Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 I 'won' the auction for a Fender mustang GTX100 guitar amp over the weekend and it was sent via Evri first thing Monday morning on a 48hr service. I think Evri might have misunderstood Einstein's theory of relativity and assumed that time passes more slowly for them the slower they move, as it has just been delivered this afternoon. The seller had kept the box but had disposed of the polystyrene blocks. No idea why he couldn't have kept them in the empty box. He promised it would be well padded with bubble wrap. For some reason he thought a single layer of bubblewrap a few miscellaneous torn bits of cardboard would protect a 100W amp with a 12" speaker. There was not enough material to prevent the amp moving in the box. Luckily the amp was not dropped or thrown and it has survived the journey, so I'm happy it is now here and seems to be in perfect condition. It is a massive upgrade from my vox ADI15VT—It sounds wonderful and I can control it from my iPad. I'm most surprised at how good the built-in pedal fx sound. My Zoom MS-50G and most of the other pedals on my guitar board are now redundant. I can't believe people think a single layer of bubble wrap is sufficient to offer proper protection if it had been dropped. Not as bad though as the set-neck Les Paul style guitar I once received (also via ebay sale) which turned up wrapped in nothing but a load of cling film and a 12" square of bubble wrap. I was lucky with that one as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakester Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 (edited) I once received a cymbal sent wrapped only in black bin liner. Thankfully it survived the trip. Unlike some mugs I once bought from eBay which were sent in a taped up carrier bag. They did not survive the trip. In mitigation, the seller offered that it was her mum that packed them, not her, so it wasn't her fault? Edited June 16, 2022 by Jakester 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Horse Murphy Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 I sent my Yamaha SLB via UPS earlier this week which arrived safely yesterday. As opposed to your clowns I managed to add over 8lbs to the weight and approximately 50cms in height too. Still, at least it arrived, although the courier reminded me of Obelix with his obelisks when he took it away. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 I bought a bass of eBay a few years back, and although it had a gig bag, the seller simply wrapped the whole thing in brown paper. Miraculously, it was unscathed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 I once packed a hifi amplifier in a purpose-built wooden frame, to protect the knobs and speaker terminals. It was so snug, that when it arrived, the facia had a little crack in it. Conversely, someone in my church handed over an Ashdown Acoustic Radiator with no packaging at all - it was placed in the back of a van, naked. The amp was returned after repair, and still has the remains of the transit sticker on the side. Not so much UPS, as Oops. When I next sent the Ashdown Acoustic Radiator for repair it was in a box, face to face with a second Acoustic Radiator with spacers between them and two inches of surrounding packaging. It was only just within the 25kg weight limit . . . My dad ordered a CD player from Ebay. One box, the same size as the CD player, and a layer of corrugated cardboard. The seller seemed surprised that it did not work when it arrived: "that's how I always pack them and they have been fine before." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 If it's stupid but it works, surely it isn't stupid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted June 16, 2022 Author Share Posted June 16, 2022 1 hour ago, Bolo said: If it's stupid but it works, surely it isn't stupid? Until the time it doesn't work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 I bought an Aria STB Jazz bass on ebay. It arrived in a black bin liner and nothing else. It was only £40 but even so. I don't think it got damaged though, had a couple of tiny marks but I think they were visible in the listing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anzoid Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Bought an Ibanez SR500 off eBay a few years ago. Bass arrived rattling around in the box and the neck at a rather funny angle - could fit a couple of fingers in the neck pocket. Had been shipped ParcelForce. It went back to the seller who said he'd claim on the insurance. Didn't like to tell him he'd not have much luck there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 I bought a 15" bass driver with a HEAVY magnet and frame from a well known supplier. It arrived in a thin cardboard box with no padding, bubble wrap or protection of any kind. Thankfully, it was unscathed, so props to Royal Mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 There is an argument that any amount of packing can't prevent disaster so just enough packing that the nature of the precious thing stays obvious while protecting from rubbing is best. Doesn't apply to OP but I have been sent a few instruments in cases and not a lot else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 Semi-acoustic in OHSC case. Case wrapped in cling film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 1 hour ago, skankdelvar said: Semi-acoustic in OHSC case. Case wrapped in cling film. How much cling film? Consider yourself well served. I got a rather expensive bass from the luthier in its nondesript case, duct taped and Fragile stickers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 I once bought an empty speaker cabinet, 2 x 15, and it arrived with just the address label stuck to the cab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplumber Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 I sold a large second hand flightcase to someone in England. Contacted the courier which was palletline and they insisted I wrap the flightcase!! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_dinger Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 £500 Boulder Creek acoustic bass, with a cedar top, in the manufacturer's cardboard box. Arrived undamaged, apart from a semi-detached bracing on the back. It rattled like a snare drum, if I hit it in the right place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 On the other hand I had a seller message me and explain why I should only send a bass in a cardboard box which was then covered in bubble wrap and placed inside another, larger box. While the principle is great, the practicalities weren’t. I sent it in a case (to someone else) and it arrived unscathed. Guess 20 years of online sale ma have taught me two things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 I once received a medium sized steam turbine (about 1MW IIRC) which had been properly packed in a wooden crate which had subsequently been pushed into a steel shipping container. It arrived undamaged, but there was no way to remove the wooden box from the shipping container. The shipping company rejected my suggestion of taking an angle grinder to the container and with the agreement of the turbine manufacturer we dragged the box out using lifting slings and a large forklift. The damage done was significant and the time taken to repair meant that the job overran resulting in significant financial penalties. More isn't always better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunion Posted June 18, 2022 Share Posted June 18, 2022 (edited) I know a guy that ships boats from china in shipping containers. They just cut the containers apart to get the boats out so it must be a done thing. Edited June 18, 2022 by Bunion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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