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Michael, This is the day you become a professional. You will be compensated by FedEx. You'll have to negotiate their claims process and that will take time, both elapsed time and time away from building. I'd recommend an attitude of resignation to the process. Keep your temper at all times.

Contact your other clients and explain that you had your latest shipment destroyed and that you have to put that customer at the head of the queue. They should feel gratified that you take care of your customers if things go wrong. Send them the photos less they think you might be bluffing.

Work with this customer on specifying a replacement instrument and start on it today. Make sure he knows you aren't leaving him hanging. If there is a simple upgrade that you can make that won't ruin you finacially, you might try to do that on the replacement instrument. I know you're taking the hit for someone elses imcompetence but that goes down real well with customers especially when they know it wasn't your fault.

Maintain your calm. A certain precentage of your instruments are going to have bad things happen to them.   Look at it as a normal business risk. Try to be a little detached.

Good luck.

[QUOTE=Mike Mahar] Michael, This is the day you become a professional. You will be compensated by FedEx. You'll have to negotiate their claims process and that will take time, both elapsed time and time away from building. I'd recommend an attitude of resignation to the process. Keep your temper at all times.

Contact your other clients and explain that you had your latest shipment destroyed and that you have to put that customer at the head of the queue. They should feel gratified that you take care of your customers if things go wrong. Send them the photos less they think you might be bluffing.

Work with this customer on specifying a replacement instrument and start on it today. Make sure he knows you aren't leaving him hanging. If there is a simple upgrade that you can make that won't ruin you finacially, you might try to do that on the replacement instrument. I know you're taking the hit for someone elses imcompetence but that goes down real well with customers especially when they know it wasn't your fault.

Maintain your calm. A certain precentage of your instruments are going to have bad things happen to them.   Look at it as a normal business risk. Try to be a little detached.

Good luck.
[/QUOTE]

Wise words Mike. I knew them going in. Yes I have already started the planing process for the replacement. I do have one customer that will likely balk but plan to step out side of my normal process and keep both instruments in process at the same time. But only with in reason. as we all know some process lend them self to batch work and some require individual attention. The Client is heartbroken but in good spirits over the issue and is considering the options I have told him I do not recommend repair to fill this commission but rather a new build. Then take the damaged guitar and repair if possible and sell and split any proceeds for such a sell. If the crack in lower bout was a single crack I believe I could repair with out much issue but there are two major fault lines very close to each other. I really doubt that I could repair in a manner I would find acceptible for sale. The neck is no big issue it can be repaired or replace with no issue.

The client called me this morning and said that he did not know if he could go through this again and that his wife wants him to take the money. I have told him from the start that is was one of his options. I really think after the shock is over he will want to start a new build.

The only hard part in keeping my cool with FedEx is that right off the bat they were kirt with me and informed me that they would only pay Wholesale value of the guitar. After talking with a claims supervisor I finally got through to them that this was a one of a kind Handcrafted instrument and not a commercially available factory built guitar. They have since taken a bit more professional tone with me. The are promising resolution within seven to ten days.

I have had one other incident like this a couple years ago so I am not worried about the claim that much I just hate the fact that it happened and the client has to be disappointed when he opened the case. This feels like a reflection on me. And in a craft the is totally dependent on your skill and integrity to make it That hurts.MichaelP39051.5203009259

I love Andy's solution on this, looks like a vey solid box. Add to that the HERITAGE insurance and you can breathe easier i believe.

Michael, I can only say that I'm really sorry this happened to you.

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Michael, was the guitar tuned up to pitch?

Just wondering out loud -
It seems to me that the shipper owes the cost of the instrument to the buyer plus compensation for lost income to the builder. Both are real losses.

Shouldn't shipping costs be refunded?

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Wow. I'm so sorry. Hope you insured it.

no it was a approx 1/4 tennsion

[QUOTE=SteveS] Just wondering out loud -
It seems to me that the shipper owes the cost of the instrument to the buyer plus compensation for lost income to the builder. Both are real losses.

