Shipping a mark iii
- Thread starter mhowell67
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topcat0399
Well-known member
mhowell67 said:
pack it for what? movement between gigs? shipping via truck due to a sale??
I guarantee you I can pack a Mark Amp with bubble wrap, tape and cardboard that would easily survive shipment via truck.
You just have know the weak points (speaker opening, tubes removed and wrapped separately, special attention to protecting the knobs, etc...
Some of you sound confident that it's no big deal. I'm still nervous about it.
How about a cardboard box, styrofoam boards on all four sides, and the power tubes boxed in bubble wrap and left inside the amp?
...and maybe enough packing tape to practically seal the box.
How about a cardboard box, styrofoam boards on all four sides, and the power tubes boxed in bubble wrap and left inside the amp?
...and maybe enough packing tape to practically seal the box.
If there is a Mesa dealer close by, see if they have any cartons. I imagine an Express box would fit.
You would do well to got to the UPS and FedEx websites and research what they consider proper packing.
You want at least two inches of padding on all sides. The carton has to withstand a four foot fall. Styrofoam boards are good, but you really need shock resistance more than rigidity. A couple inches of bubble-wrap around the styrofoam will do the trick.
That's at least three to four layers of the large one inch bubbles.
You've seen those Mars landers surrounded by balloons so they bounce when they touch down?
That's the general idea.
When you are done packing it up, pick it up off the ground and throw it as far as you can.
I'm not kidding. If it doesn't split open, you did a good job.
If, at any time, anything can be heard or felt moving around inside the carton, start over.
And do not use packing peanuts. They will end up on one side of the box, your broken amp, on the other.
I've gotten more broken tubes because the shipper though it'd be a good idea to remove the power tubes and box them separately. Unfortunately, if they are allowed to touch each other, glass to glass, they will break. Bubble-wrap is your friend.
By the way, Mesa ships the tubes in their sockets, each in a red mesh wrap so they look like candles in an Italian restaurant.
Leave the pre-amp tubes where they are.
If you want to get crazy, remove all the tubes, wrap them carefully, and send them in a separate box via Priority Mail. Costs $5, takes 3 days.
Sign up for a free account at the FedEx website, and get a discount.
You would do well to got to the UPS and FedEx websites and research what they consider proper packing.
You want at least two inches of padding on all sides. The carton has to withstand a four foot fall. Styrofoam boards are good, but you really need shock resistance more than rigidity. A couple inches of bubble-wrap around the styrofoam will do the trick.
That's at least three to four layers of the large one inch bubbles.
You've seen those Mars landers surrounded by balloons so they bounce when they touch down?
That's the general idea.
When you are done packing it up, pick it up off the ground and throw it as far as you can.
I'm not kidding. If it doesn't split open, you did a good job.
If, at any time, anything can be heard or felt moving around inside the carton, start over.
And do not use packing peanuts. They will end up on one side of the box, your broken amp, on the other.
I've gotten more broken tubes because the shipper though it'd be a good idea to remove the power tubes and box them separately. Unfortunately, if they are allowed to touch each other, glass to glass, they will break. Bubble-wrap is your friend.
By the way, Mesa ships the tubes in their sockets, each in a red mesh wrap so they look like candles in an Italian restaurant.
Leave the pre-amp tubes where they are.
If you want to get crazy, remove all the tubes, wrap them carefully, and send them in a separate box via Priority Mail. Costs $5, takes 3 days.
Sign up for a free account at the FedEx website, and get a discount.
rvschulz
Well-known member
here's what i do ...
step 1 - remove the tubes and bubble wrap them to where you can't tell what they are. then, i place that in the speaker enclosure securely - inside that heavy cabinet is a best bet.
step 2 - get styrofoam sheeting and place inside the speaker enclosure so everything there is covered. doesn't need to be filled, but should be securely in place.
step 3 - heavy bubble wrap - the bubbles are as large as quarters all the way around. i try to triple wrap it so you have about 2-3 inches deep all the way around. i seal this so nothing can get inside. period.
step 4 - place in a box and fill the box as necessary with non-crushing material. some have used crumpled newspaper - i sometimes use cardboard but prefer heavy styrofoam from appliances cut to fit. in this step you are eliminating shifting inside the box only.
good luck. most of this stuff is available from furniture and appliance dumpsters ... or electronics stores libe Best Buy.
step 1 - remove the tubes and bubble wrap them to where you can't tell what they are. then, i place that in the speaker enclosure securely - inside that heavy cabinet is a best bet.
step 2 - get styrofoam sheeting and place inside the speaker enclosure so everything there is covered. doesn't need to be filled, but should be securely in place.
step 3 - heavy bubble wrap - the bubbles are as large as quarters all the way around. i try to triple wrap it so you have about 2-3 inches deep all the way around. i seal this so nothing can get inside. period.
step 4 - place in a box and fill the box as necessary with non-crushing material. some have used crumpled newspaper - i sometimes use cardboard but prefer heavy styrofoam from appliances cut to fit. in this step you are eliminating shifting inside the box only.
good luck. most of this stuff is available from furniture and appliance dumpsters ... or electronics stores libe Best Buy.
dodger916
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With respect to bubble wrap, use the larger pillow-style bubbles (recommended by Mesa). Styrofoam is not a good protector as it transfers the shock to the unit, but it's good for filling out empty space not filled by bubbles. Use heavy-duty corrugated cardboard, double layer if possible. Corners area a major concern, and double corrugated cardboard helps. If you can find those pre-formed corners, use them.mhowell67 said:
Assuming you're using a carrier (not hauling it yourself), you should check their website for packing specs. This way if anything happens, they will be more likely to pay the insurance. Any deviation from their spec will nullify the insurance. I had a bad experience shipping a Mark IV combo around Christmas. Basically, UPS totalled the cab big time. From the damage to the cab it was obvious they really abused it, clearly dropped on its corner from a good height. And even though it was well packed, their inspector determined the packaging didn't meet their specs. I shipped another amp recently and had the Fed Ex store pack it for around $25. Little publicized fact: these packing stores carry separate insurance, so if anything goes wrong after they've packed it, they're on the hook. I know it doesn't undo any damage, but at least you have recourse for financial reparations.
