Courier suggestions within the UK?

gearaddict

I have to return an acoustic guitar to GAK - any suggestions on couriers that don't cost the earth but will insure a guitar? It is double boxed but not in a hard case.

idiotwindow

Can you ask GAK to collect it using their courier service? Even if you have to pay for the privilege it will likely be cheaper than paying a courier independently.

Winny_Pooh

UPS via Interparcel

Whitecat

idiotwindow said:

Can you ask GAK to collect it using their courier service? Even if you have to pay for the privilege it will likely be cheaper than paying a courier independently.

This ^^

You can send a guitar for around £15 +/- a bit, but to send it insured jacks the price up quite a lot - £9ish/£200 value or so I’ve seen recently - may vary from time to time obvs. 

If you do do it yourself I also recommend using Interparcel as the intermediary as well because not only do you get their bulk rate but they do cover guitars in their insurance (which you are buying from Interparcel, not the carrier). 

gearaddict

They only delivered it yesterday...you'd think they would have offered if that was an option...I'll ask though!

gearaddict

Also, I thought interparcel only covered guitars in hard cases...could be wrong though.

Whitecat

Ah, unfortunately I think you are correct. In fact according to their rules they won't even take them. That said, I've sent stuff in gigbags before successfully, I just write "guitar in case" in the manifest/content description box. Didn't pay for insurance in those instances either because I knew I wouldn't be covered... took the gamble and won, thankfully!

Prohibited Items
The following items are strictly prohibited from shipment, and must not be sent through our services.
Any of these items being sent may result prosecution, heavy fines and imprisonment.

o   Musical Instrument that is NOT in a hard protective case.

https://uk.interparcel.com/help/guides/prohibited-restricted (text emphasis above is my own!)

monoamine

Just used UPS via Interparcel. Collected 1hr after booking it (ridiculous!) and transported safely to Sweden in less than 4 days. It was a Les Paul in a hard case, fully insured for £2k and arrived safe and sound. Would recommend.

Trude

The hardcase thing is a real pisser.  I've just sold two softcased basses on eBay and now I realise it's technically a "restricted item" for all of Interparcel's carriers.  So far the only option I've found is Parcelforce by booking direct, and then there's no insurance available.  

imalrightjack

Try asking Overland Express.

Trude

imalrightjack said:

Try asking Overland Express.

Thanks - looks promising! They actually list musical instruments as a speciality. Will get a quote off them tomorrow

brucegill

Anyone get any further with this? I’m selling a Fano and need to offer postage now really. But, it’s in a gig bag (obviously boxed with lots of bubble wrap etc) 

rough cost for UK postage and insurance to cover £1400?

Trude

I didn't find any courier who would insure without a hard case. Mind you, I didn't try Overland Express because my package was too big (missus). Might be worth checking their T&C's.

Treewig1

@brucegill the insured cost of £1400 will be around £110.  I sent an amp next delivery in the UK to about that value (and the amp would be heavier than a guitar).  I used Parcel2Go (and Parcelfirce24).  All went well 

imalrightjack

Trude said:

I didn't find any courier who would insure without a hard case. Mind you, I didn't try Overland Express because my package was too big (missus). Might be worth checking their T&C's.

Did you email them? Definitely worth contacting. 

brucegill

Treewig1 said:

@brucegill the insured cost of £1400 will be around £110.  I sent an amp next delivery in the UK to about that value (and the amp would be heavier than a guitar).  I used Parcel2Go (and Parcelfirce24).  All went well 

Ouch. Many thanks.... 

Trude

brucegill said:

Treewig1 said:

@brucegill the insured cost of £1400 will be around £110.  I sent an amp next delivery in the UK to about that value (and the amp would be heavier than a guitar).  I used Parcel2Go (and Parcelfirce24).  All went well 

Ouch. Many thanks.... 

This is from the Parcelforce T&Cs:
Musical instruments are excluded from enhanced compensation. Guitars and brass instruments are particularly prone to damage and should be packed very carefully, in a hard case. See our packaging guidelines for guidance

https://www.parcelforce.com/help-and-advice/sending/items-we-exclude-compensation

Unless Parcel2Go have some special arrangement that gets around this, I'd be very careful 

Trude

imalrightjack said:

Trude said:

I didn't find any courier who would insure without a hard case. Mind you, I didn't try Overland Express because my package was too big (missus). Might be worth checking their T&C's.

Did you email them? Definitely worth contacting. 

No, I just put my package dimensions in and no services came up.  Mind you, this was for an archtop bass in a huge hard case and hence oversized box.  I'll go back and try them again next time I need to ship something smaller.

DeepBlueWitch

+1 here for UPS only hard cases though and I hear an actual claim takes some doing. 

PonchoGreg

I was also taken aback by the jump in prices when booking UPS via parcel2go. Standard service is now £28 (I swear it was closer to £15 not long ago) and insuring for just £500 would have added an extra £25... Definitely need to revise my usual £20 P&P estimate on eBay and the like!

brucegill

Looks like I either buy a hard case and then have to add that and the delivery costs to the price, making it way over priced or take it apart and post body separate from neck as “parts” so still insured.