Best way to ship a vintage amp

[Twangbanger]

I'm might be sale'n my old tweed pro and was wondering about the best way to box it to ship.
I've got quotes from UPS for shipping, just need to know best route for packaging.

[pbenn]

Upside down in the box, for one, so the tubes settle into their sockets.

Collecting styrofoam end brackets from other appliances might come in handy.

Finding a box nice enough is more likely at the post office dock than at the supermarket (Bulk flyers come in great cardboard).

The added dimensions of your padding system will determine the size of box you need.

You might build a crate (like paintings are shipped in, but amp-shaped), but it will add weight.

"Up-side" markings on the box will be necessary, as will proper identification and tracking numbers. In shipping, you generally get what you pay for.

Is a used road case simpler?

[woodman]

pack it in a box of about the right size with about the right packing material, as you see it. then put that box in a slightly bigger box with styrofoam spacers along the bottom, sides and top.

elaborate, yes, but it will get there safely.

[kranz]

My experience is that the heavier the carton, the rougher it will be treated by our friends in the shipping business and the more likely it will sustain damage.

Depending on the weight of the amp, I'd consider shipping it in two cartons. I'd remove the tubes, and remove the chassis and pack them all in one carton. Then pack the now lighter cabinet in a second.

Perhaps a bit more expensive, but probably safer.

[Twangbanger]

If I had a decent used road case, then I'd ship it in that.
I was going to pack it with a thin ply wood on the front and back to protect the speaker. With a layer of foam between the ply and amp. I'll remove the tubes and wrap them up in packaging inside the amp.

I'd rather keep them together in shipping, hate to loose one or the other. I'm not gonna cut any corners in shipping and the other party will pay for it.

[EdMax]

The last couple vintage amps I shipped I built a crate out of 3/4 inch pine and 3/8ths ply, I lined it with a couple layers of dense foam carpet pad.

The top bottom and ends were pine, front and rear were cheap 3/8 inch birch ply underlayment. The top was removable by taking out the screws.

If memory serves it cost me 45 bucks to build, but it was priceless when it came to shipping the amp safely.

I put it in the crate upside down as suggested above, that way the guy could just lift the crate off easily. One of these was a Super I sent to Japan!

[Beerts]

it always scares me when someone talks about shipping good vintage gear by United Parcel Smashers!

[petebradt]

Originally Posted by Twangbanger

I'm might be sale'n my old tweed pro and was wondering about the best way to box it to ship.
I've got quotes from UPS for shipping, just need to know best route for packaging.

Take the chassis out of the cab and ship them separately. Both times I've shipped amps intact, they got screwed up. Have it professionally done.

[Twangbanger]

Well....can't get any suitable offers on craigslist or the classifieds. I was gonna sell it cause of taxes that I owe.

I had a bit of bad luck from stupidity........ruptured my eardrum and need surgery to repair it. So I'm gonna stick the amp on flea bay.

[Scott S]

That sucks, Bryan. It's a great-looking amp, and I wish I had the moolah to take it off your hands. Hope your ear turns out okay!

- Scott

P.S. I can't remember, did you try selling it on the Weber boards, or the Gear Page?

[Twangbanger]

It's been on the weber board

[HOBBSTER01]

Stop by GC and or your friendly mom and pop music store and get an amp box with all the "stuffing".
I've done it numerous times with good luck so far.

[Twangbanger]

I never thought of that!
Mucho Thanx!

[Markl8]

I pull the tubes wrap then individually in bubble wrap then tuck them in the amp itself with more bubble wrap so they wont fly around. I then pack the amp in a box and I take the sheet foam insulation (home depot has it and its sold in sheets reasonable $$ too) and insulate the amp in its box on all sides and seal. I then take another larger box and pack the box the amp is in again with the foam sheeting all around it, seal label and go! Have yet to lose and amp this way. Also pick the quickest ship option you can afford the longer they have it the longer they have to destroy it. One other touch I do for larger amps it place a sheet of thin 1/4 inch plywood front ahd back to prevent puncture wounds. Be advised the packages can and will get thrown kicked and dropped as much as SIX FEET this is info as per my local UPS driver.

[lostpick]

try encouraging local pickup
or offer local delivery

[postjob62]

Originally Posted by woodman

pack it in a box of about the right size with about the right packing material, as you see it. then put that box in a slightly bigger box with styrofoam spacers along the bottom, sides and top.

elaborate, yes, but it will get there safely.

Lot of good suggestions here, with this one being my favorite. Double-boxing is not optional-don't even consider not doing it.

Here's how you need to think about it: pack it so that it would have the best chance of surviving a 5+ foot fall onto concrete. If you've ever seen UPS's conveyors you'll know why. As well, I couldn't tell you the times I heard a loud "thud" on my front porch (while I was in a different part of the house!) as my friendly driver just dropped one from where he was carrying it.

Be aware too that they can drop even a well-packed one so hard that it looks fine from the outside but sustains bent tranny mounts from the laws of inertia kicking in on the fall.

To paraphrase Percy Sledge, "it ain't the fall at all, it's the sudden stop".

[sromero]

this method is a lot of work, but it is very effective. first, wrap the amp in plastic. Garbage bags will do. Wrap it up tightly and tape all the seams. next, line the box you are shipping it in with more plastic. use that expanding foam insulatin to put a layer a couple of inches thick at the bottom. when that layer dries, put the amp in, then fill the surrounding air space with the foam, a little at a time, until it completely covers the amp. voila, you just made a custom styrofoam packing case. tape the box closed and ship it. I've done this with a small amp and a couple of computers.

