How to pack and ship pro / home audio gear

Quick answer

Safely packing pro/home audio gear comes down to three steps: prepare, pack, and test. Remove all detachable components and wrap them separately, then cushion the gear so nothing can shift, and give the sealed box a "shake test" to ensure nothing is rattling. Photograph the packaging before you ship in case it’s damaged in transit, and enter your package's actual weight and dimensions when using a Reverb label to avoid extra shipping charges. We always recommend adding protection to your label, whether it’s Reverb Safe Shipping or insurance through the carrier directly.

Jump to a section:

What you'll need
Packing steps
Protect your shipment

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 2 inches for padding on all sides of the guitar. 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, and packing peanuts are best.
Packing tape.

Extra care for heavy items: For items over 40 lbs, the box matters as much as the padding. Start with a sturdy, properly sized box – not one that's flimsy or beat up. Wrap the item thoroughly, then surround it with packing material so there are a few inches of cushion on every side and nothing can shift. Heavy gear travels best in a tightly packed, quality box.

Double-boxing (packing the item in one box, then placing that box inside a larger one) is worth the extra materials for genuinely fragile pieces, like anything with a glass or acrylic panel or an exposed dust cover.

Don't use:

A case as the shipping box. If your item came in a hardshell or road case, the case still goes inside a padded outer box. Cases with no outer box are also more likely to receive overage charges.
Newspaper or anything with ink, which can damage the finish.
Any tape other than packing tape.
Clothing as padding.

Packing steps

Step 1: Prepare the item

Remove every detachable component and wrap it separately. Dust covers, turntable platters and counterweights, tubes, rack ears, feet and spikes, speaker grilles, antennas, knobs that pull off, and power cables should all come off. This matters most for dust covers, as they're incredibly fragile.
Secure the parts you can't remove. Lock or tie down turntable tonearms, engage the transport lock on tape decks and reel-to-reels, and use the stylus guard if a cartridge is staying on the arm.

Step 2: Pack the item

Wrap and secure any loose components separately. Use your best judgement if they should be included in the same box or not.

Rack units: Put extra packing material around the rack ears since they take the impact first and bend easily. Bubble wrap works best, but styrofoam and cardboard inserts work well also.
Turntables, receivers, and reel-to-reels: Wrap the platter, counterweight, and dust cover individually and pack them in the same box alongside the unit, not on top of it.
Speakers and other heavy components: These are dense enough to compress soft padding flat, so use rigid inserts or firm material that can hold the weight. Wrap grilles separately, and use extra packing material around the item’s corners.
Complete stereo systems: Pack each component in its own box rather than stacking them together in one.
Microphones, DI boxes, and other small gear: If it came in a case, pad inside the case first so nothing rattles, then pad around the case in the shipping box.

Once everything is snug and nothing shifts, seal the box with packing tape and keep the shipping label visible.

Avoid shipping overages: Make sure your weight & dimensions are accurate

Gather your packing materials in advance and measure all three sides of your box from the outside (printed dimensions are often the inner size). Weigh it on a scale, photograph the measurements and scale reading as proof, and round up when in doubt. If you use calculated shipping, update your listing if any of the numbers change before you ship. If your package doesn't match what you entered, carriers re-measure and bill the difference as a shipping charge correction.

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.

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