Packing amps for shipping

[hydro]

Hey fellas,

If you are packing a tube head to ship, do you pull tubes and pack separately?

Power and pres, just power, both or neither?

Gonna ebay my dual recto and I am getting ready to pack it up. I know Mesa sends tubes pulled and packed separately but is that really necessary?

[allbutromeo]

Re: Packing amps for shipping

I'd pull them out, number them according to their respective sockets, wrap them in foam or bubble wrap then stuff them back inside the head.

[dominus]

Re: Packing amps for shipping

I'd pull them out, number them according to their respective sockets, wrap them in foam or bubble wrap then stuff them back inside the head.

Exactly.

[Kais]

Re: Packing amps for shipping

I ordered an amp head from guitar center, and they didn't take the tubes out. They just put 2billion packing peanuts in a refrigerator sized box.

[allbutromeo]

Re: Packing amps for shipping

I ordered an amp head from guitar center, and they didn't take the tubes out. They just put 2billion packing peanuts in a refrigerator sized box.

My lead guitarist bought a used Single Recto from GC and they did this and one of the preamp tubes shattered in the socket

[zzmoore]

Re: Packing amps for shipping

If you buy a new amp it will most likely have the tubes installed.....but you are not Fender/Marshall/Vox etc etc.
I always think that pulling the tubes never hurts anything (assuming you protect them properly)...but leaving the tubes in the amp often leads to Problems/Broken tubes.
It takes a rather small amount of time to pull and wrap.

If you can, shim the space between the trannys....anything will work, foam, cardboard, rolled up paper, blocks of scrap wood, etc etc.
Just assume your amp WILL be dropped on its corner, from 5 feet, onto a concrete surface.
good luck

[hydro]

Re: Packing amps for shipping

Yeah I will probably just pull them and wrap them up. I guess if I tell the buyer that the tubes will be pulled, hopefully they will know enough to put them back in right.

Still not sure if I want to sell the amp, especially since Dual Rectos' resale value is in the gutter right now. I blame Crabcore.

[ericmeyer4]

Re: Packing amps for shipping

Reverb.com has good info on how to pack an amp.

[Red_Label]

Re: Packing amps for shipping

I've shipped a lot of [heavy] amps over the years. Fender Twin, Bogner XTC/Shiva, Hughes & Kettner Triamp, etc, etc, etc. I don't bother to pull the tubes. I do however, wrap the amp in large bubble wrap, and put a layer of styrofoam inside the stout boxes. I've always received compliments about my packing job. I've rarely received amps with the tubes pulled. If the tube sockets are tight and/or there are retainers, it should be no problem at all to leave the tubes in.

[zzmoore]

Re: Packing amps for shipping

I've shipped a lot of [heavy] amps over the years. Fender Twin, Bogner XTC/Shiva, Hughes & Kettner Triamp, etc, etc, etc. I don't bother to pull the tubes. I do however, wrap the amp in large bubble wrap, and put a layer of styrofoam inside the stout boxes. I've always received compliments about my packing job. I've rarely received amps with the tubes pulled. If the tube sockets are tight and/or there are retainers, it should be no problem at all to leave the tubes in.

Some variation of this process ^^^^^^^ is the correct way to ship an amp.
Do not, ever, rely on Packing Peanuts to protect a guitar amp. That Reverb.Com video is horrible. They should pull it down.