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Topic: Tube Be Or Not Tube Be....That is The Question |
George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 14 Sep 2018 11:56 pm |
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I've asked a dozen different people, and got a dozen different opinions. But how do most of you sellers or dealers ship a tube guitar amplifier? Do you leave the tubes in, or take them out, tag and mark their positions, and wrap them separately? I realize some players may not be comfortable putting tubes in, and may even damage pins doing so.
Any other tricks, or suggestions for a safe ship?
Also, is it mutually agreed on, that FedEx is the best shipper? I have two tube amplifiers to ship.
One amp head, and one medium sized combo amp. |
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Norman Evans
From:
Tennessee
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Posted 15 Sep 2018 4:51 am
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I bought a Fender Twin from GC and had it shipped to me. GC had taken the tubes out and bubble wrapped each one individually. They had laid them out in a line the order they went in the amp, put a strip of tape on them outside the bubble wrap, marked each position and then wrapped them together in more bubble wrap. Every thing arrived in good shape.
I bought another tube amp from an individual who shipped it to me with the tubes installed. Two out of four 6L6 tubes were broken off of the guide and were laying in the bottom of the amp. I had to dig the guides out of the sockets and buy new tubes. |
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Michael Butler
From:
California, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2018 10:25 am
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no consensus on the shipper. we've all had good and bad situations with all of them. you can pack it yourself or pay to have them pack it. send the tubes separately or packed well in a box inside the cabinet.
play music!
_________________
please see my Snakeskin's Virtual Music Museum below.
http://muscmp.wordpress.com/ |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 17 Sep 2018 12:59 pm
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Alway remove the tubes, number them and wrap in bubble wrap. Also make sure the back is stuffed with bubble wrap and not left open to prevent anything from breaking loose and bouncing around.
DON'T have it packed at a packing store. They generally do a lousy job and it makes no difference as far as insurance goes.
Pack them to survive an 8' fall onto concrete in any direction - that's the highest potentially open ramp areas in the warehouses. Don't use peanuts - they can shift easily.
Don't leave a handle exposed - it can get caught on a conveyor. Don't bother with "fragile", "this side up" and so forth. Except for the drivers - who don't have time to deal with those notes - 90%+ of the handling is automated, and machines only read bar codes.
I only use UPS for amp shipping because I've had terrible problems with FedEx making delivery attempts at weird times and repeat attempt are more difficult to coordinate.
Most of the above comes direct from warehouse managers at the major shippers and drivers.
_________________
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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David Weisenthal
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 17 Sep 2018 5:08 pm
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I purchased a Carvin xv-212 all tube, two 12" speakers from guitar center last year. It was shipped from Idaho to Arizona with tubes removed, and wrapped in bubble wrap . Shipping was amazingly cheap for such a monster.. Something like $45....It came with the original foot switch. (a bonus I didnt expect.) Unfortunately the huge footswitch was hardly wrapped and smashed 3 of the 6l6 locating pins off the tube bases. Amazingly, the tube glass was still ok, and i was able to use them anyway! Somehow the speaker cones weren't damaged. All in all it was a successful transaction. Carvin build quality was very high, which probably saved it from damage.
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Derby SD10, Peavey Session 400 |
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