Lucky 13 in for some warranty work

[Pine]

The bridge on my Blackbird Lucky 13 has been lifting. I finally got around to contacting Joe's people, and sent it back to them via UPS. I had the UPS store box it up themselves. They said that way, if there is damage, there is no question about the insurance paying for it.

Anyway the shipping bill was ONLY $175 from Yuma Az to San Francisco. I wonder what it would have cost to just have a local (Phoenix) shop repair it?

I've also asked to price fixing a small ding on the shoulder.

This is my favorite guitar, so I'm anxiously awaiting its' return.

[Frettingflyer]

My Lucky got dropped at some point, I think when the hotel guy was getting it from the van, and it bent a tuner post and button. Covid happened but they got a replacement out to me as soon as they were back in. It was totally not Blackbird’s fault but they took good care of me at no charge.
Excellent customer service for me. Sorry about your shipping charge, seems high but I usually box mine up myself FWIW.
Good luck, hope it is back soon.

[Pine]

That is good service. I'm hoping they do as well by me.

Well, the shipping charges are certainly not Blackbirds' fault, but shipping makes getting warranty work a bit expensive. Having UPS pack it was $40. So even without packing, it would have been $135.

To ease the pain, i took the $175 out of my wife's golf budget. No tee times for her next week!

Did the shipping charges include insurance?

[jdinco]

I've shipped several guitars lately, in heavy hard cases, across the country, both were approx $75. thru UPS, with insurance. I've also discovered that if you do your own shipping label on line, it's just a little cheaper than taking it to the UPS facility. A UPS store is more expensive too, they get their cut.

Hope you get your Lucky back soon !

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by Pine

That is good service. I'm hoping they do as well by me.

Well, the shipping charges are certainly not Blackbirds' fault, but shipping makes getting warranty work a bit expensive. Having UPS pack it was $40. So even without packing, it would have been $135.

To ease the pain, i took the $175 out of my wife's golf budget. No tee times for her next week!

You may be heading for a whole different kinda pain.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

You may be heading for a whole different kinda pain.

Fore!


...........

[Earl49]

I too need to talk with Joe at Blackbird about some warranty work on my Lucky 13 (finish issues on the neck that have been there all along). Given the price of shipping to/from it may be cheaper to just have a local auto body shop re-shoot the back of the neck with clear coat for me.

Having the UPS store pack the instrument is the absolute most expensive way to go. You pay for the box, the packing fee, and full retail on the shipping. Plus UPS will still weasel out of any insurance claim anyway if something happens, despite what they claim. Their so-called "insurance" is not worth the toilet paper it is printed on. (My business mail box is at a UPS store, so I know this to be true).

[Pine]

So it sounds like I chose the very most expensive way to ship my guitar back. Figures.... Yeah Evan, it included insurance with the guitar valued at $2,000. I have no idea how UPS expects us to value the items we ship. Current resale? Replacement cost? And with the Lucky 13 being out of production, it gets a bit more difficult.

"You may be heading for a whole different kinda pain."

Pine whispers, "I ain't scared of her Capt'n"

[jonfields45]

I just shipped a dreadnought in a full sized Uline acoustic guitar box from Allentown PA to Denver, FedEx home, signature required, for $44.45 (21x9x51" & 25 lbs). While I did declare the full value, I'm not sure it was insured. Regardless it is too close to impossible to collect for damages and a shipping loss is likely covered by other insurance I have.

You have to do your own packing, you need to open a FedEx account, you need to link the account to one of the many discount programs (in my case IEEE and Intel), and you need to create the label online.

I have a similar setup with UPS but I find FedEx's discounts better these days.

[mot]

Originally Posted by Frettingflyer

My Lucky got dropped at some point, I think when the hotel guy was getting it from the van, and it bent a tuner post and button.

I haven't had my Lucky dropped (yet) that I know of. It's been playing well for 6 years now. When I first got it the rubber grommet for the upper sound port popped out. I offered to glue it in myself, but Joe insisted on taking it back and taking care of all shipping charges. About two weeks later I had it back with no problems and it's been that way since. Might have some light pick scratches now from the kid playing around on it, but that's about it.

My Emerald X20 on the other hand has been dropped by a bell boy and had other things dropped on it that I have seen. It's no worse for wear either but with a few pick marks too and not much else. The Kestrel has a small nick in a back corner from being dropped on a rock, but that's about it there too. I can't easily tell if the X20 or Lucky13 gets mishandled by anyone unless I see it, but with the Kestrel it's pretty obvious.

I get to take a few minutes to put the tinker toy back together and re-tune it because the tailpiece pops off about every two months so far on average from the guitar being bumped or tussled (a couple times when it's in the hard case too) usually by kids or dog tail. This is the main reason I don't take it busking much anymore even though it has amazing projection. I only took it on a road trip once and that was enough to convince me it's too fragile to go again because it falls apart too easily.

Glad to hear Joe is still taking care of the Lucky's. I hope I don't ever have to send mine in for repair again, but I like knowing that option is available. Hope you get your Lucky back soon too. They are amazing instruments.