How do you ship a combo?

[Simon_F]

Who here has shipped a combo? How do you go about it?

I'm assuming you call the courier company, advise them of the size, weight and nature of the item and they collect it. But what about packing? Does the courier provide any packing material, or do you have to find that yourself? So how DO you pack an amp? A big box I guess, polystyrene packing, but how do you get it to fit right? I hear you remove tubes and pack those separately.

Lots of questions here. Any answers?

Thanks,

Simon

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

I keep the boxes that I get my amps shipped in and reuse them. That said, when I ship big amp combos, I wrap the amp in foam and use bubble wrap. I specifically put bubble wrap around the tubes and the space in the back to make sure nothing moves around. If you have the money, I suggest double boxing, but I think foam and bubble wrap do a better job.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

Tube combo amps should be shipped upside down, IMO, so the weight is in the bottem of the container. Since every shipper uses conveyer belts, damage happens when a box gets jammed up somewhere on the conveyer belt, gets tipsy and falls off. If the weight is in the bottem of the container it's less likely to fall over or fall off of the conveyer belt. I always remove the tubes and wrap them in bubble wrap. Lew

 

[Norman_T]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

Try going to your local music shop and see if they are throwing away any boxes which may me the right size or slightly bigger - you usually find that the shop just throw these away. You should also find some packaging material in them such as foam or bubble wrap as well (or ask the shop). Wrap the tubes and also guard the speaker front just in case any sharp or piercing objects go through the box. You may also want to ensure that you take out insurance for the combo.

If you do have a heavy item to be sent you will need to contact the courier company (ParcelForce?) and see whether they will come and collect it for you - I think the maximum weight is 30kg - you may have to go and register on line. See below for more details:

http://www.parcelforce.com/portal/pw

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

I decided not to ship combos anymore, and just sell them locally. I pack the tubes in bubblewrap, write TUBES on it and tape it inside the cavity.
I then wrap the combo with a hefty bag so the tolex doesn't get scuffed by the packing material. I buy styrofoam sheets and surround the amp inside the box with those, then use peanuts to tighten it all up.

Lew has a good tip. I may follow his advise from now on....about turning the amp upside down. The thing that always worries me is the speakers. If an amp slams the ground real hard, the speaker magnets can get pulled off center. That happened to a Super Reverb I sent to the East Coast once.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

I decided not to ship combos anymore, and just sell them locally. I pack the tubes in bubblewrap, write TUBES on it and tape it inside the cavity.
I then wrap the combo with a hefty bag so the tolex doesn't get scuffed by the packing material. I buy styrofoam sheets and surround the amp inside the box with those, then use peanuts to tighten it all up.

Lew has a good tip. I may follow his advise from now on....about turning the amp upside down. The thing that always worries me is the speakers. If an amp slams the ground real hard, the speaker magnets can get pulled off center. That happened to a Super Reverb I sent to the East Coast once.

Yep...and you can pretty much count on it being dropped a few times. Shippers don't really care. If they have to pay a little on insurance claims they just make up for it with volume. They don't seem to feel they have time to be careful. I watched a guy loading a big brown UPS truck a couple of years ago and he had a pile of packages on the curb and was literally throwing them through the back door with all his might so they'd land behind the drivers seat inside the truck. They just don't care. Lew

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

I've only shipped a combo once but with no problem.

I went to the local Guitar Center & got 2 4x12 boxes. I wrapped the tubes in bubble wrap & taped them inside. Wrapped the entire combo in bubble wrap ....cut down 1 4x12 to size, put a small layer of peanuts in & layed the cab face down...filled w/peanuts & sealed the box.

The 2nd 4x12 box I had to do some more creative cutting down. Once it was the right size, I trimmed sheets of styrofoam to fit all sides....placed the first box inside ensuring the face side was still down....once nice & snug, it was all sealed up with the reinforced packing tape. Lots of FRAGILE stickers placed on the box.

Probably overkill, but I didn't want anything to happen on my end. I already had a lengthy fight with UPS on a damaged cab I received & didn't wanna go through that again!!!

Where ya' shipping to Simon? If it's out of the British Isles, I'd do whatever you feel is safest & wrap the crap out of it!!!!!!!!!

 

[Infinite Dreams]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

i sent out a 2x12 a while back. since we didn't have a GC or somewhere major that turned around a lot of amps (small town), i went to the local glass and window company and picked up a huge sheet of cardboard. they get tons of it- all fresh without any creases. from there i just made my own box after i wrapped the thing in some padding.

 

[seafoamer]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

Bummer. I thought this was a joke.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

UPS is the joke. Fedex only.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

UPS is the joke. Fedex only.

Actually, trust me when I say DHL is the safest, no lie.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

Where ya' shipping to Simon? If it's out of the British Isles, I'd do whatever you feel is safest & wrap the crap out of it!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm selling my JTM60 combo and may need to send it by courier, but only within the UK. Sounds like it may be a good idea to arrange personal delivery/collection if at all possible! :nervous:

 

[SheDoesntDoIt4Me]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

Everything that PUCKBOY has said and Ill add this.

I take the "removable" panel(s) off the back if so equiped, and cut out some some cardboard to lay around the speaker "holes" ...more on this in a minute.

Then I take thick sheets of foam rubber and stuff them in and around the magnet and speaker and trannies...that cardboard keeps this foam from pushing on the cones. I slip the small packed box of tubes in there somewhere with the cord and reattach the back panels. This keeps the speaker mag from slipping. Without this, thats just a big ol weight freeballing in there and it will slip on the frame with a good drop. I always cut out a thick sheet of cardboard to protect the grille and lay the amp face down in a box that is at least 6 inches bigger all the way around. I wad up newspaper first and wrap foam rubber sheets around the amp. Use LOTS of tape on the box wrapping all the way around to insure it cant be pulled up. I mark my boxes "this end up" and GLASS FRAGILE....every little bit helps, Oh yeah, pray until delivery!

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: How do you ship a combo?

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I'm selling my JTM60 combo and may need to send it by courier, but only within the UK. Sounds like it may be a good idea to arrange personal delivery/collection if at all possible! :nervous:

If it's possible, see if you can meet the guy half way....safest all around!!

Good luck Simon!!!!!