Fedex Breaks another one.

bern1 said:

After having seen similar damage I revised the way I now pack amps. It's a lot of work, but seems ok so far...(keeping fingers crossed.)

What I do is remove the tubes, then stuff the entire cavity with bubble wrap. If it's a combo I also stuff bubble wrap everywhere around the speakers and use a piece of heavy cardboard or 3/8" plywood piece to cover any open back areas, giving the bubble wrap nowhere to go.

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It's best to remove speakers and pack & ship them separately, isn't it? I got a '55 Deluxe that had a damaged speaker when it arrived. I worked when it was boxed up.

There should probably be a separate thread about what I am going to tell you but the absolute MAX that FEDEX will insure any musical related item including guitars and amps is now $1000 effective June 1, 2015. If you want to check this out go to a FEDEX counter and ask them. I know this cause I actually tried to ship a guitar worth $9000 with them and they rejected it at the counter when the clerk saw my declared insurance value on the shipping label. Which raises another question. I have a FedEx account so I simply fill out the label by hand with a pen and then in almost all cases just drop it off at the FedEx counter and leave. Sometimes I will wait for them to key in the information into the system from the hand written label and get a receipt and sometimes I don't.

However here was the key question I recently asked them. When I fill out the label and write in the insured value if the clerk doesn't know any better and accepts the shipment on a high value guitar what were to happen if it were to break? Several FedEx agents told me that they would deny the claim and state the max value they will pay is $1000 no matter what amount you write in for the insurance.

The insurance option isn't worth a bean IMO. If you ship regularly it's cheaper to buy a separate insurance policy.

A friend had a 59 ES-355 arrive from Germany in two pieces. Fed Ex claimed it wasn't packed sufficiently. When he produced photographic evidence to prove it was packed sufficiently, they claimed it was overpacked.

I always pack my stuff to be bomb proof and Fed Ex are the only company to still manage to wreck stuff I've shipped. I had a reissue AC30 that arrived with both magnets off the alnico's rolling around in the back of the box. Fed Ex refused to compensate me claiming it wasn't packed sufficiently. When I pointed out that it was double boxed in two of the manufacturers dedicated shipping cartons, they eventually admitted that EVERY package that goes through their hubs must be able to withstand a drop of 1 metre as they use conveyor belts and stuff occasionally falls off. If you drop a 40 kilo amp from one metre high, it's gonna get damaged. I've had a Travis Bean shipped to me from Sweden with Fed Ex and it arrived with the fingerboard separated from the neck. I shipped an absolute killer mint TV Front 1959 Vox AC15 to California last year on the buyer's Fed Ex account and he received it in pieces with knobs broken, wood splintered, bolts sheared off and the chassis all bent.........

class5lp said:

Several FedEx agents told me that they would deny the claim and state the max value they will pay is $1000 no matter what amount you write in for the insurance.

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If you ship using the shippers own standard "declared value" policy you will end up without full restitution of the claim much of the time on expensive guitars. No news to anyone who has shipped more than a few guitars. I have shipped more guitars than the law allows and for decades and I have lived this a few times. The last time I ever "collected a claim" was in the early 1990's on mint vintage Fender amp that I purchased from Southworth. The amp had been very poorly packed IMO. When it was delivered it had clearly visible damage on the outside of the box. The delivery person even signed the receipt stating this damage was present.

Most of the "new guitar" authorized dealers that I have talked to have "separate policies / arrangements" for shipping insurance, apart from the standard shipping company "declared value" policies, that cover their losses in shipping. I think the people that get hit the most by loss with the standard shipping company policies are people shipping as consumers (like me) or the increasingly prevalent "home or very small business/hobby like" dealers that might still try to rely on the shippers policies.

Last year, UPS damaged a guitar of mine that I shipped out and I had to fight their Crawford Adjustment firm tooth and nail. I finally recouped some dollars through UPS customer service but not as part of my claim. And it took a year!

I don't ship guitars any more. I drive them. If I receive them from a dealer it is a dealer that has their own insurance policy apart from the standard policy of shipping company. Damaged gear is the biggest drag!

Others may have differing views, but now you have mine.

ouch..

This happened to me a couple years ago. But not with a amp this cool.

