Posting a guitar

hollydays

I've just listed a guitar as collection only as it has no case.someones requested me to post it. Has anyone else posted something like this, and how to package it?

ailey

I think you can buy a cardboard specially shaped box for posting guitars but be warned as my son purchased a guitar from a seller and the poor lad thought he had wrapped it well (which it wasn't) and it arrive with a 4 inch crack so it had to be returned. He was not happy about it and to be honest was probably totally gutted (for want of a better word)! He asked me to make sure it was well protected and said that he had sold various guitars and that one was wrapped better than any he had posted. I think he was just lucky with the other ones. I had various pieces of polystyrene all around the guitar for the return journey.

You have to remember that Royal Mail have parcels up to 32 kg and if one of those land on your box the same thing could happen. I know with some couriers, if you read the list of items that they don't offer compensation on, I think one is musical instruments. Not sure about Royal Mail but I would imagine they are the same because they are such risky items to mail.

Personally, I think I'd hold out for a person who would collect it to save you any grief. Also putting it on Gumtree for local buyers might be another option. Hope this helps.

mrcol1000

If you send it then unless you are going to pay for someone to deliver it personally, then I'd pack it so it can take being dropped and thrown. Also so it can withstand heavy things being dropped on it. Then add a bit more packaging. It doesn't really matter which courier firm you use. They all have the basic same sorting and handling methods.

I have successfully sent fine china by My Hermes and they seem to break even solid things given the chance. However it was packaged to withstand a nuclear blast. You can send fragile things by couriers but you need to overdo the packaging.

ElefantEd

Just use four strings and a sound box.

sham63

It's hit and miss as to whether a guitar will be delivered undamaged. I've received a guitar in it's hard case with a broken neck, but also received guitars sent in a thin cardboard box undamaged.


The other thing you need to bear in mind is that many couriers don't offer compensation for musical instruments eg Parcelforce (only up to £100) and myHermes (no cover at all).


You need to use someone like UPS (through Interparcel) but even they are unlikely to pay out even if you take out cover. The seller of the damaged guitar I received was sent via UPS and they turned down his claim due to 'insufficient packaging' which is all courier's standard get-out clause.


Collection only is best - you should also consider Gumtree as loads of people look there for guitars.

soolin

If using a courier check that the size of the outer box is not a problem. There is a very recent thread on here about a guitar and MyHErmes where I suspect the outer box exceeded the overall dimensions allowed by MyHErmes.

theoretica

How good a guitar is it? There are specialist packing companies who can arrange for such things (the people who collect from auction houses) but it will cost your buyer and might well only be worth it with an expensive instrument.

hollydays

Thanks for all your replies. I think I've decided against posting.
Theoretica, it's not a very good guitar so not worth the extra cost.

hollydays

Second unrelated question while I'm here.
When I list most items I select " buyer contacts for cost internationally , but why in the list do you have a choice of " europe" plus the likes of Spain , France, Germany . Surely if you select Europe, those countries would be included?

martindow

hollydays wrote: »

Second unrelated question while I'm here.
When I list most items I select " buyer contacts for cost internationally , but why in the list do you have a choice of " europe" plus the likes of Spain , France, Germany . Surely if you select Europe, those countries would be included?

For large or heavy items carriage prices will vary by country.
For small light parcels you will send with the PO and all of Europe is a common price.

There are cheap road deliveries to the countries you mention. Others like Greece can be a lot more expensive. Sellers may want to pick and choose which countries to send to