Ultra Busted in Shipping (front panel buttons)

[Igor Paspalj]

Sorry, but just because things went RIGHT with your transaction, does not mean it goes like that on shipments to other countries outside the USA all the time! And it only takes ONE TIME for a high dollar unit to go damaged or missing.

There IS A REASON a lot of sellers do not ship outside the USA.

Yes, it is a bumnmer if you live outside the USA, but you also have to consider the sellers view too. A lot of sellers are concerned not only with damage to the unit which could very well happen shipping overseas, but they are also concerned with a "little thing" called customs.

Which CAN delay a shipment.... or even deny a shipment.... or confiscate equipment if they have a mind to do so and there is very little either a seller or buyer can do about it! That is just a fact!

And we will not even discuss the nightmare it can be trying to recoup losses in the USA if it is a shippers fault overseas!

So while I understand your views you need to also understand there are VALID reasons WHY a person does not want to ship outside the US. I never have and never will. Why take a chance having my merchandise damaged or confiscated by customs when I can sell it in my own country? It simply is not a bet I am willing to gamble on.

For cheaper items sure, but NOT expensive items!

Right now, I have ordered a DVD game from India on ebay....a MONTH later, it has still not gotten to the USA. When I emailed the seller about it, he had to go to the local post office, which informed him that for some reason it was SENT BACK to the India and they had to send it back out...a MONTH LATER!

And you think I am going to go through that nightmare scenario with an axe fx? You have to be out of your mind! Like I said a small item is one thing, a high dollar item is another.

Thanks, but I HAVE MY REASONS for selling only in the USA!

I'm just saying that damage on unit, or loss can happen equaly in the local or international shipping. As far as customs...Never heard they confiscated item if it's not some illegal content, or something...No reason for doing that, if I'm missing something, sorry. And custom fees are, of course, buyer responsability. I paid custom fees for my Ultra, of course...And judging by your post, you sounded very offended, no reason for that also I didn't said ''people who doesn't want to ship outside of states are BAD''....Just a fact that s*** can happen everywhere, not only on international shipping.

 

[webe123]

Well you have every right to your opinion and to ship in the usa, but know that it is about the same risk involved.

Ummmm. WRONG! If a high dollar item goes missing or is damaged in the states and I have shipping insurance to cover it, then chances are WAY better of getting compensation, than dealing with another government outside the USA! That is just a fact. Again, customs in some countries can confiscate your shipment and there is very little you can do about it. Maybe that is OK for you to take that risk....not for me. Sorry.

And please try to read my post about the Game DVD I still have not gotten from India a month and a half later!

Between myself and one of my friends (the manager of a music store here), we've personally brought in several thousand items here already. More like tens of thousands, including units much more pricey than axe fx. Eventides, electrovoice, neumann, focusrite, all sorts of high end drum kits, all versions of all flagship keyboard workstations (bar none), marshalls, carvins, PRSs, ampegs, SVT's gallien kreuger, etc etc etc I can go on and on, and I haven't even started.
I've personally brought in 2 axes.

Again, it only takes one time for someone that cannot afford it, to have something happen to the high dollar shipment and people start screaming at that person that sent it. And IF customs is involved...YES...it CAN be a nightmare! And I really don't care if you "brought in" a whole music store! You may be able to take the loss if something happened, but can the seller? I know I couldn't! I did not grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth and I work hard for what I have gotten! So I don't take stupid chances with selling it when it comes time to sell it off and get something else!

Are there issues? Sure, just as shipping in lower 48. Were they resolved? Pretty much all. Things are tracked back as far as the first receiving station that the seller ships to. As a matter of fact, most of the issues were locally - either shipping from US state to US state, or localized shipping down here, and we've had statistically more issues shipping US to US state.

Again, you act like customs in other countries cannot be a nightmare. It all depends on WHERE YOU LIVE! Please don't act like shipping to a communist country for example, where they are suspicious of all mail could be the same as shipping to a non communist country. Again, it depends on where you live....how corrupt the government officials are that receive said packages and a variety of other circumstances ...all of which is OUT OF YOUR HANDS once you ship outside the US if you live the in US.

Everyone's mileage may vary, but just cuz you're not willing to do it means that it's right or wrong.

