Members JimboJ Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 The UPS Store near me carries one size box for shipping guitars - the big ones that your would use to ship an acoustic guitar in a case. And coincidentally, that box is over the size limit where the shipping price goes up drastically. It costs around $60 just to ship a guitar across country in one of those boxes, and that's if you pack it yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Radar-Love Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 did i mention that i packed the guitar myself? it cost me roughly $63 to ship a Telecaster from Kansas to Virgina to fellow forumite mr goodbomb... ridiculous... Another thing to remember, always go to a UPS station to ship your parcels via UPS (not a UPS Store -- which is a *franchised* retail business). The UPS Store will upcharge all shipping. The UPS Store chain is all about convenience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bbreaker Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Operating costs go up and companies need to make money.If it bugs you that much, drive the guitar to it's next home yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tweak'd Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Just running it through one of the UPS stores cost you more on freight. The cheapest is to pack yourself and take it directly to a UPS staffed location for shipment. I switched to FedEx Ground years ago, because they sometimes ran earlier than projected on delivery and they cost less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jhorne Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 You can also save money by creating your own online shipping account. FedEx gives you a discount for doing this and all you have to do is measure and weigh the package and print your own label. I think it gets you 8% off their normal rate, but I'm not 100% sure on that. And you know immediately how much it is going to cost instead of just getting an estimate. I'm pretty sure you can do the same with UPS and USPS if you don't like FedEx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TraumaRN Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 All shipping costs are high these days. I'm sure the days of "Free Shipping" by alot of online retailers will soon come to an end as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diceman1000 Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Another thing to remember, always go to a UPS station to ship your parcels via UPS (not a UPS Store -- which is a *franchised* retail business). The UPS Store will upcharge all shipping. The UPS Store chain is all about convenience. oh yeah, i figured that out when i went to return my Dish Network equipment with the provided shipping cartons and labels and the jerk STILL charged me:mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueSky1963 Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Rule #1: Any time you buy a guitar online from MF, Sweetwater, or Sam Ash - ALWAYS SAVE THE BOX! I don't care how much your Wife/GF/SO/Ol' Lady/Bitch/Mom complains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vantango84 Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 No lie, the UPS store charged me $80 to ship a Flying V in a case one time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cbh5150 Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Sorry, but I've used every service under the sun to ship guitars and other items, and $71 packed for UPS Ground is horrendous. As was stated before, the UPS Stores really try to nail you on packing charges, then when they use the oversized boxes, that jacks the total box size higher, which results in an even higher shipping charge - not to mention the weight of all the packing material they use, etc. I still use UPS, but I will pack myself and take it to a "regular" UPS depot. Sure, packing is a pain in the ass, but it's worth 15 minutes of my time, and I don't mind paying a couple of extra bucks for insurance vs. 30-40 for "packing" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Arr0wHead Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Sound like the UPS guy screwed your mom. That didn't quite come out right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flummox Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 The UPS Store near me carries one size box for shipping guitars - the big ones that your would use to ship an acoustic guitar in a case. And coincidentally, that box is over the size limit where the shipping price goes up drastically.It costs around $60 just to ship a guitar across country in one of those boxes, and that's if you pack it yourself. You can cut them down to 46 inches and they'll be under the limit. Man, guitar cartons are like gold. It's almost impossible to find boxes in that size at anything but a music store, and my local GC stopped giving them away. You can order them online, but ironically enough the shipping will kill you. I'm lucky enough to live near a company that makes them, so I can get them for about $6 apiece. They run around $10 - $15 each shipped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dr. Scottie C Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Anyway....36 posts later, and no one has mentioned that it all comes down to the gross size of the box being used. All these replies of "dude, your mom gots the peter...I just shipped Maine to Oregon for a buck fifty" mean zero. It comes down to weight & box size..... in the same week (recently) I have paid $56 to ship a guitar, and $18Both UPS GROUNDBoth Similiar Distance The difference.... One box was 22lbs, 47 inches longOne was 14lbs, 40 inches long May not seem like much, but the UPS computer, it makes a big difference. And 2nd..... UPS, Fed X, and USPS get out of paying insurance claims all the time.... If YOU have gotten an insured item paid for, you are VERY lucky......I am 1 for 6..... the 1 being a partial refund.....the 6 being a polite "GO F YOURSELF." