Shipping an expensive amp.

[Markedman]

Who is the best shipping company to use sending an amp from NY to Boogie IN CA. The amp is a fairly mint C+, worth $10,000.00+ replacement value so I want to insure it. The ass-hat shippers (USPS, USP, FEDEX, ETC.) only insure to 2K.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[ners]

I've definitely insured above $2k from some of those companies...

I use Pirateship mostly these days and NYC->LA for like $100 including $3400 insurance.

 

[Racerxrated]

Who is the best shipping company to use sending an amp from NY to Boogie IN CA. The amp is a fairly mint C+, worth $10,000.00+ replacement value so I want to insure it. The ass-hat shippers (USPS, USP, FEDEX, ETC.) only insure to 2K.

Any help is appreciated.

First off, I'd not hesitate and locate a nice road case for it. Then you'll know it's safe no matter WHAT happens short of theft. I'd agree with the above ^^ poster and use a 3rd party shipper, like Pirate Ship or Ship Nerd. They actually do pay out if something goes wrong; vs UPS or Fedex, who will fight you no matter what.

 

[Metlupass2]

Doesn't insurance work ONLY IF they box and pack it for you?

 

[mchn13]

First off, I'd not hesitate and locate a nice road case for it. Then you'll know it's safe no matter WHAT happens short of theft. I'd agree with the above ^^ poster and use a 3rd party shipper, like Pirate Ship or Ship Nerd. They actually do pay out if something goes wrong; vs UPS or Fedex, who will fight you no matter what.

I would pay someone to pack and insurx the shit out of it! I sold my old rev g dual in a road case built for it, and it got dropped so hard that it broke the board loose, and as soon as the buyer got it it blew fuses, red plated , etc…i refunded, and fja fixed it luckily, and honestly im glad i have it back now. I dont trust any of the shippers any more, even with a fitted rosd case.

 

[CrystalSky]

DHL too?

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I can pack an amp to survive about anything the gorillas can dish out using sufficient heavy duty bubble wrap, 1" foam or memory foam and a double box. But a road case is the best option as Racerxrated said. Shipping company...none of them give a flying fuck, so don't think that matters honestly, just use the cheapest option IMO. Your best assurance against issues is pack it to survive anything, insure through Pirateship or similar. Your pack job is your insurance and people crack me up and amaze me with their idea of a good pack job. It takes time and money to properly pack an amp and its worth it.

 

[skoora]

I personally wouldn’t worry about a road case. if you can’t find good fitting foam corners, hearty sized Bubble, with sturdy corner reinforcement, optional removal of Power tubes removed and bubbled (never do this myself). Get the appropriate insurance and away you go. I agree with Pirate Ship for the best rates. There’s just going to be no way around the nerve wracking nature of the whole affair unless you got time for a road trip to NoCal. Maybe get a rental car, where you can leave the car in NoCal and then fly back after dropping off the amp?

I might be wrong but I’m personally wary of double boxing amps or using road cases because if the package gets to a, hard to handle size, with that kind of weight, it feels to me, to be a lot more likely to suffer poor handling.

The years I worked Music retail as a Boogie, Marshall etc dealer, we never once had a manufacturer use double boxing to send us product. Just the head wrapped in plastic, encased in a molded foam or foam corners.

 

[stratjacket]

I’ve never shipped anything that expensive, so can’t be much help. But if I did, I’d use a special service. A quick google search turned up several. I got no experience with any to recommend but I’d probably try some kind of white glove type shipping service and pay the extra cost to be sure. I don’t know if I’d trust any of the big carriers for that.

 

[fek]

Buy a plane ticket, put it in a road case, and carry it on? That is a lot of cash to trust the shipping gorilla's with.

 

[Chase42147]

Don't use UPS

 

[OUTLAW1969]

I used Pirate Ship a few months ago, for this exact type of situation.

With their discounted rates, I sent a highly modded amp to myself, OVERNIGHT, from California to Florida for $314 (with an abundance of insurance).......in a very heavy-duty amp case.

