FedEx LOST a Guitar I shipped to the U.K. 3/16-FOUND AND DELIVERED!!!

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by jt1

Horrible news! Please keep us posted.

Years ago, my friend Kim Walker shipped a guitar from his shop in Connecticut to Mandolin Brothers, on Staten Island, New York. The guitar never arrived, and to this day has never turned up.

Bad stuff happens.

Yeppers...unfortunately there are less than honest guitar geeks that work in all of the shipping services, whose "side job" is to "keep an eye out", and they know who the makers are, how nice of instruments they make, and they keep watch for obvious guitar packages with the "right brand names, or builders names" to shanghai. Sadly there is a small but actually organized "business" of this going on every day. I used to work in a Pawn Shop and knew a number of police who worked the Pawn/Stolen Goods details and they told/taught me about all the stuff that goes on. Sort of like the "chop shops" for cars, but without taking the instruments apart. They get "taken" in one part of the country and often quietly re-shipped "underground" to a completely different part of the country...or even out of the country...to be sold...at certain dealers who traffic quietly "in the back room" in them, or sometimes on the black market. Mostly all underground, out of obvious sight.

I am NOT saying that is what occurred here mind you. It very likely was just temporarily lost in the holiday shipping crush...but...alas sadly...there is also a more sinister force at work in some of the shipping "bermuda triangle" stories that happen to valuable items, and guitars along with diamonds and precious gemstones and high end camera gear are at the top of the list of favorite items to be purposefully become "lost" in shipping.

Fingers crossed still! It really will likely show up. Keep the faith!!!

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[jmat]

What an interesting and unusual guitar. There is no way this instrument can be misidentified. I hope it all works out well.

[Bob Womack]

Wilson?!? Wilson?!?


Bob

[LeftyKev]

This is truly awful, I do hope it turns out, but hate to say this, it's a beautiful guitar, and perhaps someone has possession of it somewhere ...

[theEdwinson]

Originally Posted by mcduffnw

Yeppers...unfortunately there are less than honest guitar geeks that work in all of the shipping services, whose "side job" is to "keep an eye out", and they know who the makers are, how nice of instruments they make, and they keep watch for obvious guitar packages with the "right brand names, or builders names" to shanghai. Sadly there is a small but actually organized "business" of this going on every day. I used to work in a Pawn Shop and knew a number of police who worked the Pawn/Stolen Goods details and they told/taught me about all the stuff that goes on. Sort of like the "chop shops" for cars, but without taking the instruments apart. They get "taken" in one part of the country and often quietly re-shipped "underground" to a completely different part of the country...or even out of the country...to be sold...at certain dealers who traffic quietly "in the back room" in them, or sometimes on the black market. Mostly all underground, out of obvious sight.

I am NOT saying that is what occurred here mind you. It very likely was just temporarily lost in the holiday shipping crush...but...alas sadly...there is also a more sinister force at work in some of the shipping "bermuda triangle" stories that happen to valuable items, and guitars along with diamonds and precious gemstones and high end camera gear are at the top of the list of favorite items to be purposefully become "lost" in shipping.

Fingers crossed still! It really will likely show up. Keep the faith!!!

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

Hmmm, interesting... I just wrote an email to A.J., and while I was writing, it occurred to me that this major east-US shipping hub, Memphis, is a HUGE music town... What if there's some struggling wannabee musician working in the warehouse for FedEx or US Customs... And, you know... he gets a wild hair...

I am going to look into contacting the Memphis Police. Maybe there's some way to put it in the record that it may be stolen property. Police take that stuff very seriously.
If the guitar was actually stolen, the thief would be an idiot to take it out in public, or attempt to sell or pawn it. It's not some random, cookie-cutter Martin or Gibson. Jus' say'n.

[GeoffStGermaine]

Originally Posted by chasapple

I think Jason Kostal and Guitar Gallery had a similar experience last year with a lost fedex guitar that eventually was found, i read about here on AGF. I sure hope yours has an eventual happy ending.

-Charles

That's what I thought of when I read the thread. Here's the thread on the Kostal guitars, but I'm not clear if the guitars were recovered. There was someone arrested and it did involve FEDEX.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=455807

Hopefully this isn't what's happening here and the guitar turns up soon. It's a beauty! A theme close to my heart (several degrees and experimental work in Physics in my early life).

[steveh]

I bought a Suhr guitar from the USA around 7 years ago or so.
Shipped in December and still hadn't arrived by January. The dealer used USPS.
Then one day in February it showed up on my doorstep, in perfect condition. All told, took around 6 to 8 weeks to arrive IIRC, and was "off radar" for the vast majority of that time (i.e. once it had left the USA).
It's a busy, busy time of year. Let's hope the same thing happens here.

