Shipping Oversea's

[Saxydude]

Greetings everyone. I would like to know the best shipping company to use for shipping an alto sax from the U.S. to Australia. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Kenfen]

USPS, hands down. I shipped an alto, it arrived perfectly.

Kenfen

[Saxydude]

Kenfen- Thanks for the reply. Yes, I was leaning toward USPS as well. I wasn't sure about how well that handled fragile packages and how reliable they were. They also seem pretty cheap too! Thanks. I will greatly appreciate any more suggestions.

[pknight]

I second the USPS recommendation. Just be sure that you (a) package the sax very well; (b) include the shipping address on a sheet of paper packed inside the shipping container; (c) insure the sax for its full value; and (d) get delivery confirmation, if it is available from the Australian Post Office, which will be handling the package once it arrives down under.

[Randall]

Absolutely USPS..but a word of warning when you take it to the post office-
Try to take it to a larger post office that is more likely to have dealt with a larger volume of int'l mail.
I have shipped dozens of saxes from the US to Japan and whenever there is a problem it is usually with the postal employee in the US not knowing what to do properly.
The most common problem is that no customs label is used, the wrong customs label is used or the customs label is not filled out properly. This could delay your horn by WEEKS.
Another problem that has happened TWICE is that the package was sent by sea mail instead of the paid for airmail.
Finally, I have actually had 2 cases of the horn being sent to the wrong freakin' country!
Despite these warnings I can still overwhelmingly recommend the USPS over any other service....just take it to a big post office, look for a clerk with experience.

[Kenfen]

Had the same thing happen to a sax that went to Germany. It went by sea by mistake and took 6 weeks. Even then, though, it arrived without any damage at all.

Regards,

Kenfen

[M Exner]

USPS is certainly the cheapest but not necessarily the fastest and most reliable. Just as others have said you might get "boatmail" instead of airmail. If that's the case, the boat will port with a dozen countries before it gets to the one you want. Weeks or even months will transpire before it gets there. I think Randall has good advice or just go ahead and bite the bullet and pay more for one of the more reliable carriers.

[Randall]

Actually M, my advice was to stay with the USPS (go to a large post office and get an experienced mail clerk), at least for mailing to Japan. I have had nothing but bad experiences with UPS and Fedex here- Damaged goods, delivery delays, extra handling fees and extraodinarily high shipping costs.
If you use the USPS priority mail, it is actually shipped by DHL mailing service (which the USPS subcontracts for their int'l express mail) to the post office in any country, I have yet to have any package be late, lost or damaged when sent this way.

[M Exner]

Randall- That's why I used the word "or". I did not change anything you said. Your (Randall's) USPS idea or my idea (the more expensive alternative) Mike

[1saxman]

Saxydude; You mentioned 'fragile'. Your package should not be fragile. First, the sax case must be structurally sound with it's original cushioning and supports in good condition. Wrap the neck and any other loose items in bubble wrap and secure them in the case so they cannot move. Cork down the action on the sax. See that the sax cannot move back and forth in the case. If you don't have the proper end cap, ball up some newspaper and use it to tighten up the sax in the case. Place a sheet or two of bubble wrap over the sax so when the case is closed it is secure. Place a card with the name and address of the recipient in the case, then close and latch it. If the latches don't work right, tie the case tightly shut with heavy string around it. Wrap the case up in a plastic trash bag and tape it tightly. Measure the package and find a new shipping carton with at least 4" clearance on all sides. Use styrofoam 'peanuts' to fill the spaces, putting the first batch in before the case goes in, and filling the remaining space while holding the case in the center. Tape all seams on the carton and use wide strapping tape to put two bands around the carton in all three axes (six bands). Fill out an address label clearly with a 'Sharpie' fine permanent black marker and put clear tape over it. Include your return address.
You will notice that you can detect some shifting of the case in the carton - this is a good thing. The 'peanuts' have air in them and around them which allows the case to accelerate gradually if the carton is dropped, then return to it's position. In my experience this is the way to send a horn, whether it's going to the next state or around the world. If you mark the carton 'fragile', use the stickers for that purpose. Insure the shipment for replacement value and put the type of horn and serial number on the shipping slip. Get delivery confirmation. Do not write 'musical instrument or anything else on the carton.

[Saxydude]

1saxman- Thanks for the advice. However, my use of the word "fragile" merely meant that a sax is not a piece of metal that can't be damaged in shipment. And regardless of how well anyone packs a sax it IS still fragile and should be handled with care. I certainly would hate to think that my saxophone not marked "fragile" was handled in the same way as the T-Shirt my mom just sent me through the mail (also not marked fragile). Thanks for the great advice, I will be sure to double check my packaging AND make sure the customs forms are properly filled out. Thanks for all the tips.

[mapasanz]

Randall!!! You say the best way to shipping a saxophone overseas is USPS and by airmail. But how???. I see in usps web site Global Express mail and Airmail Parcel POst. And do you pay for all the price of the saxophone in the insurance??. And customs???
Thanks

[benjamin1979]

Hi, i need help. I had done a trade with a guy in US but for more than a month i still dont get my mpc. is there anywhere to track down or proof that the trader had sent his mpc? Well , he got my mpc already. :oops:

[benjamin1979]

yapp, he is using USPS postal service.

[stitch]

Hi, i need help. I had done a trade with a guy in US but for more than a month i still dont get my mpc. is there anywhere to track down or proof that the trader had sent his mpc? Well , he got my mpc already. :oops:

If you have a shipping form or customs number you can track it on the USPS website and probably on your country's postal carrier's too.

[tensopbass]

I have imported 3 saxes to Oz. There is GST to pay on all items over Aus$1000 including freight(even tho there is no duty) which means that the package will sit at customs until you or your agent clears it. Why pay for delivery when it doesn't get delivered? I suggest having it sent to by a carrier (Gayle uses BAX, Stephan uses Panalpinia). It takes about 2hrs to form fill, then you pick it up from the carrier. Australia Post will NOT do customs and then bill you.

Secondly, I had a bass shipped in peanuts, they shook down as the box bulged. Much better is to use 1" sheets of polystyrene and then plastic corner clips(used to pack drywall), then cardboard and tape. Don't forget the keyclamps and bubble wrap inside the case.
nicko