Who do you use for shipping?

[tubaguy9]

Hey all,
I was curious who you use for shipping various objects? I'm getting a York Perfec-Tone Cornet via USPS, and it's taken forever...and forever as of now equals 15 days.

[Tubaryan12]

I ship all small domestic items USPS priority mail and have never had a problem ( except for being double billed once....my fault )....and they did refund the money .

[Dan Schultz]

I usually use Greyhound for big stuff and FEDEX Ground or USPS Priority for small stuff (perhaps under 2 cubic feet or so). Your probably may be that the shipper used USPS Parcel Post instead of Priority. In that case, you may be looking at serious delays... depending on the distance.

[tubatom91]

When I ordered my tuba from WWBW they used ABF Freight, I had a very easy time dealing with them. It was easy to track it and the people at the freight depot were very helpful. However I ordered a tuba from Tuba Exchange and they used Conway Freight, it was quite a nightmare dealing with them. TE guarenteed free shipping (as it does on most of its horns) and when I decided I didn't like the horn I shipped it back to them. I thought it was fair enough but then I get the bill for the shipping, both ways! and at a mere cost of well over a hundred bucks. I wasn't too thrilled about it. Maybe it was in TE's fine print somewhere but I thought the scherade was pretty rediculous. Needless to say I still look at Conway trucks just a bit differently now. Don't let my experience hinder your business with TE this very well could have been a one time deal.

[Donn]

Greyhound Express does handle the horn like it is luggage, all by hand--no conveyer belts for the horn to drop from.

My recent shipment via Greyhound reportedly arrived in brutalized condition. Result was consistent with a drop from considerable height, but of course it could have been thrown laterally or beaten with sledgehammers or something. Considering who reportedly uses Greyhound around here, I don't doubt that it may be your best bet, but don't kid yourself, a tuba is not safe with any package shipper.

[Donn]

]Hope this was not a uber expensive horn that sustained the damage!

Nah - well, this is someone else's problem - the buyer - and I'm not there to see how much it really hurt, but it was not so expensive, apparently only the bell was damaged, and the bell had already been slightly damaged anyway.

A cheap lesson. I've been wanting to sell my 1926 Conn 40K sousaphone, and of course potential buyers have mostly wanted to ship. A month ago I might have said well, if you're cool with the risk, maybe Greyhound, what could go wrong? Now I'm thinking pallet.