We get quite a few questions about shipping trombones. For a person who has never shipped a instrument in can seem overwhelming. I constantly remind myself that instruments are valuable and need to be packed properly. We use fresh boxes and lots of paper and peanuts to insure that everything is nice and secure.
7 Important Tips to Safely Ship a Brass Instrument
1. Don't leave anything loose inside the case like mouthpices, music lyre's, metronomes, and mutes. They are best wrapped separately and packed outside the case inside the box.
2. It's also important to fill up the void inside the case with paper or bubble wrap so that the instrument can't move around.
3. Use the optimal box size: Measure the dimensions of the instrument case then add 2-4 inches in length and girth. The extra space inside the box is refered to as void. It is important to use void fill like shipping peanuts, bubble wrap, paper, scraps of corrugated boxes that you could make your own void fill with.
4. Box size matters. Most trombone cases are 36 inches or less. A box sized 40 inches long is the perfect length for most trombones. Why is size so important? Shipping carriers like UPS and Fedex charge you more for a longer box. They refer to it as dimensional weight. It can be a fairly light package, but if the box is oversized, you will be charged extra. So, try to keep the box size down, it may save up to 25% on freight charges.
5. Choose your shippping service carrier wisely. They are not all the same. We prefer UPS for brass instruments for domestic U.S. shipments. They seem to be the most efficient and also have the shortest delivery times for ground shipments.
6. Insurance- it is a good idea to insure the instrument for it's replacement value, or if you have sold it to a private party insure for the sales price. Insurance rates vary, UPS stores, Fedex, and USPS all have different rates, sometimes up to $20 per $1000. But it may be worth it if you are concerned about loss or damage.
7. Tracking: Shipping carries have become sophisticated with tracking and sending notifications by email or text. If you are the shipper, save your tracking number in case you need it. UPS has made it quite easy to track and change delivery options with UPS My Choice. They have both a desktop version and an App. Check it out UPS My Choice https://www.ups.com/doapp/signup?loc=en_US
If you are sending an Instrument to The Brass Exhcange, St. Louis MO, we can help. If it is an instrument that we are buying directly from you as a purchase or trade-in we will be happy to create the shipping label and email it to you. Charges bill to our UPS acccount. Email info@thebrass-exchange.com or give us a call 314 616-1434.
