Freight Companies

[mep]

Some of you have had good experiences with freight companies shipping heavy components at a decent price. I need some recommendations for shipping my Krell KSA-250. I'm having a custom made wooden shipping container made that my factory box will slip inside of (and I have the original clam shell packing that goes inside of the cardboard). My guess is it will weigh somewhere around 165lbs.

I would appreciate all inputs on good freight companies to use. My box will be done on Thursday (hopefully) and I would love to ship the amp this Friday if possible.

Mark

 

[Steve williams]

Some of you have had good experiences with freight companies shipping heavy components at a decent price. I need some recommendations for shipping my Krell KSA-250. I'm having a custom made wooden shipping container made that my factory box will slip inside of (and I have the original clam shell packing that goes inside of the cardboard). My guess is it will weigh somewhere around 165lbs.

I would appreciate all inputs on good freight companies to use. My box will be done on Thursday (hopefully) and I would love to ship the amp this Friday if possible.

Mark

Best advice is to find out who Krell uses as you can be sure your unit will get there safer than what it got to you

 

[Tom B.]

I've used Freightquote.com quite a few times with good results. You'll have to set up an account but that can be done at the time you call in your order. The trick to freight shipping, or I guess for any heavy shipping for that matter, is the item must be securely constrained within it's own packaging....if it moves in its own box it is not secure enough. Then strap it to a skid, maybe even box the skid in. Trucking companies rarely 'strap' a pallet down, they use retaining bars that clip along the trailer walls; hence the pallet might slide a little. Having the pallet larger than your item helps. Putting your box on a sacrificial pallet helps also.
You'll need the overall pallet/package size, weight, insurance value, and dock (or lift gate request) handy at the time you set up the pick up. Many drivers will not help you lift a large item into the truck, so unless you have a pallet jack/loading dock, be prepared to ask for a lift gate at the loading end. This adds to the shipping costs.

PM me if I can help further.....

Tom B.

T

 

[garylkoh]

Shipping heavy/fragile items everyday...... freight is a hit or miss. I don't think that there is a universally good freight company. For example, to the mid-West, we ship Conway because they seem to have a good network of caring drivers. Shipping to Europe, we use Expeditors (Expeditors.com) because we have a good account manager who gives us good rates, and the time we had a claim (they dropped a pair of speakers from the plane) they processed it relatively quickly with no questions. Small domestic shipments (less than 250lbs) we generally use UPS or FedEx. Larger shipments we use Forte.

But beware of the charges because all freight companies make their extraordinary profits from the occasional shipper. Their volume customers can get up to 80% discount. If you are shipping back to Krell, ask them if they can order a pick-up if you pay for it.

 

[JackD201]

EXCELLENT advice Gary!

 

[Steve williams]

and the time we had a claim (they dropped a pair of speakers from the plane) they processed it relatively quickly with no questions.

it would be difficult to deny the claim as the speakers were dropped from a plane. I suspect you mean a cargo plane dropped from the open bay rather than from 38000 feet

 

[RogerD]

Mark,

If you have a local Navis pack & ship you might want to get a quote from them. Or look in your yellow pages for a similar independent freight fowarder. The best thing is if you have access to a business or a friend that ships freight on a regular basis. depending on the distance and freight class $100 per 100lbs or up to $200 per 100 can be a rule of thumb. As Tom B. suggests you will need a liftgate and pallet jack at delivery or P/U depending on your circumstances.

The option of having the amplifier foamed is also something to think about. Good luck.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Shipping heavy/fragile items everyday...... freight is a hit or miss. I don't think that there is a universally good freight company. For example, to the mid-West, we ship Conway because they seem to have a good network of caring drivers. Shipping to Europe, we use Expeditors (Expeditors.com) because we have a good account manager who gives us good rates, and the time we had a claim (they dropped a pair of speakers from the plane) they processed it relatively quickly with no questions. Small domestic shipments (less than 250lbs) we generally use UPS or FedEx. Larger shipments we use Forte.

But beware of the charges because all freight companies make their extraordinary profits from the occasional shipper. Their volume customers can get up to 80% discount. If you are shipping back to Krell, ask them if they can order a pick-up if you pay for it.

I agree with Gary's suggestion. I've done that with a few "large" items that needed to be sent back to the factory for repair such as speakers. Told them I would be glad to reimburse them and in the case of my speakers, the cost was 40 pct of what the freight co. had quoted me as an individual.

 

[Gregadd]

(they dropped a pair of speakers from the plane) they processed it relatively quickly with no questions.

They made you buy insurance? A negligent bailor. Pretty cut and dried.

 

[garylkoh]

They made you buy insurance? A negligent bailor. Pretty cut and dried.