It also does not mean that it is safe, just because you say so! Maybe you have had great results, but the fact is others have had issues. Turning a blind eye to that fact can mean someone getting ripped off or have their merchandise seized.

Customs is an issue here, because of the duties, and sometimes cuz of the delay. The longest I've waited because of customs is about a week, but sometimes I've heard that it can be longer. I've also waited longer for stuff to ship in neighboring US states. I've also had things ship from sweden and get here in my hands in less than a week. Everyone's mileage will vary of course, but I'm just showing you that you can and WILL get problems ANYWHERE you ship.

I am not saying you can not have problems, but you are basing your assumptions on what has happened TO YOU! This world is a lot bigger than just where you and I live. So again, I completely understand why a lot of people living in the US, refuse to ship outside the US!

Some customs are much more ridiculous than others. India can be ridiculous. I've never shipped from there, but I have a friend who does it everyday. Never stopped him, and he STILL has shipments leaving there everyday.

Really? Well try to get ME to believe that! I am still waiting for a Game DVD I bought on ebay, that was sent out a month ago and still has not arrived because the idiots shipped it back to India! So now I have to wait all over again. From my perspective, I have resigned myself not only to not sell but to not BUY from other countries as well. This story is a reason why! And you think I am going to ship an axe fx to someplace like India? LOL! A game DVD I can lose. But an axe fx I cannot! Sorry, that is just they way I see it!

No need to discourage others who wish to ship international. I'm sure if you were in europe you'd like to have your axe shipped there.

Excuse me, but have you READ anything I just said about my game DVD being screwed up in shipping? Listen up. I understand it is a bummer if you are in Europe or wherever outside the US and want an axe fx, but you have to also understand the other side of the story! There is a reason WHY people hesitate to ship internationally!

I think there is PLENTY of need to let folks know that if they ship internationally, they take a chance! That is just a fact. Some countries are better than others, but it is still a gamble. Some odds... just like betting...are better than others....but the fact remains it is still a gamble.

Don't have fear, have knowledge, that is all

There are reasons why people hesitate to ship outside the us. You may not agree with them, but that does not make the reasons wrong either!

 

[DNW]

Mine came damaged new from FAS. Took a knock in shipping, which had dislodged the front panel a bit and it was curving inwards. Unit wouldn't function properly because the front panel was holding the buttons in. Didn't want to have to ship it all the way back over the FAS (from Aus), and a few emails later with support I had it sorted. Just had to loosen the front panel screws and straighten it up. Worked perfectly after that. Front panel has always had a ding on one edge, but meh... I'd have caused it myself soon enough anyway.

 

[Rane]

Hey, hp, any way you could post a pic of the repaired unit? Just out of curiosity.

And, wow, Web kinda' making an issue out of nothing, wouldn't you say? I've always denied requests to ship internationally, but that doesn't mean there's only one way. Good advice is fine, I don't see any reason to get all puffed up about it. Let people do as they will.

 

[jon]

^ yea exactly. He is right, I may have been able to rectify issues shipping internationally, so I should talk for myself and the experiences I know of, which I did.

But he also speaks only on behalf of himself, and the experience/(s) HE has had. Doesn't mean they are the same for everyone.

Shipping international has been going on everyday since ships were invented. Everyday, millions of items are shipped around the world, and if it was really as bad as he said, shipping internationally would not happen, period. But it does. There are issues, sure, but there are issues shipping withing lower 48 as well :/

I don't see the issue, if a seller sees about shipping/assumes responsibility till the point of departure (whichever port it leaves in the states) and after that the buyer assumes responsibility. If it's damaged in the states or not received at the port there, the seller in the states can follow up on that - it's only fair, and much easier. Same as if you were shipping lower 48.
If it signed as received in good condition at the point of departure in the states, it's only fair and right that the buyer follow up on it after that. The buyer always has to assume most of the risk. If it's seized in customs or whatever, it's still the buyers risk. Webe, in the case of your dvd, it's YOUR risk. Maybe the game has some sort of explicit content which did not bode well with the customs there. I can't say, but I'm sure there is someone in india following up on it for you.

Again, I may be basing much of what I know on the experience of myself, and most of my friends who ship stuff around the world, but webe, you're only basing your views on what YOU know as well. Just because you have had one bad experience doesn't mean that you should stop or deter anyone. If the exact same axe was invented and made and shipped from india, you'd probably still buy one. Lighten up!

