Flute Crushed by UPS (and how to possibly avoid such things)

Brazenkane · Post by **Brazenkane** » Fri May 06, 2005 10:35 pm

I recently purchased a Cotter Eb (Harry's former flute used on Bad turns etc.) It was sent UPS Ground. wrapped in much bubble wrap. The box was not big but not tiny. The body with the keys is history.

In retrospect I should've

A) Insisted we do the deal FedEx next Day, and covered shipping myself.
B) Requested a box that was quite oversized
C) REquest seller to place each piece of the flute in those smaller sized hard cardboard tubes. If the seller won't cut'em down to size, no bother as the box should be oversized.

this may or may not've saved the instrument. the sender believes the box was peirced, and it very well could've as the box had a single gaping rip in it upon delivery.

The flute was insured, but that means zero if the inspector thinks is salvageable...although the (cheap) wooden flute case is in splinters too, the sight of that would make a believer out of any skeptic, and that pales in comparison to the multiple 9+ inch cracks all over the body!!! the tenon for the the headjoint is a pferctly shattered oval

So now there's a bunch of waiting to be done. Meanwhile, Eamonn says he'll have a look see at the body. If the damage is too great (which it is) I'll have a new body made.

kpo

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Fri May 06, 2005 10:59 pm

Ooooh, I think I'm going to be sick . . .

I'm so sorry!

Paul Groff · Post by **Paul Groff** » Sat May 07, 2005 1:38 am

You have my sympathy too!

FWIW, I have had much worse service from “a famous international shipping company” in South Florida than I have ever experienced from them anywhere else in the US, or from any other US shipper. For me this included damaged shipments (yes, including large tears in boxes, as well as crushing), my witnessing of shockingly inappropriate handling of my valuable, insured, heavy boxes ( i.e., tipping them over from the truck to land on the ground) by the delivery person, a refusal to offer a receipt indicating a damaged box, and attempts by the local service center to cover up the problem and to punish those who file complaints.

In California and in Massachusetts I sent and received hundreds (thousands?) of musical instruments using this same shipper with few if any problems.

So far in South Florida, US registered and US Express mail services and Fedex have never let me down (crosses fingers in hope of continued luck).

Paul

Brazenkane · Post by **Brazenkane** » Sat May 07, 2005 2:50 pm

welcome to SoFlo Paul! :-/

RudallRose · Post by **RudallRose** » Sat May 07, 2005 4:53 pm

i have never, ever sent a flute without it being in some type of hard, plastic, foam-fitted case, and bubble wrapped.
I've even had flutes sent with hard sides inserted to the box (like the insulation stuff).
Too....always send overnight mail. The piece of mind alone is enough to get past a lost or wrecked flute.
You can always send it registered....which is the single most protected way to send anything via the mails.
And....I use the US Postal Service......because they are a federal agency....it's a federal crime to steal or tamper.

sorry it didn't work out. It's happened to me and we learn.
good luck!
dm

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Sat May 07, 2005 7:36 pm

There was an interesting article in Consumer Reports a few years ago in which they sent a bunch of things via the available methods (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.). The results were surprising: the gentlest on packages was the USPS with Express Mail, the harshest (if I recall correctly) were UPS Ground and FedEx.

Stuart

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Sat May 07, 2005 7:54 pm

Whistlin'Dixie · Post by **Whistlin'Dixie** » Sun May 08, 2005 9:38 pm

That's a hideous story!

I have used USPS almost exclusively, and never a problem. Thank God!
Yes, paying the extra IS worth it.

I am so sorry for you and your flute.

M

herbivore12 · Post by **herbivore12** » Sun May 08, 2005 11:30 pm

Awful news.

However, I must admit that when I saw the title of the thread, for a moment I imagined that a large uilleann piper (or a piper with a big set of UPs, anyway) had sat on and crushed your flute . . .

You can never really trust those UPs. Or, apparently, UPS. Sorry again that the flute was lost. Ugh.

Tom O'Farrell · Post by **Tom O'Farrell** » Mon May 09, 2005 8:08 am

Awhile ago I bought a 6 keyed Hammy from a fellow on this board. Good deal and thank god he was very honest, I am in Canada and he is in England. He sent it inside its own wooden flute case and well bubble-wrapped and most importantly fully insured because it arrived destroyed, I seriously think it was actually run over by a small vehicle like a fork-lift or something. The seller and I worked together and got full insurance, so I sent the flute remains back to him as he was more likely to be able to recover something from the wreckage than I am.
My opinion is you can't be too careful when packaging flutes no matter how excessive you may seem to be.

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Mon May 09, 2005 8:45 am

Oh, J, M, & J .... that's HORRIBLE!! My heart truly bleeds. Meanwhile, I wanted to write and say that I too have had by far the worst luck with UPS, and by far the best luck with the US Postal Service/USPS Express Mail .... they've even delivered several batches of baby chicks to me without incident, so I tend to favor them for flutes, too.

The Royal Mail/USPS combo got my Murray here from Belfast in good shape as well.

Anyway, my deepest sympathies. I remember reading when you bought that flute thinking "Oh, I'd kill for that flute!"

But I swear I don't work for UPS, honest.

djm · Post by **djm** » Mon May 09, 2005 9:27 am

I have never had anything but problems with UPS, and avoid them whenever possible. US-Canada I only use Fedex for expensive items, and US Post Global Priority Service for anything else. Terry McGee sent me a flute from Australia. I can't remember the name of the courier, but it was here in 3 days - via LAX, no less. Incredible!

djm

Byron · Post by **Byron** » Mon May 09, 2005 9:48 am

Brazenkaine, I'm sorry about your flute and hope it all turns out well.

UPS certainly has gone down hill fast. I once recieved a putter in a box with the end totally torn off. The only thing holding the club in the box was a complementary hat they had sent.
Or, how about the time I got a guitar that had had the box and bubble wrap torn so the headstock was exposed. (Fortunately, it didn't say Martin or Gibson, so they went ahead and brought it to me.)

USPS all the way for me.

Byron

Whistlin'Dixie · Post by **Whistlin'Dixie** » Mon May 09, 2005 3:53 pm

Hi-Jack Alert!

Cat, I love your puppy!
Is that a picture of your pet?

M

Brazenkane · Post by **Brazenkane** » Mon May 09, 2005 10:58 pm

UPS picked up the flute today for evaluation. I told them DO NOT SEND IT ANYWHERE after you evaluate it. I wouldn't trust them for anything other than paper related stuff etc.

I'll bet UPS could break a blanket!