UPS Destroyed My Rhoads

[gmbob22]

Thanks for calling me a goon and an ape, folks, I was one of those UPS drivers for 21 years, now I work with damaged packages, specifically HazMat damages. You'd be amazed at the shit-ass job most people do at packing their stuff, and are surprised when it doesn't get where it's going in one piece.

A quick FYI, UPS does not, I repeat...DOES NOT use forklifts. Most packages that have been skewered as someone put it, are a result of some other shipper packing things improperly. They puncture their own box, and go through yours. See it a lot with flat screen tv's. Any one who thinks you can wrap a guitar in bubble wrap and slap it in a box and it'll get there ok is fooling themselves. It is a fragile piece of equipment, spend the extra time and cash to pack it properly.

Whoever said going via Post Office has got to be kidding, right. Wow. No real tracking, it'll get there when it gets there kinda attitude.

Fed Ex drivers are no longer independent contractors either. Fed Ex runs their operation the same as UPS. If you've had luck with one, and not the other, it's just that...luck!. Someone said Fed Ex took two months to ship a guitar...BS! This is a ploy that shippers use constantly...blame the shipping company. Two months was...7 weeks til the shipper shipped it, and the at max...6 days for it to go Fed Ex from east coast to west coast. That's the longest shipping time UPS or Fed Ex has(within the continental US)...6 days! When a shipper claims to have shipped something, demand a tracking number. If they can't give it to you, it hasn't shipped. When you get your package, grab the tracking number off it and track it. It will tell you the exact day it was shipped (generally not the day the shipper claims).

If a guitar in a guitar case, cannot support a load on top of it, then it is not packed properly just because it's in a case. A case protects a guitar from dings and such while you are carrying it, or hauling it in your van. PACK IT FOR A LONG HAUL in an 18 wheeler with 5000 other packages in it. Don't expect your package to be hand carried with white gloves from point a to point b, it just doesn't happen that way. It's not realistic for the $30 you are spending.

I would estimate that 99% of the damages I see daily are due to improper packaging. Damages due to drivers is almost non-existent. Almost all damages occur before those packages ever get on those little brown trucks. Most damages occur inside the large trailers due to shifting loads. Pack em right people.

Sorry to hear about your guitar, I'd be upset too.

our fed ex still has contracted private drivers, and i worked at ups in the mornings unloading packages off the 18 wheelers that you speak of and have seen some pretty IDIOT type stuff as far as how they are packed on these trucks, ie big heavy packages on top of small light "fragile" packages and things being thown out of these trucks by people unpacking them, absolutely no care is shown

[chef_jackson]

I Was quoted 90 days to see my guitar re-built and shipped. It's now day 120...Hope I have it soon. I ordered this instrument in February, The waiting is killing me.

[shredtilurded]

My condolences regarding your loss. I've never had a problem with UPS. Maybe it has something to do with my driver:

[chef_jackson]

I Just got word, It's done. My Rhoads is in the air and on it's way to me. I hope UPS doesn't destroy this one. Ill post pics when it arrives.

[yellowv]

Congrats and fingers crossed for it's safe arrival.

[Brian]

I Just got word, It's done. My Rhoads is in the air and on it's way to me. I hope UPS doesn't destroy this one. Ill post pics when it arrives.

Nice

Hope it arrives safely!

[sean1197]

i worked in the ups hub in massachussets for 7 months loading trucks. with that said i no longer buy guitars online unless im getting a hell of a deal these guys dont care wat your getting shipped or if its fragile its all about numbers on average in the hub where i worked we did 400 packages a hour and in rhode island load were i worked did average 600 a hour per worker so thats like 1400-1600 [depending on how they split the flow between trucks ]packages a hour across the 2 rhode island trucks so think about it if it isnt bulk its gonna get destroyed im probly the only worker there that didnt throw shit

[bratfink]

Was this the same idea we were talking about a couple of years ago?? Like if someone in southern TX sold something to someone in NJ? They would drive it to me (OK) I would drive it to someone in MO or IL and they would drive it to someone in OH maybe, and so on and so forth, til it reached it's destination?? I remember something about that.

Good idea, until the sod in OH decided to keep it for himself and disappears without trace. There would have to be some sort of check and accountability on this.

[Genebaby]

If the Fragile and This End Up stickers are ignored, why are they provided to be used on packages?

[JACKSONFREAK]

Jackson takes great care in packaging a guitar? Wanna make a bet? Jackson puts the guitar in the case, then in a cardboard box. This is the way most manufacturers do it. They really need to get a clue on how to pack.

There is such a thing as over packing. You have to remember a guitar is made out of pieces of wood. When a piece of wood takes an impact it absorbs energy. It needs to be able to release that energy or it will explode some where. Usually the weakest point which is the headstock. The case is usually enough packing to protect the guitar. However anything short of a lead safe wouldnt stand much of a chance against a fork lift. It sucks what happened to that guitar but over packing a guitar is just as bad as throwing it. Just saying.
Gil