Whenever I mail a pedal - or anything else for that matter, I always make sure it's in suitable packaging.
When sending a pedal, 'suitable packaging' to me means bubble wrap around the pedal, with the pedal in a box with extra packing material (if needed) to prevent it from rattling around... hell, even when the pedal is already in a box I'll sometimes bubble-wrap that and put it in a cardboard shipping box!
So... why is it that some people think it's OK to just stick the pedal in a padded envelope?
I've had two* incidents recently where I've bought a pedal on eBay which has arrived broken - where it was sent in just a padded envelope (albeit with a little extra bubble wrap within).
Anyway... one of these broken pedals is a cheap Danelectro, but the other is a rare 1980s Series 2000 MXR Stereo Flanger - which is (for now) totally useless as the 'Width' (depth) pot has broken. Very disappointing.
[For what it's worth, both of the people I bought the pedals from have handled these situations well; immediately offering refunds... I am keeping the MXR though (after a part-refund) and will hopefully get it up and running soon.]
* * *
* There have been numerous other occasions where people have done this but luckily, the pedal has survived. It sometimes shocks me what passes for packaging materials in the minds of some crazed individuals!
I've had all sorts:
- The aforementioned padded envelope.
- Huge boxes about 20 times bigger than they need to be.
- A massive ball of bubble wrap and gaffa tape (which wasn't easy to get in to).
- And one time I received a pedal which was very well wrapped up, nicely set in a sturdy box... but the box was wrapped in some very dodgy, 70s-looking wallpaper! (Which was pretty cool actually!)
* * *
EDIT: Here's some photo evidence to disprove the scandalous claim that I have been buying Behringer pedals and fraudulently claiming them to be something much more desirable. ;-)
MXR M-203 Stereo Flanger
(From the 2000 Series)
Note the position of the 'Width' control on the left;
it now turns through 360°.
Very Linda Blair.
