FedEx does a good job most of the time. Problem is, their insurance was a disaster until recently -- now they've made it impossible. They changed their insurance policies to specifically exclude musical instruments over a certain amount (I think $1000). To get insurance for a good mandolin, they referred me to another company that does this for them -- any no one answered the phone at the number they gave me! I never use FedEx anymore, since it appears there is no way to insure a mandolin with them.
UPS is similar with shipping -- pretty reliable, but if there's a problem they'll likely fight you to avoid honoring insurance claims, regardless of their merits.
US mail works well for me -- registered mail gets careful special attention, and is much cheaper than the other carriers. Even Priority Mail seems to be pretty reliable, and so far packages have arrived in good condition.
August Watters
http://www.galleryofstrings.com
Exploring Classical Mandolin (Berklee Press, 2015)
Progressive Melodies for Mandocello (KDP, 2019) (2nd ed. 2022)
New Solos for Classical Mandolin (Hal Leonard Press, 2020)
2021 guest artist, mandocello: Classical Mandolin Society of America
Bookmarks