Hello

I tried something different this time when I shipped out my Tyros and PSR3000. I got the idea really for the Tyros because I didn't have the original box. So I constructed a double box thing, which isn't a bad idea even if you have the original box.

After being in music retail for 30 years and seeing how some keyboards and digital pianos are shipped, namely, stacked one on top of the other about as high as you can go, I decided to have "this end up" stickers put on the box in such a way that the keyboard would have to stand on end lengthwise, be strapped against the truck wall and nothing could be stacked on it. This plus a lot of Fragile stickers, bubble wrap etc.

No chance of crushing a keyboard this way. Both buyers were very happy with the boxing and the method I chose to ship it.

BTW, most music companies favor FedEx over UPS because, it is cheaper and they tend to arrive faster. The faster they arrive, the less bouncing around they get.

Thought someone else might want to try this next time you ship one and to request it shipped to you that way.

Best

Scott Langholff
http://ScottLMusic.com

Hi Scott. Good topic. I too recently sold my Tyros1 keyboard, and w/o original box, needed to locate a box to ship it in. Thanks to SZ member dealer Dan O'Neil's suggestion, I discovered that the cardboard boxes that unassembled bicycles are shipped in to retail bicycle stores, are ideally sized (and ruggedly built) to match the dimensions & weight of our synth-arranger keyboards too. Luckily, living in a college town with lots of bicycle stores, I had plenty of bike boxes to chose from, and quickly found one (Giant brand bike box (adult size) to perfectly fit (with bubble wrap + styro peanuts) my Tyros1 keyboard into. The bike store was thrilled as well, as it saved them from having to discard it. I shipped my Tyros1 keyboard in the bike box (after adding fragile labels) via UPS and my Tyros1 arrived safely (package undamaged) at its new owner's doorstep.

I now feel assured of having a suitable free box available if/whenever I need to ship my Tyros2 keyboard.

Ok. Hope this helps others here looking to ship their keyboards as well, and I'll of course provide my mailing address to anyone interested in donating their arranger board(s) to me. Korg PA1Xpro, Ketron SD1+, and Roland G70 especially appreciated.

Scott

My suggestion:

DON'T SEND USPS!!!

HORROR STORY:
I sent three separate items all together on November 2, with USPS: My Tyros 1, the Tyros speakers, and a keyboard stand. They should have arrived in VI within 10 days.

The speakers arrived after SEVEN WEEKS (with DHL?!?!), the Tyros arrived after TEN WEEKS, and the stand arrived THIS WEEK, exactly THREE MONTHS after I shipped it!

And the whole time they told me it was lost, but were being extremely lousy on the insurance claim. They literealy made me hound them, and they just wouldn't cooperate. Luckily for me, my buyer was very understanding!

Chony

Hey Scott and Scott,

Thanks for posting this. I have just decided to sell my T1 on Ebay and get the T2 but was wondering what to do about the shipping box.

The only thing I could come up with was to buy a "wardrobe" sized cardboard box that people use when moving and cutting it down to size. However, I can now try the bike shops first and the "This Way Up" thing is a good idea as well.

Thanks guys - very timely.

Keith

Great idea about the bike box! Thanks for posting it.

When I look in my UPS delivery man's truck, all I see are shelves surrounding the outside of the truck. I don't see a place where he can strap a vertically mounted keyboard box?

I've owned my music store for 36 years and until last year I shipped everything UPS. I was experiencing a lot of damaged boxes with holes and dents when shipped UPS ground and so I decided to give Fed Ex ground a try. It costs less and really does arrive almost always in better condition then UPS would have done. Occasionaly there is still a problem but not nearly as often.
Scott, I like the idea of the bike box. I never thought of this. Thanks for the tip.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Just curious, Chony, did you really use USPS (United States Postal Service), or UPS (United Parcel Service, "Brown") ?

--Barry

I've been finding that taking a package to a Fed Ex drop off center is cheaper than doing it on line with UPS.
I've also been convinced that Fed Ex is cheaper than UPS...and better service, easier tracking number too !

Dan O'

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Ketron, Yamaha, Casio,Korg
http://www.baltimoremusiccenter.com
1-866-348-8876