Anybody ever filed a UPS damage claim?

[XxXxXxXxX]

Hi,
A former lurker here.
I've always had my heart set on owning a Tremoverb. I finally bit the bullet and got a burgundy and tan head.
UPS was the shipper unfortunately and it arrived with a cracked head shell and a rip through the leather at one corner joint -and who knows what else. The seller packed it well enough- I mean the box it came in was so big it could fit 4 heads in the thing.
When I first looked at the box though I noticed two huge gashes in the cardboard and got worried but hoped for the best. After I got all the bubblewrap off the head things looked good until I checked the other side. Now I usually only cry during Adam Sandler movies but...looks like I got a "Heartbreaker" instead of a TOV.

I'm just wondering what my options with UPS are now? I really would like to keep this head and either get it repaired or get a replacement headshell for it(If Mesa even makes them for TOV's anymore) but don't know what hoops I'm gonna have to jump through.

Sorry that my first post is such a downer,
Steve---

 

[trustee]

rabies...thats very unfortunate...sorry to hear about this...i work for ups...so i can reccomend you few things...keep all the original packing materials, box, etc...ups will probably come to inspect the package...they will accept or deny the claim based on how it was packaged by the customer...if he had it professionally packaged via the ups store, etc...its more unconditional...if you want the full value for your amp you need to show a pricelist scan or any site/firm that sells that product for exact or near to the value of what it was declared...let us know how it goes.

 

[clutch71]

rabies...thats very unfortunate...sorry to hear about this...i work for ups...so i can reccomend you few things...keep all the original packing materials, box, etc...ups will probably come to inspect the package...they will accept or deny the claim based on how it was packaged by the customer...if he had it professionally packaged via the ups store, etc...its more unconditional...if you want the full value for your amp you need to show a pricelist scan or any site/firm that sells that product for exact or near to the value of what it was declared...let us know how it goes.

+1 to trustee. Document, save all materials, and take pictures. I too used to work for ups. A lot can happen is shipping through the various hubs until it gets to your door.

What was damaged? Tubes? Headshell? Is the chasis intact? I'd take it to an authorized Mesa repair dealer and get a quote to fix everything. If you want to keep the amp, maybe it will be less expensive than replacing the whole thing. Especially since they do not make the TOV. If the figure is less than the insured cost UPS (they will investigate the claim) will be more likely to pay out.

Hey welcome to the board btw! let us know how it turns out.

 

[XxXxXxXxX]

Hey guys,
The seller packaged it himself- pretty well too- and it was insured for $1000.
I haven't tried to fire it up yet to see if anything else is wrong. Hopefully not.
Hey Rabies- any chance while you're there you could ask the guys at Mesa if they still make the TOV shells? I could be wrong but I think they're a little bigger than the DR shells.
Thanks,
Steve---

 

[domct203]

The Roadster or RK might fit, I think they're deeper than a DR shell.

Dom

 

[lockbody]

Weclome to the board. Really sorry for the circumstances.

I jst got through with a UPS claim recently for a Thiele w/EV that they destroyed. Dropped it hard enough that the speaker ripped loose from the baffle and through the grille.

Generally, the receiver of the goods starts the claim, but I (the shipper) did it for this one. They'll pick it up for inspection and probably deny the claim for "insuficient packing". This seems to be the norm unless an UPS store packed it. In my case, the receiver had put all the packing material (2" dense-cell foam) in a seperate bag and the driver didn't take it with him. He told the receiver he "Didn't need it.". Of course, when they inspected the box with no packing material they denied it for insuficient packing. Worse thing was that they shipped it back to me like that and broke it some more.

Read up on UPS website about claims and packing. Some materials like newspaper aren't allowed as a main packing material, etc.. They'll use anything they can to deny your claim.

Be persistient.

 

[caddie]

I sent a guitar out for a cosmetic repair. some nasty chips & paint. I packaged the daylights out of it & documented it with photos, but UPS still managed to crack the headstock. UPS went to the repair shop, picked it up with all the packaging. They ignored my insistent emails to leave it at the repair shop because that is where the new damage would be repaired. As is routine, UPS declared it insufficiently packaged, denied my claim, shipped it back to me.

Here comes the beautiful part. UPS packed it so poorly on the shipment back to me that the headstock was busted CLEAN OFF plus a nice little crack at the neck/body joint. UPS and their subcontracted insurance claim agency continued to blame MY insufficient packaging. It took over 3 months to get a check and at that it was 75% of the insured value because they claimed I could still "salvage parts that had significant value".

I had a similar thing happen with an amp that had to go thru Canadian/US customs. The customs broker was probably at fault, however it was UPS that hired them so UPS is responsible. All cab joints popped, hole in the speaker cone, etc, The bad news is that this claim was denied. I took it up a "couple of levels" and still denied. The good news is that I went to the UPS Corporate site, picked out an Exec VP, and sent him all the paperwork plus jpegs. I got a check in about 10 days covering full declared value plus reimbursement for shipping charges.

Sad that I had to go to that extreme. Good thing I had all the docs & jpegs. Nice to see that top mgmt values their customers and their reputation.

