Say WHAT???

richardp69

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Man, I've heard the horror stories be it USPS, UPS or FedEx. Luckily, I've had no issues with any of them except an occasional missed delivery date and one damaged in transit (USPS).

I will say that as far as filing claims go, I've heard from others and have actual experience, that the USPS is far easier to work with than their competition. I think you'll come out o.k. on this one, it just might take a couple of weeks.

Please keep us all posted and good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
 

Jerry1

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As the USPS said when they couldn't find a guitar I shipped - "don't worry, they usually show up." This one did show up and was delivered safely to the buyer, but there was no tracking until it appeared at his small, local PO. The buyers father worked for the USPO and stoked the fires by insisting that if I had actually shipped it, it would be showing up in the tracking system. No one I spoke to in this two week ordeal seemed much concerned about the stress this caused me and the buyer. And I had not insured the package, a mistake I won't make again. So, if it's any consolation, don't worry, they usually show up.
 

walrus

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This is the reason I have only put guitars on consignment at my local music store. Good luck, Neal, there seems to be several possibilities, I hope one of the "good" ones occurs.

walrus
 

Neal

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As the USPS said when they couldn't find a guitar I shipped - "don't worry, they usually show up." This one did show up and was delivered safely to the buyer, but there was no tracking until it appeared at his small, local PO. The buyers father worked for the USPO and stoked the fires by insisting that if I had actually shipped it, it would be showing up in the tracking system. No one I spoke to in this two week ordeal seemed much concerned about the stress this caused me and the buyer. And I had not insured the package, a mistake I won't make again. So, if it's any consolation, don't worry, they usually show up.

I wish it were as "easy" as a lost package that will eventually turn up. This is looking more and more like a combination of incompetence and fraud.

I have filed a fraud complaint with USPS and am awaiting further action. The local post office has utterly failed to respond to me so far.
 

Opsimath

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Hi Neal,

So very sorry to hear of this problem. Sounds like the good members here are giving some sound advice.

I hope you have a speedy positive outcome and guitar back in hand promptly.
 

Default

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As the USPS said when they couldn't find a guitar I shipped - "don't worry, they usually show up." This one did show up and was delivered safely to the buyer, but there was no tracking until it appeared at his small, local PO. The buyers father worked for the USPO and stoked the fires by insisting that if I had actually shipped it, it would be showing up in the tracking system. No one I spoke to in this two week ordeal seemed much concerned about the stress this caused me and the buyer. And I had not insured the package, a mistake I won't make again. So, if it's any consolation, don't worry, they usually show up.


Either send it "Certified" or "Signature Confirmation". It adds five bucks to the cost of shipping and you need to show id to pick it up at the station. If it is worth significant money send it "Registered" which must be signed for by an employee who is responsible for that piece until it is turned over to the next. Registered mail can be insured up $50,000. https://www.usps.com/ship/insurance-extra-services.htm
 

geoguy

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Very sorry to hear of your troubles, Neal.

No offense to Default, but I would never use USPS for shipping a guitar. Their tracking is absolutely the worst of the three primary shippers in the US, based on my previous work experiences.

I would get a face-to-face meeting with that postmaster (postmistress?) ASAP. Just show up at the post office and insist on waiting until she is available. The post office's security video might over-write itself after too much time has passed.

Does their tracking info indicate the size & weight of the box associated with that shipment, and are those dimensions consistent with your guitar box?

Frankly, to me this sounds like theft committed by someone, possibly a USPS employee. I'll bet their security video doesn't show your guitar box being handed over to anyone at the front counter.
 

Default

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Very sorry to hear of your troubles, Neal.

No offense to Default, but I would never use USPS for shipping a guitar. Their tracking is absolutely the worst of the three primary shippers in the US, based on my previous work experiences.

I would get a face-to-face meeting with that postmaster (postmistress?) ASAP. Just show up at the post office and insist on waiting until she is available. The post office's security video might over-write itself after too much time has passed.

Does their tracking info indicate the size & weight of the box associated with that shipment, and are those dimensions consistent with your guitar box?

Frankly, to me this sounds like theft committed by someone, possibly a USPS employee. I'll bet their security video doesn't show your guitar box being handed over to anyone at the front counter.

If the security camera does not show that, and it was a mis-scan at the station, do we get an apology? I've never delivered anything worth losing my job over, and that includes the pound of Krugerands.
 

richardp69

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I guess everybody has their biases regarding shipping. I only use USPS. At least in my experience they are more cost effective,, their Priority Mail is typically faster and they've been very good for my purposes. I've shipped an awful lot of guitars either through Ebay, Reverb or Private sales and I don't really have a bitch.

I do agree their tracking has gone down hill for sure. I don't know why that is but it has been noticeable for sure.
 

adorshki

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In the case of rare or unique guitars that have a high value or are irreplaceable, send it registered, where there is a chain of custody and the employee's wages are garnished to cover the replacement cost of the item.
Steve, are you sure about that?
When I was a retail store manager I had to deal with register shortages which I think would fall into the same generic category of "employee error".
Was told it was illegal to charge hourly workers ("Non-exempt") for cost of errors.
You can fire 'em for cause but you can't withhold wages.
In fact it applies where I am now, too.
If a "non-Exempt" worker damages product they can only be written up.
If I damage product (such as entering an order with incorrect instructions for cutting paper, or damaging it in my car while transporting) they can withhold from my commissions since I'm "exempt" from federal wage law.
In any case wouldn't this be settled through an insurance carrier for the Postal Service if a claim is validated and the Postal Service is found to be at fault?
It's why you pay extra for a declared value on a registered piece, right?
 
