Don't Use UPS to ship your Guitar!

[Pura Vida]

Sorry for the bad luck streak. I just had a used guitar ship to me via UPS yesterday without any issues (OH to CA), but two years ago, I received a damaged guitar via UPS, so it can go either way.

As mentioned, any carrier can damage or lose a shipment (not just UPS), so it's a risk to sell that way. Proper packaging and third party insurance can help offset this risk.

[Cincy2]

Originally Posted by nightchef

Small sample size, but my experience with FedEx has been uniformly excellent, while I've had enough bad experiences with UPS to swear them off for life. I think there is a real, non-trivial difference between the two companies in their commitment to quality service.

+1. I have a large experience base and would never ship an instrument with UPS.

Cincy

[KenL]

I can tell you this- FedEx's tracking system is far superior to UPS'.

FedEx keeps you right up to date. UPS' lags way behind.

[H165]

Fedex is the absolute winner in statistical success by miles. Not even close. Its what they do and why everyone tries to copy them. They lead the industry without contest.

Well, that may be. Here's what FEDEX did yesterday (package is a 1940s archtop guitar):

7AM - online tracking indicated delivery by "end of day" Monday November 23, 2020. Signature required. I cancelled golf and stayed home so as not to miss the delivery.

10:45 AM - online tracking indicated delivery by "end of day" Monday November 23, 2020. Signature required. No problem. I postponed late breakfast date and stayed home so as not to miss the delivery. Made lunch date instead.

2PM - online tracking indicated delivery by "end of day" Monday November 23, 2020. Signature required. I cancelled the now delayed lunch and stayed home so as not to miss the delivery.

4PM - online tracking indicated delivery by "end of day" Monday November 23, 2020. Signature required. I cancelled a project parts run and stayed home so as not to miss the delivery. FEDEX has, in the past, delivered as late as 7:30PM

6PM - online tracking indicated delivery date "pending". Signature required. I signed in to FEDEX online and made five separate inquiries using the "chat" option. All five replies were gibberish. No information, and I've waited a whole day for this scheduled delivery.

7AM TODAY (Tuesday)- online tracking indicates delivery by "end of day" Tuesday November 24, 2020. Signature required.

Right.

UPDATED - Package was left out on my porch; no signature, at about 11:00 AM Tuesday. When opened, the neck block was broken loose from the back, and one side was broken as well. Nice handling job, FEDEX!

[Inked]

Our of the 20 or so guitars I have shipped only one ever had an issue.

[Highroller]

Just curious, are the bulk of you guys shipping guitars in or without a case?

I can see where the damage rate would be WAY higher for those guitar only shipments, but it's not like you can force somebody to buy a case. Maybe a good reason recommend it though.

I've never sent one by UPS or FEDEX, but I did move an entire collection cross country by moving van. I packed those puppies up like they were going to Mars!

It paid off too, everything arrived ok.

[jasbo49]

Originally Posted by dnf777

All depends on the people along a specific route.

In my case, the local people make a world of difference.

The UPS driver is friendly, cheerful, always tossing our dog a giant Milk Bone, brings everything up to the porch.

Meanwhile the (presumably surly) FedEx guy barely slows as he chucks things from his van. A few months ago, I came home to find a box with a nice, new Eastman mandolin just laying in the driveway, just feet from the street. Could have been swiped or run over as easy as not. FedEx makes me nervous.

Jim

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by derekbertman

I would strongly advise against using UPS to ship guitars... I shipped a D28 Authentic to a buyer and it arrived with the neck cracked...

It was probably not shipped in a case, and the box was not accordingly reinforced and packed to reflect an uncased guitar inside.
I always ship a guitar in its case, in a guitar box that has been armored with additional cardboard bonded with Gorilla Glue on 4 sides and 4 edges, and packed solid with cushioning materials.
Last year I shipped four guitars with UPS that way, including a 1969 D35. Tracking was good, and one of the buyers even complimented the packaging in feedback.

[mmasters]

I've used fedex for guitars probably about 25 times. Never a problem.

I knew another forum member on here that used Fedex close to 100 times and never a problem. They used UPS a handful of times and it was something like 3 out of 5 times there was damage to the guitars.

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by H165

UPDATED - Package was left out on my porch; no signature, at about 11:00 AM Tuesday. When opened, the neck block was broken loose from the back, and one side was broken as well. Nice handling job, FEDEX!

UPS tried to dump and run on a guitar delivery this summer. Fortunately, I was sitting in my front LR, chased him down, and took his photo on my sidewalk (he was NOT happy!) along with the punctured guitar box. The driver claimed he was too busy to wait for me to open it, ran back into his truck, and took off. When I opened it, I was relieved that the guitar was ok, but the case was nicked on the outside.

On a more positive note, in 2018, I purchased a used guitar via eBay, and it shipped like this from WI to CA. UPS must have hand-carried this guitar on and off of each truck b/c the guitar was fine (amazing!), and only one broken case latch, which the seller probably failed to disclose b/c it was taped.

[Shuksan]

Originally Posted by Highroller

Just curious, are the bulk of you guys shipping guitars in or without a case?

I can see where the damage rate would be WAY higher for those guitar only shipments, but it's not like you can force somebody to buy a case. Maybe a good reason recommend it though.

I've never sent one by UPS or FEDEX, but I did move an entire collection cross country by moving van. I packed those puppies up like they were going to Mars!

It paid off too, everything arrived ok.

I have never and would never ship a guitar without it being in a case. Especially as a seller, I have a responsibility and obligation to do everything I can that's in my control to minimize the risk of the guitar getting damaged. IMO, it's completely friggin stupid to not use a case. For those who love to gamble though, maybe they would get some kind of kick out of taking that unnecessary risk.

And for anyone getting ready to reply that they shipped a guitar without it being in a case and it made it fine, you were just lucky.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by Pura Vida

UPS tried to dump and run on a guitar delivery this summer. Fortunately, I was sitting in my front LR, chased him down, and took his photo on my sidewalk (he was NOT happy!) along with the punctured guitar box. The driver claimed he was too busy to wait for me to open it, ran back into his truck, and took off. When I opened it, I was relieved that the guitar was ok, but the case was nicked on the outside.

On a more positive note, in 2018, I purchased a used guitar via eBay, and it shipped like this from WI to CA. UPS must have hand-carried this guitar on and off of each truck b/c the guitar was fine (amazing!), and only one broken case latch, which the seller probably failed to disclose b/c it was taped.

That picture never fails to make me chuckle. I can't imagine the thinking (or lack of) required to ship a guitar like that!

As far as the earlier post about shipping a guitar without a case, Stewmac makes a cushioning system to ship a guitar without a case. I don't think I'd ship a guitar without a case but if I had to, that cradling system is what I'd use.

[Goodallboy]

That is all part of the risk in shipping instruments. Matters not who’s doing it.

[SpruceTop]

I prefer FedEx

[HeyMikey]

Originally Posted by derekbertman

... I had foolishly dropped the guitar off at a UPS store instead of having a driver pick it up or drop it at a shipping center so I was out a couple thousand dollars as they would not refund me the full insurance. You live and learn and won't ever make that mistake again.

How on earth does that even matter? UPS Stores are official UPS drop off locations. At least that is what I was told.
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