Shipping a Tuba...bump?

kctubadude · Post by **kctubadude** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:40 pm

Hello,

It's time for me to have a tuba shipped, and thought I might ask if anyone has some new thoughts/experience they'd like to share with shipping.
Who have you used? Did it arrive safely? Was it time/cost efficient?

I've used the search feature and read some people that have had good experiences with DHL, PAK Mail, and freight companies like ABF or Old Dominion.
It seems like Greyhound/Amtrak have had mixed results, with some people giving them a thumbs up, and others not so sure.
Most people have NOT recommended UPS/FedEx.

Any thoughts on shipping?
Thanks in advance!

-jjw

ZNC Dandy · Post by **ZNC Dandy** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:44 pm

Greyhound is the best bet. I just shipped a horn to someone and made a crate out of plywood. Cheaper than a box. Came in at 91 lbs. total weight. Much under their weight and dimension requirements.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 9:47 pm

I suppose the first thing you need to consider is the liability limits and your exposure. I ship tubas and sousas almost exclusivily by Greyhound. Their liability limits stink... $1,000 MAX. However, I've found them to be VERY reliable and quick.

Whatever shipper you decide to use, only one thing is certain.... if you do have a loss, you'll play hell getting a settlement. If you plan to ship an expensive tuba, check with your own insurance agent to see if you are eligible for 'property off premises' coverage.

That being said... I avoid UPS and FEDEX if at all possible.

trseaman · Post by **trseaman** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:22 pm

I've used UPS and had both good and bad experiences... The bottom line is that when you think you've got enough packing material to cushion the horn... You'll still need more! Overkill for this is the golden rule... Goodluck!

Tim

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:30 pm

avoid DHL in my experience.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:43 pm

Bob1062 wrote:Depending on how big it is, you might just want to take the cheap bus and hold it in your lap.

megabus.com

I have heard that if you get tickets enough in advance ( 2 or 3 weeks), the price can be in the single digits!

Hmmm... I've never considered delivering a tuba in person via Greyhound. Might be fun!

bort · Post by **bort** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:54 pm

I've used UPS Ground twice (coast to coast) and it worked fine. Both times, an original Miraphone shipping box and a million styrofoam peanuts were used.

Absolutely no problems either time -- but I have no clue what it "should have" cost. I think I probably overpaid, but to get the tuba there safely, is there such a thing?

kctubadude · Post by **kctubadude** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:07 pm

Ah, the MegaBus. I just took the Mega Bus from KC to Chicago and back last month. The price was unbelievably low, but it comes at a cost. They don't provide you with any indoor waiting facilities, so if the weather sucks, you're hosed. Nothing like waiting just outside the Union Station in chicago in the middle of a snowstorm. Oh, and the bus was 2 hours late that night. Grrrr...

But, I'd probably ride it again. It's pretty laid back, and a good time.
Thanks everyone for their insight into shipping!

-jjw

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:21 pm

Gaston wrote:Have-you a link to Greyhound shipping companie ?

Here's the link to Greyhound's website. But... they don't go outside of the continental US.

http://www.shipgreyhound.com

UTTuba_09 · Post by **UTTuba_09** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:24 pm

Here's something that may help, it's about flying with horns, but it may help in packaging your horn...

http://hammytuba.com/Flying%20with%20Horns.pdf

Uncle Buck · Post by **Uncle Buck** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:50 pm

This is not a direct answer to your question, but the best advice I've ever seen on shipping a tuba was on this forum from Bloke - putt a dollar-store rubber ball in the bell to avoid bell crunching when the box is dropped bell-first.

tbn.al · Post by **tbn.al** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:13 pm

[quote="TubaTinker] But... they don't go outside of the continental US.[/quote]

I can see it now...... the big Greyhound rolls up to the water's edge, the wheels fold up, out come the propellers, a hatch opens on the top of the bus and bikini clad ladies with lawn chairs cover the top......to France...to France....

David · Post by **David** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:40 pm

I vote ups.

And I vote an putting a beach ball in the bell, and inflating it as much as possible to save on bell damage....

rocksanddirt · Post by **rocksanddirt** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:13 am

my shipping experiences of largish, expensivish (not all tuba related) things indicate:

-that DHL is ok if you don't want it there in any kind of hurry
-FedEx is ok IF you package it to be runover by a truck, and pay for the insurance, and costs a fortune
-UPS is ok but a fortune.
-trucking companies are good, but it's not very user friendly.

pjv · Post by **pjv** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:20 am

-Indeed, the ball in the bell. It was mentioned as well at http://hammytuba.com/Flying%20with%20Horns.pdf, but thats NOT what you see in the illustration. Its not just about protecting all contact points. A tuba is heavy. Even a well protected bell cannot absorb the weight of the horn. By putting a ball in the bell, one displaces the point of impact from the bell to the bell throat. The idea is that the bell throat is can handle the weight better, and this is probably true.

-Another tip I've learned from TubeNet is to remember that when a tuba is dropped, its quite possible to sustain no damage on the case and still have a damaged tuba. Again, the weight of the tuba itself is the culprit. A tuba, dropped in a flight case from a height of about 4 feet may have a set of sunken valves and dents in the tubing at the braces. This means one has to really bubble wrap EVERYTHING!

-I also read a tip about taking your valve springs out and tying the valves down.

-Buying an extra seat is the best. Unfortunately most of us (nor the groups budget) cannot afford this. Furthermore, more airlines WILL NOT accept a music instrument as a passenger if THEY FEEL that;
the instrument cannot be properly seat belted down,
the bell (or other tuba parts) sticks out in such an obtrusive manner passengers could be injured in an emergency situation.
etc, etc.
They may SELL you the seat, but can still refuse the tuba if they wish and you might be sending your tuba to the cargo hold in a gig bag!

-France is a beautiful country with lovely people, a fantastic culture and a wonderful culinary heritage. And the women I met were NOT hairy (btw, its not really important now is it). Many people in our country can be very rude to anyone not speaking the language, or to anyone who's not white for that matter. Ya, France has its down side, but so does the US.

-Cheers, Patrick

MaryAnn · Post by **MaryAnn** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:29 am

Right on, Patrick.

MA

David · Post by **David** » Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:31 am

pjv wrote: -Another tip I've learned from TubeNet is to remember that when a tuba is dropped, its quite possible to sustain no damage on the case and still have a damaged tuba. Again, the weight of the tuba itself is the culprit. A tuba, dropped in a flight case from a height of about 4 feet may have a set of sunken valves and dents in the tubing at the braces. This means one has to really bubble wrap EVERYTHING!

I can attest to this. I've flow with my tuba in the cargo hold 3 times, and in 2 cases, the bell came out with a very large ripple on the side no matter how many "Fragile" stickers, or "this end up" stickers I put on it" and despite the fact that I had put a lot of bell cushioning inside the case. But in both times, the case came out looking fine...

I think it also depends on the thickness of metal on the horn. I have a yamaha 621, which is fairly thin bell metal. But if I was flying with my boosey, you could drop that bad boy from the cargo hold to the ground and it wouldn't receive too much damage (not that I'd mind...)

Shipping a Tuba...bump?

Shipping a Tuba...bump?

Ball in bell