This has to be a record ($$$) for shipping a guitar

[silverfox103]

Just sold my Mark IV Pearwood on Reverb. On my listing I said shipping to Continental US only. Well the first to respond was a fellow from Hawaii; real nice guy, really interested. He asked about shipping, so I found out. He said as long as it wasn't ridiculous he's OK. Next day....$811, 2nd day....$545, and ground....$330.

I gave him the bad news, knowing that this person appreciates this guitar, I told him I would drop the price $100. He replied you don't have to do that. I thought that was real nice of him. He didn't like the sound of "ground" UPS, as it's 6 thousand miles from NH to HI. He chose 2nd day for $545 without batting an eye. You could have knocked me over with a feather.

He said that he expected it to be that. I guess that's the price you have to pay living on an island, in paradise.

Tom

 

[chazmo]

Wow!!!!!!!!!

 

[Stuball48]

Congrats on the sell. Lots of folks got 545 not many with Mark IV Pearwood.

 

[F312]

Yeah, lots of people have the cash but are usually cheap as hell.

 

[HeyMikey]

Wow, that’s nuts!

 

[fronobulax]

It fits the stories I've heard from residents of Hawaii. If you want it on the Island, you pay to get it there.

Works in reverse, too. A couple of Hawaiian breweries that distribute on the mainland actually brew and bottle in the continental US because the cost of shipping bottles or even kegs, raises the price too much to be competitive.

 

[GGJaguar]

Might have been cheaper to buy a one-way airplane ticket for the guitar to fly there.

 

[davismanLV]

Tom, somehow shipping "ground" to Hawaii sounds funny to me. What kinda truck do they use?

 

[GAD]

Yeah anyone on HI knows it costs to get things there. When we were there in '95 a gallon of milk was $8 and I think the NY Times was $5.

Though not applicable for guitars, when it comes to smaller items this is where the USPS shines. Since HI is a US state, and Priority flat-rate is flat-rate to the 50 states, if you can cram it into one of those flat-rate boxes the savings are often huge.

 

[richardp69]

Hmmmm. I shipped an acoustic to Hawaii a few years back and I was surprised at how low cost it was. Under $100 if I remember right. I was using USPS at that time.

$500+ is outrageous in my mind for shipping to Hawaii.

 

[AcornHouse]

… Since HI is a US state, and Priority flat-rate is flat-rate to the 50 states, if you can cram it into one of those flat-rate boxes the savings are often huge.

Well, you COULD have gotten it in one of those flat-rate boxes.

Might have needed a setup when it arrived.

 

[silverfox103]

Might have been cheaper to buy a one-way airplane ticket for the guitar to fly there.

I had the same thought, only I think I could have bought a round trip for that and stayed there for a week.

 

[silverfox103]

Tom, somehow shipping "ground" to Hawaii sounds funny to me. What kinda truck do they use?

It does Tom, to get there in two days, it's on the airplane the whole time. I think that's what bothered the new owner, it just didn't sound right.

 

[silverfox103]

Yeah anyone on HI knows it costs to get things there. When we were there in '95 a gallon of milk was $8 and I think the NY Times was $5.

Though not applicable for guitars, when it comes to smaller items this is where the USPS shines. Since HI is a US state, and Priority flat-rate is flat-rate to the 50 states, if you can cram it into one of those flat-rate boxes the savings are often huge.

Actually I checked with the USPS, and there rates are right there with UPS.

 

[silverfox103]

Well, you COULD have gotten it in one of those flat-rate boxes.

Might have needed a setup when it arrived.

I should have checked on the price of a shipping container.

Tom

 

[richardp69]

Well, you COULD have gotten it in one of those flat-rate boxes.

Might have needed a setup when it arrived.

Nope, regular guitar box

 

[silverfox103]

I'm also into old Cadillac Fleetwoods. Every once in-a-while, I sell stuff to Eastern Europeans. You send stuff to NJ someplace and they send it over there by shipping containers. But it won't get there in 2 days.

 

[MartyG]

I sold a vintage Weber grill from the early 60s to a collector in Austria. Big box! USPS did it for $150. I was shocked. Got there in good shape pretty quickly. I live in PA, and it would have cost more to send it to my son in California.

Marty

 

[davismanLV]

In Hawaii if you're local and show ID, you get a discounted rate. It's still expensive but milk and groceries are discounted for locals. Still WAY more than on the mainland. If you're visiting and not an island resident, you pay a huge premium.

 

[twocorgis]

Almost bought a guitar from a guy in Hawaii recently (long story), and USPS is by far the best shipping option. $148 for a guitar sized box via Priority Mail 4-6 day service. Not bad when you consider it was going literally halfway around the world!