Cheers,
Steve

[jaymarsch]

So sorry to hear about this! I am sending good thoughts for a good outcome.
I have used FedEx for years and only recently had an issue. I shipped a guitar from California to Nashville and it arrived damaged. Fortunately, I had it fully insured by Heritage so was able to get it repaired and also offset the cost of the affected resale value.

Best,
Jayne

[doodahdoug]

I hope this story has a good outcome Steve, but incredibly frustrating for you and the person who commissioned this guitar.

Guitars do sometimes get stolen from the inside while in transit. I responded to a craigslist posting for a well known luthier guitar listed for sale in my area. After speaking by phone to the seller I contacted the builder of the guitar who told me that this was a one of a kind build for a customer who had just shipped it back to him for an adjustment.

I subsequently spoke by phone to the guitar's rightful owner and gave him the illegitimate seller's name and phone #. The owner called the thief and to he actually shipped the guitar back to the rightful owner albiet C.O.D.

Best of luck in this guitar being located and in the hands of it's intended owner.

[fitness1]

Just a quick testament how chaotic it is out there right now - I had a package on it's way to me from the Boston area - made it to Detriot (about 100 miles away) and then 3 hours later it showed up in Little Rock AR.

Hopefully that's all yours is.

[Halcyon/Tinker]

I really hope it turns up for you...

[AlexJEJ]

Hello all (y'all),

Thanks for all the kind words and support here. This is my first experience of the forum as an active member and although the scenario in which I join the fray is rather unfortunate, my spirits have certainly been lifted by your posts.

I first want to say what a pleasure it has been to work with Steve on this project and as you can see from the pics at the start of this thread, our 'time and space' guitar is an absolute beauty and testament to the craftsmanship, diligence and generosity that Steve has shown throughout the build process.

Steve has been tireless in his attempts to track her down and probably to the detriment of some of the precious hairs on his bonce.

Unfortunately, as Steve said, I opted for the cheaper delivery option with Fed-Ex and of course in hindsight that may not have been a good choice. I have never imported anything from overseas and really didn't think the distinction between premium and standard delivery was the success or failure of my package to arrive!!

I am ever hopeful however, as I think the collision of thanksgiving weekend (the same weekend we sent her) and the madness of Christmas packages have probably resulted in her being misplaced. I just hope she has not gone the way of the ark in Indiana Jones....

Kind Regards

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by AlexJEJ

Hello all (y'all),

Thanks for all the kind words and support here. This is my first experience of the forum as an active member and although the scenario in which I join the fray is rather unfortunate, my spirits have certainly been lifted by your posts.

I first want to say what a pleasure it has been to work with Steve on this project and as you can see from the pics at the start of this thread, our 'time and space' guitar is an absolute beauty and testament to the craftsmanship, diligence and generosity that Steve has shown throughout the build process.

Steve has been tireless in his attempts to track her down and probably to the detriment of some of the precious hairs on his bonce.

Unfortunately, as Steve said, I opted for the cheaper delivery option with Fed-Ex and of course in hindsight that may not have been a good choice. I have never imported anything from overseas and really didn't think the distinction between premium and standard delivery was the success or failure of my package to arrive!!

I am ever hopeful however, as I think the collision of thanksgiving weekend (the same weekend we sent her) and the madness of Christmas packages have probably resulted in her being misplaced. I just hope she has not gone the way of the ark in Indiana Jones....

Kind Regards

AJ - chase it from your end (i e. the UK as well). Get Fedex UK involved! Start polite and escalate as necessary.

Such problems are not resolved unless/until you make them a problem for the problem cause.

Is it not possible that it has arrived in the UK but stuck in HMC&E?

[AlexJEJ]

Thanks for the guidance here. I have already been on the case in the UK. I hit a brick wall of automated messages and lack lustre employees at first, but have had some more helpful engagement in the last few days.
I think Fed-Ex are pretty certain it is in the US still, which was not so clear last week. We are planning to start a full claim mid/late Jan after the post Christmas rush, if she doesn't turn up, ...

[AlexJEJ]

Looking at some of the other 'guitar loss' threads, Nashville and Memphis do seem to feature. Might just be co-incidence of course, but I am wondering if the fact these are music towns as Steve said, that this sort of item is that much easier to sell on the black market locally. Unfortunately, although distinctive, its probably not beyond the wit of the thieves or a new owner to cover up or augment the distinctive head stock time cone design and make it more stock looking...
Unfortunately, my forays into the various threads are making my hope fade a little.