If something breaks they are complete jerks about the claim. Also I noticed that ups wont insure stuff unless you buy the box from them. Also the shipping to rural areas has increased over 100 %

class5lp said:

There should probably be a separate thread about what I am going to tell you but the absolute MAX that FEDEX will insure any musical related item including guitars and amps is now $1000 effective June 1, 2015. If you want to check this out go to a FEDEX counter and ask them. I know this cause I actually tried to ship a guitar worth $9000 with them and they rejected it at the counter when the clerk saw my declared insurance value on the shipping label. Which raises another question. I have a FedEx account so I simply fill out the label by hand with a pen and then in almost all cases just drop it off at the FedEx counter and leave. Sometimes I will wait for them to key in the information into the system from the hand written label and get a receipt and sometimes I don't.

However here was the key question I recently asked them. When I fill out the label and write in the insured value if the clerk doesn't know any better and accepts the shipment on a high value guitar what were to happen if it were to break? Several FedEx agents told me that they would deny the claim and state the max value they will pay is $1000 no matter what amount you write in for the insurance.

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That FedEx maximum declared value liability of $1000 is incorrect and only applies to guitars & musical instruments that are more than 20 years old and customized/personalized instruments. Otherwise, the FedEx maximum declared value liability is $50,000 per package. If no declared value is placed on the item then FedEx assumes a maximum declared value of $100 per package. Also, FedEx makes it clear that this is not insurance, but the declared value amount is what FedEx is liable for if your item is damaged, lost or stolen while in their possession.

In my experience, the clerks (and managers) working at FedEx drop-off centers are completely clueless about this. Also, I was told by the manager at my local FedEx center that FedEx holds that center to a degree of liability for any package they check into the system. That's why some centers often deny high shipping values being placed on things like musical instruments, and/or ask to tear open and inspect your package that you just spent an hour or more on to pack.

Solution: open your own FedEx account, document your shipment online with the correct declared value, and print/attach your own labels BEFORE taking it to the shipping center. Then all the shipping center does is scan the package in and you leave. No more dealing with the centers policies, or misinformed clerks behind the counter because the centers liability is released as the package is already in the FedEx system.

Here are the FedEx terms on this as of July 2015 (see #12 below):


Declared Value and Limits of Liability (Not Insurance Coverage)–


A.FedEx Ground liability with regard to any package is limited to the sum of $100 unless a higher value is declared at time of tender and a greater charge paid as provided in the FedEx Service Guide.
B.The declared value of any package represents our maximum liability in connection with a package, including, but not limited to, any loss, damage, delay, misdelivery, nondelivery, misinformation, any failure to provide information, or misdelivery of information. Exposure to and risk of any loss in excess of the declared value is either assumed by the shipper or transferred by the shipper to an insurance carrier through the purchase of an insurance policy. The shipper should contact an insurance agent or broker if insurance coverage is desired. FEDEX GROUND DOES NOT PROVIDE INSURANCE COVERAGE OF ANY KIND.
C.In cases where the shipper declares or agrees in writing that the property being shipped is released to a value exceeding $100 per package or article not enclosed in a package, an additional charge for each $100 or fraction thereof of total valuation will be assessed to which the base rate applies, up to a maximum declared value of $50,000 per package.
D.Packages containing all or part of the following items are limited to a maximum declared value of $1,000: 1.Artwork, including any work created or developed by the application of skill, taste or creative talent for sale, display or collection. This includes, but is not limited to, items (and their parts) such as paintings, drawings, vases, tapestries, limited-edition prints, fine art, statuary, sculpture and collector's items.
2.Film, photographic images (including photographic negatives), photographic chromes and photographic slides.
3.Any commodity that by its inherent nature is particularly susceptible to damage or the market value of which is particularly variable or difficult to ascertain.
4.Antiques, or any commodity that exhibits the style or fashion of a past era and whose history, age or rarity contributes to its value. These items include, but are not limited to, furniture, tableware and glassware.
5.Collector's items such as coins, stamps, sports cards, souvenirs and memorabilia.
6.Glassware, including, but not limited to, signs, mirrors, ceramics, porcelains, china, crystal, glass, framed glass and any other commodity with similarly fragile qualities.
7.Plasma screens.
8.Jewelry, including, but not limited to, costume jewelry, watches and their parts, mount gems or stones (precious or semiprecious), industrial diamonds, and jewelry made of precious metal.
9.Furs, including, but not limited to, fur clothing, fur-trimmed clothing and fur pelts.
10.Precious metals, including, but not limited to, gold and silver bullion or dust, precipitates or platinum (except as an integral part of electronic machinery).
11.Stocks, bonds, cash letters or cash equivalents, including, but not limited to, food stamps, postage stamps (not collectible), traveler's checks, lottery tickets, money orders, gift cards and gift certificates, prepaid calling cards (excluding those that require a code for activation), bond coupons, and bearer bonds.
12.Guitars and other musical instruments that are more than 20 years old, and customized or personalized musical instruments.
13.Packages returned through the FedEx Ground Package Returns Program (PRP). See the Return Options section.
14.Scale models (including, but not limited to, architectural models and dollhouses) and prototypes.

