Help, I'm stuck----

[T.B.A.]

Sending a guitar from the USA to Australia

Hi all,
I've been searching all over the 'net for days on how to do this and in the process, found JEMSITE :-)

I recently bought a PRS McCarty in HSC out of Escondido, California (evilbay). I was quoted air freight etc, now the seller is having trouble at his Post office, being told "Oversize- can't do it". (I don't feel he really has much of a clue how to do this now). He came back saying:

"Hi
I went to the Post Office yesterday to ship your guitar and they would not accept it as it was "oversize". I checked with Federal Express and they quoted me $450.00 for Expedited service and $385.00 for Economy. I'll check UPS in the morning and see what their rates are."

That was last week and I haven't heard anything since.

I'm hoping that someone has sent/imported a guitar recently into Australia.

Would any of you have suggestions as to where I can send this person to get it shipped via air at a reasonable $ figure? As I don't "need it Yesterday" but surface takes 4 months and if there's a problem with the guitar it would be hard to chase up.
I've already paid $145USD which is more than the last 2 guitars I've bought from the US. I think the last guitar came from a dealer with "EMS" tape on it but that was 6-8 months ago.

Maybe some of the dealers have experience with this and could put me in the right direction?


Thanks for any help.
Regards

[Rich]

Lots of numbskulls just do without knowing what is allowed and what isn't. If the counter person doesn't know any better or just isn't doing their job right they'll accept it, but often it is rejected as oversized after it reached it's destination [it's happned to several here before] and then returned to sender. All shipping $'s lost. Do it the right way the first time and you don't have to worry about it.

Postal size limitations to AU, basically only GXG [postal Fedex] is allowed and they have a 46" length restriction. [Unless you can pack and pad a cased guitar in under 42", which is only possible on short cases]

http://postcalc.usps.gov/intl_speed....ds=28&Ounces=0

GXG is not available at all Post Offices, he'd have to call around, usually only the larger or regional centers offer it.

[T.B.A.]

Thanks for your input Rich, much appreciated.

[bammbamm]

I had the same problem before, and had to basically wrap the case in cardboard and essentially ship the case with a useless prophylactic. I of course got the approval of the buyer 1st, but shipping overseas presents some aggravating issues. If you can ship as 2 pcs and just trade down to a gig bag that could assist and also enable better packing. I'm assuming, however, were talking about a set neck or neck through guitar?

Best of luck!

Bamm