped arrived in exactly two weeks, while I'm still waiting for a couple of smaller parcels that were shipped 2-3 weeks ago. On top of that I'm waiting for a medium sized parcel from Sweden that was shipped more than 3 weeks ago, so to me it seems like the whole international postal system is shaken at the moment.
|
|
|
|
Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
|
Posted 3 Jul 2003 3:00 am
|
|
This is really weird.
I have received positive confirmation from the Norwegian Postal Service that our max limitation is 118" (length + circumference) and still the US Postal Service insists on it being 79".
Meaning I will have to pay 3-4 times as much as I used to in order to get any guitar shipped from the US.
Bureaucracy is such a wonderful thing...
 |
|
|
|
Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
|
Posted 3 Jul 2003 5:36 am
|
|
Try Bax Global.
http://www.baxglobal.com/ [This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 03 July 2003 at 06:37 AM.] |
|
|
|
Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
|
Posted 3 Jul 2003 5:45 am
|
|
| Doesn't include Norway (sooo typical!)..... |
|
|
|
Peter
|
Posted 3 Jul 2003 1:26 pm
|
|
Try http://www.panalpina.com/
I got an excellent deal and no damage.
It was a Universal S12 of 60 pounds wrpped in a big box filled with "peanuts" chips.
------------------
Peter den Hartogh-Fender Artist S10-Remington U12-Hilton Volume Pedal-Gibson BR4 lapsteel-Guya "Stringmaster" Copy-MusicMan112RP-Peavy Rage158- - My Animation College in South Africa
|
|
|
|
George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
|
Posted 3 Jul 2003 3:01 pm edited
|
|
edited
Last edited by George Piburn on 7 Jun 2012 8:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
|
|
|
|
John Sluszny
From:
Brussels, Belgium
|
Posted 4 Jul 2003 8:04 am
|
|
Yes,Bax Global!My Carter S12 U (+accessories) shipped on a Wednsday from Mesquite TX was delivered here in Brussels the next Friday noon!Couldn't believe it.
js |
|
|
|
Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
|
Posted 4 Jul 2003 9:22 am
|
|
| Bax Global only accept shipments from businesses so they're not an option, unfortunately. |
|
|
|
James Quackenbush
From:
Pomona, New York, USA
|
Posted 5 Jul 2003 5:38 am
|
|
Steinar,
I sent a D-10 from N.J. ( USA ) to Canada
( we are neighbors !!) and I sent it on 6/11 using Fed Ex and it just got there 7/3 .....
International shipping is a crap shoot ..
Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose... There doesn' t seem to be any rhyme or reason for it ....Some packages make it, and some don't ....?????????? |
|
|
|
Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
|
Posted 12 Jul 2003 6:24 am
|
|
Here's another great story;
The check I sent to Neil Russell for the guitar he's building for me, which was posted by Citibank in New York almost two months ago (May 19), arrived yesterday!!
In the meantime my bank in Norway had told Citibank to cancel it since it took so long and we were afraid it was lost in the system.
Which it was, in a funny sort of way, according to Neil it was stamped in..... ENGLAND! 
To make the absurdity of the situation perfect, the new check I transfered (still through Citibank) arrived to Neil the same day.........
|
|
|
|
CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
|
Posted 12 Jul 2003 8:31 am
|
|
i'm still waitin on an MPX1 from the US to arrive after bein'sent a month ago (AirMail)
i'm also waitin for my postal MO to arrive in the UK after bein' sent 3 weeks ago !
as my friend Ted Nesbitt says
it's the Luck of the Draw
makes me wanna draw ! |
|
|
|
