Best way to ship a Baritone Sax

[claussen]

I will be putting a Bari on Ebay soon, but wanted to have a plan for shipping the horn before I listed it. I don't think there is a box that size. Does anyone have some experience shipping a Bari UPS. Any suggestions would be appreciated. If this topic has already been discussed, I wasn't able to find it.
thanks
Grant

[Perfect Pitch]

Pack it in a larger box with 3-4" of foam rubber aircells or similar around the entire case(it should not be able to move inside the case either). Just pack it like you would hope to receive it


:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

[Subtone Sam]

Pack it so that the horn does not move to ANY direction when inside the case.Also,support the whole bodytube underneath;bari's bodytube bends very easily when handled roughly.Just in case,insure it.

[claussen]

I looked for a box that size at a moving company warehouse, and they claimed that after 9/11, UPS would no longer ship a box that large. I didn't think that he was pulling my leg because they didn't offer any alternatives such as using them. Where would I locate a box that size. The Bari is in a regular rectangular case. Its a Selmer SA80II that just doesn't get played enough anymore.

[shmuelyosef]

Boxes from bicycle stores work pretty well; also if the case is at all flexible or if you can't make the horn immobile in the case, you may want to ship the horn in one box and the case separately. Just wrap the horn in a bubble-pack 'cocoon' and cushion it in the box with styro peanuts. Check the packing instructions at http://128.121.137.178/packsax.html

[Perfect Pitch]

My experience with peanuts or any other mobile packing material is that it will move away from the weight as the instrument vibrates leaving the bottom most portion of the sax exposed to damage - therefore I must commend a stable packing material eg. foam rubber of suitable density and thickness or taped up bubble pack etc

[hannibal]

shmuelyosef

That article was fantastic and will really come in handy someday. Well spotted!

[DD3]

The key is for the horn not to move inside the case and inside the box. Do not rely on peanuts- go to a computer store and get the 3-4" thick strofoam and actually build a styrofoam cage around the case so it is not movable in any direction- if you must use peanuts build baffles inside the box so the peanuts can not move. You must also make sure the sax can not move inside the case. Sound like a lot of trouble- it is but it is necessary if you want to do it right. Personally I would try every possible way to pick it up if I was the buyer.
Pack it like it is expensive crystal, insure it, and hope it works out.

[Bootman]

Put it in a proper flight case, peanuts don't work, nor does rolled up newspaper. Make cerrtain that the neck bow doesn't touch the case and isn't taking the weight of the horn. This is critical because any knock willtransfer itself to this point of your Bari and make it less than straight. Bent top ends of the Bari sax, from the cross brace on up is a very common problem with shipping damage in a Bari sax.

[pfox]

You might want to think about an article in yesterday's news. As of the first of 2004, on US flights, random searches will be made of packages sent as cargo, not just baggage anymore. Another part of the war on terrorism, you should realize that all your well packed items might be opened and repacked by airport security personnel. I don't know what steps you could take to ensure the repacking is done similarly to the way you did it, but I would make the job as easy as possible for the inspectors. They won't care about your sax like you do. Let's face it, a baritone sax looks pretty suspicious, now doesn't it?

[DD3]

I would have to think long and hard about shipping a Bari if I knew it would be opened. Think about it- once the box is opened and they then have to open the case everything you did to secure the case in the box would be likely ruined. I have constructed heavy cardboard baffles to keep the "peanuts" in place, once the baffles are placed it is difficult to get back in the case, you literally have to start over. I know that only someone with a vested interest in the item would be concerned about the shipping. This will be very interesting if true( I believe it will happen) there are a lot of shipping companies that wil very concerned about how their items are repacked in transit.

[shmuelyosef]

Ship by ground...you can even pay a little extra at Yellow Freight for 'Air Ride'.

[claussen]

Thanks for all of the help. I'll post its Ebay identification number when I put it up for auction in the appropriate forum.
Grant

[tekman]

I've been thinking about this myself. I may have to ship a bari soon. I kinda hope not, though. Anyway, I was thinking of wrapping the sax in several layers of bubble-wrap, partially filling an oversized box with that expandable foam in a can, and then gently depressing the sax into the foam. After the foam stabilized, I would put in a layer of thin polyethylene sheeting. I would then finish filling the box with expandabe foam. The poly would help separate the two foam halves upon arrival.

This is how they ship extremely fragile electronic circuit boards.

What do you think?

[Anji]

http://www.cleansweepsupply.com/pages/item-seliqh00010.html

It's a great, but pricey idea.

The Cybersax site has the right notion, as far as cost is concerned.

It is important that the keys be wedged for shipping, to keep the mechanism from rattling around.

It's the North/South motion of the sax in the case that can damage the delicate crook. UPS handles oversize packages, no problem.

I just shipped a Yani Bari across 4 delivery zones, insured for $40!

Take pictures of your packing steps in the unlikely event of damage.

[Just Say Sax]

What about with a new bari? If I order a new bari from WW&BW or Prowinds, should I be concerned about the sax during shipping? Or, should I go and pick it up (5-6 hour drive one way)? Thanks.

[shmuelyosef]

If you go and pick it up, you can go and pick it OUT. For a new bari (~$5000 investment) it is worth it to play several of each candidate horn and pick the 'best' (personal). While I have bought substantial numbers of used horns by mail (and I have never received a bari that played perfectly after shipping), if I were going to buy a new bari, I would probably drive to LA and sample horns for a day or two, and then buy one. (I'd call ahead and check stock). Most of the big shops there will come pretty close to matching WW&BW price. I have had some bad experience with WWBW packing of saxophones...they don't take it seriously enough.

[Just Say Sax]

"go and pick it OUT"

Yes. That is a great idea. I'm still looking used, to save $, for now. Thanks for your reply.

[Bar-Ron]

UPS does ship Bari's in cardboard boxes. Received one from British Columbia and I'm in New England. They don't go by weight then they go by size. The three bari's I have received all have been rapped in bubble rap in their cases with keys wedged in some. Necks rapped in same manor. More bubble rap.
Cases were protected(some with bubble rap) and in a heavily taped and padded cardboard boxes. Pop corn and bubble rap seem to be the norm.
One of the horns came in a box sandwiched together to make one and plenty of tape. It survived and went through customs.