Conference napalm::guitar

        Gee, you didn't bother to specify where you wanted it shipped from
        and where you wanted it shipped to..
        
        There are lots of alternatives to UPS.  Here in the Greater
        Maynard Area (and Southern New Hampshire, in particular) there is
        a chain of shipping services called "The Packaging Store".  They
        will pack and ship almost anything.  You can specify a lot of the
        obvious options, like how much packing/wrapping you want, whether
        you want extra insurance, and so on.  It's lots easier than going
        with a trucking company (like Roadway) directly.
        
        Alternatively, almost any moving and storage company should be
        able to move almost anything, but the cost is likely to be much
        higher than one of the packing/shipping services.
        
        Tom

    I shipped a motorcycle from Colorado to Virginia using Yellow freight. 
    It was 300lbs and the person I bougth it from did the crating.  Yellow
    charged me $100; this was in 1986.  FWIW....
    
    Steve

I wanna ship two large cabs (worth less than $100) from Greenville, SC to 
Peabody Mass.  I'll check the yellow pages for similar places of what
you described...

Nice to see you in Guitar Notes Tom.  Long time no see.

jc (AKA - 'Sinbad' fronm the 'old days')

    
    jc,    
          I checked in the shipping department here and got some prices.
    
                             standed air
    
            FEDERAL EX:  50lbs -  $62.-------------YIKES!!!!!!!!!
    
                   RPS:  50lbs -  $12.42    (Roadway parcel service)
    
      EMERY PUROLATOR :  50lbs -  $46.00
    
                                                                    
                                                       mArK
    
    

Yipes !

Me thinks it's gonna cost us beau-coup !

jc (I wanna go home)

Any other ideas ??

jc

    I would ask the shipping department at a DEC manufacturing plant who
    they use to ship DEC hardware to customers.  Typically, shipping
    schedules are multi-drop in multiple cities.  Once you find the route
    to where you want to send the stuff, see how much the moving/shipping
    company will charge you to piggy-back on the load.
    
    If time is not of the essence, it may prove cheaper (DEC hauling rate,
    maybe) and will help provide a fuller truck, making it more economical
    for DEC and the hauler.
    
    All that you need to do then is negotiate whether the hauler will send
    the stuff to your destination or a nearby DEC facility.
    
    The haulers I'm thinking about are companies like Mayflower or
    Nationwide.
    
    Good luck!
    BobW
    
    PS: Hi Tom!

I checked into this a little bit awhile back when my wife wanted to get her 
grandmothers bed here (Colo.) from Virgina.

I found that the pack and ship places seemed to be the best value.  "The 
Packaging Store" is a national chain that provides this service.

Most of the moving companies didn't seem to want to deal with something this
small and their prices were OUTRAGEOUS.

I had trouble finding a freight company that would/could do it, and it's been
awhile and I can't remember exactly why.  Sorry.  Perhaps I didn't call the 
right places...

Hope this helps,
Greg (with the bed still at his wifes grandmothers house in Va.)

    Here's another idea.  I know an amp dealer that ships Marshall
    cabs via Greyhound bus!  You probably have to pick em up at the
    nearest bus terminal, but I think the cost is relatively low.
    Might be worth looking into.
    
    /rick

Great idea Rick!

I'd forgotten about that!  I used to work for a place that provided computing 
services and we sent reports to some of our customers via bus (sometimes
Greyhound, sometimes Trailways).  It was very inexpensive and relatively 
quick.  Much faster then UPS, usually within a couple of days to pretty much 
anywhere in the continental US.  If it's close and you catch the bus at the 
right time, it can get there the same day!  An excellent alternative.

I thought they could also provide delivery, but I could be wrong.  It's been
several years and the places we used would have insisted on picking it up 
themselves to save on the cost and time.

Greg

        Shipping by bus is pretty inexpensive, as long as the stuff will
        fit.  Most bus luggage compartments are not all that large.  In
        most cases, they're dealing with small packages.
        
        Companies like "The Packaging Store" usually act as your agent in
        dealing with truck lines.  Some of them would also probably be
        willing to act as receiving agent if you're not going to be at the
        location where you want your stuff delivered.
        
        Most trucking companies will deliver it to the door, but they do
        not (in most cases) provide inside delivery (unless you happen to
        be there when the driver shows up and offer him/her an incentive
        in the form of cash :^).
        
        You could also (if you're a trusting sort) see if you can find
        someone who's going the right places who's moving themselves in a
        U-Haul or whatever.  However, this puts all the risk on you, if
        they disappear with your stuff or break it, but it's also pretty
        much the rock-bottom cost.
        
        Tom
        
        PS:  Hi to all you friends out there..

>    I would ask the shipping department at a DEC manufacturing plant who
>    they use to ship DEC hardware to customers.  Typically, shipping
>    schedules are multi-drop in multiple cities.  Once you find the route
>    to where you want to send the stuff, see how much the moving/shipping
>    company will charge you to piggy-back on the load.
    