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Neal

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I went back out to the local post office this afternoon for Round 2. The supervisor took a much more conciliatory tone with me, acknowledging that someone at USPS goofed, and that USPS will do whatever is necessary to compensate me for my monetary loss. I will know more about what that means, exactly, by COB today.

Meanwhile, whomever has the guitar has not returned it. If it hasn't been returned by now, 3 days later, it probably isn't going to be. It will be up to USPS to decide what they want to do about that.

Sorry, Retro! I think that F-50R is gone with the wind.
 

bobouz

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Neal - Hope this all works out okay in the end.

I've never sold & shipped a guitar, just sold locally or traded. But if I were to ship, I'd try to find a plain box, rather than a Gibson, Martin, Taylor, etc box. Harder to find I'm sure, but Musician's Friend uses them all the time, so they're available somewhere. If you ever buy a case from them, the box will be plain & can be saved for future use.
 

Christopher Cozad

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...whomever has the guitar has not returned it. If it hasn't been returned by now, 3 days later, it probably isn't going to be...
I certainly hope this all works out for you, Neal.

You know, this could be the most unique method of enabling a Guild guitar acquisition in the history of this site, maybe ever!
 

Neal

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Neal - Hope this all works out okay in the end.

I've never sold & shipped a guitar, just sold locally or traded. But if I were to ship, I'd try to find a plain box, rather than a Gibson, Martin, Taylor, etc box. Harder to find I'm sure, but Musician's Friend uses them all the time, so they're available somewhere. If you ever buy a case from them, the box will be plain & can be saved for future use.

I doubt that the box had much to do with it. I have shipped in Guild boxes, Taylor boxes, Fender boxes, plain boxes, no problem. Probably 50 times over the past five years (I'm fickle...).

My mind tells me that a distracted USPS clerk pulled the wrong box, failed to follow the procedure that would have identified the error and corrected it, and handed my guitar over to someone who walked in without a preconceived thought of committing fraud. Just there to retrieve a package.

Perhaps they saw "Gibson" on the box and read "money". I'll bet they were surprised to find a Guild inside, one with very distinctive weather-checking.

I would not be the least surprised to see the F-50R on Craigslist, eBay, or at the local pawn shop within a week or two.
 
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Westerly Wood

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I would not be the least surprised to see the F-50R on Craigslist, eBay, or at the local pawn shop within a week or two.

my guess too. lots of players in charlottesville. i bet if you put word out at that open mic you run or attend, many eyes will be on lookout for it.
 
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Well that just sucks! I guess it goes without saying that we are issuing an APB, thru LTG, to be on the lookout for this guitar!
When I get home I will try to re-post the pics I had posted on the other thread....I guess I should use something other than PB tho.
 

gjmalcyon

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I've never sold & shipped a guitar, just sold locally or traded. But if I were to ship, I'd try to find a plain box, rather than a Gibson, Martin, Taylor, etc box. Harder to find I'm sure, but Musician's Friend uses them all the time, so they're available somewhere. If you ever buy a case from them, the box will be plain & can be saved for future use.


Uline has them.
 
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I went back out to the local post office this afternoon for Round 2. The supervisor took a much more conciliatory tone with me, acknowledging that someone at USPS goofed, and that USPS will do whatever is necessary to compensate me for my monetary loss. I will know more about what that means, exactly, by COB today.

Meanwhile, whomever has the guitar has not returned it. If it hasn't been returned by now, 3 days later, it probably isn't going to be. It will be up to USPS to decide what they want to do about that.

Sorry, Retro! I think that F-50R is gone with the wind.

"GOOFED"??? Only YOU had the slip to show them...so whoever received the box had to show...something...to even be handed the box in the first place. Then...they had to "show" I.D.? Just show, or does it get scanned? And when the P.O. releases an item...is it not noted somehow? Too weird! Sounds like an inside job! Someone at the P.O. has a nice guitar at home...or one of their friends do. There has to be SOME kind of accountability...right? I mean, this is the U.S. government!
 

merlin6666

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My mind tells me that a distracted USPS clerk pulled the wrong box, failed to follow the procedure that would have identified the error and corrected it, and handed my guitar over to someone who walked in without a preconceived thought of committing fraud. Just there to retrieve a package.

Sorry to hear about this, this is a very stressful situation and I hope you can play some good guitar to unwind. As for this scenario, it would be a case of mistaken identity where they came in to pick up a package and walked out with something else. So what happened to the parcel they initially wanted to pick up? Do they keep their slip and get to go in next day to retrieve it or is it still in the post office? Maybe it's a brand new Gibson .... one would hope that the USPS has some technology and resources to track this down.

Well maybe not ... in Feb. I ordered a guitar stand from a Canadian retailer. It didn't come for several weeks, and when I called they figured out that it was stuck with a whole shipment of stuff at the border from US ... because some of the items of that shipment contained rosewood! So another few weeks go by and I call again - they say it has been shipped and delivered! So I say not to me and after two days of investigation they figure it was delivered to someone in a different part of the country, but can't exactly tell who. Anyway, I got my stand sometime in June, and it was the wrong model but I kept it anyway, was getting tired of the hassles.
 
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