All of the ATA locks torqued down + heavy-duty zip tied, with the label affixed directly to the amp case. Handles on top, and sides of the road case, so no excuse to lose their "grip" on a cardboard box.

Less time for the people that work for UPS to do much except drive it to the airport, fly it to Florida, and then drive it to my house. Less than 24 hours, if you ship before Friday.......and only for about another $100 more than you would pay for 3-5 day shipping across the USA, for such a heavy package.

 

[alund]

The world is different. Your item is most protected by the person doing the shipping so pack the hell out of it and do it again. Expect the actual company to throw and drop the item multiple times. Then close your eyes and pray.
I did receive an amp some time back and pool noodles were used. It was very slick packing job. I can’t remember who did that; maybe @Bxlxaxkxe aka amp Ho. It allowed a little bounce to to the unit vs being a cinder block when dropped.. thud!

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

The world is different. Your item is most protected by the person doing the shipping so pack the hell out of it and do it again. Expect the actual company to throw and drop the item multiple times. Then close your eyes and pray.
I did receive an amp some time back and pool noodles were used. It was very slick packing job. I can’t remember who did that; maybe @Bxlxaxkxe aka amp Ho. It allowed a little bounce to to the unit vs being a cinder block when dropped.. thud!

That was me, but I can’t take credit for it. Guy who originally sold and shipped me that amp set that up and it was indeed one of the most amazing packing jobs I’ve ever seen

 

[dcburn]

I pulled my chassis and glass out and packaged myself.
Shipped from NY to CA.

Recently, I picked up a cab and head I need to ship.
I’m thinking I may ship freight from where I work to where the fella that bought it works?
That way I package everything, pallet and strap. Now a driver isn’t carrying this heavy gear. Pallet jack load and unload.

 

[alund]

That was me, but I can’t take credit for it. Guy who originally sold and shipped me that amp set that up and it was indeed one of the most amazing packing jobs I’ve ever seen

I believe @skoora commented that it needed to be double boxed which also could be quite true. Those pool noodles were the trick though. Very slick

 

[skoora]

I believe @skoora commented that it needed to be double boxed which also could be quite true. Those pool noodles were the trick though. Very slick

lol…actually said I never do.

 

[creep66]

Use the cans of spray foam, the yellow stuff. And "crate it into the box" basically cover the amp with trash bags and spray it in the box. Make it in 2 sections, top and bottom. Irecently order a shipping box from mesa and for 45 dollars that us what they sent me. Worked perfect and fit perfect.

 

[mchn13]

I would pay someone to pack and insurx the shit out of it! I sold my old rev g dual in a road case built for it, and it got dropped so hard that it broke the board loose, and as soon as the buyer got it it blew fuses, red plated , etc…i refunded, and fja fixed it luckily, and honestly im glad i have it back now. I dont trust any of the shippers any more, even with a fitted rosd case.

For real glad i got it back even though it cost me. With a grind pedal, its a brutal, beautiful, bastard.

 

[vultures]

I shipped a IIC+ about a year and a half ago. I wrapped it in four moving blankets and put it into a Home Depot heavy duty cardboard box. I then wrapped that box and put it into another Home Depot heavy duty moving box. The boxes are $6 each. Moving blankets I got at Harbor Freight for $4 each. I pulled the tubes, shipped them separately. I filled the inside of the amp with foam blocks to make sure the transformers didn't move around. It was overkill for sure, but the amp showed up fine.

UPS did cover the IIC+ for.. $5500 (which is what I sold it for) and the tubes for $500. I had to get them to sign a waiver form that they are liable. The store did NOT want to sign it. They got the UPS driver to sign it. Most UPS locations are franchises and they don't want to be liable for all that $$$. I had to pick up the form the next day.

The amp arrived perfectly fine. The outer box was damaged, but since it was double boxed and wrapped with good material there was no damage. Don't skimp out. Spend the $$$ on good materials. Make yourself feel good, make the person spending thousands of dollars feel good.