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor49 Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 So I asked my mother to drop off one of my guitars at the UPS Store to get it packed and shipped since I was at work all day. I come home to look at the receipt and $32 for packing materials and 39.57 for shipping? WHAT THE {censored}. I've NEVER payed more than $25 to ship a guitar ANYWHERE in the US. It's only UPS Ground Commercial too. I can't help but think my mother got taken advantage of here because she doesn't know the intricacies of shipping/packing stuff. I can sort of understand the $32 for professional packing but cant believe the other charge. What would you do in my situation? I know there isnt much I can do but if anything I want a {censored}ing refund even if I have to repack the guitar myself and ship it via Fedex or USPS. BTW the guitar is only going from NY to North Carolina. I'm not opposed to causing a scene in the UPS Store. here's some ideas.1) Stuff costs more year on year - its inflation and is a fact of life.2) If you want to make a fuss, be there in person when the deal is done. 3) There is no grounds for a refund. You could try to cancel but there may be a charge for that.3) Next time, call ahead and find out what its going to cost before sending someone else to do it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soldierblue Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 If you properly quote the weight and size of the box, that's how much it costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Just use Parcel Post with DC, man. It's still $25. Sure, it'll take two weeks, but still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Further Lo Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 i shipped a guitar from ohio to cali, it was 54$ to just ship it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimboJ Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Anyway....36 posts later, and no one has mentioned that it all comes down to the gross size of the box being used. Ummmm... Did you actually read all the posts? Cause if you did, you'd know that 8 of the 36 posts mentioned the size of the box as being a factor in the high shipping charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Arr0wHead Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 You can cut them down to 46 inches and they'll be under the limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members katillac Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Rule #1: Any time you buy a guitar online from MF, Sweetwater, or Sam Ash - ALWAYS SAVE THE BOX! I don't care how much your Wife/GF/SO/Ol' Lady/Bitch/Mom complains. Amen to that, brother! I have four guitar boxes that are stashed in out-of-the-way places around the house. After I got bent over at a UPS franchise place to the tune of $90+ for shipping a bass in case about three years ago, I got smart. Selling small things on eBay also helped gain experience and knowlege. I bought a laser printer on sale for $40 (toner cartridges can cost more than that) and ordered a boatload of shipping labels from FedEx (free). I also have a USB scale ($19 shipped) for weighing smaller things, and the next time I ship a guitar, the guy at the local ship-everywhere/PO Box place will weigh it for me for a buck or two. I also have accounts with USPS, FedEx and UPS, so from there, I have the weight and package size (already had the tape measure), and I can pay for shipping online, print the label, and arrange for package pick-up, which is free if you have an account and allow them to pick it up on their schedule. Live and learn. And I've learned a lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dmc69 Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Lol try living in Canada when everything I want is located in the states. Shipping PLUS customs. Brutal Shipping + customs/HST + brokerage fees.I ALWAYS request USPS because their brokerage fee is about 10x less than the others. I paid $87 in brokerage fees to UPS once for a $175 guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 You guys have it easy, trust me. Guitars cost a fortune down in Australia so I get them shipped over. That's 200 on a good day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members craigny Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 I made that mistake once. I only use USPS now. But you have to make sure the box isn't too big so that they don't hit you with their extra fee, if they'll even take it. +1 ive used USPS twice and have had no issues thus far..i pack them myself and the prices were very reasonable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dr. Scottie C Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 So true! Why didn't any of these idiots think of that! You are so damned smart, and you clearly read in a manner so thorough as to not miss a thing. You called them idiots, but I won't argue.I'm too A.D.D to read all that bull{censored}.I just assumed that no one had mentioned gross box size or the thread would have ended. Although we love to beat a dead horse here, so I should haveknown better. I don't know which comment to the O.P. I liked better....the ones that were like "dude, did your mom lube up before the assault, I just shipped 8 Mile Road, Troit, MI to Morocco for $4.22 or the ones that were like LOOK HERE M F'er, your lazy piece of {censored} ass should have done it yourself, now go eat a plate of dicks." I loooove internet tough guys, if the O.P. was standing in front of them, they'd be like "sir, yes sir, sorry to hear that sir.".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fu2jobu Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 From UPS.com - shipment from northern NY to Southern NC residential address 22 lbs. with dims of 46 x 19 x 6 in. = $31.17 without insurance22 lbs. with dims of 50 x 19 x 6 = $33.20 without insurance so I'm not seeing the upcharge at the 47" mark that flummox spoke of. UPS Ground shipments: If the cubic size of the package in inches is 5,184 or larger, divide the cubic size by 166 to determine dimensional weight in pounds. If the cubic size in inches is less than 5,184, use the actual weight of the package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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