Has anyone shipped guitars abroad please? What courier service did you use or can recommend or avoid. Can't make any sense of my little PO leaftlet on parcels of that size.
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Thanks everyone. I have had a rule until now "I don't ship abroad" mainly because of all this complication with working out costs and taking payment. I have been begged by two people to sell them one so have weakened my resolve. Interesting point Ben about couriers stating they have to be in the hard case designed for the instrument. So what is the dedicated CBG hard case. I'd say it was a cardboard box! Would the way round it be to class the CBG as a work of art/ornament rather than an instrument?
When you say amazed..was that amazingly expensive? or amazingly cheap?
bemuzic said:
when I sent an amp I was AMAZED at the cost!!!.....and the difference in price with different people. The cheapest at the time was with DHL but through Parcel 2 Go ...if you go on their site you can type in the size and weight of your parcel and it gives you quotes http://www.parcel2go.com/?gclid=CJ-P34zpuqICFVGX2AodCl1X6g
Iv sent guitars to Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, America, Ireland etc - where ever its going, I use www.parcel2ship.co.uk
Theyre basically a go between, so the service is still by Parcelforce or DHL or whoever, but its half the price, as they buy in volume.
I always use the Parcelforce one myself as they are the only ones who will collect from my door (the Highlands do not exist according to some companies....), and the weight / volumetric limit is a healthy 30kg.
So.... I can send a guitar, in a hard case, to, say, Belgium, for £22, and I dont even have to leave the house!
Only thing to be careful of with all these companies, post office incuded, is that they dont like sending instruments. It states in the small print that they can only be sent in the correct hard case designed for that particular instrument. Even then, the cover is limited.
But then again, your customer will want you to put GIFT, VALUE $10 on the customs label anyway......
When you say amazed..was that amazingly expensive? or amazingly cheap?
bemuzic said:
when I sent an amp I was AMAZED at the cost!!!.....and the difference in price with different people. The cheapest at the time was with DHL but through Parcel 2 Go ...if you go on their site you can type in the size and weight of your parcel and it gives you quotes http://www.parcel2go.com/?gclid=CJ-P34zpuqICFVGX2AodCl1X6g
when I sent an amp I was AMAZED at the cost!!!.....and the difference in price with different people. The cheapest at the time was with DHL but through Parcel 2 Go ...if you go on their site you can type in the size and weight of your parcel and it gives you quotes http://www.parcel2go.com/?gclid=CJ-P34zpuqICFVGX2AodCl1X6g
i've only sent one giutar abroad and that was a Diddley Bow to Japan but it cost .....wait for it .... £90 - i only sold the Diddley for £100 but the guy was so stuck on having it he was happy to pay the shipping lol!
but i have sent items all over the world inc a marshall Amp and two sreaker Cabs at a reasonable cost i alway use http://www.interparcel.com/
or
http://www.parcel2go.com/
i find them much cheaper than going direct to the courier or royal mail ect ect
and i have always had a fantastic service from both and both pickup from your door so no running around dropping the parcel off
I've used Parcel Force a lot, BUT do watch the level of cover..I think there's a limit for musical instruments. I have used DHL thru' an agent when I used to send loads of stuff overseas, but haven't used them for ages. Also watch out in case you get charged on the volumetric equivalent, it's extortionate! For example, a packed guitar might weight 4kg, but by the time they calculate the volume and put in the magic multiplier..hey presto, it's the equivalent of 10kg parcel and they charge you accordingly.
No, matter what, it can be very expensive, so make sure you don't get lumbered with the cost.
Replies
I list mine as 'CBG Parts' or 'Toy Guitar'...
ChickenboneJohn said:
Theyre basically a go between, so the service is still by Parcelforce or DHL or whoever, but its half the price, as they buy in volume.
I always use the Parcelforce one myself as they are the only ones who will collect from my door (the Highlands do not exist according to some companies....), and the weight / volumetric limit is a healthy 30kg.
So.... I can send a guitar, in a hard case, to, say, Belgium, for £22, and I dont even have to leave the house!
Only thing to be careful of with all these companies, post office incuded, is that they dont like sending instruments. It states in the small print that they can only be sent in the correct hard case designed for that particular instrument. Even then, the cover is limited.
But then again, your customer will want you to put GIFT, VALUE $10 on the customs label anyway......
bemuzic said:
http://www.parcel2go.com/?gclid=CJ-P34zpuqICFVGX2AodCl1X6g
but i have sent items all over the world inc a marshall Amp and two sreaker Cabs at a reasonable cost i alway use http://www.interparcel.com/
or
http://www.parcel2go.com/
i find them much cheaper than going direct to the courier or royal mail ect ect
and i have always had a fantastic service from both and both pickup from your door so no running around dropping the parcel off
No, matter what, it can be very expensive, so make sure you don't get lumbered with the cost.