What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Discussions on Talking Machines & Accessories
User avatar
fran604g
Victor VI
Posts: 3988
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 2:22 pm
Personal Text: I'm Feeling Cranky
Location: Hemlock, NY

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by fran604g »

Shipped to me in Hemlock, NY from Mt. Brydges, Ontario, Canada. It's an Amberola D-X horn, and unbelievably it suffered not so much as a scratch.
Unwrap a smile.JPG
Always love sharing this one.
Francis; "i" for him, "e" for her
"Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while" - the unappreciative supervisor.

Viva-voce
Victor III
Posts: 772
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 1:49 am
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by Viva-voce »

My worst packing experience had a happy ending also. Miraculous, actually. About ten years ago on EBay,
I purchased a Blind Lemon Jefferson 78 (Okeh 8455 Matchbox Blues/Black snake moan) in what, based on the photos, appeared to be in near-mint condition.
It arrived in a large mailing envelope with no sleeve, sandwiched between two thin 11x14" plates of picture frame glass held together by pieces of yellow masking tape. I could hear the shattered pieces inside, and my heart sank. But when I cut away the envelope, and carefully removed the broken glass, I saw to my utter amazement that the record not only arrived unbroken, but unscratched and completely free of
any damage. And the record really is in near-mint condition.

Steven
Attachments
IMG_6701.JPG

User avatar
epigramophone
Victor Monarch Special
Posts: 5444
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:21 pm
Personal Text: An analogue relic trapped in a digital world.
Location: The Somerset Levels, UK.

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by epigramophone »

Blue Amberol 1501, the first ever issued, arrived in a used manilla window envelope with only it's original box to protect it. I was just in time to stop the postman from ramming it through my letterbox. My eBay feedback to the seller said the the item arrived safely, but no thanks to the minimal packaging.

User avatar
OldRestorer
Victor III
Posts: 535
Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:14 pm
Location: Long Island NY

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by OldRestorer »

fran604g wrote:Shipped to me in Hemlock, NY from Mt. Brydges, Ontario, Canada. It's an Amberola D-X horn, and unbelievably it suffered not so much as a scratch.
Unwrap a smile.JPG
Always love sharing this one.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Amazing it survived though...
It's not what you say... It's what you do...

gramophone78
Victor VI
Posts: 3946
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 9:42 am
Location: Western Canada

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by gramophone78 »

First, this had nothing at all to do with the sender/seller. He sold me an expensive paper item on Ebay and promptly mailed it from PA on Feb 11 2019. Unfortunately, he thought (given the size) to send in a padded envelope with no tracking. After three weeks I had Ebay refund me my money and the seller was out the item and money. Because he had no tracking, Ebay refunded me right away....no questions asked.
I felt very bad as I never had an issue with a package before.

Last Thursday Sept 29, the envelope arrived at my place in Washington State. It took that long from PA to WA....????. Looks like it got wet somewhere.

Since I no longer owned the item and was able to purchase another, I refused it and it will go back to the seller. Maybe it took a long vacation in Hawaii..??.

At least it was found and is now being returned. He should have it back in his hands by sometime next year....at that speed.... :lol: :lol:.
20190903_083653.jpg

AmberolaAndy
Victor V
Posts: 2510
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 10:15 pm
Location: A small town near Omaha, Nebraska

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by AmberolaAndy »

Not a windup but I’m dealing with a packing horror story today. What would have been an excellent Garrard turntable in nice shape is now a parts machine. Unacceptable.
Attachments
IMG_1468.jpeg

User avatar
Inigo
Victor Monarch
Posts: 4187
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:51 am
Personal Text: Keep'em well oiled
Location: Madrid, Spain
Contact:

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by Inigo »

Oh what a pity, I'm sorry for you... But can't you make an all good example from the various ones you've lately acquired? Maybe it's possible... :geek: :clover: :clover:
Inigo

Jmcmahan67
Victor O
Posts: 85
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:05 pm
Personal Text: If your Victrola predates the Model T, it’s a good thing!
Location: Kentucky

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by Jmcmahan67 »

An 1896 Berliner record shipped corner to corner crossways in an empty cardboard box with no packing of any kind… absolutely nothing to protect the record…. Literally just the record and the box.. surprisingly it did not break during shipment.

Jmcmahan67
Victor O
Posts: 85
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2024 8:05 pm
Personal Text: If your Victrola predates the Model T, it’s a good thing!
Location: Kentucky

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by Jmcmahan67 »

I won about 70 early 78 records (all around 1910-1920) in an eBay auction. The seller put them in a large orange Home Depot bucket stacked one on top of the other with a small piece of cardboard in between each record. When I saw the bucket at my doorstep, my heart sank. It was amazing how heavy it was. However, not one record broke in transit, which I find absolutely amazing.

User avatar
Roaring20s
Victor V
Posts: 2680
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:55 am
Personal Text: Those who were seen dancing were thought insane by those who could not hear the music. Nietzsche
Location: Tucson, AZ

Re: What are your “bad packing” horror stories?

Post by Roaring20s »

In about a week I'll be receiving a VV-50. I provided some important packing notes. They sent me this note back "Thank you for your purchase! While we are not taking specific packing requests, you can rest assured that we are packing each item with care. It is our intention that it arrives safely at its destination. Have a great day! "

This is what I sent them ...
Screen Shot 2024-03-21 at 8.37.58 PM.png
I'm sure it will be fine. :)
I just think that was not the best way to address my concerns. :(

James.

Post Reply