UPS Guitar Shipping Advice

**edh** · 07-24-2015, 03:19 AM

Good Luck.

**Jonathan Levin** · 07-24-2015, 08:55 AM

Vinny,

Best wishes for a happy ending to this ordeal!

Jonathan

**vinnyv1k** · 07-24-2015, 11:40 AM

A very special THANK YOU to Stringswinger and goldenwave for all your marvelous legal advise !!! I would be a snow ball in hell today without your help. Thank you all for your ongoing support. You guys are awesome. Really means a lot to me. Even if I lose today I am still a winner just from the love and support I have got from all of you.

**vinlander** · 07-24-2015, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Joe DeNisco

Its gonna work out for you Vinlander.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Let us know about your new guitar.
Thanks Buddy, Joe D.

My wife just told me a clean undamaged package made its way to our living room couple minutes ago with just the Canadian import taxes to pay, since I am at work I will have to wait tonight...
We will open it together tonight; am still a bit nervous but hope for the best.
Funny thing she said I hope what is inside can stand to be in a Gretsch box

**vinlander** · 07-24-2015, 01:22 PM

Hope the best for you Vinny

**Marty Grass** · 07-24-2015, 01:28 PM

I truly hope things go well in court. I'm so very sorry you went through all of this, Vinny.

One way or another you'll survive. But this suffering, this frustration, and this betrayal will leave a mark.

I appreciate that you shared this experience with us. It won't immunize the rest of us against a shipping catastrophe, but it prepares us for the possibility.

destinytot · 07-24-2015, 01:34 PM

+1

**marshall** · 07-24-2015, 02:36 PM

Good luck. I hope the best for you. Either way you are one fine man.I admire the way you handled yourself through our this ordeal. You have taught me much.

**BigMikeinNJ** · 07-24-2015, 03:52 PM

I'm watching and I'm waiting
And I'm hoping for the best
Even think I'll go to praying
Every time I hear 'em saying
That's there's no way to delay
That trouble coming every day...

Hoping for the best outcome my friends

**vinnyv1k** · 07-24-2015, 05:56 PM

Just got back from court. WOW!!! One tough as nails judge. He shot us both down equally. UPS and I both gave a good case IMO. Judge would not let either of us say much. He said he would mail us his decision. At best maybe a 50/50 shot but Stringswinger/Marc told me that from the get-go. JD stand by on the Tal. It's yours as soon as I get the decision.

**marshall** · 07-24-2015, 06:15 PM

Vinny it is time to breathe and let it go. You have fought the good fight. Much more than most of us would. I for one am very proud and pleased by you and your actions. Thank you my friend.

**Stringswinger** · 07-24-2015, 06:22 PM

50/50 is better than nothing. You fought the good fight and can be proud! And it can still turn out OK. Our fingers remain crossed.

**jzucker** · 07-24-2015, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by DanielleOM

Any one look into shipping impact stickers for shipping instruments? I wonder if the mere presence of these on a box causes the box to be handled with greater care?

Impact Indicators ? G-Force Monitoring Devices & Accessories - ShockWatch

I have never looked into the details of using these myself.

no, check my thread on this forum. UPS not only set it off but them apparently tampered with it on a guitar I recently received. The dealer said it was commonplace. It may be useful in a lawsuit though.

**Max405** · 07-24-2015, 06:45 PM

Vin, all I care about is you get something for all these troubles..
This is giving me a nervous breakdown, I can't imagine what's doing to you!!
all this indecision by the judges makes me think they are researching a preceedent and the can't find anything. Once you set the preceedent then this will be written into case law and every other case against ups for this type of thing will go the same way yours did. You may have changed the way UPS gets away with screwing people over for ever. How cool would that be? Now we sit at the mailbox and wait..
Vinny you are amazing..

