Shipping Turntables

[reubensm]

Hi all,

This is a critical topic for those who ship turntables or for those who buy turntables which involve shipping-based delivery. Would like your valuable thoughts on the same and suggestions for shipping, packaging methods. This could really be very useful for most of our forum members who are venturing out into the world of vinyl.

Also, lets discuss carriage, what we need to do if we are transporting our turntables by ourselves (shifting or even taking it to a friend's place).

All thoughts and suggestions are most welcome. Thanks.

 

[sachu888]

I have posted this elsewhere.It helps few forum members to successfully shiping their TTs.Please check this link http://web.archive.org/web/20050206071407/http://www.theturntablefactory.com/packing.html
This is an archive copy from turntablefactory.com
The owner is no more now and website closed few years back.This is the best packing instruction I have found for TT shipping.

Regards,
Sachin

 

[reubensm]

its really saddening to see that dual turntable in an absolutely demolished condition.

 

[Record Player]

This will indeed be very helpful. The question is, is there a successful full proof method in packing and transporting turntables?

Looking forward to views.

 

[sachu888]

This will indeed be very helpful. The question is, is there a successful full proof method in packing and transporting turntables?

Looking forward to views.

Please check the link I have posted.I have sent this link to many members when they bought used TTs from ebay or other members.If you check the packing and shipping section of Audiokarma you will find almost everyone follows same instructions for packing.

Regards,
Sachin

 

[sachu888]

Another very good read here from an ebay seller How to Pack a Turntable for Shipment | eBay
and a video from another person Packing a Turntable for Shipment,Technics turntable packing and shipping - YouTube

Regards,
Sachin

 

[reubensm]

Packaging of electronics is key when it comes to shipping. I have mastered the art by trial and error. I have made some mistakes in the past but have enjoyed a great deal of success while shipping. Packaging in the Indian context is different from the American or British context as courier cartons are handled differently. Its an interesting subject and I will post my views once we have more inputs from the forum. The reason why I came up with this topic is that I had a very saddening shipping experience in the recent past and want to ensure our fellow forum members do not make the basic mistakes again.

 

[sachu888]

Postal and courier services don't take care of our parcels.Their standards are same in US too.You will find many shipping disasters here due to improper handling by UPS/USPS and Fedex Packing & Shipping - AudioKarma.org Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums

Regards,
Sachin

 

[Saket]

I received my turntable shipped from Pune. The packing was done by the dealer in a carton totally taped around. In the insides, he removed the platter, tied the tone arm & removed the stylus. That stylus was stuck with a cello tape to the deck BTW, he also threw 3-4 LPs in the box about which I won't complain.

My friend who received that in Pune on my behalf, got this package into yet another, bigger carton, of a 30 liters microwave and packed that whole package in it by packing additional thermocol and newspapers.

It was finally shipped by Safexpress and they handled it well, I must say. Also, the shipment reached in satisfactory time. It took me some good time to open the big, all round taped box, to find another box, equally taped inside. A lot of thermocols were flying around the place.

Finally when I opened the 'final' box, there was the turntable but with a cracked dust cover

I set up the tt first, calibrated everything, then later called my friend who confirmed that the dust cover was cracked when he saw the TT, but did not inform me as it was 'just a plastic cover'! I really don't blame him for that and I am really grateful that he facilitated the shipment and put all his efforts to pack it again, and it is just not his fault if he is not an audiophile and more so a vinylhead!

The thing is that sellers can pack away turntables in bad shape, broken arms, dust-covers and then later put the blame on shipping.

Lesson learnt: If we conduct a proper due diligence before buying and if possible personally check the tt physically and pack them according to the 'vinylhead's laid guidelines' then we stand a high chance of receiving something that will be usable. Else we could end up paying for a box of junk arriving at our door. Not to mention the agony of receiving a broken turntable which was promised to be in 'mint condition'!

PS: The carton also had a heavy amp in it, which thankfully reached in good condition, despite having a big glass window for the tuner scale.

Regards,
Saket

 

[sachu888]

I had imported my Micro Seiki tt from US.The seller followed the instruction sent by me,and shipped it by USPS.I received it in mint condition,without even a scratch.

Regards,
Sachin

 

[Rolling Vinyl]

Thanks Sachu for the link. Very helpful.

 

[kuruvilajacob]

I have made lots of mistakes in packing TTs and still makes them !. The posts made above are really useful for me. I have sold more than 250 TTs during the last 7 to 8 years and 95% of them were delivered to customers who come to pick it from here. Of late, I have been sending TTs to distant places like Dargeeling, Assam and Calcutta and I have made a mess of things. But I have learned from my mistakes. From now, I will personally follow the instructions mentioned above. I want to specially than all the contributors to this post.

 

[ukjeyaraj]

Its not exactly related to shipping. But something similar.

My cousin called me to inform that he is getting NOS condition LP of one of the super duper hit movie (Alaigal Oivathillai - Those who know tamil films will understand the value of this LP). His good friend who was happy to give the LP free of cost to my cousin some how got it from his relative and does not care/know much about vinyl.

On the scheduled time I was with my cousin to see the LP. And finally the good friend arrived in his bicycle, with the LP properly packed in a bunch of newspaper but firmly kept here

The very sight of it made us look like Tom (of Tom and Jerry) put into 440volts. But this guy was very proud to pull the LP out of that rear carrier and hand it over to my cousin. When my cousin opened and found scratches(a small crack on the edge too), he went mad and digged out all foul words he learnt from his childhood and threw it on that innocent guy, who had no clue.

It was sad but funny.

 

[reubensm]

Now here's something that can happen to you with shipping. Seller agrees a price with you and gives you a shipping quote which may be lower than the actual shipping cost to keep you interested. You are excited about the lower shipping charges and transfer the payment online covering the selling price of the item + shipping charges. Now the seller has your money, goes over the courier office and books a cash on delivery (for courier charges). You receive your courier and end up paying additional courier charges to the courier company as well. Also the actual courier charges you end up paying is significantly higher than what the seller actually quoted earlier. The seller pockets the courier charges paid originally. Now does this sound familiar? Have any one of you experienced this scam? Please let me know your thoughts.