Couriers & packing.

[MGB]

@kodiakblair

Thanks for checking and thinking along.

I had GLS on the phone  and they told me no can do.

I don't have a business/company so I have to send as a private person, only way to do it is by bringing the parcel to a nearby parcelshop.
Rules are that they don't accept packages larger than 150cm combined length plus width, so a cardboard box from another bass I had send to me that is 128cm long and 50cm wide is a no go.

I'm baffled because I hear of people sending stuff up an down Europe but I just can't get any of the couriers agreeing on accepting my parcel.

I'll keep checking and making phonecalls, if there is news I'll report it here.

[Ian McFly]

I guess we need some clarification around the best courier to use to ship a bass in a case from the UK to Europe. Which ones would accept the parcel and deliver it at a reasonable price with insurance?

[kodiakblair]

@MGB

I never had any problems shipping basses due to size, shipped a bass to Africa once. All were sent as a private individual too. 

Even when handing in at collection points was no problem. 

 

Maybe phone GLS again but have their FAQ page open in front of you. If they start saying no can do, point out they're talking rubbish. 

[MGB]

@kodiakblair

Just spend almost an hour on the phone again with GLS.
This time I spoke to someone who was very helpful and willing to try to work everything out.

After 20 minutes she had figured it out and told me it was no problem for GLS to send the bass for me.
But within a few minutes she called me back saying sorry, there had been a misunderstanding and once again I was told it couldn't be done.

We then again went through the whole website to check because there is mention of different sizes on different pages.
She checked with a colleague, a floormanager, a manager, someone from the sales department plus the head of the parcelshops (where I would have to bring the bass to be sent abroad) and in the end the verdict was that it couldn't be done.
And they couldn't offer me another solution either, if you have a company and if you are a client of GLS then you can send bigger parcels, otherwise it's not possible.

I just don't get it and I'm very tired of it right now.
Maybe next week I'll try again, other things to do now.
 

[kodiakblair]

@MGB

 

You'd think a major trading centre like the Netherlands would have the busiest/easiest parcel services around. From what I've found it's the complete opposite 😠

GLS in Luxemborg allow 150cm maximum length,you already know that's not the case in the Netherlands. DHL have online booking everywhere,when I tried DHL.NL it's call or fill out a form and await their reply ☹️ I fully expect them saying 100cm limit same as Post NL.

 

Could it be connected to local regs on manual handling ?

 

I know a couple of Dutch bass players so I ask them what services they use and get back to you.

[alyctes]

Can the neck be removed for shipping?

[MGB]

@kodiakblair

Yes this is not what I expected either, strange and differing regulations everywhere.

@alyctes

I could unscrew the neck but for now I just want to find out if it would at all be possible to just send a bass in it's case or a box.

[MGB]

On 18/09/2018 at 23:37, kodiakblair said:

 

I know a couple of Dutch bass players so I ask them what services they use and get back to you.

Hi @kodiakblair,

Have you by any chance spoken to them already ?

 

 

[kodiakblair]

Sorry @MGB forgot to post back.

I've only had 1 reply. The suggestions were go with UPS or DPD. 

Link for DPD 
https://www.dpd.com/nl/business_customers/hulp_en_tools/hulp_bij_het_verzenden/verzend_richtlijnen/omvang_en_volume_gewicht_calculator

 

Cheers 

[MGB]

Thanks @kodiakblair,

I'll take a deeper look into it later but for what I saw just now checking quickly is that the provided link is for businesses (airfreight?) only.  And for sending parcels as a private person the max size is one meter again.

[Ian McFly]

Hey guys,

I still don’t get how some of you managed to ship basses to Europe with a flight case for less than £100... I really need some help! Which courier did you guys use?! I’ve been trying some of the links on this thread and they all come with a +£150 quote!

[kodiakblair]

23 hours ago, Ian McFly said:

Hey guys,

I still don’t get how some of you managed to ship basses to Europe with a flight case for less than £100... I really need some help! Which courier did you guys use?! I’ve been trying some of the links on this thread and they all come with a +£150 quote!

No idea how you're getting £150. I just got a quote Falkirk to Paris. Dimensions were 150cm x 50cm x 20cm. Weight 15Kg. Fairly standard for a flight cased bass  wrapped in cardboard.

Interparcel quotes were as follows. Standard by next Monday.  DPD Classic £16.19. UPS Standard £29.22. FX Economy £54.33. TNT Economy £75.06

UPS Express were £105 collected tomorrow,delivered by Friday.

