Unofficial Taylor Guitar Forum - UTGF
Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Lessons, Recordings, How Tos, Repair, Accessories => Topic started by: darylcrisp on December 30, 2011, 05:43:18 PM
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a forum member and i traded guitars. I was shipping my GC Taylor-in the Taylor box-thru my local USPS which is always a fine place, and i've had excellent pricing and shipping with them over the last few years.
I inquire on cost of overnite and 2-3 day(which usually means 4-5 days). also there would be $2300 insurance. I knew the taylor box came in 1 inch "under" the 108" oversize upcharge, but while packing it, i had opportunity to cut the top down 1 more inch-it just made everything snug. I do a good job cutting and folded all edges with a 48" straight edge so everything looked and worked "factory".
So "dora" helps me. she's a young very efficient worker there. she measures, and i tell her the actual measurement as she's doing it. all of a sudden she says "$29 shipping but it will carry an upcharge for oversize and the insurance is......................"
I stall for a moment and ask if the 108" measure has been changed. she said no. i told her the box in its original size is 47x8x21-but now was 46x8x21. she balks and says its still oversize. i calmly ask her to remeasure and plug it all back in. she hurriedly does the measure and enters her original measurements and tells me it is the same-so the cost is over $100 without insurance(both ways-overnite or 2-3 day). i see i am hanging at the end of the rope with no help here so i request her other work partner to help us. he appears, listens to my story, looks at her and says the Taylor boxes are undersize, he measures it, comes up with the specs i offered at first and the total shipping with insurance ended up being $54.
so be careful out there, if you know you are correct and are facing a wall, request another aid.
d
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Wow...good call trimming it 1 inch shorter...just to be on the safe side... ;D
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Daryl, you are lucky you were there and were able to get someone to re measure the box, I can't tell you how many time UPS nailed is for added charges based on their measurements. Good for you man!
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i'm glad that everything worked out for you, d :)
some of the shipping places i've seen use a fabric seamstress tape measure,
which is not always stretched taught, especially on a box close to 4 ft in length &
i've found that any fraction of an inch over, they round up to the full number ???
i'm not sure if i brought one of these along if it would have helped or been disallowed
http://www.lixertools.com/helpful-hints.html (http://www.lixertools.com/helpful-hints.html)
also, if the box i had was 'used' (which was nearly always the case), if there were
any visible creases or it appeared to be 'altered', the CSR would say that declared
value would not cover any damage or loss because the item was 'improperly packaged' :o
if the supervisor wouldn't budge, i'd have to exit ('have a nice day') & try again elsewhere :P
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i'm not sure if i brought one of these along if it would have helped or been disallowed
http://www.lixertools.com/helpful-hints.html (http://www.lixertools.com/helpful-hints.html)
That is a slick device! I've never seen one, but I'm pretty sure I need it.
st