6629 Showed up today, broken :(

[dg]

USPS is the US Postal Service, our government mail service. UPS is United Parcel Service, a private company.

[nhspike]

On average, I seem to have better luck with USPS, but the tracking blows large beef-stew-like chunks over 30 feet with a headwind.

I can't tell a difference with shipping loose string vs. tight.

Have seen broken both ways equally.

That may just be my little slice of reality... ymmv.

[Spivonious]

I've always shipped and received guitars at full-string tension and never had a problem. I always have guitars in form-fitted cases so bubble-wrap is pointless.

[DHardmanJr]

I've always shipped and received guitars at full-string tension and never had a problem.

+1

I think it's the fit of the case that is usually the issue. I don't think the string tension matters.

[GuerillaPete]

+1

I think it's the fit of the case that is usually the issue. I don't think the string tension matters.

Agreed. My recent Absinthe Frost Soloist (brand new) arrived with some finish cracks on both sides of the nut-lock and the 3rd &4th tuners. Even though it came in a G&G case, it does not sit right and slides to one side. Had the it fit a bit better, I don't think it would have the issues.

[roodyrocker]

New Jacksons arrive from from the factory with strings under normal tension, guitar in case, and case in cardboard box. Therefore I prefer people ship me used guitars the same way.

[straycat]

Hopefully I can snag this one wish me luck.

[SEEGERMANY]

If you're guitar slides even the slightest bit in the case, you have to wedge enough packing material so that the guitar fits snuggly. I just shipped a Charvie to Spike and it was in a generic Ibanez case. By the time I finished packing and wedging material inside the case, spike probably had to use a crowbar to extract the guitar.

If you have doubts when packing, you haven't done enough.

[Newc]

Here's the Broken Record Brigade:

Sellers, loosen the strings and never use UPS.

Buyers, demand the above from your sellers .

Buyers, here's the facts: When you put the F'edEx facility as close to my house as the UPS facility, you get F'edEx. Until then, you get UPS or Post Orifice.

And like Roody said - strings at full tension, in the case, in the box. If it slips in the case, pack it but never put anything directly behind the head, especially a Jackson pointyhead. Put it under the neck just before the head bends, preferably wrapped around the head and taped together so it doesn't shift.


Best way to tell if you need packing material is to put the guitar in the case, stand the case on its end (head up) and shake it gently. If you don't hear the guitar bumping, shake the shit out of it. If you never hear the guitar rattling inside, put it in a box and do the same thing.

If you hear it rattle in the case or the box, pack it up with something soft like crumpled newspaper or bubblewrap or bits of foam (but not the piss-stained mattress pad, please).

Also make sure the trem bar is NOT in the damn tremolo! Got one like that once from Ebay. Good thing it was a low-end import and thus not a big loss had it broken anything.

If the guitar you're shipping has the allen wrench holder on the back of the head, remove the wrenches and wrap them in a sheet of paper or envelope and tape it together to wrap them tightly. Bouncing metal tools + guitar finish = douchery. Same goes for the trem bar. Make sure it stays in the storage pocket of the case. If it's a generic case with no storage pocket, wrap all loose items in a huge wad of newspaper taped closed.

As well, the wrenches will serve as the fulcrum over which a pointyhead will snap in half. Had that happen to a Warrior Pro. Sucked. Interestingly, that incident did solve the "plastic cap vs painted headstock" argument we were having about early 90's Pros

[nhspike]

A perfect packing job Markus!

[SEEGERMANY]

Not quite. When you get rolls of toilet paper and paper towels, you've seen my best work!

[SEEGERMANY]

Tips From Your Technical Advisor

On the subject of packing, we all hate those fucking styrofoam peanuts. So what I do is I put those peanuts in plastic Wal-Mart sacks and tie them shut. They make primo packing material and provide lots of padded shock support.

[jdr94]

damn i just got somethin from music go round in cedar rapids. hope they packed my stuff right.

at least youre gettin your money back.

[RacerX]

Newc, you're just gettin back at me for all those times I pwned you in Jackson Imports. If I ever buy anything from you, DO NOT USE UPS! For me, it's anything but UPS, for reasons which should be clear to anybody who's been on here awhile. Fed Ex is fine. And I will still loosen the strings, boys. I don't care what all yall say!

[Axewielder]

Tips From Your Technical Advisor

On the subject of packing, we all hate those fucking styrofoam peanuts.

Whaaa? Speak for yourself! I love that shit. I EAT that shit.