    Phoenix is also the home of Western Distribution (WD), which happens to
    handle most national (and the ONLY internationally licensed distributor)
    shipping.
    
    All manufacturers ship to the regional warehouse (WD covers west of the
    Mississippi), and the warehouse ships to the customer.  UPS is the
    carrier mainly used here.  
    
    Mike

I just shipped a 4x12 cab from MA to Colorado Springs, and I highly recommend
Roadway Parcel Service (RPS), if its convenient for you. 

The cab weighed 88 pounds, and total shipping cost was only $23.00! I didn't
have to package it in any particular way (I just threw some cardboard around
it and taped it up). The only concession is that I dropped it off at the
RPS terminal in Woburn, and the receiver is going to pick it up at the
CoSp terminal (easy enough both for me and him). (Although I think the pickup
charge is only $5, and there is no dropoff charge). 

The only condition was that it had to weigh under 100lbs. That's it! Insurance
was $.30 per $100 value. 

Its expected to arrive in 4-5 days. I'll post a note when it arrives to see
if everything went ok.....

Otherwise, this is a great, inexpensive way to ship cabs cross-country!

alan

    HELP!!!
    
    A while back, I took the advice posted in -1 about RPS and called
    them around shipping a 4x12 cabinet across country.  At that time,
    they only list to me the following guidelines for shipment:
    
    * Cab was well packaged
    * Package weith did not exceed 100lbs
    
    
    Well, vacations out of the way, I have my package finnaly boxed up and
    ready to go ... call to arrange shipment, and got a different response:
    
    * They won't deliver to another RPS terminal
    
    * They only ship business - business, and you have to pay extra if you
      do not have an account with them!!
    
    * They won't pickup and/or deliver to a residential address
    
    
    I've checked, and I cannot ship it here from Digital (they don't want
    the bother/responsibility/hassle).
    
    ???
    
    ANY IDEAS?!
    
    
    

    Hey Buck,
    
    How about callion up on of these mail-4-u places and see what they can
    do.
    
    "sakman"

    Fine, WTF is a "mail-4-u" place?!?

    I took delivery from RPS to my home address of musical equipment about
    two months ago.

Musta VERY recently.

Boom shipped a VERY heavy rack (80lbs) to me via RPS about
three weeks ago.

I picked it up at the local RPS truck terminal,
and I think Boom dropped it at a terminal in Syracuse...
But thats no biggie is it ?? (the non-residential thing, that is)
jc

    No, I seriously doubt that the *real* rules have changed.  That is THE
    standard crap they give you when they don't want to deal with you.  
    
    My wife got the *exact* same runaround when she called up about having
    a bed shipped via them.  The story you get from them (including the
    PRICE) will vary depending on who you talk to at the place, what kind
    of mood they're in, and how professional you sound. 
    
    I *hate* trying to deal with RPS because of this kind of inconsistant
    treatment.  They're full of crap.  
                                       
    Greg

    Well, looks like the final word from RPS is "no go" on the cab! 8^( 
    For one, they have a strict 100lb limit...I know the M-word cab as
    shipped was 100lbs...but they said it it was over, they would kick it
    back to me.  Also, the box size does not meet their shipping limits. 
    130" total inches...this box is 141"  Gawd, the cab naked is 130"?!
    
    I don't know who or how I'm gonna ship this thing?!

    Buck,
    
    Call Yellow Freight or one of the other similar trucking companies.  My
    dad shipped a dishwasher (full-size, under-the-counter Kitchen Aid) to
    Maine from West Virginia for a whopping $65; Coles Express delivered it
    to my door and brought it into the kitchen for me.  Considering that
    all I paid was the shipping, I felt like I got a deal; the person on
    the other end of your deal might not share that sentiment, though.
    
    When it absolutely positively DOESN'T have to get there overnight,
    truck freight is probably your best bet for something as big as that
    Marshall cab.
    
    Chuck

    I had inquired to a few truck frieght companies in this area (GMA), but
    the two or three I talked with said they only dealt with professional
    businesses.  I guess no one is interested in a personal, one-time
    shipment deal?!
    
    Maybe I just have s..tty luck?!

    Try someplace like "The Packaging Store" or "Mailboxes Etc".  They will
    usually do the interfacing to the freight lines and handle the
    "business to business" end of it for you.  My wife had a bed shipped
    out here from North Carolina recently and they were very accomodating
    (The Packaging Store).  
    
    Wasn't real cheap, mind you...but it got it out here.
    
    Greg

    
      I was happy with RPS shipping the road case to Coop for like $23. 
    The deal almost fell through because I was getting estimates of like
    $125 and I *only* sold it for $175 (and it's worth every penny, isn't
    it Coop!). And I did drop it off at the RPS terminal in Syracuse and
    since they didn't deliver to Coops neighborhood, they let him pick it
    up in the Springs at RPS.
    
