I have not read this, but simply know its there and blindly idioticaly trust that james peters knows how to ship an amp
http://www.petersamplification.com/faq.htmThings to consider when shipping an amp
- Re-use your original packing if possible. It might be the best solution*. In the case of the original poly foam corners shipped with Peters amps, and their packing boxes, it is the most reasonable packing solution if the box hasn't taken damage. The foam corners don't get crushed on impact because they're not styrofoam, but they do absorb a lot of impact effectively. Also since the force of an impact is transferred to the corners--the most structurally stable parts of the amp--even if it's an extreme impact the amp usually doesn't take any damage.
*The original packing material of your amp--if it's not a Peters amp--may not be the best solution. Some amps are sold in stores with styrofoam packing material, but they're not shipped by couriers one at a time; they're shipped from a distributor to the store on a skid. Styrofoam generally isn't suitable for shipping a heavy item which is being shipped by itself. Upon impact, styrofoam is destroyed, leaving the amp vulnerable to the next impact (which may immediately follow the first impact, if the package is falling far enough). Also, styrofoam is rigid; using it to surround an amplifier in a box means an impact can be more directly transferred to portions of the amplifier more susceptible to damage (the middle in particular is weaker than the corners). Do not use styrofoam.
- Styrofoam peanuts are usually not effective protection for use when shipping heavy amplifiers. For smaller or lighter things they're ok, if used properly. They can protect an amplifier under "good shipping circumstances", but don't expect them to work well under average shipping circumstances. Foam peanuts shift if they're not packed very tightly, meaning the contents of the package can shift to a wall of the package where it has no protection other than a thin piece of cardboard (which is virtually useless when it comes to anything fragile). And packing foam peanuts tightly with something that weighs as much as an amp is nearly impossible since the amp's weight will crush some of the peanuts in transport, resulting in extra space and poor distribution of the foam peanuts. The load will shift, the box will deform and because of this it's more likely a carrier will drop the package (and since the amp is no longer protected well, when it falls it can bear the brunt of the impact instead of the foam). Add to that what happens if the package gets a hole in it (possibly because the package is starting to deform): the package can lose foam peanuts in transport, which is a recipe for disaster. So, do not use styrofoam peanuts. Also they are annoying to deal with because they're prone to static electricity and their crushed bits stick to your clothes, your hair, the walls, and so on.
- Remove the tubes and wrap them in protective material, then put them inside the head shell. This is the way I ship my amps; I've never had an amp received with broken tubes.
- If you don't have the amp's original box and foam corners, find an appropriate sized box or don't ship the amp until you find one. Using an unusually large box means you'll have to fill it with more packing material to make it so that the package doesn't deform in transport, and it also makes it more likely the package will take more abuse in transport since it will be more awkward to carry; this can be a very bad combination. You want two inches of space between the amp and the outer wall of the package, or slightly more, but not very much more. If you have to use a larger box, be very careful about how you pack it and make sure it's a very good strong box in good condition.
- If a box is "soggy" from being used a lot, adding a lot of tape to it doesn't necessarily make it a better box. Don't reuse a box that's at the end of its life. If you want to make effective use of a worn-out box, don't ship heavy and expensive things in it; recycle the box instead...or maybe give it to your cat as a claw-toy.
-Double-boxing is recommended if you don't have the original box and foam corners (or if the original box/corners are no longer in good condition). Pack the amp with some packing material in a box which fits it more tightly (about 1" space all around for packing material is good), then pack that box inside a slightly larger box with at least another 1" of packing material inside.
- If you don't have access to "bubble wrap", wadded pages of newsprint make for reasonably effective packing material. Wad individual pages (or one sheet which contains two pages in the newspaper) fairly tightly; that is, don't wad several pages into a ball and expect it to absorb shock well.
- Don't forget to pack the box such that it retains its shape when the box is handled (use lots of packing material, and pack it fairly tightly). Double-boxing helps in this aspect. Another good approach would be to line a box with "inner walls" of cardboard (or impact-resistant foam but not styrofoam), and then use bubble wrap around the amp within that (as long as the amp fits snugly inside and enough packing material is used). A suitable substitute would be to wrap the amp well in bubble wrap (enough for about an inch of bubble wrap all the way around) and also use wadded newsprint packed tightly around the amp.
- Don't ever trust a shipping outlet store (such as "The UPS Store") to pack your amp properly for you! Every time I've received an amp for repair or modification and a store has packed it, it's been a mess of foam peanuts and a too thin/too large/too-squishy-upon-its-arrival box (not to mention damage to the amplifier). When people follow my recommendations, amps almost never take damage in shipping. It seems shipping outlet stores however don't understand how to properly package large/heavy items.
