Page 1 of 2
Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:11 am
by Gozu
I'm looking at selling a couple of basses but have no idea how to ship the damn thing safely... Any ideas?
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 11:15 am
by skullservant
I know some people disassemble the neck from the body
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:00 pm
by aen
Lots of bubble wrap around the instrument, lots of packkng peanuts/bubble wrap/general cushioning in a regular old guitar or bass shipping box. That's how the guitar companies ship them.
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:10 pm
by kosta
Yeah, I basically try to make it so that the guitar can't move inside the box AT ALL. Lots and lots and lots of packing material. And then I usually ship FedEx Ground. Neck off isn't a bad way to go, but the savings can be fairly marginal ($10-$20'ish) and then you have the added risk of the separate pieces smashing each other in transit if the packing isn't good enough.
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:12 pm
by Gozu
awesome guys thanks! now to source some boxes.....
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:18 pm
by Rygot
I go to ups. Ship it with the neck off. Get a box at a ups store if there is one close.
Do what the others say, make sure it cant move. wrap both in bubble wrap, use foam blocks from other stuff, throw in extra bubble wrap and newspaper in any available space.
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:36 pm
by Gozu
i can snaffle proper packaging stuff from work just not a good boxx..... hurrrrmmmmm
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:49 pm
by cheesecats
i've had several basses shipped through ups with the neck on with no problem. my music shop, chuck levin's, gets most of their stock through ups, and the guitars are usually just shipped in the box from the manufacturer. i just got a guitar from a large online music shop that was double boxed with plenty of cushion--that's my preference.
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 1:55 pm
by cheesecats
Gozu wrote:i can snaffle proper packaging stuff from work just not a good boxx..... hurrrrmmmmm
go to r&b music and see if they will give you some boxes.
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:01 pm
by Achtane
My bass arrived covered in gross stuff, I think because the humidity interacted with whatever the dude cleaned it up with.
So maybe wrap it up tight with thin bubble wrap to keep out as much humidity as possible.
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:21 pm
by Gozu
cheesecats wrote:Gozu wrote:i can snaffle proper packaging stuff from work just not a good boxx..... hurrrrmmmmm
go to r&b music and see if they will give you some boxes.
good call i know one of the dudes there...
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 3:14 pm
by Noise...
The last one I shipped I put in a gig bag, then into a guitar box, and stuffed the box with newspaper and packing peanuts.
I shipped it priority through USPS with insurance and signature delivery. It totaled like $55 to ship.
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:10 pm
by theavondon
Bike boxes also will work when cut down to size. Or just like...go to a GC, and check out around the dumpster.
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:36 pm
by Mike
Gozu wrote:awesome guys thanks! now to source some boxes.....
Impossible.
Recommended course of action is to order several new basses, and reuse those boxes.
Try it-- it works.

Mike
Re: Best way of shipping a bass/guitar?
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 5:48 pm
by theavondon
Mike wrote:Gozu wrote:awesome guys thanks! now to source some boxes.....
Impossible.
Recommended course of action is to order several new basses, and reuse those boxes.
Try it-- it works.

Mike
THIS