Just... wow. UPS content!

[AprioriMark]

Sooooo... I'm assembling and setting up a guitar for a guy.  He's a gigging musician who really likes a couple of my guitars, so I'm throwing one together for him (strat body with '51 style routes/pickups/pickguard and a W maple/rosewood Tele neck), and he finally decided on pickups a week and a half ago.  He literally gigged 5 of my guitars until he found the exact combo he wanted.  We ordered them, and they were scheduled to be shipped this past Thursday.  He must have called me ten times between Wed and Thursday night to see if they'd shipped. 

At some point, I noticed that the shipping was delayed for an "exception," which then became a "derailment."  After doing a web search, it turns out it was a major derailment in MT.  I called UPS this morning, only to be told "uhhhhhh.... well... we have no idea..."  I was transferred a few times before I was told that some of the cars caught on fire (!) and that the packages would be gone through "soon" to assess damage.  Of course, they will contact the shipper and not me.

So, I have an excited customer calling me constantly (four times now today), and UPS can't even give me a time frame as to when anyone might know what's going on with the package.  You know, I'm not even frustrated.  It's pretty damned funny.

-Mark

 

[jackthehack]

They may have to leave the wreck in situ until the NTSB/local rail authorities do their investigation.

Have you called Warmoth? Perhaps they've gotten some notice/dispostion from UPS.

Just out of curiousity, is "strat body with '51 style routes" a typo?

 

[mayfly]

Mark,

You are now a vendor. You need to make things right with your customer first, and sort the other stuff out later. You can't make your problems the customers problems.

Order a new set, claim the first set on insurance, explain the delay to the customer, move forward.  Depending on the relationship with the customer, I have in times like these given the customer my equipment and then sorted out the replacement stuff for me later.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Mark,

You are now a vendor. You need to make things right with your customer first, and sort the other stuff out later. You can't make your problems the customers problems.

Order a new set, claim the first set on insurance, explain the delay to the customer, move forward.  Depending on the relationship with the customer, I have in times like these given the customer my equipment and then sorted out the replacement stuff for me later.

While that may be true, vendors don't usually loan out their gear for test drives.  The explanation may curb the guys excitement as a reasonable explanation.  This is probably a bit more informal than the usual vendor/customer relationship.

 

[AprioriMark]

I agree with Trevor.  I actually ordered the same pickups again today.  I'm quite sure I'll sell another set or use them myself.

-Mark

 

[AprioriMark]

They may have to leave the wreck in situ until the NTSB/local rail authorities do their investigation.

Have you called Warmoth? Perhaps they've gotten some notice/dispostion from UPS.

Just out of curiousity, is "strat body with '51 style routes" a typo?

It's pickups, not Warmoth.  I had the body made by a local luthier, so that's long since done.  It's in the style of Fender's "51" guitar, which is a Strat shaped body routed for a '51 P-bass control plate and a similar guard.  I've taken to modding Squier/Fender 51s, so I have a small collection (6) with different pickup options.  It's a cool guitar for us hardtail guys, and I've had a number of people have me help them mod one after playing mine.

-Mark

 

[AprioriMark]

I don't think we;ve made the distinction, but I'm able to err on the side of being awesome, so I'll do that and be happy with the outcome.

-Mark