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What you'll need
It’s a good idea to get shipping materials ahead of time so your listing has accurate weight and measurements. Plus, this helps ensure you ship within Reverb’s 3-business-day timeline.
- Shipping box: Leave 3-4 inches for padding on all sides of the amp. If you're reusing a box, make sure it's still sturdy and remove all old stickers and labels. Carriers sometimes charge extra if old labels are left on the box.
- Harmless packing material: Kraft paper, bubble wrap, cardboard inserts, foam corner blocks, and packing peanuts are best.
- A small box or padded pouch for tubes, if your amp has them.
- Packing tape.
Don't use:
- An amp cover or road case as the shipping box. If your amp came in a road case, the case still goes inside a padded outer box. Cases with no outer box are also more likely to receive overage charges.
- Tape directly on tolex, grille cloth, or a painted or lacquered cabinet. It can pull the covering off when removed.
- Newspaper or anything with ink, which can cosmetically damage the item.
- Any tape other than packing tape.
- Clothing as padding.
Packing steps
If you’re struggling to safely pack the amp, we recommend only selling it for local pickup.
Step 1: Prepare the amp
- Remove the tubes and wrap them separately. Tubes are the single most common amp shipping casualty. Let the amp cool completely, wrap each one individually, and pack them in a small box that travels inside the shipping box. Numbering each tube/tube socket with tape and a Sharpie is also a good idea. If a tube can't be removed, pad around it so it can't shift.
- Remove every other detachable component and wrap it separately. Footswitches, power cables, casters, tilt-back legs, removable panels, amp covers, and slip-in heads should all come off. Wheels and legs that stay attached can punch through the box.
- Secure the parts you can't remove. Spring reverb tanks should be padded or removed if the tank is loose in its pan since springs can jump their hooks in transit. Chassis mounting bolts should be snug, and loose knobs should be tightened or pulled and bagged.
Step 2: Pack the amp
Wrap and secure any loose components separately. If your amp has tubes, wrap and place them in a small box that can fit in the main box.
- Combo amps: Protect the speaker face with a rigid cardboard insert cut to size, then pad around it. Never press soft padding directly into the grille because the pressure transfers to the speaker cone. Add extra material at the corners, which take the impact first, and around the handle if it's rigid.
- Amp heads: Pad heavily around the tube section and transformer end, which is where the weight sits.
- Speaker cabinets: These are dense enough to compress soft padding flat, so use rigid inserts or firm foam that can hold the weight. Protect the grille and corners, and don't rest the cabinet on its face inside the box. Stuff packing paper in the cab filling all the empty space so nothing is able to move around.
- Head and cabinet sold together: Pack each in its own box rather than stacking them in one.
Once everything's snug and nothing shifts, seal the box with packing tape and keep the shipping label visible.
Step 3: Do the "shake test"
Shake the box to make sure nothing is rattling or moving. Carriers typically follow a "3-foot drop rule," meaning your package should survive a flat drop from 3 feet. ("Fragile" labels usually don't change how a package is handled, so pack for the drop.)
Protect your shipment
- Add protection to your shipping label. You can add Reverb Safe Shipping when purchasing a label through Reverb, and if your item gets damaged in shipping, you’ll work with our team directly rather than going through the carrier. You can also use carrier insurance if you’re buying a label from them directly.
- Photograph the package from all sides before drop-off. This helps if the item gets damaged in transit.
- Keep your drop-off receipt as a record of when the item was handed off to the carrier.