How do you guys go about shipping big ol' amp heads?

[Moustache_Bash]

Yeah, how you doin' that?

[skullservant]

It sucks to be honest. I get a roll of bubble wrap (around $20) and a box big enough to fit it in (or enough cardboard to MAKE a box for it to fit it in) and wrap it in at least 5 layers of bubble wrap. I've shipped 2 heads before and both arrived not in pieces, so that was good. I make sure to tape the entire outside of the box. Not sure if it is necessary but makes me feel better. I also pull the tubes and wrap them in bubble wrap and stuff them in the chasis of the amp if it's a tube amp.

[Moustache_Bash]

Do you do USPS, UPS, or FedEX? Also, I've heard things about the shipping company not taking responsibility for the item if they don't pack it themselves.

[skullservant]

I've used USPS. Not the greatest in terms of price, but eh. I'd probably go FedEx if I shipped another. I shipped out my aluminum guitar in the aluminum case down to Kevin at EGC for like $25

[01010111]

Do you do USPS, UPS, or FedEX? Also, I've heard things about the shipping company not taking responsibility for the item if they don't pack it themselves.

I know ups doesn't like to cover things for damages if they don't pack it themselves. They have weird guidelines for packing certain things. If you want to find out what kind of packing job they would require to cover the thing, you can either:
A: pay them to pack it
B: pack it yourself at home, and take it to the store. If you do this be prepared to unpackage the head for their inspection.
C: take your packing materials in and show them that you're packing it right.
D: don't ship ups. They're dicks.

[The4455]

Whenever I ship anything I always over pack the box with newspaper and packing peanuts, there is no reason not to. I've seen people who put newspaper around all of the tubes as well, or go as far as to remove all of them and pack them/ship them separate.

[Rob Fossil]

I have shipped 2 2x12 combo amps, 1 with UPS and 1 with USPS and I would go with USPS. The UPS amp went from MA to CA and ended up costing about $80. The USPS amp went from MA to SC and cost under $30. Both got where they were going in the time promised. Just pack the amp well, tape the shit out of the box and you should be fine.

[Greenfuz]

take it apart and unsolder everything, make em put it back together

[D.o.S.]

Always remove the tubes.

[Moustache_Bash]

It's a 1001RB-II solid state head in a SKB roadcase. I was thinking of trying to sell it for $500 all together, but I went to FedEx and got a quote (so I could post it in the B/S/T, and TalkBass and give a rough quote of how much it would all cost) to Tallahassee (just 'cuz I wanted to go extreme with the quote, it's the complete opposite side of the country) and it would cost close to $80 including them packing it up. Doesn't seem like that good of a deal now that it's close to $600 (how much they cost new from RMCAudio).

My god ( )'s. But, yeah, I appreciate everyone's input. And agree on the tube thang. I've heard some messed up stories about people getting an amp with glass knife shards hanging from the sockets.