HELP ME GETTING MY TOPAZ!!!

niva · Post by **niva** » Mon May 05, 2008 9:44 am

Hello boyz and girlz!

I just bought a Soundtracs Topaz 24 channel from a guy in Tennesse and now I have to get it here in Qu?bec, Canada.

After doing some research, it ends up that the best shipping option, because of the size, would be with UPS at... 208$!!! Without the Power Supply!

USPS would be 221$ and FEDEX wants 676$!

Does anyone know a better shipping option for my console from USA to CANADA?

Thanks for your help!

I can't wait to join the TOPAZ CLUB!

Guillaume

curtiswyant · Post by **curtiswyant** » Mon May 05, 2008 9:53 am

That doesn't seem outrageous. You might try Greyhound bus...they sometimes ship bigger items between terminals.

newfuturevintage · Post by **newfuturevintage** » Mon May 05, 2008 12:54 pm

that sounds totally reasonable, actually, pretty cheap. For my dayjob, we often ship from San Francisco to BC and Quebec. Mostly rack mount stuff; if we need to get it there quickly, a single rack space processor can run almost what the Topaz will cost to ship. Slow boat is often around $40-50. Given gas is now $4 a gallon around these parts, I don't think you'll get it any cheaper unless you find someone on a road trip that's willing to take it on as a passenger.

In your shoes, I'd also get a quote from DHL, though out of the four (UPS, FEDEX, USPS, DHL), we've had the best luck with Fedex. Not $676 good luck, but good luck. Don't send it USPS--they have pretty awful tracking. Any of the other three would be good though.

Holy Wolf · Post by **Holy Wolf** » Mon May 05, 2008 1:22 pm

thats a decent shipping price fo sure

niva · Post by **niva** » Mon May 05, 2008 1:26 pm

Ok guys, thanks for all those informations.

I would probably go with USPS considering that most fees are included in their shipping costs, wich ends up being more economic than FEDEX or UPS. Unless a fellow tapeoper from Tennesse would drive it to Montreal or Quebec and having a chance to know my console intimately!

snatchman · Post by **snatchman** » Mon May 05, 2008 2:38 pm

Why is it such a drastic shipping cost difference between Fedex and the other shippers?......

Spiderhead69 · Post by **Spiderhead69** » Mon May 05, 2008 3:28 pm

snatchman wrote:Why is it such a drastic shipping cost difference between Fedex and the other shippers?......

Customs?

b3groover · Post by **b3groover** » Mon May 05, 2008 4:41 pm

Put insurance and delivery confirmation on it.

getreel · Post by **getreel** » Mon May 05, 2008 5:05 pm

Be careful whatever you do. I've heard and experienced that Topaz consoles do not ship that well. When I got mine, the side rails were both cracked and broken due to shipping. I took them off and replaced with wood. No ill effects to the console itself, but I was scared for a minute.

niva · Post by **niva** » Mon May 05, 2008 7:09 pm

Why is it such a drastic shipping cost difference between Fedex and the other shippers?...... Shocked

It appears that even if I got a quote of 75$ with FEDEX's international ground service, I can't get go with this because the guy that will send it HAVE to have a FEDEX International Ground Account... That's what they told me when I called them...

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Mon May 05, 2008 7:39 pm

I've seen UPS trash two of these things in transit. By "these things" I specifically mean Soundtracs Topaz consoles. If you HAVE to transport it via one of those shippers without being crated (which is considerably more expensive) make sure it is packed EXTREMELY well for any kind of eventuality. Also be aware that although you can insure it for as much as you want, the small print with most shipping companies states that they will only pay you up to $1000 in damages, regardless of the insurance amount.

I highly recommend a console pickup adventure with a friend. Hotels and gas prices are pretty outrageous, but you'll be able to see and pack the console in person and you'll have an interesting story to tell down the road.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Mon May 05, 2008 10:19 pm

cgarges wrote:I've seen UPS trash two of these things in transit. By "these things" I specifically mean Soundtracs Topaz consoles. If you HAVE to transport it via one of those shippers without being crated (which is considerably more expensive) make sure it is packed EXTREMELY well for any kind of eventuality. Also be aware that although you can insure it for as much as you want, the small print with most shipping companies states that they will only pay you up to $1000 in damages, regardless of the insurance amount.

I highly recommend a console pickup adventure with a friend. Hotels and gas prices are pretty outrageous, but you'll be able to see and pack the console in person and you'll have an interesting story to tell down the road.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

Yeah, and even if you can't afford it, you could use the road trip. I drove to SF to pick up my topaz... well, my girlfriend at the time drove me in her car down there, and even thought the pass was snowy and scary, and my sister fractured her back drunk dancing in the living room, and I got food poisoning on the way home.. it turned out to be a successfull trip. My sister healed quickly and is fine, i'm ok after a horrible night of liquid shooting out of both ends, shivering on the floor of a hotel room, and my topaz is going into year 3 with me and i love it.

I worked for UPS for a summer off from college. I don't really want to ever send something through them again after that... especially not a console/mix board.

RefD · Post by **RefD** » Mon May 05, 2008 11:01 pm

everything UPS has ever delivered to me was thrown at the door moments before the big brown turd van laid rubber in the street.

over the years this has included a guitar amp and two different synthesisers, not to mention various articles of clothing and other stuff.

junomat · Post by **junomat** » Tue May 06, 2008 5:53 am

cgarges wrote: I highly recommend a console pickup adventure with a friend. Hotels and gas prices are pretty outrageous, but you'll be able to see and pack the console in person and you'll have an interesting story to tell down the road.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

+1 - it's like a good war story to tell the kids...

i remember like it was yesterday about picking up my first 32x8 with meterbridge Topaz from some pop producer in NJ... good times. Whodathunk my Accord would be able to bring it back home...

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Tue May 06, 2008 6:28 am

and remember, "insured" is a relative term. when UPS executed their signature thrashing service on an old tube reel-to-reel i had shipped to me, i was informed that they would need to retake posession of the broken item and have it examined by their people to see if it was "actually damaged."

the thought of some yahoo at their local depot jamming the tubes in it randomly and plugging it in pretty much discouraged me from pursuing the claim.

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HELP ME GETTING MY TOPAZ!!!

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