Shouldn't shipping costs be refunded? [/QUOTE]

I have my money. Mark, like all my clients pay 75% deposit and the balance at pick up or prior to shipping. The compensation is owed to Mark but I have to be the one to file the claim on the shipping as I was the contractee with FedEx.MichaelP39051.6358333333

But you're having to spend time dealing with fedex rather than building guitars. You're losing income over their screw up. Invoice them, see what happens.

Michael,

An absolute travesty. I hope things work out to your and your client's satisfaction.

This has gotten me jittery. I for one, appreciate the recommendations that many here have made. I'm close to completing a guitar for a client who lives in Norway (I'm in Houston, TX). I'll be sure to pack the guitar extra well, but I won't be breathing very deeply until I get news from him that it has arrived . . . safely, I hope.

Best,

Michael

_________________
Live to Play, Play to Live

You might want to change your signature to:


Alive in the woods, my leaves once sang in the wind.
Now fallen by an axe and dried by the sun.
Bound up with a glue and with steel I am strung.
Smashed to smitherines FedEX owes me a ton!

I love it

This has been a terible loss for you and your client, and I'm truly sorry for
your loss.

I think what happened to you has been a real eye-opener for a lot of us. I
thank you for sharing this all with the forum, This is something we can all
learn from.

Hang in there.

long

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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus

What a heartbreak!
Michael, I have never had a guitar damaged, but several years ago while building our present home I was shipped a load of defective windows and doors. It was a real nightmare, but the company finally returned our money.
I will pass along what helped us:
- Find out who the local regional FedEx manager is. Send them "before and after" pictures along with a cover letter, and then follow it up with a phone call. Send the package by registered mail.
- document every phone call with everyone you speak to, including first and last names, extensions, etc. and record the details soon after the conversation.
-getting the "run around" is the ritual in these situations so expect it. Persistence is the key.
- as frustrating as it might be, try to stay polite and direct. You may impress some beancounter with your refresing positive approach who will then go to bat for you. If you get written off as a nutcase (as I surely did)the process slows considerably.
- Unless you hire a lawyer and go to court,you have to take the hit for time and effort in dealing with the situation. If you try to throw that into the negotiations things will get complicated.
Again so sorry to hear of this. Hopefully things will eventually work out fine.

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It's not the miles ahead, it's the stone in your shoe


In Markham,Virginia

I agree, the headstock looks whiplashed. Did you pack the headstock area so it couldn't move?

You should fill that area (any open area, actually) with crumpled up newspapers so the neck has no possibility of moving, even under massive accelerations. The case should be very hard to close when packed correctly, and the guitar should not be able to move in any direction. If you don't do this you are likely do suffer damage even if there is a modest drop.

The access Case has an adjustable peghead padded support that was in place and adjust to the the peghead. I did not ad additional packing to the peghead

I noticed one thing while showing someone these pictures today - is that a round lock on the side of the case ??? looked to us (never really noticed it before) that the lock was pushed into the side of the guitar - thats where the two cracks seem to originate from - I have never seen a case that has a lock that big right on the side at the lower bout - it must surely stick out some, and I take it the box was dropped right on it, and it pressured the side right there to start ot crack. Access should consider moving that thing ...

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

[QUOTE=TonyKarol] I noticed one thing while showing someone these pictures today - is that a round lock on the side of the case ??? looked to us (never really noticed it before) that the lock was pushed into the side of the guitar - that's where the two cracks seem to originate from - I have never seen a case that has a lock that big right on the side at the lower bout - it must surely stick out some, and I take it the box was dropped right on it, and it pressured the side right there to start ot crack. Access should consider moving that thing ...[/QUOTE]

It is not a latch it is a strap attachment but good eyes! It does look like that is where the impact was. that would have been right over one of the side braces. If the impact was significant, and it apparently was it would have broke through that brace. by the way that is the only place where there is multiple cracking. I think I will show this to Access Even though I have switched to Ameritage as my only case on commission builds. But I do still plan to carry Access case for a low cost replacement case for those that need a case for a med end factory built guitar. MichaelP39055.7237268519