[teleamp]

Originally Posted by petebradt

Take the chassis out of the cab and ship them separately. Both times I've shipped amps intact, they got screwed up. Have it professionally done.

+1,000,000,000

I would go one step futher and ship in three packages:
1) chassis with tubes removed wrapped with several layers of bubble wrap (at least 4" thick all the way around) and fit firmly in a box, then pack that box in a larger box with peanuts (at least 4" thick).
2) attach the speaker to a piec of 1/2" plywood and double box.
3) by this time th cabinet will be light, so at leat 2" of bubble wrap and corner protectors in a triple wall box.

Any package can drop from up to 8' several times in transfers, there can be several transfers from the time you drop it off until the driver throws them out the door and rolls them to the final destination.

[teleamp]

Keep in mind that the transformer on the Pro weigh quite a bit and the chassis is only held in the 50 year old wood with 2 screws....The amp will get jarred very hard during shipping....hard enough that the chassis and speakers could be torn away from the cabinet by the impacts.

[Radspin]

+1 on the double-boxing--I've shipped around 20-30 vintage audio components that way and none of them were ever damaged. I like to put at least an inch of bubble wrap or crushed paper between the inner and outer box also.

I recently received an amp that was double boxed and packed with foam insulation between the amp and the inner box, and more foam insulation between the inner and outer box. It arrived in perfect condition.

[strat a various]

Twang,
After my divorce, I did a short stint loading and unloading trucks and moving stuff around a computer warehouse to earn some extra cash. This place got deliveries from USPS, UPS, and FedEx. Here's what I saw.

USPS, pretty clumsy, but over-all not too malicious except around Xmas time, then all bets are off. I would only use them for small light stuff.
UPS, They're evil. Their drivers played catch with the packages, played soccer with them, and if they were heavy, just dropped them off the conveyer onto the concrete floor and then commented on the resulting rattling sounds from inside the boxes. Plus, I've heard that, unless you have a UPS store pack your item, they won't honor their insurance.
FedEx- they seemed the least psychopathic and sadistic. Most of their drivers were fairly mature and they delivered big lots in containers that added some extra protection. They seemed the most concerned that the parcels arrived un-damaged. I use them whenever I can, and they now offer residential delivery.
Hope this helps.

[Michaell]

drive it

or pay a friend to drive it

unless you can INSURE it for twice the worth, don't ship it

many many vintage dealers DO NOT ship old amps

[59TweedVibrolux]

Shame to let it go, beautiful condition. Prices are only going one way,
finding one in that condition again will be tough. But understand your
situation. All the best

I've had everything come from little Supro's through to Super Reverbs
from the States, for myself and a friend with a studio. Even a '66 B.F.
Super Reverb that the guy just put in a box, no packing material,
nothing.....just standing there luckily undamaged.

EVERY TIME we used Fedex International Economy or Express to Australia.
EVERY Package (except a Mesa Stiletto Head, Tubes got busted, seller
didn't remove and wrap separate / 1st time o/seas shipper though, not his
fault) arrived on time and unmarked. Can't speak highly enough of FEDEX
with regard to overseas shipments.

*** Also coil & wrap the power cord in a plastic bag or bubble wrap & tape
closed to protect the speaker/s cone from being punctured from a
loose 2 or 3 pronged end flying around.

[teleamp]

Originally Posted by Michaell

drive it

or pay a friend to drive it

unless you can INSURE it for twice the worth, don't ship it

many many vintage dealers DO NOT ship old amps

+1 If you can afford the posible loss, then ship it. If the loss would be a financial set-back, local sale and/or pick-up only.

[Tim Armstrong]

Originally Posted by Markl8

I pull the tubes wrap then individually in bubble wrap then tuck them in the amp itself with more bubble wrap so they wont fly around. I then pack the amp in a box and I take the sheet foam insulation (home depot has it and its sold in sheets reasonable $$ too) and insulate the amp in its box on all sides and seal. I then take another larger box and pack the box the amp is in again with the foam sheeting all around it, seal label and go! Have yet to lose and amp this way. Also pick the quickest ship option you can afford the longer they have it the longer they have to destroy it. One other touch I do for larger amps it place a sheet of thin 1/4 inch plywood front ahd back to prevent puncture wounds. Be advised the packages can and will get thrown kicked and dropped as much as SIX FEET this is info as per my local UPS driver.

This is pretty much how I do it, too, and so far, so good!!!

Cheers, Tim

[chabby]

I have had success simply overpacking to the point of being ridiculous and indestructible. I shipped a 75LB amp and the total weight of the package was 130LBS! Thats almost 70 more LBS of packing - use your imagination.

I made my own double walled box out of 4 boxes. The amp could have been dropped from a truck at 60 MPH and survived. To me that was better than the possiblity of trying to squeeze UPS for a claim, or deal with an unhappy buyer. Whatever you do don't underestimate shipping costs or try to skimp on packaging. I just received a vintage amp that was shipped in pretty spartan packaging, just a box and foam on the edges/corners. It wasn't damaged, but it also didnt turn on when I plugged it in as the powertubes had jiggled loose. All I had to do was push them in. But I think this was lucky.

I have heard bad things about UPS but so far I haven't had one mishap with them on guitars or amps. I also write Fragile all over the box and this end up in exaggerated amounts so the message is clear - Don't abuse this box!!!!!!!!!!!!!