Parcelforce now off my christmas card list

[Beedster]

19 hours ago, Yan_Huriey said:

 

That seems to be a very long box in which to send a bass, does the circle indicate the point at which the headstock was snapped? 

[neepheid]

22 hours ago, Yan_Huriey said:

This isn't possible where I live, I have to use couriers, first time I've had a problem in years, thankfully it wasn't an expensive instrument, it could have been a LOT worse, so I'll take that as a slap on the wrist.

 

Dinna start, min.  Most people have zero concept of how relatively isolated the NE Scotland is.

[Acebassmusic]

23 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

Dinna start, min.  Most people have zero concept of how relatively isolated the NE Scotland is.

I tried to buy an Epifani cab off a guy who didnt want to ship but offered to bring it to Edinburgh on his tour so I could collect it from there. I thanked him kindly but declined as he didn't realise it was a 240 mile round trip for me. Good job we dont live up north ey @neepheid & @Yan_Huriey🤣🤣🤣

[msb]

Sounds like Canada.

[PaulWarning]

I've never come across a courier that will insure instruments that aren't in a hard case if they'll insure them at all.

It must be unusual for this type of thing to happen otherwise the online sellers of guitars and basses wouldn't  send them in a carboard box, which they do, all the time.

I suppose it's up to the individuals attitude to risk as to whether send guitars and basses this way, I've sent a few and got away with it, if I hadn't I'd have taken the hit, I knew it was a possibility

[fleabag]

https://lenspeedlogistics.com/

 

These guys are specialist instrument movers.  Not only instruments, valve  amps,  etc but artwork and other vaulables.  They dont require a hardcase.

Their fixed rate for any bass or guitar is £55  insured.  They do have a limited area they cover though.  Anything outside needs a quote.

 

When phoning, it's likely to be an answer machine as they really are a small concern, but  Len the boss will call you.  They're pretty busy people so you wont get next day,

as these peeps are not like the corporate parcel chuckers.

 

PS i've already used these guys

[Lozz196]

They look good. I’ve a shed load of gear to move on and knowing there’s a reliable courier that specialises in instruments is very helpful.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

On 21/03/2023 at 16:58, Paolo85 said:

I would not be that harsh. I do not think the economics of selling Squiers in hard cases add up. I have not looked into insurance yet (I have not shipped a bass yet) but I suspect it's the same.

Last year I bought a Thomann hard case, proper crap, and it cost me some £90 all included if I remember correctly. If I buy a Squire I expect to receive it in a cardboard box and ship it in a cardboard box. We are talking stuff that cost 400 new and most of the time is on offer somewhere at 350 or less.

Buying used already means giving up on free returns for no good reason and multi-year guarantees, so the price needs to be competitive.

Disagree completely. If you're shipping a bass you owe it to the buyer to protect it properly. If you don't have suitable protection, don't ship it.

You can always factor in the price of a case when you sell the bass.

[fleabag]

Just now, Lozz196 said:

They look good. I’ve a shed load of gear to move on and knowing there’s a reliable courier that specialises in instruments is very helpful.

 

They are good .  The communication via phone message from Len's driver was top notch.   Charlie Chandlers Guitar Exp. in London also use these guys.

 

Superb if you're not in any kind of hurry.  Also the value of your bass is not needed, unlike the usual suspects. 300 quid , 1000, quid, 10,000 quid, makes no difference to the price,

as thats fixed.

 

 

[Paolo85]

1 hour ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Disagree completely. If you're shipping a bass you owe it to the buyer to protect it properly. If you don't have suitable protection, don't ship it.

You can always factor in the price of a case when you sell the bass.

That's an absolutely fair opinion. And I agree with you that one should make the best effort to prorect the instrument. At the same time, note that the way a bass is posted is pretty much always clearly stated so both buyer and seller make an informed decision. Besides, I say, and I assume is customary, that if a bass arrives brocken it's on the seller making it right.

