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Hello Tubenet Peeps,

I'm shipping a tuba via Greyhound. The tuba does not have a hard case, just a gig bag. The bell detaches.

What would be the best way to do this?

Where would I get a box or crate or whatever I need to send it?

Should I mail it with the bell attached or detached?

Anybody ever use somebody like UPS store to package a tuba?

What's worked best for you? I'd appreciate any advice.

Thanks!

Michael Bush wrote:viewtopic.php?f=2&t=31654

Thanks, but that's not really what I'm looking for in my situation. I don't have a tuba box or a box that big and I need to know where exactly to get one, or what else I can use. The only thing I do know is how to wrap in bubble wrap and box with peanuts. And the bell is detachable so I'm not worried about beach balls. Thanks.

euphoni wrote:I don't have a tuba box or a box that big and I need to know where exactly to get one,

In a pinch I have sometimes gotten two 20x20x24 shipping boxes from Staples and built up a box out of those. Plenty of tape and some polyurethane foam along with the bubble wrap and peanuts makes it work fine.

For boxes places like grocery store and appliance store have always given me free large boxes. It makes their life easier if they don't have to deal with the shipping boxes so they tend to give them away freely. If that a try.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I wound up calling the UPS store and they quoted me $30-40 to package it, with the box, bubble wrap, and peanuts. Seems like a good deal not to have to hunt for a box or buy any of the packing supplies. Sticking w Greyhound though.. way cheaper than UPS ($70 vs $240).

I like a soccerball inside inside the bell, inflated until it's holding the tuba firmly in place and other packing material crammed around the rest of the bell rim to attempt to further spread the load. Mini soccerballs are perfect for euphoniums!

You just add a charge for the ball, and include the Walmart receipt so they can return it. It's free!

euphoni wrote:Thanks for all the suggestions. I wound up calling the UPS store and they quoted me $30-40 to package it, with the box, bubble wrap, and peanuts. Seems like a good deal not to have to hunt for a box or buy any of the packing supplies. Sticking w Greyhound though.. way cheaper than UPS ($70 vs $240).

Greyhound will save the tuba. The packing won't be worth fiddlesticks, but as you say it is cheap and it probably won't matter because of the Greyhound shipping.

euphoni wrote:Thanks for all the suggestions. I wound up calling the UPS store and they quoted me $30-40 to package it, with the box, bubble wrap, and peanuts. Seems like a good deal not to have to hunt for a box or buy any of the packing supplies. Sticking w Greyhound though.. way cheaper than UPS ($70 vs $240).

I was going to suggest Home Depot, they have some heavy duty cardboard boxes. But by the the time you go through the hassle of getting the boxes and packing material, purchasing the packing seems like a better deal. I'll have to remember this.

My latest tuba came through Greyhound in a gig bag with probably much less packing and it was fine.

euphoni wrote:Thanks for all the suggestions. I wound up calling the UPS store and they quoted me $30-40 to package it, with the box, bubble wrap, and peanuts. Seems like a good deal not to have to hunt for a box or buy any of the packing supplies. Sticking w Greyhound though.. way cheaper than UPS ($70 vs $240).

I once bought a tuba from a private seller and specifically told them to send it via Greyhound. I also told them to pack per Norm Pearson's instruction. To my initial horror they sent it via UPS (which I figured out when they sent me a tracking #) and they had the UPS store pack it per my instructions. The good news is, much to my surprise, the horn arrived in perfect condition. The bad news: the outer carton took a hell of a beating. It was ripped, punctured and torn in several places - just mangled. Fortunately, the packing material protected the inner box and the bubble wrapping around the horn and the semi inflated dodge ball in the bell did their jobs.

I think that $30-40 quote you got is not going to hold up. It cost my seller $150 just to have the UPS store pack it per my instructions (which the seller absorbed because our agreement had a firm price to ship and pack -which was them packing it and putting it on the dog) . I'm not sure the quote you got reflects what needs to be done to do it right to survive UPS transit. They may have never packed a tuba before. I've done it myself a few times and it requires a good amount of time. If I were you, I would be very specific with the store as to how you want it packed and get a firm quote for it. Don't think if you get the insurance that you will be covered if the horn gets damaged. UPS has a history of fighting claims vigorously.

tofu wrote:I think that $30-40 quote you got is not going to hold up.

Agreed. I bet that quote is to tape up a box, put the tuba in it, put the box under the big funnel and let the peanuts flow in until it's full. The only hope a tuba packed for $40 at the UPS store has is to be shipped by Greyhound, but even then with that kind of packing it's a risk.