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Topic: Shipping a tube amp '?' |
Roger Rettig
From: Naples, FL
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Posted 18 Jul 2018 12:57 pm
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I'm looking into selling my Fox Vintage amp. There's a potential buyer and I'm wondering about shipping.
Is it generally deemed advisable to remove the tubes and pack them separately somehow? If they were well-padded I'd guess that they'd be less likely to be exposed to shock than if I simply left them in place.
What do you think? _________________ Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Jon Light
From: Saugerties, NY
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Posted 18 Jul 2018 1:11 pm
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Yes--removal of tubes for shipping is the standard practice for exactly this reason. |
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Roger Rettig
From: Naples, FL
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Posted 18 Jul 2018 1:35 pm
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Thanks, Jon - makes sense. _________________ Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Clark Doughty
From: KANSAS
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Posted 18 Jul 2018 2:43 pm tubes in shipping
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Phil Bradbury ships his brand new Little Walters with the tubes in place. Just sayin |
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Dave Mudgett
From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 18 Jul 2018 3:55 pm Re: tubes in shipping
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Clark Doughty wrote: |
Phil Bradbury ships his brand new Little Walters with the tubes in place. Just sayin |
Maybe so, and with a brand new amp with nice fresh, tight tube sockets and covers on the preamp tubes, it might be OK. But the last three amps I had shipped to me with the tubes in-place wound up with one or more broken tubes. These were vintage amps, the tube sockets weren't super-tight, and tube(s) dropped out and broke when crashing around against the speaker and chassis.
There is a reason it is standard practice among vintage guitar/amp sellers to remove the tubes, wrap them extremely well in bubble wrap, and place in cabinet. With a heavy amp, I will sometimes place the bubble-wrapped tubes in one or more cardboard boxes if I can get them to fit in the cabinet.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed. If the amp gets treated roughly enough to rip out the speaker or amp chassis, even very well packaged tubes might get broken. But in that case, this is the least of your problems.
It is impossible to pack too well. The big-box stores often pack pretty lightly, and seem to be able to afford a certain percentage of shipped items to get destroyed. I can't. |
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Carl Mesrobian
From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 18 Jul 2018 6:31 pm
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I once received a mid 1970's Fender Deluxe Reverb and the magnet had come off the speaker frame. Luckily nothing else was damaged by the loose "cannon" rolling around. The tubes were packed as several had mentioned.
So - it can't hurt to cover the speaker with a box - this also keeps potential shrapnel from damaging the cone. And it doesn't hurt to place a thin piece of plywood over the grill cloth.
I would at the minimum, box the amp, then slide additional pieces of cardboard all around, and add more protection over the front grill. _________________ --carl
"The better it gets, the fewer of us know it." Ray Brown |
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Peter Leavenworth
From: Madbury, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 18 Jul 2018 7:14 pm Shipping a tube amp
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I have also received amps, head only and combo, with a cut of the packaging for access to the handle. Giving shippers a convenient grip on a heavy box may preclude dropping and/or violent reactions to having to lift really heavy boxes covered in cardboard. _________________ 2008 Zum D-10, 1996 Mullens PRP D-10, 1974 Emmons D-10, 1976 Emmons D-10, early 70s Emmons GS-10, Milkman Sideman head w/Telonics 15" speaker, 1966 Fender Super Reverb, 1970 Fender Dual Showman head, Wechter/Scheerhorn and Beard Dobros, 1962 Supro lap steels, Gibson 1939 RB-11 banjo, Gibson 1978 RB-250
banjo......and way too much more |
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Larry Bressington
From: Nebraska
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Posted 23 Jul 2018 9:58 am
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I know this sounds nuts, but one thing i discovered by shipping and also in flights, was to buy a pack of 'smilies' and when you put on the 'Fragile please handle with care' stickers adding the smiley seems to connect emotionally with the help, i had lots of comments at the airport and also at a UPS office about that, i think it takes out the generic feeling about a package, it's worth a try. Put the valve's in bubble wrap individually and tape em up good together valve's can take quite a bit of vibration when cold, leave the handle out for sure...
I hope that's a 'bolt on' speaker magnet Roger not a glue on, because that's another concern when shipping amps, however i'm sure you will be ok with the handle out for as many things as they ship Rog. _________________ A.K.A Chappy. |
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Skip Ellis
From: Bradenton, Fl USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2018 12:18 pm
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I usually put some thin plywood over the grill cloth, plus, I box the amp upside down so the tubes aren't hanging - of course this is with the expectancy that the carrier pays attention to the "This Side Up" stickers. U-haul has some foam corners available, too, that helps keep the amp suspended and absorbs some of the shock. I have a local outlet for 5'x8' sheets of single and double ply corrugated box material, so I make my own boxes sometimes - especially if I'm shipping a steel. I also leave an opening for the handle - I've had drivers thank me for that! _________________ 2013 Brook Torridge, 2014 Martin 000-18, two homebrew Teles, Evans RE200 amp, Quilter 101R head, understanding wife of 45 years. 'Steeless' at the moment but looking...... |
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Jim Sliff
From: Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2018 6:59 pm
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There is no such thing as "upside down".
You can write "this side up" and draw arrows all over a packing box and nothin g will "see" it that pays attention, as over 90% of package handling is automated and drivers don't have time to pay attention to notes, with an average time limit of 45 seconds per delivery.
And NEVER expose a handle! It can catch on a conveyor system and will not be used anyway.
Per multiple discussions with shipping managers at FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS and others -
Pack any item being shipped to survive an 8' fall onto concrete, landing on any surface or corner. That's the only important factor.
Don't write unnecessary stuff on the box - it's a waste of time. Make sure only that the bar code on the label - the only critical item - is, clear, flat, and not wrinkled or obscured. It contains ALL the information.
Don't use peanuts for heavy items either. they tend to shift. Stick with foam, bubble wrap and air pillows. _________________ No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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