 

Because of the issue of cost effectivness mentioned above, it looks to me that the custom is to do as I say.

 

I went through the classfields and checked the most recent adverts for basses ~300 or less. I checked all that mention anything about shipping, without making a selection.

 

Here is what they say:

 

". I have the original box, so can post/courier at buyers expense"

"£300 cash on collection from Carlisle, Cumbria, or bank transfer £25 P&P for UK Mainland only." <-- 25 definitely does not cover a hard case + postage + insurance so I guess that's not the case..

"NOW ONLY £250 POSTED" <- hard case not mentioned in the advert. I suspect it would have been if there was one given it would be worth 25% of the bass

"would very much prefer collection in person here in north London (N21) as I can demo the bass with an amp and make sure that the potential buyer is happy. However I do have a couple of shipping boxes that I would be willing to post basses in at the buyers risk. "

"I'd much prefer collection in person, but I can also post at cost in the UK if needed as I do have a proper shipping box from another bass I purchased from Andertons in the summer."

 

 

I only remember once a hard case mentioned for a cheap bass in the revent past. But nite that it was a semihollow

Edited March 22, 2023 by Paolo85

[Downunderwonder]

1 hour ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Disagree completely. If you're shipping a bass you owe it to the buyer to protect it properly. If you don't have suitable protection, don't ship it.

You can always factor in the price of a case when you sell the bass.

Not really true. Some folks list their stuff pickup only. If they sell it to someone who is prepared to risk shipping in a standard guitar export box then it's the buyer's lookout.

 

Manufacturers ship in cheesy boxes because they can get away with it. The guitars go out in bulk so each protects the other and in any case the risk is limited to their cost of manufacturing and shipping. Merchants on sell in the same cheesy box because it's not worth the candle for them to repack and their cost is limited to their cost of supply.

 

The cheesy box economy falls over at the used end and it is worth repacking.

[jonnybass]

11 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

Right or wrong it would be impossible to get anywhere trying to argue it unless you felt it worth it to go to small claims court. 

 

I had Tufnells book a pickup and 48hr delivery. Driver showed up three days late after loads and loads of chasing, so the bass was late being delivered. Barely got an apology, terms and conditions exclude them from any responsibility whatsoever but no refund, full or partial, because the terms and conditions basically say YOU PAY, WE MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT DO WHAT YOU'VE PAID FOR, TOUGH SH!T WHEN IT GOES WRONG.

Not really given this line of thinking is the whole remit for PPI claims. Selling you insurance you can’t use isn’t allowed.  If you have packed the item appropriately, tell them what’s on the parcel and they then tell you to insure it, they have accepted the liability over and above the T&C’s. The hard part would be proving it was packed appropriately and the timing of you telling them what’s in the parcel before they recommend it. If they don’t recommend, then it’s on you. Bear on mind this is just my view though. It would also be FCA/FOS before small claims too.

[tauzero]

7 hours ago, Acebassmusic said:

I tried to buy an Epifani cab off a guy who didnt want to ship but offered to bring it to Edinburgh on his tour so I could collect it from there. I thanked him kindly but declined as he didn't realise it was a 240 mile round trip for me. Good job we dont live up north ey @neepheid & @Yan_Huriey🤣🤣🤣

 

Is that all? I did a 400 mile round trip once to get a bass combo. Even worse, it was a Trace Elliot 4x10.

[Dad3353]

I went to Nottingham to get my Verithin bass, and on another occasion to Kingston-on-Thames for my Hiwatt amp. I live in Lower Normandy. If it's worth wanting, it's worth fetching, I reckon. 

[Acebassmusic]

7 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

Is that all? I did a 400 mile round trip once to get a bass combo. Even worse, it was a Trace Elliot 4x10.

