West R Lee
Venerated Member
fearless said:
Oh ok, in fact, it seems like a remember a thread here discussing shipping to Australia and something about it being a bit different.
West
Shipping Internationally
- Thread starter chazmo
- Start date
Oh ok, in fact, it seems like a remember a thread here discussing shipping to Australia and something about it being a bit different.
West
Frosty
Senior Member
Maybe this is what I encountered regarding insurance, depends upon destination.
http://www.usps.com/prices/international-insurance-prices.htm
Global Express Guaranteed Insurance Prices
Insurance covering up to $100 for loss, damage, missing contents or document reconstruction is included at no additional charge for almost all network destinations. You can purchase additional insurance for an additional $1.00 per $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $2,499 per shipment. Destination-specific limitations may apply
http://www.usps.com/prices/international-insurance-prices.htm
Global Express Guaranteed Insurance Prices
Insurance covering up to $100 for loss, damage, missing contents or document reconstruction is included at no additional charge for almost all network destinations. You can purchase additional insurance for an additional $1.00 per $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $2,499 per shipment. Destination-specific limitations may apply
I've had good luck with USPS, most recently shipping a guitar to Finland. Aside from a relatively reasonable cost, their website is quite helpful on dimensions and weight, for estimating cost. In fact, I knew the guitar box was legal while the first postal clerk did not ... it got measured and checked, then they realized it was legal.
The insurance limit is allegedly 800. In practice, the last time I shipped, it was 650 bucks. Rather confusing. Don't count on the 800 bucks limit promised by the website.
It did take 10 days. More important, never had damage shipping or receiving via USPS. Can't say that for UPS or Fedex.
MD
The insurance limit is allegedly 800. In practice, the last time I shipped, it was 650 bucks. Rather confusing. Don't count on the 800 bucks limit promised by the website.
It did take 10 days. More important, never had damage shipping or receiving via USPS. Can't say that for UPS or Fedex.
MD
OK, about to make my trip to the post office to see if I can work this out.
Box is too big. I have to cut 3 inches off of it. It's currently at 50" and I had extended it to give proper cushioning between the case and the box. Anyway, losing those 3" is going to leave little (if any) padding between the case and the box, but so be it. I'll keep you guys posted.
The price and the forms were completely reasonable at the P.O., so thanks for the redirect, folks!
The price and the forms were completely reasonable at the P.O., so thanks for the redirect, folks!
GuildFS4612CE
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The bottom end of the box, the heavy end, is mostly likely where it would land if there were a mishap. As long as you stuff crumpled paper or whatever on both sides between the neck of the shaped case and the box to keep it from shifting in the box...less padding between the top of the guitar case and the box is not usually an issue. And you can write 'fragile, this end up' on both sides at the top.
The Guilds of Grot
Enlightened Member
Ahh Jane!
Always the voice of wisdom and reason!
Always the voice of wisdom and reason!
That's exactly what I'm planning to do. I'm just not sure if the height of the case just makes it impossible to hack off 3". The Hoboken case I packed it might be more than 47" long. I might have to tilt the case in the box, and that is really not good.GuildFS4612CE said:
GuildFS4612CE said:
Jane, I'm a little cynical I guess, but I always thought the gorillas at USPS/Fedex/UPS would take that as a challenge. :lol:
Chazmo said:
Chaz, I got the JF65 that I sold to SouthernGuild to fit nicely in a 48x21x9 box. Will the USPS not allow 48"? Also, if your case is anything like my F50R or the JF65, it's a very tight fit, and the guitar won't move around at all inside. Also, I'd try to pull the end pin if you can. Best of luck.
GuildFS4612CE
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Some of the gorillas are aspiring rock stars...
It doesn't matter if the case is on an angle in the box...really. What is important is that the empty spaces are stuffed so the case is immobilized in the outer box. The outer box is just to keep the inner case from getting scuffed in shipping...think about it...it's CARDBOARD...if somebody runs over it with an 18 wheeler... :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:
It doesn't matter if the case is on an angle in the box...really. What is important is that the empty spaces are stuffed so the case is immobilized in the outer box. The outer box is just to keep the inner case from getting scuffed in shipping...think about it...it's CARDBOARD...if somebody runs over it with an 18 wheeler... :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:
The Guilds of Grot
Enlightened Member
See!
West R Lee
Venerated Member
Chaz, just a suggestion, but it's what I do. Go to your nearest Taylor dealer and get a Taylor box. The ones I've used are sturdy, but light. They have a light plastic reinforcement for the bottom and top of the case that holds the guitar case very securely in the box but gives a bit to absorb shock, and best of all, they're free and fit USPS's international shipping dimension requirements .
