Possible New Way to Ship Turntables

Hitachiht550

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Hello Fellow AKers,

First let me say I have no affiliation with this app but I am sighing up to be a driver because I go between a few cities in the South East on a regular basis.

I am posting this in the TT area because it seems that we have the most trouble getting our tables to us safely. Its called Roadie

If you have ever heard of Uber or Lift this is the same concept except with stuff you want to ship. If you haven't heard of Uber or Lift I will try to sum this up easily.

People (Drivers & Shippers) sign up through the app called "Roadie" by Roadie Inc. A shipper puts what he has, where its going and the price of the job. A driver replies to the shipper. After accepting the app charges the shipper and then puts the funds in the driver's account. All transactions are through the app. No money is exchanged in person.

I thought that a TT riding on the backseat of a car may be more preferable than in a poorly packaged box and handled by the USPS..

What are your thoughts on this concept?
 
If the driver were a turntable lover I knew from AK, I'd be satisfied with it just sitting on his backseat. Anybody else--it's going in a box. Who knows how many other things this guy is going to transport on his trip? How do I know he's not going to put an off-balancedly-packed heavy trunk next to it or an English Sheepdog?
 
Well, for me I travel between Atlanta, Nashville and Birmingham, pretty regularly. Nothing Else in the car but luggage and computer bag, both in the trunk. I think part of the idea is this isn't a UPS tuck full of boxes bouncing around but somebody heading that way dropping something off for you. Sure you could box it but would it have to be Gorilla proof packaged? I think not.
 
I think you spend a lot of time trying to reinvent the wheel.

Let's start here, I have a $5,000 turntable, you want me to hand it over to Joe Blow? Joe Blow knows nothing about audio, shipping practices, may even be very young with limited driving skill. Oh, and we're going to just place it on his back seat while he's driving and playing with his damn phone.
Have you ever heard of liability? Reponcablity? and legality?

That's my thoughts on this concept
 
Well, for me I travel between Atlanta, Nashville and Birmingham, pretty regularly. Nothing Else in the car but luggage and computer bag, both in the trunk. I think part of the idea is this isn't a UPS tuck full of boxes bouncing around but somebody heading that way dropping something off for you. Sure you could box it but would it have to be Gorilla proof packaged? I think not.

Can I ask you a question? How old are you?

Nothing negitive but it will help me understand you.:yes:
 
From my own personal experience some one doing this vs what ever schmo on the auction site can't be any worse. I have had 2 TTs show up in pieces.(not intentionally)

To understand me:

I am over 40. Been in the Army. Married 2 kids below high-school level. I spend most of my day programming for commercial buildings from home. About every six weeks I have to go to a job site.(I am at a site right now) Along the way there or back and when time permits I stop at record stores, and antique stores to see what I can find. I like to tinker with everything. I build my own computers and NAS. I hack as much stuff as I can. I have a triple-boot Macbook with OSX, Windows and Linux. MY phone is rooted with custom ROM. Kindle is jailbroke with custom apps.

None of my record players cost $5,000. I like to think I have a nice assortment though. I hope to find a nice 16 inch platter TT. Maybe a Gates or a Commonwealth. My current TTs:

Garrad Lab 80 MK1 Followed Gene's tutorial and made it play like a MK2

Dual 1229Q sitting on a shelf waiting to be restored (collecting parts I need) If I find a better one for the right price that needs work this one may become my parts machine.

Dual 1216 Wife's table that was all gummed up when I got it and now it works perfectly. (self tear down and back together)

Technics SP-15 have it tore down and just got all the capacitors and transistors for it. (next on bench)

Elac 45 X2 I really like the style of these TTs. Going to try making a plinth for one of these. The other is in basement listening area.

Hitachi HT-500 and HT-550(550 needs some work) HT-500 is my office table currently

I have Yamaha receivers ranging from CR-620-1020s that my TTs are played through

No tube stuff and I guess nothing really considered audiophile but its the stuff I like.

I also like to hike in the mountains when I get a chance.

Maybe I will copy this to my Bio..
 
There is a board for this right here at AudioKarma, where various equipment is given rides around the country.
 
Yeah I have posted on that board and if any of you guys ever need anything from my area (Atlanta) just let me know I would be happy to pick it up and ship or whatever you need. I have gotten so much info from this site it is the least I could do.

dcmfan: if that showed up to pick up the TT there is no way I would let it go..
 
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An old, repeat customer of mine just last hour drove in a Dual from Boston. Boston is what, like 250 miles from Brooklyn? Who can you trust with a precious turntable? The primates at the major shipping companies? No. These Roadies? Again, no.
The back seat on ones' own car, yes...

EDIT: The above avatar is so very distressing.
 
Haven't made up my mind about this concept yet. But what about stuff that's bulky and expensive to ship? Like speakers. Not über expensive speakers maybe middle of the road. I might take a chance on something like that. Otherwise your buyers are limited to your geographic area.
 
Good or bad I thought it was worth consideration and I thought it was an interesting concept. If the opportunity presents itself I may give this a try. I haven't had the best of luck with people using USPS or UPS. I did sign up as a driver, who knows on one of my trips I may make a couple of bucks for the vinyl collection.

Someone mentioned insurance above..would the same problem exists with the AK pony express too?

Also Changed the avatar to something less creepy.
 
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Hello Fellow AKers,

People (Drivers & Shippers) sign up through the app called "Roadie" by Roadie Inc. A shipper puts what he has, where its going and the price of the job. A driver replies to the shipper. After accepting the app charges the shipper and then puts the funds in the driver's account. All transactions are through the app. No money is exchanged in person.

What are your thoughts on this concept?

What I don't like about this concept is the shipper is paid BEFORE the job is completed. I might be interested in something similar if the shipper takes all this risk and only gets paid upon safe delivery of the item. This might come in especially handy for those "local pickup only" auctions. I would want to pay the shipper for an in person safe delivery in cash. Similar to what happens on the "U-Ship" site. Have you seen the TV show "Shipping Wars"? These guys/gals do pick up side deliveries along the way as well (which does concern me to some degree based on what I have seen).
 
I know we've all had bad experiences with stuff getting damaged during shipping, but don't commercial packages spend most of their road time on large trucks that have hydraulic suspensions and therefore better insulate the items from road-bump shocks better than your average person's car?
 
I know we've all had bad experiences with stuff getting damaged during shipping, but don't commercial packages spend most of their road time on large trucks that have hydraulic suspensions and therefore better insulate the items from road-bump shocks better than your average person's car?

Yep. I drove my turntable home from my store to my house (15 miles) in my Buick Lucerne with it on the front seat and was shittin' bricks the whole way. It was vibrating like crazy, and that was in a "luxury" car.
 
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