Shipping choice: UPS, USPS or Fed Ex?

[JDJ]

Last I looked, FedEx has a limit on declared value for "custom instruments" - whatever that means.

 

[handyman]

? I shipped a guitar Thursday and valued it at $4000.
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FedEX seems to be all over the place with this. I bought an amp recently and the seller, who is on the West Coast told me that FedEX would not allow him to declare the value over $1000.

A few months ago I brought a VERY well packed amplifier to FedEX to ship. I had spent probably 90 minutes packing it... all wrapped in a healthy layer of bubble wrap, and then double boxed. They told me that if I wanted to declare the value any higher then $500 then I would have to completely unpack the item so that they could see it. I was dumbfounded.
I described how I had packed it and they said that yes, I would have to completely unpack it and unwrap all of the bubble wrap so that they could confirm what it is.

"Sorry, that's FedEX policy" I was told by the manager of that store.

I picked the large box back up and said "That it ridiculous,...you will never see me here again, believe me !" I went to USPS and had no problems.

I had been told previously, at the same FedEX, when I went to ship a guitar, that with "instruments" of any kind they could not declare the value over $1000. At that time, again I asked to speak to the manager. Again she told me that that was FedEX policy.

FedEX for me receiving packages is fine. Actually there is a FedEX drop off location at a Walgreens a mile from me. If I am receiving a package I can just go online with the FedEX tracking # and reroute the package to that Walgreens, so that they don't try to deliver it to me while I am at work... and needing a signature, not leave it. I just go to the Walgreens and sign for it and pick it up.

But shipping with FedEX... never again for me.

I've had problems with FedEx and FedEx Office employees just plain making random nonsense up about "regulations" that just don't exist.

Couple years ago I was standing in line at the local FedEx Office to ship a G&L bass in a fresh U-Line box specifically designed for shipping bass guitars. The dude points at me, still three back in the line, and tells me the box doesn't meet FedEx shipping regulations. He refuses to tell me why, just that if I want to ship it I'd have to sign some sort of waiver saying they weren't responsible for damage.

I rolled my eyes and drove 2 miles down the road to the next FedEx Office location. The accepted the package with no issues.

I have no idea what it is with FedEx. I've had no issues with their actual shipping, but they seem to allow employees to say crazy crap to customers.