jezzaboy Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 (edited) On 14/01/2023 at 09:14, binky_bass said: Delivery drivers won't wait 10 minutes, not a chance in hell. I'd actually blame the way their company pays them as opposed to the drivers as often they get paid in relation to the amount of parcels they have 'attempted' to deliver, so asking them to wait 10 minutes is asking them to take a pay cut that day. Absolutely no excuses for those drivers that just drive up to a house to make their tracking SatNav show they were at the property, and then drive off again without actually leaving the van. I've had that twice with DHL. The pay structure of delivery companies has a lot to answer for. RE the way UPS pays their drivers. They aren`t paid per parcel as some do, they are actually one of the better companies. One on my pals started in November last year and the salary was £26k rising to £32k after a certain amount of time so not too shabby pay wise. However that does not detract from them being able to do their job correctly. These type of companies pile so much pressure on their drivers to get the job done with little consideration to getting the job properly. If you look on job sites, there are loads of vacancies for this type of role. I hope that the op`s bass turns up safe and sound. Edited January 16, 2023 by jezzaboy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan63 Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 Not all UPS drivers work directly for UPS and drive the brown vans, many are working for sub-contracters and are driving unmarked white vans, as per the general race to the bottom model that prevails in the parcel business. UPS closed the UK customer support team and calls are now handled in the first instance abroad, my guess is in the Phillipines. They now play by the usual customer support play book, sympathise, apologise but do not take ownership and do not do anything proactive to help; even if you get through to UK customer support (or what looks like UK customer support) by email they do diddly squat to help until you lodge a claim then it goes into the investigation stream, which can take ages and rarely results in a positive outcome. Just been through this with a package to Holland that was held up for 2 weeks unnecessarily. They have instead invested in mechanical handling and AI solutions to replace humans as they all are doing, rather than retaining staff and paying well and charging accordingly, increased margins, little cost implication to end user and a lot less satisfaction for the 0.1% of instances where it doesn't work as designed. Efficiency : ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MungoBass Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 Fingers crossed for a safe delivery today! 🤞 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyerseve Posted January 16, 2023 Author Share Posted January 16, 2023 (edited) Well the bass has actually arrived! Firstly, the UPS driver was in fact a UPS employ in full UPS uniform. He even rang the doorbell! I asked him what had happened with this parcel but he said he had been on holiday for the last 3 weeks so could shed any light on it... As to the actual bass that was eventually delivered, I have to say that I am rather whizzed off with the seller. He shipped the bass in a case(which is great considering the listing said "case not included") but that was all he shipped the bass in. The case was "wrapped" in a whole two layers of clear shrink-wrap. Not surprisingly the case did not survive unscathed with significant damage to one end - not a big deal as long as the bass survived unscathed, right? Well the bass was not entirely unscathed and I would say that the fault actually lies with the seller - here is his idea of secure packaging... Please note there is also a random screw included in the case - just to ensure that the bass can rack up a few extra, completely unnecessary scratches and dings during transit... Considering that Reverb.com (the website I bought the bass via) has a very comprehensive guide to packaging guitars safely for shipping - which the seller has obviously completely ignored, it is pretty easy to understand why I am rapidly losing patience with the seller. Let me remind you that it is the same seller that thought it ok to ship an Alembic without insurance! The listing for the bass described the condition as "Excellent" - Reverb.com defines "Excellent" as "When an item has been used, but only has minor cosmetic defects, this can be considered Excellent. Minor surface level scratches, such as pick marks from regular use, would qualify." So imagine my surprise when I inspect the bass and find many non-surface level dings and scratches. Not to mention 2 of the 4 screws from the control cavity are missing(the rando screw included in the case is exactly that - random!), scratchy pots, highly tarnished bridge, a high frets, non-original fret dots(thankfully removable) -none of which is mentioned in the listing... I was really looking forward to getting my hands on this baby and think the bass has a lot of potential, I'm just rather frustrated and disappointed in the seller and UPS... Edited January 16, 2023 by dyerseve 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 It’s likely the shrink wrap was likely part of the reason it was held up. They notoriously cause issues for scanners which mean they’re manually processed rather than automatically. As for condition reports, it’s notoriously difficult isn’t it? I hope you manage to resolve this. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 31 minutes ago, Burns-bass said: It’s likely the shrink wrap was likely part of the reason it was held up. They notoriously cause issues for scanners which mean they’re manually processed rather than automatically. As for condition reports, it’s notoriously difficult isn’t it? I hope you manage to resolve this. Agreed, although that happened to me once and the reason wasn't a crap seller but that the cardboard box was destroyed by water damage at the courier depot and they shrink wrapped the whole thing there. To their credit they actually told me about it as well, and said that as the package was insured I could make a claim if there was any damage, which amazingly there wasn't. Re the bass, glad it arrived, could have been a whole lot worse given the way this started 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky_bass Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 I have actually found that there is a higher chance of 'damage in transit' when the packaging is very cumbersome and heavy. When I sell an instrument with a hard case, I will pack out the inside of the case as best as possible to keep the instrument secure, but will only usually surround the case itself with black plastic and ALWAYS make sure the handle to the case is exposed, this means Mr/Mrs Courier can hold the case by the handle and gives them something to lash a bungee cord round in the van as well as keeping the package as light and slimmed down as possible. A seller on here (a very trusted seller who I've done business with MANY times!) once sent me a bass is the most bomb-proof packaging you could imagine, seriously over the top packing, 10 out of 10 for effort! Unfortunately still it was badly damaged on arrival, it looked like it had been dropped from a great height or violently thrown into the back of a van from 30ft away. Sometimes even the best of packaging won't withstand the best efforts to break its contents! