How to ship a guitar or amp so it arrives in one piece

You can wreck a guitar or amp in the last mile. Packing is where most damage happens.

What’s going on

People ship instruments all the time. Many use the wrong box or skip padding. That leads to broken headstocks, crushed cabinets, rattling knobs, and bad surprises when the case opens.

Why it matters

If you sell or buy a guitar or amp, shipping mistakes can cost you weeks, repair bills, and trust. A small crack in a neck or a dented amp chassis hurts value a lot. You want the customer to plug in and play, not call for a refund.

What to check before you pack

Check the instrument and amp closely. Test electronics so you know if damage happened before shipping. Remove loose items: tremolo arms, picks, cables, footswitches, and pedal boards. Loosen or remove straps that could pull at strap buttons.

Measure the gear. You need the box to let you add 2–4 inches of padding all around. If the case is soft-shell, plan for more padding. Hard cases get extra points, but they still need packing material.

Packing steps that save repairs

• Use a sturdy double-walled box sized to allow 2–4 inches of padding on every side.

• Wrap the guitar or amp in foam or thick bubble wrap; protect fragile points like the headstock and amp jacks.

• Fill the box bottom with dense padding; place the instrument centered, neck and body supported.

• Add side and top padding so the gear does not move when you shake the box gently.

• Seal with heavy-duty packing tape; reinforce seams and corners with extra tape.

• Mark the box as fragile and write "This Side Up" if the orientation matters.

• Take clear photos of the packed gear before sealing for records and claims.

At this point, do a gentle shake test. If you hear anything move, open the box and stiffen the padding. This is the last chance to stop rattle damage.

Micro-moment: You meet the buyer at the courier depot and open the box together. You point to the photos you took and run the shake test again. The buyer nods—now both of you know the condition before transit.

Shipping tips and choices

Choose a carrier that handles musical instruments often. Ask about a fragile handling option. Get tracking and insurance that covers the full sale price plus shipping.

For guitars: keep the truss rod stable. If the instrument is shipped in a gig bag, add a hard layer around the headstock and body. Consider a double-box for high-value or vintage instruments (pack the case inside a larger box with padding). For amps: pad corners and protect speakers from pressure; put foam over the grill and around the speaker cutout.

Label the box with both addresses and a phone number. If a courier offers signature on delivery, take it. For long moves, consider climate: wood and glue react to extreme heat or cold, so avoid overnight shipments into bad weather if possible.

Red flags when buying used by mail

If the seller refuses to show packing photos, or insists you assume transit risk without insurance, walk away. Big gaps in communication or vague condition reports are warning signs. If the item is very cheap but shipping is high, ask why.

Bottom line

Good packing beats luck. Use the right box, pad the weak points, take photos, insure the value, and test for movement. These steps cut the chance of damage to nearly zero.

Small fixes are normal. Structural problems are not — separate the two before you agree on price.

Today’s takeaway: Pack heavy, pad smart, insure the full value and take photos before you seal the box.