discreet Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1406227047' post='2509605'] You could detach the neck, and really go to town with bubble wrap, use a large, deep, rectangular box. [/quote] Neck-off is the way to go. A lot easier to protect two bits of wood rather than a strung musical instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1406225930' post='2509590'] I have had a good few dealings with DPD recently I have to say I have been impressed with their service and their excellent communication, I have not had anything go wrong so far so I don't know how they would be with a claim [/quote] I've had nothing but bad experiences with DPD and another bad experience today. I spent 40 minutes on the phone to them yesterday trying to arrange the collection of a computer for service. Eventually got a booking for a collection between 09.00 and 17.30 today. I sat in the front room all day. They didn't turn up. Except they claim they had tried to collect. Booked again for tomorrow. I'll let you know if they bother to turn up this time. Edited July 31, 2014 by EssentialTension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1406208201' post='2509325'] I've had things delivered by DPD, they do seem to be rather good, it's nice to know when to expect them, they send a text message on the day of delivery giving a time frame of when to expect them, you can change this if it's not suitable. [/quote] See my story about DPD above. No message, no collection, no service. [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1406208201' post='2509325'] Don't use Parcelforce, as mentioned earlier, they'll take your money for the insurance, but they don't cover musical instruments. [/quote] I've used Parcelforce many times and never had any problem except one late delivery for which I got my money back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Well, he claimed to have rung the bell but we were too clever for him and Mrs ET caught the DPD man as he was about to drive off and forced him to collect our parcel. So, no thanks to DPD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1406841740' post='2515312'] See my story about DPD above. No message, no collection, no service. I've used Parcelforce many times and never had any problem except one late delivery for which I got my money back. [/quote] Fingers crossed you never have to claim for a damaged instrument 😊. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted August 2, 2014 Share Posted August 2, 2014 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1406977744' post='2516381'] Fingers crossed you never have to claim for a damaged instrument . [/quote] That would be a standard and normal risk but, anyway, the money I've saved over the years not insuring instruments will easily cover any future losses. The point of course is that whichever courier you can name there's good and bad stories about all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofio Posted August 4, 2014 Share Posted August 4, 2014 i have used parcelforce several times and never had an issue, just do your best to pack the bass as best you can in the case so it wont move around in the case !! and then bubble wrap the case before boxing it up. and remember to loosen the strings so there is less tension on the neck for transit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 [quote name='geofio' timestamp='1407175368' post='2518085'] ... remember to loosen the strings so there is less tension on the neck for transit. [/quote] I don't get this and I would always have the bass tuned normally for transit. If you loosen the strings then the tension of the truss rod is no longer balanced by the string tension and I can't see how that is in any way advantageous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1407944243' post='2525589'] I don't get this and I would always have the bass tuned normally for transit. If you loosen the strings then the tension of the truss rod is no longer balanced by the string tension and I can't see how that is in any way advantageous. [/quote] Its because on *some* guitars---with a steep headstock angle---having the strings at full tension can make it (the headstock) more likely to snap. I suspect its more likely to be a problem with Gibson style 6-strings like Les Pauls and SGs that have notoriously fragile headstocks. Even then I'd probably only loosen them a step or two. Most bass guitars would be OK I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 [quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1407945047' post='2525608'] Its because on *some* guitars---with a steep headstock angle---having the strings at full tension can make it (the headstock) more likely to snap. I suspect its more likely to be a problem with Gibson style 6-strings like Les Pauls and SGs that have notoriously fragile headstocks. Even then I'd probably only loosen them a step or two. Most bass guitars would be OK I reckon. [/quote] OK, I get your point ... although I'm not sure I am convinced that it's the string tension that's breaking (for example) Gibson headstocks. My son broke the headstock on his Epiphone Casino by falling over drunk on the way home from a gig. I don't think loosening the strings would have made any difference. Anyway, it's stronger now that it has been fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerley Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 That would only be a problem if the guitar was rattling around and not packed properly. Any instrument I send is