Shipping Costs

[imperialbari]

You don't tell from where to where.

I certainly can be no expert on internal transport within the US, only AmTrak appears repeadtedly to get good notes, if locations of seller and buyer make the rails a relevant option.

When I started importing larger brasses from the US, I asked my recording studio-owning friend for advise. He said, that Bax Global was the only company, which would insure musical instruments at full value in case of transpondal shipping.

I have followed his advise and have had no regrets so far after 4 large volume shippings.

Klaus

[Art Hovey]

I have had good luck with UPS. They have a website which can take the size and weight values and give you the shipping cost:
http://wwwapps.ups.com/QCCWebApp/request?loc=en_US
But be warned that they like to add one inch to the dimensions because of bulging sides, so you should do the same when you are getting your estimate from the website. It's also best if you take the package to a real UPS center, rather than a place like Mailboxes Inc.

[Bandmaster]

I had one tuba shipped to me from Chicago via UPS and it took 10 days for $165 and they dropped it on the way (one corner of the box was crushed). I remember the UPS truck pulling up in front of the house and the UPS guy held the box over his head while he walked up the driveway. I about had a heart attack right on the spot.

Later, I bought my Holton from a guy in Utah. He shipped it to me, here in SoCal, at a cost of $48 via Greyhound. I picked it up at the bus station just a couple of miles from my house, only 15 hours after he put it on the bus. And without a scratch on it! If you live near an Interstate and have a Greyhound station near you I recommend it highly.

[evan]

A few years back I bought a tuba from a guy & had it shipped from Kansas to Alabama via Greyhound. It was ~$40 and arrived in 2 days. As I recall, Fedex quoted me a price around $250 at the same time. The tuba was, however, in a nice hard case. I don't know if Greyhound would do a tuba-sized cardboard box.

-evan

[Tuba-G Bass]

In regards to getting a UPS driver to pose with the box for a
picture,
In my neck of the woods, the delivery drivers are elusive,
I buy a lot of video gear and all my horns off eBay,
several times I was home, and they didnt even ring
the bell, just left it on the porch, luckly I live in a nice, quiet
safe neighborhood! My new tuba arrived with a crinkled
bell after being shipped via FedEx, so I believe the story of
supervisors worried more about their machines, then the
boxs on the belt, Luckly I have great repair guys in my area,
But from now on, all my horns will be fully insured!

I have sent broadcast videotape decks
using UPS ground, both times the decks were trashed,
costing at least $2k in repairs.

Cheers,
Paul Lewis
Boosey & Hawkes G-Bass Trombone
Bethlehem Moravian Church Trombone Choir
Founded 1754

Tuba
Bethlehem Municipal Band

Keefer / Reynolds Sousaphone
Allentown Hobo Almost Marching Band