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

Just got back from court. WOW!!! One tough as nails judge. He shot us both down equally. UPS and I both gave a good case IMO. Judge would not let either of us say much. He said he would mail us his decision. At best maybe a 50/50 shot but Stringswinger/Marc told me that from the get-go. JD stand by on the Tal. It's yours as soon as I get the decision.

**Stringswinger** · 07-24-2015, 07:08 PM

Joe D.,

I think we are all on pins and needles on this one. The fact that the judge did not rule at the hearing indicates that this is a tough call. The judge wants to do some research. There may well be some precedent somewhere (California Courts, New York Courts, Federal Courts), who knows? UPS took Vinny's Insurance fee and the guitar showed up broken is a +1 for Vinny. The undamaged box is a +1 for UPS. I would not be surprised by a 50/50 verdict. I am actually surprised that UPS did not offer to settle for 50 cents on the dollar. I guess someone up the ladder has decided to draw a line in the sand. I sure hope Vinny prevails 100%. That will teach them!

Either way, unless UPS appeals this thing to an appellate Court, this case will not be a precedent to anything but will always be a reminder to all of us on this forum on how exposed we are when shipping a guitar.

Be careful out there folks...shipping a guitar is a risky business, no matter what UPS, Paypal, FedEx, USPS or anyone else tells you.

**Max405** · 07-24-2015, 07:19 PM

SS, great post. You know what you are talking about.
Thanks Joe D.

**2bornot2bop** · 07-24-2015, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

Just got back from court. WOW!!! One tough as nails judge. He shot us both down equally. UPS and I both gave a good case IMO. Judge would not let either of us say much. He said he would mail us his decision. At best maybe a 50/50 shot but Stringswinger/Marc told me that from the get-go. JD stand by on the Tal. It's yours as soon as I get the decision.

So, did the judge, or magistrate, ask questions of you? Did you present a witness who observed the guitars condition as it was packaged?

**vinnyv1k** · 07-24-2015, 09:00 PM

Marc the shipping box was in bad shape on it's return to me so no +1 for UPS on that but they took a tons of photos of all box angles, guitar angles, guitar case and packing materials. Also they cut the shipping box open and did these weird forensic shots. At least 40 pics. I think I brought a softball to a baseball game.

**jzucker** · 07-24-2015, 09:24 PM

what is the UPS claim? That you packed it insufficiently? I don't understand their justification for not paying the insurance claim? I hope the judge rules in your favor with an iron fist. All the shipping companies blow.

**vinnyv1k** · 07-24-2015, 09:58 PM

Yes they have changed the story many times. 1st no box damage but since that was untrue it was no styrofoam popcorn inside the box and then no seen damage to guitar case and know it is no 3inch foam rubber padding completely wrapping around the guitar case before putting case in guitar box.

**Stringswinger** · 07-25-2015, 03:12 AM

Vinny, you showed the judge a picture of a guitar with its head cut off! That ain't a softball my friend. That is a fastball down the middle.

Keep good thoughts about the outcome. It ain't over till that Judge sings....(with apologies to the fat lady...whoever she is)

**vinnyv1k** · 07-25-2015, 10:45 AM

Marc you have been such a incredible blessing to me from day 1 over this. I hope something really good falls from heaven into you lap. Same goes with goldenwave. Whatever the outcome it was a great learning experience and I am glad that I stood up to the corporate monster. If anything I caused them a lot of time, research, and some money. Funny thing was another lady was there too suing UPS for not faxing important documents that caused her a big monetary loss. Great customer service is not a important factor to UPS. They are the Big Cheese and know it.

**vinnyv1k** · 07-30-2015, 08:09 PM

VINNY WINS !!!

Judge awarded me a 100% judgement against UPS. Also UPS was also ordered to pay me for all my court costs. UPS has 30 days to appeal the decision. Truth and justice has prevailed. Even if UPS appeals I am totally stoked. Thank you all for your wonderful support. It was quite the roller coaster ride. I must give all the glory to my maker.