We always buy insurance. It was dropped from a cargo bay - about 15ft - to the tarmac. The problem is that it is not always obvious. The speakers were in their carton, and probably in an air-container. So, the damage was not obvious as the carton wasn't even dented. When the consignee opened the carton, the top of the speaker cabinet was completely cracked open, and some of the magnets had ripped off the basket of the drivers.

We've had other speakers in exactly the same condition where the freight company refused to honor the claim because "there was no damage, and it was probably shipped broken from the factory". An account manager who is willing to do battle with the claims department is usually a great asset to have - which is why we form good relationships with our forwarders.

 

[Bruce B]

I've used Pilot Freight from in the states to around the world. Shipped Pass amps to Brazil, Wilson speakers to Austrailia, Studer A80 to CA and something as tiny as a soundcard to Italy without a hitch. Our Evolution Speakers were shipped by Pilot as well.

 

[audioguy]

I have shipped a lot of equipment from 45 pounds to 1100 pounds.

NEVER EVER EVER use UPS. They dropped an amp that I had insured through them and refused to pay the claim.

I've had VERY excellent service with FedEx,

For the really large speakers I have shipped, I used a company called Craters and Freighters. I've shipped Dunlavy SC-V's to California and Dunlavy VI's to Greece and Dunlavy SC-IV's to Arizona. They built the crates for them. NOT inexpensive but it was worth it.

 

[garylkoh]

I have shipped a lot of equipment from 45 pounds to 1100 pounds.

NEVER EVER EVER use UPS. They dropped an amp that I had insured through them and refused to pay the claim.

I've had VERY excellent service with FedEx,

For the really large speakers I have shipped, I used a company called Craters and Freighters. I've shipped Dunlavy SC-V's to California and Dunlavy VI's to Greece and Dunlavy SC-IV's to Arizona. They built the crates for them. NOT inexpensive but it was worth it.

YMMV wrt UPS and FedEx. The Pacific Northwest Audio Society are the beneficiaries of UPS dropping a pair of loudspeakers on its head, and they settled without a squeak. Since they paid for the speakers, we fixed them up and donated them to the local audio club. On the other hand, we've had lots of issues with FedEx refusing claims. But we've also had UPS refusing claims.

I second the suggestion of Craters and Freighters. I've had a couple of customers use them to custom build crates for the large Genesis speakers (200lbs each). They weren't the cheapest, nor the most expensive, but the crates they built have been uniformly excellent.

 

[Gregadd]

Gary with digital cameras you should follow my advice to make a video of the speaker right before packing.


I had a tv once that died and I took back to Circuit City to see if they could fix it. They called me and told me it was not repairable and to pick it up. I had the money in my pocket for a new one. The repairman brought the old tv out and with the manager standing right there the guy dropped it and it cracked open. Without skipping a beat the manager said go to the floor and pick out the tv of your choice. Result brand new $1000 Sony free of charge.

 

[mep]

I appreciate all of the replies. I called Krell and they recommended I call a local CT company and get a quote from them. I have to get back with them tomorrow after I have the dimensions of the new box. I called UPS Freight just for grins and they quoted well over $700 from my house in southern IN to the Krell factory. I don't think so.

 

[RogerD]

Ups is outrageous. I just did a search and came up with this vendor. I have no connection with them,but I have had good luck with similar small companies.

http://www.woodalltransport.com/

 

[zermatt]

I have shipped my IRS Beta's and Jadis gear using "Direct Distribution" in the wash DC area. All rived in perfect condition. When I sell my current speakers, my Sceana's (BTW: a truly great spkr) I will also use them. It's very costly to use a freight company and insurance is not a black and white condition. If the inspector deems no visible damage on the crate or carton then, we the general public will have no bases to make a claim. If the unit arrives not working but the box is perfect, then its your responsibly to have the unit returned for repair or the refund the new owner.

 

[RogerD]

This might be a choice also:

http://www.gonavis.com/about/ct1011

 

[mep]

I received my shipping box today from my carpenter and my original Krell KSA-250 shipping box fits inside it like a glove. It cost me $45 for him to build the box. I already have a quote from the freight company recommended by Krell for $372.49. I requested two other quotes and haven't heard back from them yet. I hope to have this out of here by this coming Monday, Sep 12. My KBL preamp is scheduled to arrive tomorrow at Krell.

 

[MylesBAstor]

I received my shipping box today from my carpenter and my original Krell KSA-250 shipping box fits inside it like a glove. It cost me $45 for him to build the box. I already have a quote from the freight company recommended by Krell for $372.49. I requested two other quotes and haven't heard back from them yet. I hope to have this out of here by this coming Monday, Sep 12. My KBL preamp is scheduled to arrive tomorrow at Krell.

Glad to hear things are moving ahead!