In 1932, Beauchamp and Rickenbacke formed the Electro String company and created the first production-model dedicated electric guitar. The rest is history.
Nowadays, online and local music stores offer shipping services to all their customers, from guitars, speakers, PA equipment, drums, amplifiers, etc. After the pandemic started, shipping the musical products brought from the store was the safest way for the customers to receive the items. There was even a significant rise in the number of guitar amplifiers sold in 2021, of which almost all of them were shipped to the customers’ homes.
There are many methods on how to pack a guitar amplifier for shipping, but first, it is vital to know the kinds of amplifiers that are available in the market.
There are many methods on how to pack a guitar amplifier for shipping, but first, it is vital to know the kinds of amplifiers that are available in the market.
The first type of guitar amplifier is the tube guitar amplifier or also known as a valve amplifier. Before the invention of transistors, tubes were used in all of the amplifiers, and now, many guitarists still prefer to use a tube guitar amplifier due to the warm tone it can produce.
The first type of guitar amplifier is the tube guitar amplifier or also known as a valve amplifier. Before the invention of transistors, tubes were used in all of the amplifiers, and now, many guitarists still prefer to use a tube guitar amplifier due to the warm tone it can produce.
The problem with the tube amps is that they are seriously heavy. The tubes are also fragile and will require maintenance. In traveling a tube guitar amplifier, one must really take much extra care with the tubes as these are very expensive to replace.
The second type is the solid state guitar amplifier. After the transistors were invented, they replaced the glass vacuum tubes on a printed circuit board. The weight difference between a tube amp and a solid state amp is evident, as the latter became a favorite traveling amp due to its lightweight. Solid state amplifiers are also cheap and easy to maintain.
The third type of guitar amplifier is the modeling guitar amplifier or also known as a digital guitar amplifier. This guitar amp uses modern technology to produce various tones and effects. Many guitarists prefer using this amplifier because of its flexibility, as it lets you access different amp models, inbuilt effects, and presets.
The last on the list is the hybrid guitar amplifier. From its name, “hybrid,” it is a combination of different amp technologies. It gives you the sought-after tones of a tube amp and the simplicity of a solid state amplifier. They are heavier than modeling and solid state amplifiers, and will also need more care because of their tubes.
Knowing what kind of guitar amplifier you will be shipping will be very important for the methods on how to pack a guitar amplifier for shipping, as all these amplifiers will need a different level of care in terms of shipping.
How to mail a guitar amp?
For different types of guitar amplifiers, there will also be different methods of shipping an amplifier.
For the tube and hybrid guitar amplifiers, you will need to remove and pack the tubes. Wrap the tubes individually using bubble wrap and place them in a separate small box or container.
Wrap the power cord and footswitch if there is any using the bubble wrap. Fill the cavity of the amplifier with packing paper to make sure there are no unexpected misplacements for its parts during the transit. Wrap the guitar amplifier using bubble wrap, and add foam corners to protect all the sides of the amplifier.
Use a box that will perfectly fit the amplifier to avoid extra cost by using unnecessary large boxes. Start to fill the bottom of the box with foam pads, sheets, or other heavy packing material. It is recommended to have a 3-inch distance from your amplifier to every side of the box, including the bottom, to prevent the amplifier from moving around too much in transit.
Tape the box and all its seams to make sure that it will not open easily while in transit. Try to shake the box and listen to make sure nothing moves around.
For the solid state and modeling guitar amplifiers, follow all the steps in packing a tube or hybrid amp except for the first step, as solid state and modeling guitar amplifiers do not use tubes.
Make sure that the guitar amplifier is placed upright in the box.
How do you ship an amp head for shipping?
For shipping amp heads, the methods are almost the same with shipping combo amplifiers.
Similar to guitar combo amplifiers, there are also tube, solid state, modeling, and hybrid amp heads.
For tube and hybrid amplifiers, you still need to remove the tubes and wrap them individually using a bubble wrap and place them in a separate box or container. Find a box larger than the guitar amp head
Wrap the guitar amp head with any packaging material and make sure that it is tight. Find foam corners to protect all sides of the amp head. Fill the bottom of the box with pads, sheets, or heavy packaging materials to serve as a cushion for the amp head. Make sure that there is also some distance between all the sides of the amp and the box.
Securely tape the box and check if there are no unnecessary movements inside the box.
For all solid state and modeling amp heads, follow all steps mentioned above, except the first where you remove the tubes as there are no tubes in a solid state and modeling amp head.
Just make sure that the amp head is placed upright inside the box.
Can I ship a guitar amp?
Yes, you can ship a guitar amplifier anywhere. Depending on their delivery location, most of the shipping services offer a land, sea, or air mode of shipment for your guitar amplifiers.
Even online and local music stores offer shipping services to deliver your guitar amplifier to any address.
So, to answer the question, yes, you can ship a guitar amplifier.
Overall, it is really important to know your guitar amplifier’s type, whether it’s a tube, solid state, modeling, or a hybrid guitar amplifier. Determining its type will let you also know what to check before packing your guitar amplifier.
The methods mentioned above are the most basic ways on how to pack a guitar amplifier for shipping.
