Guitar shipping cost

[quakana]

I know most of you ship USPS but you can go to Fedex and UPS web sites. Plug in the source and destination zipcodes and dimensions and weight of the package and get a price for shipping

[mm2002]

Mark, you're kind of centrally located in the country. As far as UPS zones, you probably would never ship across more than 2 zones. There are 4 from coast to coast, each zone passed ups the rate. And rates have steadily increased.

Last year I shipped a Carvin V220 just to the Florida Panhandle, maybe 400 miles away. I packed it myself, but it was $40 to ship via UPS. Had I charged $25 I would've taken a $15 loss on shipping, and I didn't do that well on the auction either. Boo hoo for me, but the point is that $45 can be reasonable, and not fucking anybody. And sure, if you're 100 miles away and in the same UPS zone that might end up being high, but most people on Ebay are leery of auctions without stated shipping charges, so I figure mine based on the most it'll be within the CONUS and list it accordingly. People are free to bid or not bid within their budget, counting the bid and the hipping into what they're willing to pay.

And please, don't tell me I'm nuts or high on the rate I paid. I took it to the UPS depot customer counter and that was the rate. If you're using a company account or business rate then you can get a lot better rate, plus again you're more centrally located, but why should I eat the shipping because I DON'T have a business account?

Yeah Rich, that's a very good point. I wasn't thinking of the fact that I am fairly centrally located. It does make a difference. Fett is in Washington, so a guitar shipped to the east coast could well cost $50.00 or better. I'll have a crow sandwich for lunch today.

[dg]

I still agree with the point that Mark made early on. It's just human nature that folks looking at auctions might pass on an item if they feel that the shipping cost is high, even if the total cost ends up being the same. Rather than charge $45 to ship, charge $30 and add $15 to the reserve or BIN. Sounds idiotic, but I'm convinced it works.

[sully]

my last guitar purchase was ebay, and i was shocked that the seller refunded the difference in quoted vs. actual shipping!

for regular sized guitars (strats, les pauls), i don't think i've paid more than $22 thru fedex ground. when i sold pete my "charvelle", it cost $8 fedex ground, and got there next day. granted, he's all of 3 hours away from me, but that was pretty sweet.

[thetroy]

Well I just went to FedEx's site and got a quote to see (as I've never payed over $25 to ship a guitar that I can remember) and here's what I found:

a 50 lb. package that's 50 x 30 x 8 inches (I think a big RR case is about this size) to ship from Augusta, ME 04330 to Los Angeles, CA 90001

cost = $41.83

What are you guys doing to spend any more than that? In my estimation this is the most extreme case you should ever encounter.

edit: that's with $1000 insurance. for $2000 add ~$5 to the cost

Also for the hell of it I did the same thing from Miami, FL to Seattle, WA
result: $36.24

[Budman68]

I know most of you ship USPS but you can go to Fedex and UPS web sites. Plug in the source and destination zipcodes and dimensions and weight of the package and get a price for shipping

exactly!! Save yourself some trouble and buy a friggin bathroom scale and plug the numbers into the website...it's not like rocket surgery......... for crying out loud!!!

[quakana]

Well I just went to FedEx's site and got a quote to see (as I've never payed over $25 to ship a guitar that I can remember) and here's what I found:

a 50 lb. package that's 50 x 30 x 8 inches (I think a big RR case is about this size) to ship from Augusta, ME 04330 to Los Angeles, CA 90001

cost = $41.83

What are you guys doing to spend any more than that? In my estimation this is the most extreme case you should ever encounter.

edit: that's with $1000 insurance. for $2000 add ~$5 to the cost

Also for the hell of it I did the same thing from Miami, FL to Seattle, WA
result: $36.24

That sounds about right. I ship guitars all the time. In my experience the weight is always under 25lbs. Some of the 59 Les Pauls I have shipped are right at 25lbs with case and packaging

[wilkinsi]

I usually pay £10-£20 for a guitar to be delivered. Given the weight, I think it's acceptable. But as couriors in the UK don't seem to give a shit about "Fragile" marked boxes, I prefer to order from a shop, then pick the guitar up and take it on a bus costing a fraction of delivery. I don't like posties making not so much as a light tap on the front door at sparrow's fart expecting me to hear it from the 1st floor on the side of a huge house, then dropping the package after it's already been thrown into a van and smacking the sides of the van. I don't care if it's fucking insured. It's the hassle of getting what you want asap.

[Gio]

I just paid $72 to ship a guitar from FL to MA


I always charge a flat rate of $50, and usually end up losing a little.

I always ship in a boxed case with shipping insurance though.

[quakana]

I just paid $72 to ship a guitar from FL to MA


I always charge a flat rate of $50, and usually end up losing a little.

I always ship in a boxed case with shipping insurance though.

That must have not been just plain ol ground....2nd or 3rd day right? Who was the carrier I think that is WWWAAAYYYYYYY too much man

[Gio]

That must have not been just plain ol ground....2nd or 3rd day right? Who was the carrier I think that is WWWAAAYYYYYYY too much man

it was UPS ground, but the guitar was also insured for $1200

It was in a case, and I paid for UPS to make a box for it (so it won't be so obvious that it's a guitar)

I think it was going to be like $54 for the shipping, and the difference was for the box.

well worth the money IMO

It got there in 2 days

[Gio]

also, if I make a deal on a forum and the buyer wants to lowball me for shipping I will let them have their way.

a flat rate of $50 will get you a double boxed, cased guitar with insurance.

I'v had people want to give me $25, that's fine.


but for $25 they get nothing. The guitar is in the case, with no extra padding around the neck, no box, no shipping insurance, no tracking #

I send it USPS ground, they'll just have to wait forever for it to get there.


of course, I tell them that's how it's going ot be before I accept their $.

for $25, they're on crack if they think they are getting UPS or Fedex

[thetroy]

for $25, they're on crack if they think they are getting UPS or Fedex

FedEx is generally cheaper than USPS and usually does cost around $15-30 for me. I think you might be on crack sir.

[thetroy]

That sounds about right. I ship guitars all the time. In my experience the weight is always under 25lbs. Some of the 59 Les Pauls I have shipped are right at 25lbs with case and packaging

Yeah I just said 50 lbs. to show that the weight really doesn't matter in this case. The quotes I've always seen for guitars show the same price whether it weighs 15 or 50 lbs because the size of the box is so big.

[quakana]

Agreed thetroy. Its called special handeling with UPS when its big and or heavy . I have to say that UPS rates go WAY up as the dollar value insured goes up. Fed-Ex rates are alot better for higher value items. They go by replacement value but you have to state the Value prior to shipping. I just shipped
a 4200.00 Les Paul from RI to MD for $13.00.....and I have not smoked crack for about 10 years now...too bad its so destructive cause its sooooooo good