All shipping companies have "bad days". I have experienced a total of two claims with UPS & one with FedEx Ground. Out of a total of 30-35, most with UPS. The only one that was paid fully was the one handled by the UPS ExecVP. These experiences have me leaning heavily toward buying local only. For shipping and "other reasons". I'll ship to sell, but with the stipulation that the buyer assumes all responsiblity for submitting and processing a claim. I will doc (w/jpgs) how it was packaged and give that to the buyer.

My sad story, and I'm stickin' to it.
The Caddie

 

[Russ]

Welcome to the Board XxXxXxXxX

Good luck with the claim.

 

[t0aj15]

I took a different route. UPS screwed up a 1-15" cab that I bought and when it got to my house I asked the driver to come in and watch as I opened the package. When she witnessed the damage herself she told me I had the right to refuse delivery which I did. Then I called the cab maker who shipped out another cab that day, leaving all the grief and paperwork to the cab maker and UPS to sort out.

 

[electrickn]

You can read through this thread for my story:

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=10959&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

 

[guitardog]

Don't expect much from UPS. I insured a Fender Twin Reverb for $1200 with them and during shipment it was dropped as was obviously seen on the box. The drop cracked one of the side panels (wood) busted a couple tubes, and broke off a couple knobs (had to replace pots completely). I pulled the amp out of the box and immediately called UPS and because I had opened it they said that they couldn't help me. I called them on that BS and they sent a representative to our house a week later. He inspected the amp and was extremely apologetic that it happened (nice guy). However, we I got a call and they said that I would have to take the amp to a certain authorized Fender amp repair shop to get an estimate. That would have been ok, had the shop not been 220 miles away.

I have not been very happy with UPS at all. Maybe its just me.

 

[XxXxXxXxX]

Well- I checked the power tubes- one is shorted and one is a baby rattle the others are fine. The 5U4's are fine as well.
I powered it up with no tubes and in diode mode. It didn't blow the fuse so thats a good sign. I'm gonna wait to check the guts until UPS has a look at it though.

By the way-thanks for all the replies and suggestions,
Steve---

 

[clutch71]

Well- I checked the power tubes- one is shorted and one is a baby rattle the others are fine. The 5U4's are fine as well.
I powered it up with no tubes and in diode mode. It didn't blow the fuse so thats a good sign. I'm gonna wait to check the guts until UPS has a look at it though.

By the way-thanks for all the replies and suggestions,
Steve---

Remember those are paired inside and outside. Good luck!

 

[XxXxXxXxX]

So UPS actually paid the claim to replace the head shell and two power tubes that were damaged.
I gotta say, everyone I talked to was very friendly but it seemed like each new person I spoke with was in the dark when it came to the claim. Like they were starting from the beginning without any notes. I kept having to tell them the same things over and over. I told them the detailed replacement prices at least twice and emailed them 2 times. I ended up talking to around 7 different people.
At first they wanted me to ship the amp back to the guy who sold it to me and get my money back from him. I told them I wanted to keep the amp and have the damaged parts replaced. They then said I had to let a UPS agent pick up the amp and take it back to have it inspected. I refused and said that the amp could be inspected at my place but I didn't trust them with the transport of it. Then I was told I could just send them pictures of the damage via email.
I figured they would just deny it and I'd have to go though the whole process again.
I then had to get my info from the seller(who was a total champ) and he kept me updated almost daily. He was really cool about the whole thing. He sent in the paperwork and after like a week he told me they just needed the replacement cost info one more time.
Then he said UPS wanted to pick the amp up from me again!!! I even started getting "pickup" notices taped to my door. I had to call them and go through the ride one more time. After a few more emails back and forth to the seller he said UPS had all the info they needed and were sending a check.
In a few more days, I got paid. It took just about 6 weeks to get it taken care of.

Thanks again guys for the the advice I got here...and if you kept reading this far-

 

[art_n_music]

I took a different route. UPS screwed up a 1-15" cab that I bought and when it got to my house I asked the driver to come in and watch as I opened the package. When she witnessed the damage herself she told me I had the right to refuse delivery which I did. Then I called the cab maker who shipped out another cab that day, leaving all the grief and paperwork to the cab maker and UPS to sort out.

UPS SUCKS...............

I'm a newb here, and haven't had experience with destroyed instruments. But plenty of amps have come to me from the store that look like they have been in the shipping loop for months!
I am an artist first, and have had experience with UPS destroying paintings/frames on professionally crated shippments. The above situation is the ONLY WAY to get anything out of UPS. But even that doesn't always work! I have had galleries open damaged wooden crates with the UPS guy there documenting, then going through the professional shipper who uses UPS every day, and still couldn't collect.
The insurance angle is a huge profit for UPS, often doubling the price of what you pay to ship. And they will do everything they can to delay and eventually disallow a claim.
Fortunately, there is one way to save yourself future problems with UPS.
USE FEDEX GROUND!!! They are much cheaper, faster and more reliable. And (knock on wood) the packages always arrive in very good shape!
I gave up trying to insure anything anymore. Just save that money. In the three years that I have only used FedEx, I haven't had one crate even look like its had a rough trip. But with UPS EVERY package looks like it has been through hell.
Sorry about your amp, man, hope it can work out.
Scott

Wow, didn't see your last post as it was on another page...congratulations, you dodged a bullet. My feelings on this matter won't change though, too many problems with UPS.