Shipping gear
 

Hello, I've never shipped guitars or amps before. But I plan to ship a guitar and amp to my brother. My question is how should I pack all this gear and what shipping carrier and choice should I use? UPS ground, Fedex Ground, UPS Air, Fedex Air? USPS HA?

Input from people who ship a lot would be thankful.

Bump
Did I post this in the wrong section?

I'd say USPS, unless your gear is worth more than the insurance cap available. Then, I'd go UPS.
I'd suggested bubble wrapping & boxing everything so that it doesn't move & then plastic wrap/tape the boxes to avoid tampering.

Thanks for the input :cool:

I ship quite a few basses and vintage audio equipment for eBay.
I typically use UPS for the larger stuff as UPS Ground has a little better tracking info and faster delivery for larger/heavier items than USPS Parcel Select. If you go USPS, Parcel Select is the cheapest option but you don't get a ton of tracking detail and in my experience UPS Ground has been very cost competitive with Parcel Select. FedEx is a good option too but it seems to be a tad more expensive.
When you pack, make sure everything has a nice layer of bubble wrap taped directly to the item. Fill any and all empty space with newspaper or bubble wrap to avoid shifting inside the box. Boxes that are too big are not your friend - use the smallest box that will fit the item and a generous amount of cushioning.
And, take pictures of everything in the boxes before you close things up - it helps if you ever have to make an insurance claim - they'll typically want a verification of the items' worth and how well you packed it.

Not trying to avoid writing details in answer to your question, but you might try doing an internet search (not necessarily here on TalkBass) with the search criteria 'shipping guitars'. There are a lot of topics out there, including some decent ones on YouTube, where the process is demonstrated. I'd give that a shot, regarding how to pack the instrument (the amp, depending upon how large/heavy, might be more difficult to address). Regarding the carrier to use, I've pretty much had all my instruments shipped from stores/shops via UPS, and have yet to have any difficulties.

I use FedEx ground for the most part just because the depot is close to work for me. I generally don't like to use USPS because of the lack of tracking info. I set up my own account online at FedEx. they say its not, but it seems a little cheaper than buying the shipping labels at the FedEx office.

Fedex exclusively now. UPS lost a bass i bought and dragged their feet on the investigation and paying the claim. Fedex has never given me a problem. USPS is alright but it can take a while to get the package to its destination. Priority is too expensive.

Thanks for all the help, I think I'll try UPS ground it's a little cheaper than Fedex as for USPS I always have a hard time trusting them.