bubble wrapped to death and inside two boxes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 The only good courier is the one that gets your item to it's destination delivered and in one piece. I've used them all and they are all excellent, all good and all awful in probably equal measure. They all use roughly the same system of delivery included pick-up, hubs and delivery so sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. All you can do is hope and pray your item will arrive unharmed. As for the faultless courier service, i'm afraid it doesn't exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Remember that each hub is different and the problem could well be down to a particular hub for a particular courier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1407955011' post='2525770'] Remember that each hub is different and the problem could well be down to a particular hub for a particular courier. [/quote] Oh i'll remember but things don't go wrong just at the hub. As i said the process for couriers is more or less the same so sometimes it's good sevice and sometimes it's bad. There isn't one good or bad one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalMan Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Anyone used these to ship? http://www.directcouriersolutions.co.uk/product.php?id=263 Looks reasonably priced, and unlike Citylink, Parcelforce, et al seems to insure musical instruments. I have to ship a guitar for my son, who's just moved out to uni, and the last one we sent ended up with a stupid claim from the seller that the guitar arrived damaged, even though it left in perfect nick & well packaged, and the parcel arrived undamaged that we negotiated down to £10 to shut up & go away re an alleged bent tuner from a starting point of £50 for a complete new set. PITA but it got it cleared though still annoying as we had been unable to get cover for the transport and the buyer was frankly taking the piss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1407946162' post='2525628'] OK, I get your point ... although I'm not sure I am convinced that it's the string tension that's breaking (for example) Gibson headstocks. My son broke the headstock on his Epiphone Casino by falling over drunk on the way home from a gig. I don't think loosening the strings would have made any difference. Anyway, it's stronger now that it has been fixed. [/quote] I must have seen well over 2500 Gibson and/or Epiphones that have been shipped in either a hardcase, gigbag or just a cardboard box and not one of them has turned up with the strings loosened right off or with any damage to the headstock. I'm pretty sure if there were any proven benefits to loosening the strings off completely for transit, all of the big instrument manufacturers (Fender, Gibson, Martin, Taylor etc) would do it as standard practice but not one of them does IME... Seems like a worse idea to take the balancing tension of the strings out of the equation if you expect an impact of force. It'd be like removing the seatbelt from your car to stop it counteracting the movement of your body if you're expecting to crash! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Bugger. For some reason Interparcel won't deliver my bass from UK Mainland to Northern Ireland. Don't know why. Any ideas, recommendations for a courier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1424004084' post='2691364'] Bugger. For some reason Interparcel won't deliver my bass from UK Mainland to Northern Ireland. Don't know why. Any ideas, recommendations for a courier? [/quote]http://www.directcouriersolutions.co.uk/product.php?id=263 sent about 10 basses with these guys and been very happy and they will post to NI it costs an extra tenner though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 [quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1424004523' post='2691374'] [url="http://www.directcouriersolutions.co.uk/product.php?id=263"]http://www.directcou...duct.php?id=263[/url] sent about 10 basses with these guys and been very happy and they will post to NI it costs an extra tenner though [/quote] Thank you! I'll check em out now. Greatly appreciated mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1424005621' post='2691396'] Thank you! I'll check em out now. Greatly appreciated mate. [/quote] no worries they are really helpful on the phone to whenever I have had any questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ancient Mariner Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Alternatively try www.wedelivertheworld.com - used them in the past for shipping instruments without trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moos3h Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I always loosen the strings off - not because of any other reason than I've seen instances where the guitars have been thrown around so much that if they land face-down, the strings actual press into the frets or fretboard. Granted, not really on bass but have seen it 4-5 times on guitars I've bought, so I err on the side of caution and (touch wood) have not had any problems. Cheers, James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 [quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1424006435' post='2691410'] no worries they are really helpful on the phone to whenever I have had any questions [/quote] All good so far mate. Thanks very much for the recommendation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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