 

Of course these prices don't have insurance added,it's roughly 4%

 

When I shipped a Peavey Custom Cirrus to Norway it got nabbed by customs. DPD copied/printed extra customs duty forms for me then forwarded the manual and my declaration it conformed with CITES regs. Bloody good service for the £18 shipping fee😎 

[Ian McFly]

Well i tried again on Interparcel and I now have similar prices as yours. Weird. Thank you anyway!

[dyerseve]

Shouldn't this thread be stickied @mods?

 

[Hutton]

What I don't understand is why pay parcelforce for 24HR delivery when they take 48HR. If I pay for 48HR will they deliver on time or will it take 72HRs. I might as well pay for 48HR and hope for the best.

[tom1946]

I wrote this in 2011 and it was stickied then, but since the new website hosting palaver it disappeared.

I've used Interparcel and UPS since I joined many years ago and sent a lot of basses and only had 1 slight mishap which was minor.

I'll stick with what I know. BUT I do bombproof packing which certainly helps.

[Scooby]

WARNING! 

Do not use Parcel2go. They have charged my bank account for a service I never used. I have only used them once a month ago and vowed never to use them again because of their shoddy service. I now find they have charged my account for a service I never booked. Further, they have stored my card details illegally to enable them to make this charge. They have no contact details, no phone number, live chat or emails...I wonder why??? My bank cannot find any contact details for them and a search just reveals fraudulent phone numbers that charge you premium rate and no contact. I have tried to raise a case using 'resolver' but I'll wait and see what happens. 

[Hutton]

I would also guard against using parcel2go. I was expecting a bass to come on next day delivery but, despite this service being paid for, it wasn’t delivered until late the day after it was meant to arrive. I couldn’t contact parcel2go as they do not display contact details. I will not use them again.

[blunderthumbs]

Just posted a bass to Germany through Interparcel using UPS Standard. £44 inc insurance up to £300. Collected from here 4pm Monday. Delivered to Hamburg 10am Wed. Great service.

[Sparky Mark]

Looking at sending basses via Parcelforce because I'm close to a depot but musical instruments are excluded from enhanced insurance. The limit is £300 so any bass of a decent value can't be covered. I'd happliy courier if I could find a reliable service. Anyone got recommendations for £750 plus basses please? Many thanks. 

Edited May 11, 2019 by Sparky Mark

[tauzero]

I've used UPS booked via Interparcel many times with no problems.

[Mmarc]

Bad experience with GLS. They threw the bass over the garden gate when I was not there. 

I only found her at night on my way home.

And bad experience also with this used purchase on basschat. 

The seller sent me a bad bass.

And does not answer to my proposals to return the bass and refund.

 

Edited May 25, 2019 by Mmarc

[SurroundedByManatees]

I'm from the Netherlands and found it difficult too to find an expeditor that takes larger size parcels (like a bass in a case). I used to ship through UPS, but they changed their sizes recently. 

Recently I got a bass shipped from the UK that I bought here on bc, using eurosender. All went great at a good price and full insurance.

Last time when I had to ship a bass myself, GLS appeared to be usable but have various price restrictions mentioned on their web pages. So I went to the parcel shop to hear they couldn't take it... 

So I checked eurosender if they also arrange shipping from the Netherlands. And they do! It is possible to ship a bass from about 35 euro's on, depending on the height of the insurance. That's cheap imo. 

Eurosender is a company that uses various delivery companies for their business. My parcel went with dpd (can't book large size parcels with them as a private customer) . It was very easy to book the parcel and plan the pickup. All went smooth, their information is complete and clear, and the parcel was delivered in a few days. 

From my 2 experiences, I would recommend them. Beside all the plus points I already mentioned, they are about 50% cheaper than when I had to use UPS, and they have more options for insurance. 

 

[SurroundedByManatees]

17 minutes ago, Mmarc said:

Bad experience with GLS. They threw the bass over the garden gate when I was not there. 

I only found her at night on my way home.

 

That's seriously bad man... 

[pierreganseman]

10 hours ago, Mmarc said:

Bad experience with GLS. They threw the bass over the garden gate when I was not there. 

I only found her at night on my way home.

And bad experience also with this used purchase on basschat. 

The seller sent me a bad bass.

And does not answer to my proposals to return the bass and refund.

 

while  it's not gracious he has no obligation to do so. As it's likely a private sale.

Unless it was pre agreed before sale to have a return window. Then it's very wrong.