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyerseve Posted January 16, 2023 Author Share Posted January 16, 2023 (edited) 9 hours ago, binky_bass said: I have actually found that there is a higher chance of 'damage in transit' when the packaging is very cumbersome and heavy. When I sell an instrument with a hard case, I will pack out the inside of the case as best as possible to keep the instrument secure, but will only usually surround the case itself with black plastic and ALWAYS make sure the handle to the case is exposed, this means Mr/Mrs Courier can hold the case by the handle and gives them something to lash a bungee cord round in the van as well as keeping the package as light and slimmed down as possible. A seller on here (a very trusted seller who I've done business with MANY times!) once sent me a bass is the most bomb-proof packaging you could imagine, seriously over the top packing, 10 out of 10 for effort! Unfortunately still it was badly damaged on arrival, it looked like it had been dropped from a great height or violently thrown into the back of a van from 30ft away. Sometimes even the best of packaging won't withstand the best efforts to break its contents! I understand your logic however, having sold and shipped more than 40+ basses to international buyers with zero incidents or damages, it is my experience that good packaging wins every time. I always pack the bass extremely carefully - lossening the strings, placing layers of kitchenroll between the strings and frets and strings and pickups, surrounding the bass with foam within the case - so it cannot move in any direction at all. I also remove the strap button from the bottom of the bass - this mitigates damage to both the bass and the case, if the parcel is dropped. I then package the case within the box it came in - or if I dont have that box anymore, I wrap it in double-walled cardboard and use plenty of duct tape to secure it. Of course accidents can still happen thanks to negligent handling but at least you, as the seller, can say that you have done your absolute best to ensure it got to the buyer in the same condition it left you. You also give yourself the best chance for a successful insurance claim in the event of damage during shipping... an example of my packaging for a bass i shipped to the US: Edited January 17, 2023 by dyerseve 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 It's also a good idea to take photos as you pack the bass, and with a piece of paper in the photo with buyers address. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 2 minutes ago, fleabag said: It's also a good idea to take photos as you pack the bass, and with a piece of paper in the photo with buyers address. Good idea 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 Writing 'fragile' is surely akin to painting a target on it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 Indeed - never write that. It spells ' football ' to a courier 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 On 14/01/2023 at 09:53, Beedster said: Thanks mate, I’m going to send him my thoughts in pure Anglo Saxon 👍 In all seriousness, don't. I used to manage the call centre contract for a well known retailer. If you emailed the CEO your complaint went into a fast track. If you expressed yourself politely it was dealt with specially, if you just send profanity it gets binned. I expect most call centre type operations work to similar processes. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim2291 Posted January 17, 2023 Share Posted January 17, 2023 1 hour ago, uk_lefty said: In all seriousness, don't. I used to manage the call centre contract for a well known retailer. If you emailed the CEO your complaint went into a fast track. If you expressed yourself politely it was dealt with specially, if you just send profanity it gets binned. I expect most call centre type operations work to similar processes. 100%, being polite and respectful to the people in the call centre is always the right answer, it isn't their fault at the end of the day! I work with customers a lot and when one phones shouting, screaming and blaming us for a problem, 9 times out of 10, they end up having to part with money to fix their problem, and it will take a longer time to resolve. If someone phones up and is polite about the issue, 9 out of 10 times it will be a quick FOC repair even if they have caused the fault! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyerseve Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 Just to update: i had requested a partial refund from the seller to cover the damage to the bass and a full setup as the bass is currently unplayable through fret buzz and I don't have the right tools to adjust an Alembic neck. The seller denied the request stating any damage occurring during shipping was the fault of the courier. I have tried to make him realise that if he doesn't package the bass appropriately or sufficiently, or insure the bass, then any damage during shipping is entirely his responsibility! I've asked Reverb to step in, fingers crossed 🤞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MungoBass Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 2 minutes ago, dyerseve said: Just to update: i had requested a partial refund from the seller to cover the damage to the bass and a full setup as the bass is currently unplayable through fret buzz and I don't have the right tools to adjust an Alembic neck. The seller denied the request stating any damage occurring during shipping was the fault of the courier. I have tried to make him realise that if he doesn't package the bass appropriately or sufficiently, or insure the bass, then any damage during shipping is entirely his responsibility! I've asked Reverb to step in, fingers crossed 🤞 This makes for sad reading. Who booked and paid for the courier? If the seller did then hopefully Reverb might see sense and be helpful. If you booked and paid for it, I guess that makes it a bit harder but.....irrespective, the seller should be responsible for using generous amounts of packing materials and take the necessary care to ensure the bass arrived with you undamaged. I hope you can get this resolved, put it behind you and enjoy the bass! 