West
West
The Guild box was 40something x 21" x 11". I re-did the length to about 50" originally. I have to cut that back to 47". I'll probably do it tomorrow night as I'm too exhausted to screw with it tonight.
West R Lee
Venerated Member
Chazmo said:
I tried to send one somewhere onetime and ran into the same thing Chaz.....had to find a box that worked. That's when I first tried the Taylor dealer.
West
What Chazmo is struggling with: Global (they mean 'International') size limits:
I spent a lot of time wandering around USPS's site looking to see whether Express/Priority/Parcel Post classes of service had the same restrictions; I didn't find anything ... doesn't mean they aren't there ... only that I didn't find them.
My impression is that provided the contents aren't biological or nuclear, I think they measure v. the 108" standard for purposes of determining whether there's an upcharge for being 'oversize'. That is domestically, they don't really care how big it is other than if it exceeds 108", you pay more ... unlike International where they refuse to accept it if it exceeds the standards.
Can't say this is true for sure ... couldn't find anything one way or the other at USPS.com.
I spent a lot of time wandering around USPS's site looking to see whether Express/Priority/Parcel Post classes of service had the same restrictions; I didn't find anything ... doesn't mean they aren't there ... only that I didn't find them.
My impression is that provided the contents aren't biological or nuclear, I think they measure v. the 108" standard for purposes of determining whether there's an upcharge for being 'oversize'. That is domestically, they don't really care how big it is other than if it exceeds 108", you pay more ... unlike International where they refuse to accept it if it exceeds the standards.
Can't say this is true for sure ... couldn't find anything one way or the other at USPS.com.
Frosty
Senior Member
I think it's more than that. A properly sized carton also provides a "crumble zone". All these cartons, whether they contain guitars or bricks, are swept into sorting facilities with conveyor belts and employees who might be having a bad day. As those cartons get jostled and pushed along, a buffer is an asset!
Yup; provides 'deflection' ... the amount that a side or end can be pushed in before hitting the goods. The Posties like to see lots of it because it gives them (and the sender) more margin for error ... clumsiness ... ineptitude. Sometimes you'll see the Posties put a hand on each side of the carton and push in ... they're looking to see that margin.Frosty said:
I sent a G312 to my buyer; sent it in the box it was sent to me in. It was a snug fit ... no deflection at ends or sides. It got there safely and survived the usual scuffing and bumping ... it wouldn't have survived a point blow like a hit from a fork on a forklift (see Curt's pic of broken guitar in 'Nitro' thread and Coastie's shattered T1 RVT).
Had my box been large enough to provide 2" of deflection all around, it wouldn't have gotten under the 108" limit and been deemed 'oversized' and cost more to ship. The added crumble zone is a form of insurance; it increases the cost of shipping by increasing the volume ... one of the elements that governs fees; that and weight, distance, and class of service. Of course, once you've paid insurance in the form of up-sizing the box, you pay insurance again on the goods ... you can run ... but you can't hide.
John, thanks for posting this! Do you guys understand what this 108" actually means? Clearly that's not a volume (cubic) measurement... I think it means the "girth" of the base plus the height... girth would be 2 x length + 2 x width. Is that right? I know the guy at the post office used a tape measure which he wrapped around the the "base" of the box.capnjuan said:What Chazmo is struggling with: Global (they mean 'International') size limits:
I spent a lot of time wandering around USPS's site looking to see whether Express/Priority/Parcel Post classes of service had the same restrictions; I didn't find anything ... doesn't mean they aren't there ... only that I didn't find them.
My impression is that provided the contents aren't biological or nuclear, I think they measure v. the 108" standard for purposes of determining whether there's an upcharge for being 'oversize'. That is domestically, they don't really care how big it is other than if it exceeds 108", you pay more ... unlike International where they refuse to accept it if it exceeds the standards.
Can't say this is true for sure ... couldn't find anything one way or the other at USPS.com.
In any case, 46" max for the length dimension is worse than I thought. I don't know if this is going to work.
Chazmo said:
In fairness to the USPS, they try very hard to get their standards up so people can access them.
In fairness to the people, it'd be nice if they were crystal clear.
This is kind of a cop out but my suggestion would be - with the linked page up on your PC - to call you local USPO and ask them specifically what they mean. Also, is the 108" limit absolute or does it mean that, if exceeded, published rates are off the table and up-charges apply?