Is this how to ship a Bass ?

[Gust0o]

In the interests of remaining impartial, I feel I must point out that other brands of ass are also available

[Ancient Mariner]

[quote name='BottomE' post='1117790' date='Feb 6 2011, 03:56 PM']Yeah when saw that i thought my wife had started posting on Basschat

Anyways BC'ers will have to find another thread to release angst as the buyer and i have reached an amicable settlement.[/quote]

That and your offer were great. Good man.

[xilddx]

[quote name='BottomE' post='1117790' date='Feb 6 2011, 03:56 PM']Yeah when saw that i thought my wife had started posting on Basschat

Anyways BC'ers will have to find another thread to release angst as the buyer and i have reached an amicable settlement.[/quote]
Yeah, sorry about that mate. Obviously I didn't realise it was you at the time and did post later quoting your nice post saying /thread. I just thought it was another idiot ebayer. To be fair, I wasn't the only one to say something to that effect. But hopefully you won't be posting a bass wrapped like that again Really, you should see what these couriers do to packages as part of the process and you would never do that again.

Once again, my apologies if I hurt you in any way.

[BottomE]

[quote name='silddx' post='1117820' date='Feb 6 2011, 04:31 PM']Yeah, sorry about that mate. Obviously I didn't realise it was you at the time and did post later quoting your nice post saying /thread. I just thought it was another idiot ebayer. To be fair, I wasn't the only one to say something to that effect. But hopefully you won't be posting a bass wrapped like that again Really, you should see what these couriers do to packages as part of the process and you would never do that again.

Once again, my apologies if I hurt you in any way.[/quote]
No worries and thanks. I have noted the various experiences that many have had with couriers and will adjust accordingly. No harm done and all that.

[xilddx]

I'll add that I shipped a Precision to BC Member Baboom last year in a good quality moulded hardshell case with bubblewrap and padding around the vulnerable areas of the case, and put it in black sacks and taped it up. The manager at the PO said he considered it suitably packaged. I sent it by Parcelfarce fully insured and signed for and the case arrived broken in two places and the tone knob was loose. They refused to compensate for the broken case saying it was not suitably packed. After a bit of a battle they coughed up the £55 I demanded which I was able to pass on to Baboom.

Don't assume because your basses have survived airlines that they will survive couriers. Airline baggage handling processes are very different.

Edited February 6, 2011 by silddx

[andy67]

[quote name='silddx' post='1117838' date='Feb 6 2011, 04:51 PM']I'll add that I shipped a Precision to BC Member Baboom last year in a good quality moulded hardshell case with bubblewrap and padding around the vulnerable areas of the case, and put it in black sacks and taped it up. The manager at the PO said he considered it suitably packaged. I sent it by Parcelfarce fully insured and signed for and the case arrived broken in two places and the tone knob was loose. They refused to compensate for the broken case saying it was not suitably packed. After a bit of a battle they coughed up the £55 I demanded which I was able to pass on to Baboom.

[size=3][b]Don't assume because your basses have survived airlines that they will survive couriers.[/b][/size] Airline baggage handling processes are very different.[/quote]


You know this is very true and for some reason the horror stories all imply that Parcel Force is at fault or are incapable of handling packages. Maybe as considerate discerning bass-chatters and members of the public, we should make a show of our unity and force change in this company!

Andy

[waynepunkdude]

This is how you ship a bass.

[chris_b]

This is how to ship a bass (and anything else....)

My SR5 in a hard case, surrounded by polystyrene sheets, in a cardboard box. It got there OK. Job done.

[xilddx]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1118649' date='Feb 7 2011, 10:02 AM']This is how you ship a bass.
[/quote]
No, that's a Sicilian message. It means Moya Green sleeps with the fishes.

[Cygnus x-1]

Having skimmed the 4 pages of this thread, I think IMO some people are unfair on Parcel Force. Probably most couriers have horror story's and I guess most couriers will have a very similar percentages of parcels that get to their destiations undamaged.

I have a mate who is a PF driver and on countless occasions I have chatted with him while he's loading/unloading the van, never once have I seen him treat a parcel in a way that I would be unhappy about if it was my (bass) in the parcel.

I have sent and received probably 12 to 15 basses by PF any never had a hint of a problem.

As an aside, I once received a (cheapish) bass won on ebay, can't remember the courier as it was 4 or 5 years ago and it was just wrapped in one layer of bubble wrap and a couple of black bin bags over it, luckily that survived unscaithed!!

Just my two penneth.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1118724' date='Feb 7 2011, 11:31 AM']Having skimmed the 4 pages of this thread, I think IMO some people are unfair on Parcel Force. Probably most couriers have horror story's and I guess most couriers will have a very similar percentages of parcels that get to their destiations undamaged.

I have a mate who is a PF driver and on countless occasions I have chatted with him while he's loading/unloading the van, never once have I seen him treat a parcel in a way that I would be unhappy about if it was my (bass) in the parcel.