    							-B()()M-
    

Yeah the Boogie/Boom/Coop/RPC deal went really smoothly.  I'm suprised your
gettin' so much flack, Buck.  Bummer.  I don't suppose another RPS terminal
would help ??
jc

>    I don't suppose another RPS terminal would help ?? 
    
    Probably would, but is it worth the hassle of going there?  Find the
    one Alan Starr uses!
    
    I think someone should write a letter to RPS's management describing
    the inconsistancies and difficulty in getting things shipped through
    them, this is rubbish.
    
    Greg

>this is rubbish.

Agreed!

Too bad too, cuz I was really pleased when my Boogie Rack showed up in it's
splendor...

jc

> Probably would, but is it worth the hassle of going there?  Find the
> one Alan Starr uses!
  
I already sent him mail this morning telling him the location of the one
that I've used.......

    B4 U go and tell off RPS' management, I thought I'd warn you that you
    might want to tread lightly on any subject related to (a) shipping to
    you at work [i.e., DEC], (b) sharing notes via Notes at DEC, or (c)
    anything else about DEC.
    
    RPS is a VAX 9000 account and we need all the good will we can muster
    in those parts!   ;7)
    
    \Gary (in the field but not on the RPS account)

    I wanna make it clear that *I* was
    
    A) not shipping to a DEC site
    
    and
    
    B) don't plan to harrass them and/or include talk about DEC!

    I wasn't advocating telling them anything about DEC.  People I've known
    having trouble with shipment through them are my personal friends and
    family.  RPS is a service organization and if their service is not up
    to their customer's expected standards, then someone should tell them
    so.  Likewise with any other business.
    
    I already knew they were a DEC customer, and everything I said still
    applies.  If they want to maintain a business, they should have 
    consistant policies and everyone in their company that deals with their
    customers should know what their policies are and uphold them.  Some of
    their shipping terminals clearly don't want business from private
    parties, that is their choice, but it should be consistant no matter
    who you talk to in the company.
    
    I was actually just flaming because it appears that the people near the
    bottom of their command chain are blowing off potential customers.  I
    don't have any intention of talking to them about it myself, even
    though their inconsistancies caused me quite a bit of problems recently
    and cost me substantially more then I was expecting to ship something
    my wife wanted from NC here. 
    
    I don't think anyone ever talked about DEC shipping things through RPS,
    someone just pointed out that DEC policy doesn't allow employees to
    ship private packages from their facilities.  That has nothing to do
    with RPS.
    
    Greg
                                 

    No biggie... the complaints in here are justified.
    
    It's just that in today's business environment, well, you know...
    \Gary

    re. "wtf is mail-4-u?"
    
    Note.23:
    >> Try someplace like "The Packaging Store" or "Mailboxes Etc".  They
    will usually do the interfacing to the freight lines and handle the
    "business to business" end of it for you.
    
    If you try these places (I noticed there is one in downtown Maynard
    just yesterday) how about posting your results. I'd be curios to know.
    
    "sakman"

    >> Try someplace like "The Packaging Store" or "Mailboxes Etc".  They
    >>will usually do the interfacing to the freight lines and handle the
    >>"business to business" end of it for you.
    
    >If you try these places (I noticed there is one in downtown Maynard
    >just yesterday) how about posting your results. I'd be curios to know.
    
    Called the one in Maynard.
    
    * THEY have to box the item themselves
    * They were shocked when I gave them the weight and size dimensions!
    * Said they would do it, but the cost was astronomical.  $80.00!
      Included boxing, shipping, and misc charges.

    
    Buck, I've had good luck with Standard Trucking also (one of their
    affiliates in New England is St. Johnsbury Trucking).  My Dad sent
    a freakin' wood stove (he boxed it himself) for $65.  
    
    -pat

    The whole business of sending items that exceed UPS/USPS limits for
    weight and cube is an expensive and frustrating one, especially for
    infrequent, non-business shippers.
    
    When you get into the realm of motor freight carriers (aka common
    carriers), you are dealing with 'tariffs', and most of what you'll ship
    will be subject to their minimum charges, and will not be cost-
    effective.  Also, motor freight carriers (not parcel services) HATE
    delivering to private addresses.
    
    Seeing that many of us own such items as speaker cabs and PA systems
    that are not easy to crate/box and are bulky, we will run into this
    problem sooner or later.
    
    Any good sources or advice posted here is worth checking out.
    \Gary

    As Gary said, it's really tough to ship something overweight.  And
    expensive, even going through a business.  I had a cab shipped through
    a business a friend of mine works at a year or so ago and it still cost
    me $65 (even after their "frequent customer" discount and everything).
    
    As far as the packaging places, we shipped a bed (headboard/footboard)
    from NC to here through The Packaging Store.  I thought the price was a
    little high, but they picked the thing up from my mother-in-law's
    house, packaged it, insured it, and had it delivered to our house
    (including bringing it in and helping to uncrate it!).  Certainly saved
    a lot in the hassle dept.
    
    Greg