UPS Ground, first
It priced every guitar box we've quoted, from $47.37 for a cased electric to $60.77 for a cased acoustic. Full figures and UPS's own package limits are on the UPS guitar cost page.
Guitars, by carrier
Why USPS usually can't price your guitar
Three guitar boxes, all comfortably inside USPS Ground Advantage's own published 130 inch size limit, went through the calculator live on 2026-08-22. None of them came back with a USPS price. This page shows the actual size math against USPS's own rule, and what to book instead.
Live parcel ratesUSPS's own limit, datedThree guitar types
Inside the limit, no price anyway
Every box below fits USPS's own published rule. USPS still didn't quote it.
The three guitar boxes, checked against USPS's limit
USPS Ground Advantage's own page states a maximum weight of 70 lb and a maximum combined length and girth of 130 inches, girth being the distance around the thickest part of the package. Read from USPS's Ground Advantage page on 2026-08-22. We measured three guitar boxes, all quoted the same day, against that rule.
| Guitar & box | Weight | Length + girth | Inside USPS's 130 in limit? | USPS price returned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric, hard case 39 x 16 x 6 in | 19 lb | 83 in | Yes | None |
| Acoustic, hard case 44 x 19 x 8 in | 20 lb | 98 in | Yes | None |
| Bass, gig bag 52 x 18 x 6 in | 17 lb | 100 in | Yes | None |
All three sit well inside both the 70 lb weight cap and the 130 inch combined limit, the electric guitar box by the widest margin. The published rule doesn't explain the empty column: nothing about it points to a size or weight failure. Nor is it simply that USPS declines long or bulky cartons. On the same day, from the same origin ZIP, USPS Ground Advantage did return a price on a rolled queen mattress measuring 44 x 20 x 20 in at 66 lb — a heavier box, 124 inches of length plus girth against the acoustic guitar's 98, and exactly the same 44 inch longest side. That quote is on our cross-country mattress page. So we are not going to name a cause we cannot see. What we can report is what actually happened on three real quotes, on three different routes, the same day. UPS and FedEx priced all three; see the live figures on the UPS guitar cost page.
What to book instead
FedEx as the second quote
FedEx Smart Post also returned a price on all three boxes, and it was the cheapest option on the bass shipment. Comparing both carriers on your route, not assuming one wins, is the reliable way to find the lower number.
A smaller instrument might still get a USPS price
A ukulele, mandolin or three-quarter classical guitar in a soft bag packs into a box well under half the size of anything tested here. We haven't captured that quote yet, so treat it as a reasonable guess, not a confirmed result.
Common questions
Does USPS ship guitars?
It can carry one, but on three guitar boxes we quoted live on 2026-08-22, none returned a USPS Ground Advantage price, even though every box measured inside USPS's own published size and weight limits. Budget for UPS or FedEx and treat a USPS quote as a bonus if one appears.
What is USPS's actual size limit for a guitar box?
USPS Ground Advantage's own page states a 70 lb maximum weight and a 130 inch maximum for combined length and girth. Our largest guitar box, an acoustic in a hard case, measured 98 inches combined; our bass box measured 100. Both are inside the stated limit.
Why didn't USPS return a price if the box is within the limit?
We don't have a confirmed reason, and the published rule doesn't explain it. What we can say is that it was consistent: three different guitar boxes, three different routes, zero USPS quotes on any of them on the day we checked.
What should I book instead of USPS for a guitar?
UPS Ground, which returned a price on every guitar box we've tried, from $47.37 to $60.77 depending on the case and route. FedEx Smart Post also priced every one of them.
Is a small instrument more likely to get a USPS price than a full guitar?
It's a reasonable guess, since a ukulele or a three-quarter-size classical in a soft bag packs into a noticeably smaller box than any guitar we've tested, but we haven't captured a live quote on one to confirm it.
Where this rule comes from
- USPS, USPS Ground Advantage — the 70 lb weight cap and 130 inch combined length-and-girth limit. Read 2026-08-22.
USPS revises its published limits and pricing without notice. Treat the figures above as what the page stated on the date shown, and always confirm with a live quote before you box the instrument.