I have sent and received probably 12 to 15 basses by PF any never had a hint of a problem.

As an aside, I once received a (cheapish) bass won on ebay, can't remember the courier as it was 4 or 5 years ago and it was just wrapped in one layer of bubble wrap and a couple of black bin bags over it, luckily that survived unscaithed!!

Just my two penneth.[/quote]
Dude, I hear you, but you are missing the point, and it's also only your unique personal experience of your mate.

It has nothing to do with the humans involved in the process. It's the machinery they use to sort the parcels, they can be pretty brutal.

[tauzero]

My personal experience of a similar case (er, no pun intended):

I sold a bass, case included (although I think I basically just said I'd be shipping it in a hard case). It's some time ago but I'm pretty sure I wrapped the case (which was one of those plywood things) in cardboard. Posted it off, insured. Got a message back from the buyer to say that the bass had arrived OK but that the case had been badly damaged. I offered a partial refund and asked for him to give me enough information for me to make a claim on the insurance, but the buyer wasn't bothered about pursuing it (said his intention was always to get a better case anyway).

[lemmywinks]

[quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1118724' date='Feb 7 2011, 11:31 AM']Having skimmed the 4 pages of this thread, I think IMO some people are unfair on Parcel Force. Probably most couriers have horror story's and I guess most couriers will have a very similar percentages of parcels that get to their destiations undamaged.[/quote]


Well there ARE good staff who work for PF, we used to use them at work and our local guy was excellent. Lovely bloke who i was dedicated to his job, we always chatted and still do when i see him about.

However despite this we had to stop using them as they couldn't deliver on time. We paid for time specific services (9am, 12hr etc.) and they were consistently late. When you pay extra for 24hr delivery and it arrives 3 days later on a number of occaisions. When you ring to get a refund they make it very difficult, basically putting you off trying to claim. Their helpline is awful.

We stopped using them and now use TNT who have been great. No late deliveries, no excuses and very helpful staff both in the vans and on the phone.

However all that is irrelevant as this is a bass forum and they don't usually insure musical instruments - so there's absolutely no reason why anybody here should be using them.
They will take as much money as you throw at them for insurance but your chances of a successful claim are slim. For that reason alone they are of no use to musicians.

[GreeneKing]

[quote name='silddx' post='1117693' date='Feb 6 2011, 02:28 PM']Sorry but you're wrong. It depends on the case too. Do you know what Parcelfarce's hoppers do to packages? You need a proper box and LOTs of shock absorption, ie. bubble wrap.

The seller made a stupid and damn lazy decision to ship the bass like that. The case does not look like it could come close to handling the punishment Parecelforce would mete out to it.[/quote]

Absolutely.

When I send a bass out I can't sleep properly until it's arrived safely. If I sent a bass out packed like that I'd have nightmares

Peter

[Dusty]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1118649' date='Feb 7 2011, 10:02 AM']This is how you ship a bass.
[/quote]


Made my day that has

[chris_b]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1118749' date='Feb 7 2011, 11:54 AM']....However all that is irrelevant as this is a bass forum and they don't usually insure musical instruments - so there's absolutely no reason why anybody here should be using them....[/quote]
+1

Any courier company that won't insure what they are carrying against damage caused whilst in their possession gives you a clear indication of what they think of their staff!

[derrenleepoole]

Well, just be thankful your bass didn't arrive just wrapped in a black plastic bin bag, which one of my purchases from here did! Heaven knows how it only managed a few chips and nothing worse during transit!

[Cygnus x-1]

[quote name='silddx' post='1118739' date='Feb 7 2011, 11:44 AM']Dude, I hear you, but you are missing the point, and [color="#FF0000"]it's also only your unique personal experience of your mate.
[/color]
It has nothing to do with the humans involved in the process. It's the machinery they use to sort the parcels, they can be pretty brutal.[/quote]

...sure I accept your point, BUT, how many of the thousands of succesfull deliveries do we hear about, we usually only get personal experience from people who have bad experiences, whoever is the courier. People tell of a bad deal but rarely big up a good deal IMO.

I used to work at a busy industrial unit and every morning in the carpark a very well known courier used to bring a big wagon and offload parcels into vans for distribution. You should have seen them throwing the parcels off the wagon to the vans!! .....There is probably not much difference whoever the courier is.


[quote name='lemmywinks' post='1118749' date='Feb 7 2011, 11:54 AM']Well there ARE good staff who work for PF, we used to use them at work and our local guy was excellent. Lovely bloke who i was dedicated to his job, we always chatted and still do when i see him about.

However despite this we had to stop using them as they couldn't deliver on time. We paid for time specific services (9am, 12hr etc.) and they were consistently late. When you pay extra for 24hr delivery and it arrives 3 days later on a number of occaisions. When you ring to get a refund they make it very difficult, basically putting you off trying to claim. Their helpline is awful.

