Any ever lose a bass to the postal service?

[juggernaught]

I sent my Distillate 5 Medium scale w/LEDs to Ray in CT from NM insured October 14th, but without tracking (doh) or registered (double doh).  It was oversized so it had to be sent by truck.  It's been 16 days (the mail moves on the weekends) and we've been told it should take 6-10 days.  The postal workers were able to track it, but because I didn't purchase additional tracking, it will only scan at the origin and destination.  Needless to say, we're both very worried and slowly losing hope.
 
Has anyone had anything like this happen?  Did the package for you finally go through, or was it lost forever?  If you had to file a claim, did you also contact the police?
 
Also on a side note, if I ever send a package this size again, i think I'll use fedex...
 
-devon
 
(Message edited by juggernaught on October 30, 2008)

[lbpesq]

Devon:
 
Twice I've had a guitar shipped to me through the USPS and it didn't show up at my door.  After I went to the local Post Office, they poked around in back and found the guitar both times.  For some reason, they never bothered to actually put it on the truck and bring it to my house.  If I hadn't shown up at their counter in person, both guitars would probably still be sitting in the back room.  Good luck with yours.
 
Bill, tgo

[juggernaught]

Bill, Amen!  Though I'm worried that the bass might still be at my post office!  Both Ray and I have been to our post offices more times than I can count.  It's actually supposed to be delivered to his POBox.

[bsee]

I've had a similar size package sent MA-IL that took exactly 21 days to delivery.  They told me it would be 4-6 days at the time, so we were pretty pissed.  It showed up a day before they would have had to accept an insurance claim.  If I had it to do over again I'd probably add the tracking.  Not sure if it would do any good other than to know for sure it's off in the weeds a little sooner.  
 
I don't see how the police would come into it since the USPS has an insurance claim to pay off.  If they want to look into one of their employees swiping it, I would think that's their business after the insurance is paid.

[juggernaught]

If I had it to do over again I'd probably add the tracking.
 
Ain't that the truth.

[bsee]

You ever track a UPS or FEDEX ground package?  All they can tell you is it left Albuquerque until it actually gets scanned in at Hartford.  That's 3-4 days when you'd like to know that it passed through KC, Nashville, and Newark, but you sit there in the dark.  I doubt USPS could tell you any more with tracking than that.  Still, I'd add it anyway...

[kungfusheriff]

USPS tracking is a little better than FedEx. Not great, but better. If the bass is insured, all you can do is call them once a day to explain the situation and ask what's going on. Good luck to both of you.

[malthumb]

Way back when, I sold Orwell (Series I Small Body 74-84) to Paul Clifton in the UK.  Long story short, about 6 months after I shipped it, as I was preparing to send in the insurance claim, it showed up back on my doorstep.
 
In fairness to USPS, it actually made it to the UK, but got held up in customs for quite some time.  It never cleared customs and was returned to me.
 
Peace,
 
James
 
(Message edited by malthumb on October 31, 2008)

[raynbass]

the eagle has landed! It's in one peice and good condition. 17 days; no indication of cause of hold up; but it is here!  yea!

[dadabass2001]

Congrats,
Now the fun part begins!  
 
Mike

[juggernaught]

Phew.  I was about to go postal haha...
 
Glad it made it.  In perfect condition no less.  Perhaps USPS isn't so bad, maybe you just trade time for care.