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Why is it so friggin' difficult to find bass boxes!!

Mike Sorr

Mike Sorr

Oct 24, 2012
3,010
3,168
Manchester, NJ
www.graceandpeace.org
#1
I don't know if you guys in other parts of the planet have this difficulty, but here in New Jersey it is almost impossible to find a box to ship a bass in. I just sold my Geddy Jazz including a case, and tracking down a case to ship it in is proving difficult. I have called no less than a dozen music stores, including every Guitar Center in the state, and no one either has, or is willing to even sell me a box. I called a shipping center who is willing to pack and ship it...for $100. That is insane. I'd refund the buyer before I spent that kind of money to ship it.

Any suggestions?
 
#7
Pandastylebass said:
Go to Guitar center or Sam Ash in NYC. In my experience they will gladly give you boxes
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That doesn't work over here. I've talked to the general manager of GC (who's a friend), and they don't usually keep them. So it's a "right place, right time" situation which doesn't usually pan out.

To the OP, I've spent the money at a shipping place to have them package the instrument and not worried about it (usually given the pricetag of the instrument in question). Otherwise, any of the links that Burning Skies had should work really well.
 
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#9
Bass boxes are worth their weight in gold. I'm lucky enough to be able to store them in the warehouse where I work. I've got 3 and you'll have to pry them from my cold, dead hands...or buy a bass from me:)

Otherwise, I usually ship from the UPS store and pay them to do it. This is usually factored in with my selling price.
 
#13
hdracer said:
You already sold the bass and now you are looking for a box to ship it in?
That isn't cool. You should of had the box and everything ready to ship when you listed it.
How would you feel if you were the buyer?
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I had a box, but the case I sold with it was 50" and the box was too short. The case is not a standard size and I didn't realize it at the time. Besides, I'm looking for advice, not a lecture.
 
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#14
tjh said:
... very simple .. you buy a bass just before you sell one ... box comes to you ... ;)
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Did that, but the bass won't be here until the end of the week and I didn't think it was fair to keep the buyer waiting. Ultimately I brought it to another pack and ship place that was a little more reasonably priced and still got it off to the buyer on time. Sure, it cost me a few extra bucks, but that's what I get for assuming the box I had in storage was the right size.
 
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#15
Mike Sorr said:
I had a box, but the case I sold with it was 50" and the box was too short. The case is not a standard size and I didn't realize it at the time. Besides, I'm looking for advice, not a lecture.
Click to expand...
Guitar boxes are easier to come by. Two guitar boxes can easily be reformed to fit pretty much any bass in its case.
 
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#20
GC and Sam Ash. You have to find out on what days they get their shipments and at what time. At my GC, every Tuesday and Thursday between 1 and 3PM, they have plenty of boxes to throw away. When I've needed boxes, they've set a few aside so I pick the one I want.

If the guys at GC told you they can't do it, try calling back and talking to someone else. If someone there told you they can't or won't give you a box, they're lying. They have dozens to spare every week.
 
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