🤞 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyerseve Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 8 minutes ago, MungoBass said: This makes for sad reading. Who booked and paid for the courier? If the seller did then hopefully Reverb might see sense and be helpful. If you booked and paid for it, I guess that makes it a bit harder but.....irrespective, the seller should be responsible for using generous amounts of packing materials and take the necessary care to ensure the bass arrived with you undamaged. I hope you can get this resolved, put it behind you and enjoy the bass! 🤞 Thanks mate. Seller booked and paid for shipping (I paid shipping costs within my order). To be fair to Reverb, although it was avery different story 12 months ago, they seem to have really turned things around with their customer service! I have had a few dealings with them lately and everything they have been nothing short of excellent! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 I think you're quite right to claim for damage but to get him to pay for a setup is a bit much. The seller isn't responsible for any climate-affected neck shift or playing style differences, especially since you're suggesting you just need to adjust the truss rods and you only need a 1/4" wrench to do that on an Alembic. They're a couple of € in any hardware shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyerseve Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, Doctor J said: I think you're quite right to claim for damage but to get him to pay for a setup is a bit much. The seller isn't responsible for any climate-affected neck shift or playing style differences, especially since you're suggesting you just need to adjust the truss rods and you only need a 1/4" wrench to do that on an Alembic. They're a couple of € in any hardware shop. Well as the bass is completely unplayable I think it's OK to ask him to pay for the setup. The way it is now is nothing to do playing style differences with all due respect! I should have mentioned that the fretbuzz only occurs on the first 6 frets so is nothing to do with action. The relief looks fine as does the nut height. This is why im wanting a pro to look at it. Also, as the bass will have to go to a luthier anyway to repair the damage, clean the pots etc. then making the bass playable again via a quick setup is not much to ask. I also want to get the neck checked to make sure it isn't twisted as when the bass arrived it was "tuned" D,G,D#,G# so that has me concerned... Edited January 18, 2023 by dyerseve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 27 minutes ago, dyerseve said: Well as the bass is completely unplayable I think it's OK to ask him to pay for the setup. The way it is now is nothing to do playing style differences with all due respect! As the bass will have to go to a luthier anyway to repair the damage, clean the pots etc. then making the bass playable again via a quick setup is not much to ask. I also want to get the neck checked to make sure it isn't twisted as when the bass arrived it was "tuned" D,G,D#,G# so that has me concerned... This sounds like a right shitshow. I'm surprised you haven't been put off the bass just by the grief it's caused so far. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyerseve Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 1 minute ago, Chris2112 said: This sounds like a right shitshow. I'm surprised you haven't been put off the bass just by the grief it's caused so far. I've come close... I've had my eye out for one of these at an affordable price for a while though. Also, from what I have heard from the bass so far(between the fretbuzz) it has a lot of potential Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 (edited) On 14/01/2023 at 09:07, nilorius said: It's delivers fault. You can't just leave that kind of thing at the door and drive away. Couldn't they wait 10 minutes for Your GF ? I would start a criminal issue about them. Post-COVID, all concern/responsibility for packages has been discarded by courier firms. Drivers are so overworked that they just take photos, leave at door, and bolt. I have had one particular delivery say it had been delivered twice, then apparently returned to depot. It was eventually delivered and left outside my door, without an update that it had been delivered! Edited January 19, 2023 by NikNik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikNik Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 On 16/01/2023 at 22:56, fleabag said: Indeed - never write that. It spells ' football ' to a courier Yeh, A guitar carton arrived outside my door which looked like it had been booted. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyerseve Posted January 21, 2023 Author Share Posted January 21, 2023 On 18/01/2023 at 19:49, Chris2112 said: This sounds like a right shitshow. I'm surprised you haven't been put off the bass just by the grief it's caused so far. Well I have now decided to return the bass for a full refund. Last night I was showing the bass to my GF when I discovered, under a brighter light, that there is a small crack where the headstock joins the neck. The Fret buzz thing is also totally bizzare - the buzzing occurs between (roughly)the 5th and 12th frets of all the strings, yet the relief is set correctly, as is the action at the bridge and at the nut. So it appears that the neck has developed a "hump" in this region. So im going to wipe my hands of this bass and this terrible seller. Just such a shame that this once incredible instrument is now close to useless and worthless... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binky_bass Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 Wise maneuver sir. Treat yourself to something better and less marred by issues when you get your dosh back! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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