Ok, so I've never shipped a cab before, and now it is time for me to ship out my Mesa 212. I do not have the original box. Can anyone suggest how they have gotten their cabs safely to their destinations at a somewhat reasonable cost? I want to go about it the right way, and of course spend as little as possible. Any tips and tricks would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Cab shipping questions...
- Thread starter alembic5
- Start date
I just use UPS specs basically: double box (stout boxes not flimsy junk) with 2" space between them all the way around and fill the space with peanuts. Mark the outside of the box for "UP/Top". Tape all edges and corners and tape the entire bottom where it will likely slide. Put the address inside with the amp, on the inside box outside, and outside label. I also throw tape over any potential weak spots on the exterior box - previous punctures/a crease/whatever looks like it could catch and tear.
In as much, I always keep factory packing when I get it since the double boxing can then be skipped.
Yeah, I've been keeping factory packaging for all my new purchases. Unfortunately, this one didn't have it. Anyone else have any experience with any particular shipping companies?
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
- 23,043
- 45,893
- Disclosures
- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
Make sure you provide a couple of well-spaced handle cutouts in the outer box. It takes a little work to make 'em properly sealed (and strong) but still convenient enough that the courier will actually use 'em.
Refridgerator box, cut to fit your needs. Make the box's inside dimensions large enough to have a full 2" of space around the cab. Replicate a typical box's folding lids pattern. Don't seal the box up just yet, just fold the bottom flaps up to start.
Get 8 plastic shopping bags, a rubber band, and a can of Great Stuff. Put some books on the bottom of the box, to raise the cab 2" off the bottom. Next, stick the straw of the can of Great Stuff into the bag and wrap the rubber band around the bag's opening and the straw. Then, push down a bag near and under the corner of the cab. Spray a generous amount of Great Stuff into the bag, and let it expand. Repeat for all four bottom corners.
Get ready to do the top corners. Spray the bags, place them on top of the corners, and allow the plastic bag's opening to stick out the corner between the box's lid's corner seams. While it's still soft fold the top of the box closed to compress and mush the foam-filled bags around the corners.
Let the foam cure with the box closed like this for 2 hours. then seal the top shut, and flip it over to remove the books at the bottom of the box. then fill the rest of the box with bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or the old standard, twisted up newspaper thickly packed in.
Get 8 plastic shopping bags, a rubber band, and a can of Great Stuff. Put some books on the bottom of the box, to raise the cab 2" off the bottom. Next, stick the straw of the can of Great Stuff into the bag and wrap the rubber band around the bag's opening and the straw. Then, push down a bag near and under the corner of the cab. Spray a generous amount of Great Stuff into the bag, and let it expand. Repeat for all four bottom corners.
Get ready to do the top corners. Spray the bags, place them on top of the corners, and allow the plastic bag's opening to stick out the corner between the box's lid's corner seams. While it's still soft fold the top of the box closed to compress and mush the foam-filled bags around the corners.
Let the foam cure with the box closed like this for 2 hours. then seal the top shut, and flip it over to remove the books at the bottom of the box. then fill the rest of the box with bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or the old standard, twisted up newspaper thickly packed in.
Forgot to mention that heavy stuff I only ship UPS but any carrier who covers shipping charges insurance wise will do. I use USPS for small stuff but they don't cover shipping charges in a claim. So that would be like $50 down a rathole for what you're talking about.
I've found DHL to be MUCH cheaper, and just as fast for shipping cabs and other heavy items. I recently shipped a 24 channel splitter snake in a road case to Texas, which weighed 135 lbs. DHL cost me around $60, UPS would have been over twice that.
If you are going to use packing peanuts, MAKE SURE to wrap the cabinet in a garbage bag, so the peanuts can't get into the ports and behind the grill.
If you are going to use packing peanuts, MAKE SURE to wrap the cabinet in a garbage bag, so the peanuts can't get into the ports and behind the grill.
OH CRAP, didn't even think about that. Two months later at a gig, you're spewing foam particles around the stage during a bass solo!
Luknfur, the method I described should only cost $6 for a can of Great Stuff. Everything else could easily be found for free. That's why I keep fridge boxes folded up in the rafters of my garage. Painting car parts and making custom boxes.
Luknfur, the method I described should only cost $6 for a can of Great Stuff. Everything else could easily be found for free. That's why I keep fridge boxes folded up in the rafters of my garage. Painting car parts and making custom boxes.
Bryan316, that's a really clever way to pack something. I'll have to remember that for the future.
Asad
Asad
I'm always accepting the shipping deliveries when they come to my work. So I've seen all kinds of outrageous ways to pack things. My favorites are the foam-filled corners, the shredded corrugated cardboard, and regular plastic shopping bags.