You were lucky....when I were a lad, we'd afta walk that distance in oor bare feets wit' Trace Elliot on oor backs to gigs! 🤣🤣🤣

[uk_lefty]

8 hours ago, jonnybass said:

Not really given this line of thinking is the whole remit for PPI claims. Selling you insurance you can’t use isn’t allowed.  If you have packed the item appropriately, tell them what’s on the parcel and they then tell you to insure it, they have accepted the liability over and above the T&C’s. The hard part would be proving it was packed appropriately and the timing of you telling them what’s in the parcel before they recommend it. If they don’t recommend, then it’s on you. Bear on mind this is just my view though. It would also be FCA/FOS before small claims too.

 

I agree you're right on the principle, I just think it needs a class-action type thingy to put an end to it. Trying to argue your one individual case against someone on minimum wage to answer the phone is pretty hopeless, as I have too much experience of!

[Beedster]

12 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

 

I agree you're right on the principle, I just think it needs a class-action type thingy to put an end to it. Trying to argue your one individual case against someone on minimum wage to answer the phone is pretty hopeless, as I have too much experience of!

 

Right in principle, probably not in law. If they tell you very clearly in their T&C s that the item you're not sending is not covered, it's going to be a pretty decent law firm who makes the class action stick, they know exactly whet they're doing, a certain type of person will always opt for the insurance option assuming that, should push come to shove, and even though there is a clear statement saying 'not insured', the courier firm will do the right thing.....

[PaulWarning]

12 hours ago, fleabag said:

https://lenspeedlogistics.com/

 

These guys are specialist instrument movers.  Not only instruments, valve  amps,  etc but artwork and other vaulables.  They dont require a hardcase.

Their fixed rate for any bass or guitar is £55  insured.  They do have a limited area they cover though.  Anything outside needs a quote.

 

When phoning, it's likely to be an answer machine as they really are a small concern, but  Len the boss will call you.  They're pretty busy people so you wont get next day,

as these peeps are not like the corporate parcel chuckers.

 

PS i've already used these guys

I hadn't heard of them, so thanks for the heads up, but if you're selling a £200 Bass, it's a big chunk to pay out for delivery, and the buyer isn't the one taking the risk, still, it's good to know

[fleabag]

It is a big chunk for a 200 quid bass, for sure, but that's down to the seller to weigh things up.  

The problem with the big parcel chuckers is sorting things out when it all goes wrong

[neepheid]

I have sold approx. 45 basses and posted most of them.  No hard cases, unless the bass came in one, which has only been a couple of times.  Lost none.

 

Bomb-proof packaging is the key.  The bass gets put in a gig bag most of the time, and usually double boxed.  I have frequently fashioned my own outer boxes from former bicycle boxes - Halfords has always been keen to give them away when I've asked. 

 

My method is to make sure the bass is surrounded in cushioning material (bubble wrap, foam, polystyrene, balled up paper - whatever I have to hand) on all sides and the box is fully packed with it until there is no movement inside the box.  Not overpacked to the point where the box might burst, just packed enough that it takes a little effort to close it.  The whole thing must move as one when shaken.

 

It takes time and effort, but it's worth it for a safe journey to its new owner.

[Beedster]

3 hours ago, neepheid said:

I have sold approx. 45 basses and posted most of them.  No hard cases, unless the bass came in one, which has only been a couple of times.  Lost none.

 

Bomb-proof packaging is the key.  The bass gets put in a gig bag most of the time, and usually double boxed.  I have frequently fashioned my own outer boxes from former bicycle boxes - Halfords has always been keen to give them away when I've asked. 

 

My method is to make sure the bass is surrounded in cushioning material (bubble wrap, foam, polystyrene, balled up paper - whatever I have to hand) on all sides and the box is fully packed with it until there is no movement inside the box.  Not overpacked to the point where the box might burst, just packed enough that it takes a little effort to close it.  The whole thing must move as one when shaken.

 

It takes time and effort, but it's worth it for a safe journey to its new owner.

 

Good man 👍