E.ANY EFFORT TO DECLARE A VALUE IN EXCESS OF THE MAXIMUMS ALLOWED IN THE FEDEX SERVICE GUIDE IS NULL AND VOID. OUR ACCEPTANCE FOR CARRIAGE OF ANY PACKAGE BEARING A DECLARED VALUE IN EXCESS OF THE ALLOWED MAXIMUMS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A WAIVER OF ANY PROVISION OF THE FEDEX SERVICE GUIDE AS TO SUCH PACKAGE.
F.REGARDLESS OF THE DECLARED VALUE OF A PACKAGE, OUR LIABILITY FOR LOSS, DAMAGE, DELAY, MISDELIVERY, NONDELIVERY, MISINFORMATION, ANY FAILURE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, OR MISDELIVERY OF INFORMATION, WILL NOT EXCEED ITS REPAIR COST, ITS DEPRECIATED VALUE OR ITS REPLACEMENT COST, WHICHEVER IS LESS.

I count my blessings each time i ship an amp or guitar and they arrive safely. I've been using USPS lately and have had good luck. Just shipped a 64 Vibroverb from NC to UT with zero issues.

I bought two Hiwatt heads in Europe once via UPS and then by some UK courier and luckilly they came to me undamaged. But i was really nervous during the shipping time. No problems with USPS too. And no shipping damage with guitars too (dozens of them), i perhaps have really luck.

Have shipped FEDEX and UPS for 3 yrs when buying Vintage gear Worldwide for my friends Studio and my personal collection. Even from the backwoods of Kentucky a '59 Tweed Deluxe where the guy had never shipped before and I had to explain how to fill out the shipping docs. Never once had a damaged item.

All came FEDEX International Air to Australia. Vintage Plexi's , lots of Tweeds , BF, Hiwatt , Vintage Neumann mics , pre's , Radar Consols at $80,000 from a studio in Switzerland , Vintage '50s Jensen speakers, Celestion Greenbacks, lot of high end and vintage Gibson electric and acoustics, Martin.

Even had a '66 BFSR and a '68 50w Plexi arrive packed in nothing other than corrugated cardboard from the US and Essex UK :dang

From Europe DHL were used via Transglobal Express Liverpool (Brilliant Shipping Agent).

Must have been lucky ?

Wally said:

IF that amp was dropped hard enough for the PT to be torn out of its mounting, then the box would have shown massive damage, imho. another tip......as I understand it, there was a time when Fender shipped new amps upside down. (;^)
I have shipped quite a few amps and have never had any problems with UPS, Fed EX, or USPS. I spend a lot of time boxing them up.
And....+1 with Don on the condition of the am p before boxing and the packaging for shipment. There 4 bolts that hold that PT in. IF I were looking at that TWin, I would want to inspect all four of the mounts. IF they are not all torn out, the the PT was NOT properly mounted when it was boxed up. And...not only would the box show massive damage, one would be lucky if the cab was still solid.

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joe's new tweed twins ship out upside down. i cant see the pic but if its a tweed twin that transformer is huge! although in my my opinion the real weak point with the high power twins is the whole chassis is hanging on 3 screws! all of that weight hanging on a pine board.
i have had some bad luck with u.p.s. and amps. one time i recieved a blackface twin and had an arm in a cast so the nice u.p.s. lady offered to set it in my truck, she set it in upright then took her hand and tipped it over in the bed ........ i got home of course the baffle was in pieces speakers laying in there. another black concert showed up just destroyed broken tubes broken baffle etc. they paid me for the money i had spent on the amp and let me keep it which was not to bad because it wasnt straight up and i bought it for parts anyway ... but still. i hope i wont be seeing anymore amp shipments