Peanuts are messy, bubblewrap really isn't very protective at all, and paper products crunch and stay crunched.
Foam-filled corners expand to assure an absolutely snug fit, and can crunch and compress without inflicting damage. Some companies like to use two large bags and fill them around the entire product. While it definitely creates slashing and puncturing protection, it doesn't let the product take heavy bumps. The best protection for an item is a very bouncy, suspended packaging. If the box takes a hit, the product should be able to softly shift inside the box. Dense packaging or large-surface-area packaging spreads the impact shock across the foam's entire body and transfers that shock to your product, instead of letting a smaller corner of foam to crunch and absorb the force.
That's also why I like plastic grocery bags. If they get squished or compressed, they expand back out in a few seconds. Bubblewrap pops and loses protective properties. Paper creases and stays crunched. Those larger air-filled plastic pouches aren't compressive at all. Those are the worst. They're fine for filling volume. But plastic bags, no matter how hard you flatten them, as soon as the force is gone they expand again. Very compressive, still good puncture resistance.
Kinda matches my arguments against foam-bodied shockmount racks, and for rubber-grommet shockmount racks. Lets the internal frame shift and bounce, whereas foam shockmounting is very stiff and harder. Don't believe me? Go squeeze the foam-lined shockrack and see how much you can move the internal frame, as opposed to squeezing the rubber-grommet shockrack. The rubber grommets have some give and movement. Far better for really harsh impacts and drops.
Peanuts are messy, bubblewrap really isn't very protective at all, and paper products crunch and stay crunched.
Foam-filled corners expand to assure an absolutely snug fit, and can crunch and compress without inflicting damage. Some companies like to use two large bags and fill them around the entire product. While it definitely creates slashing and puncturing protection, it doesn't let the product take heavy bumps. The best protection for an item is a very bouncy, suspended packaging. If the box takes a hit, the product should be able to softly shift inside the box. Dense packaging or large-surface-area packaging spreads the impact shock across the foam's entire body and transfers that shock to your product, instead of letting a smaller corner of foam to crunch and absorb the force.
That's also why I like plastic grocery bags. If they get squished or compressed, they expand back out in a few seconds. Bubblewrap pops and loses protective properties. Paper creases and stays crunched. Those larger air-filled plastic pouches aren't compressive at all. Those are the worst. They're fine for filling volume. But plastic bags, no matter how hard you flatten them, as soon as the force is gone they expand again. Very compressive, still good puncture resistance.
Kinda matches my arguments against foam-bodied shockmount racks, and for rubber-grommet shockmount racks. Lets the internal frame shift and bounce, whereas foam shockmounting is very stiff and harder. Don't believe me? Go squeeze the foam-lined shockrack and see how much you can move the internal frame, as opposed to squeezing the rubber-grommet shockrack. The rubber grommets have some give and movement. Far better for really harsh impacts and drops.
Yep, forgot about the bag too. Those peanuts will fill every nook and cranny that exists in anything. You don't want to be around any breeze when you open something up with them and a large old sheet/tarp is a good thing to have around.
Never shipped DSL but I've never shipped 135 lb snake either.
Never heard of Great stuff but sounds like good stuff. Is it packing approved by UPS?
Most materials aren't, in fact seems like cardboard isn't (don't know if it matters if it's shredded or not). If the materials not approved by the shipper they'll automatically reject the claim (at least UPS does). I've never had an issue from anything I shipped but I've recieved damaged goods.
The peanuts are a pain for a fact but effective - and free cause I'd just left them in the boxes I recieved them in.
Heavy appliances are probably the best boxes I've seen to use.
Excellent advice! I love the foam idea. I think I've found a pretty good box... a large Sun server came in it. It's a touch too long in one direction, but I think I can work with that. In addition, it has very high density styrofoam cutouts that almost exactly fit the cab. I think I can make that work. Now to get some shipping quotes! Thanks again guys!
They don't shift if you pack them in instead of just loose fill (another thing I forgot to mention).
Anytime you pack something if you can shake the contents around at all (or in the case of a cab, push the sides in without firm resistance) then you've got a good candidate for a potential claim. There should be no slop in a box - just cushion.
One genuine problem with preanuts is if there's a large puncture to the outside box during shipping then you're gooing to loose some peanuts - and maybe a lot of them. That basically seals a claim in your favor but ideally you don't want a claim, you want you're stuff delivered intact.
Packing is a pain - the best is original. Although some factory packing is substandard in terms of getting someplace unscathed - often lots of dead air space. But the shippers don't question it in a claim.
Latest posts
-
-
-
Post a funnier picture than the one above - Parallel Universe Edition- Latest: Just go for it
-
-