Cuz by your logic, if you get screwed up in a relationship with one bad girl, you should never have a relationship with a girl ever again, and you should tell all your friends that girls are a bad idea.

Try telling the rest of the world that LOL!!!

and yea, hp, can you provide some pics? I'm a bit curious as well!

 

[webe123]

^ yea exactly. He is right, I may have been able to rectify issues shipping internationally, so I should talk for myself and the experiences I know of, which I did.

But he also speaks only on behalf of himself, and the experience/(s) HE has had. Doesn't mean they are the same for everyone.

Shipping international has been going on everyday since ships were invented. Everyday, millions of items are shipped around the world, and if it was really as bad as he said, shipping internationally would not happen, period. But it does. There are issues, sure, but there are issues shipping withing lower 48 as well :/

I don't see the issue, if a seller sees about shipping/assumes responsibility till the point of departure (whichever port it leaves in the states) and after that the buyer assumes responsibility. If it's damaged in the states or not received at the port there, the seller in the states can follow up on that - it's only fair, and much easier. Same as if you were shipping lower 48.
If it signed as received in good condition at the point of departure in the states, it's only fair and right that the buyer follow up on it after that. The buyer always has to assume most of the risk. If it's seized in customs or whatever, it's still the buyers risk. Webe, in the case of your dvd, it's YOUR risk. Maybe the game has some sort of explicit content which did not bode well with the customs there. I can't say, but I'm sure there is someone in india following up on it for you.

Again, I may be basing much of what I know on the experience of myself, and most of my friends who ship stuff around the world, but webe, you're only basing your views on what YOU know as well. Just because you have had one bad experience doesn't mean that you should stop or deter anyone. If the exact same axe was invented and made and shipped from india, you'd probably still buy one. Lighten up!

Cuz by your logic, if you get screwed up in a relationship with one bad girl, you should never have a relationship with a girl ever again, and you should tell all your friends that girls are a bad idea.

Try telling the rest of the world that LOL!!!

and yea, hp, can you provide some pics? I'm a bit curious as well!

As far as the game DVD it is Thief 2...not any dirty stuff on that that I know of. And YES it IS my decision. And I have had a bad experience....you have not....so what?

Again, I have my reasons for deterring others from thinking about shipping internationally! It IS a gamble if you live in the US, weather you want to admit it is or not.

And again, it is my stuff and I will sell it how I want. It is also my opinion on this subject that shipping outside the US is a risk and I will express it how I want also.

 

[hp/mp]

Hey, hp, any way you could post a pic of the repaired unit? Just out of curiosity.

Sure, here's the working ultra after putting it back together & updating firmware.
The front panel is pretty much straight on again now, it just has these additional scrapings.

Trying to show the scraping as good/bad as possible:

Now in the grand scheme of things you wouldn't really notice:

Also the Value knob front cover did come off with a flat screwdriver, then I believe there was a nut & bolt to be loosened before allowing the front plate to be removed completely.
Along with the front panel problem I believe there was a ribbon cable that had become loose on the inside that was preventing the axe-fx from working right .

 

[mark_melling]

Really glad it "kinda" worked out for you..hate seeing things go wrong for anyone..particularly for genuine people!!

 

[panoramix]

My 2 cents: A few months ago, I purchased an Ultra + MFC 101 from a seller in the US. I used USPS and insured the gear fully. The cartons arrived one week after, in perfect condition. It took me three working days to Customs clear them, paying the vat thereon. I was impressed by the service provided by the US post. And I'm right in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I must not be the only one. Cheers.

 

[FractalAudio]

The reason we stopped using USPS is they were damaging more packages than UPS, far more. That, and they are about as competent as a clown college. Complete joke the entire organization.

 

[mark_melling]

The reason we stopped using USPS is they were damaging more packages than UPS, far more. That, and they are about as competent as a clown college. Complete joke the entire organization.

So this is where they get their training...

 

[shemihazazel]

I live in an apartment, and no matter how many times I tell them to leave packages with the rental office people, they always just leave it by the front door to my building for anyone to come by and steal. Or, they won't deliver it at all, and then I have to trek over to the post office to pick it up. Morons.