We stopped using them and now use TNT who have been great. No late deliveries, no excuses and very helpful staff both in the vans and on the phone.

However all that is irrelevant as this is a bass forum and [color="#FF0000"]they don't usually insure musical instruments[/color] - so there's absolutely no reason why anybody here should be using them.
They will take as much money as you throw at them for insurance but your chances of a successful claim are slim. For that reason alone they are of no use to musicians.[/quote]

for future reference, which courier doesn't insure musical instruments please?

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1118724' date='Feb 7 2011, 11:31 AM']Having skimmed the 4 pages of this thread, I think IMO some people are unfair on Parcel Force. Probably most couriers have horror story's and I guess most couriers will have a very similar percentages of parcels that get to their destiations undamaged.[/quote]

You don't have to judge by solely this thread, there's a pinned one on the main page with many similar horror stories, asking for feedback on various couriers. I've used PF both thru work & for myself & now wouldn't use them if they were free because of; poor contact facility, piss-poor non-arrival for collection, numerous damage in transit, avoidance of responsibility when obvious it was their fault.
In return, when I dumped PF I've yet to have a single problem with any other company .......... sa far. My pref for now is FedEx.

Cue long list of folk who've had disasters with FedEx!

[mart]

[quote name='Johnston' post='1118853' date='Feb 7 2011, 01:28 PM']I think it was the daughters Hanna Montana guitar that arrived with a foot print on the box. [/quote]

They must have known what was in it!

[xilddx]

[quote name='derrenleepoole' post='1118847' date='Feb 7 2011, 01:20 PM']Well, just be thankful your bass didn't arrive just wrapped in a black plastic bin bag, which one of my purchases from here did! Heaven knows how it only managed a few chips and nothing worse during transit![/quote]
You're not serious!? A BCer sent a bass to you in nothing but a bin liner!? That's f***ing insane. Did you say anything?

[Cygnus x-1]

[quote name='Johnston' post='1118917' date='Feb 7 2011, 02:22 PM']Parcel force over I think £150 . Even if you pay for the extra insurance in the small print musical instruments are exempt from the extra insurance.[/quote]

will have to check out and bear in mind for future, I didn't know that.

[Conan]

[quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1118905' date='Feb 7 2011, 02:15 PM']...sure I accept your point, BUT, how many of the thousands of succesfull deliveries do we hear about, we usually only get personal experience from people who have bad experiences, whoever is the courier. People tell of a bad deal but rarely big up a good deal IMO.[/quote]

Well, I haven't shipped a huge amount of stuff - but I've used PF every time and never had a problem so far. YMMV.

[derrenleepoole]

[quote name='silddx' post='1118926' date='Feb 7 2011, 02:30 PM']You're not serious!? A BCer sent a bass to you in nothing but a bin liner!? That's f***ing insane. Did you say anything?[/quote]

Oh yes! Very verbally in fact! It wasn't just me though, he was selling about five instruments and did the same on all of them. Seriously! I was lucky in that the bass only had a minor chip and some scratches on the back, albeit small ones, other buyers were not so lucky. The bass in question wasn't massively expensive, and I managed to get some money knocked off. Thing is, had I sent it back it would of cost me money and time to pack, and the sale of the bass if it came up again would be about what I ended up paying for it. The seller was just generally very inexperienced and just didn't think about what they were doing! But still.......

In all fairness to the courier, when the bass arrived he commented on the p*** poor packing. I think he, and other handlers had tried to take care of it realising the situation, but plastic bags can only do so much not to protect a bass! It's all water under the bridge now and the bass in question is now my main instrument. I don't remember the sellers name now, but I did start a feedback thread about it. I then toned it down after I calmed down No point holding grudges.

[xilddx]

[quote name='derrenleepoole' post='1119014' date='Feb 7 2011, 03:58 PM']Oh yes! Very verbally in fact! It wasn't just me though, he was selling about five instruments and did the same on all of them. Seriously! I was lucky in that the bass only had a minor chip and some scratches on the back, albeit small ones, other buyers were not so lucky. The bass in question wasn't massively expensive, and I managed to get some money knocked off. Thing is, had I sent it back it would of cost me money and time to pack, and the sale of the bass if it came up again would be about what I ended up paying for it. The seller was just generally very inexperienced and just didn't think about what they were doing! But still.......

In all fairness to the courier, when the bass arrived he commented on the p*** poor packing. I think he, and other handlers had tried to take care of it realising the situation, but plastic bags can only do so much not to protect a bass! It's all water under the bridge now and the bass in question is now my main instrument. I don't remember the sellers name now, but I did start a feedback thread about it. I then toned it down after I calmed down No point holding grudges.[/quote]
Dear lord. It's amazing how some people manage to clothe and feed themselves, or tie their own shoelaces. Like you say, water under the bridge now.