Case first, then box
The case does the impact absorption; the outer carton keeps the case from being the load-bearing surface on a sortation belt. Two to three inches of packing between the case and the box on every side is the working figure.
Instruments
Shipping musical instruments, by shape
One packing rule covers most of them: the instrument goes in a case, the case goes in a snug outer box with padding on every side, and the strings come down a full step before the lid closes. What differs between shapes is the box size, the padding pattern and the moment where parcel gives way to freight. This page walks the five families and links each one to its own worked example.
Case-in-box ruleParcel vs freight breakLive rates per shape
Case in box
Every family below packs the same way: case first, snug carton second, void fill on every side.
The five shape families
Each family shares a box size, a padding pattern and a typical carrier answer. Anywhere those repeat, the price does too.
| Family | Examples | Typical packed box | Where it ships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fretted strings | Acoustic, electric and bass guitars; ukuleles; mandolins | ~45 × 19 × 7 in, 15 to 25 lb | UPS or FedEx Ground |
| Orchestral strings | Violins, violas, cellos | Violin ~32 × 12 × 6 in; cello ~52 × 20 × 12 in | Parcel for violin and viola; cello usually freight |
| Wind and reed | Clarinets, saxophones, flutes, oboes | Alto sax ~26 × 14 × 10 in, 10 to 15 lb | Parcel |
| Brass | Trumpets, trombones, French horns, tubas | Trumpet ~22 × 11 × 8 in; tuba typically 46 in in one dimension | Parcel up to French horn; tuba usually freight |
| Keyboard and percussion | Digital pianos, drum kits, upright and grand pianos | Digital piano ~62 × 18 × 10 in; drum kit multiple cases; upright piano requires freight and a piano crate | Digital piano parcel; kits and acoustic pianos freight |
A carton whose combined length and girth exceeds 108 inches or whose weight passes 150 pounds is where parcel carriers stop accepting the piece. That is the crossover into LTL, and it is the moment to route the shipment through freight review rather than the calculator.
The packing method that works on all of them
Fill the empty spaces inside the case
Rolled cloth or clean paper under the neck of a string instrument, around a saxophone's neck strap ring, inside a brass bell. The case latches down without letting the instrument shift; the shift is what breaks things, not the drop.
Two to three inches of void fill outside
Bubble, molded pulp inserts or crumpled kraft paper on every face. Foam peanuts are acceptable inside a rigid case-and-box combination and unreliable when the case is soft.
Every family also benefits from the same three finishing steps: detune string instruments by roughly a full step; remove and pack anything protruding (a mouthpiece, a whammy bar); mark the outer carton without hint of what the instrument is worth. A plain outer box is the other half of protecting a vintage piece.
Where parcel stops and freight begins
A drum kit with hardware, a full amplifier stack, a stand-up bass, an upright piano and a concert grand all pass parcel limits. The kit is a group of cases, no individual over the parcel ceiling but the shipment as a whole most efficient palletized. An upright piano is always freight, always crated, and a piano moving specialist typically handles the last leg — the elevator, the stair carry, the placement — that a general freight carrier does not.
The line is not weight alone: a 150 pound amplifier that fits inside a parcel carton still ships parcel; a 60 pound cello case at 52 inches long that puts a carton at 58 × 24 × 16 in has a combined length and girth of about 138 in and falls outside the parcel ceiling. Route those through freight review.
Price an instrument through SMKlog
Type the make, model and case type in the calculator and the packed dimensions are estimated for you. Guitars and violins land on UPS or FedEx Ground; drum kits and pianos route through freight review. Add declared value at checkout for anything above the $100 base parcel coverage, and add signature on delivery for anything valuable enough to detune.
Where these limits come from
- United Parcel Service, Shipping Dimensions and Weight — 108 inch maximum length, 165 inch maximum length plus girth combined, 150 lb maximum weight for parcel service. Read 2026-08-11.
- United States Postal Service, Mail & Shipping Services — 108 inch combined length-plus-girth cap on domestic parcels. Read 2026-08-11.
Common questions
What is the single most important rule for shipping any instrument?
The instrument goes in a case, and the case goes in a box with padding on every side. A case alone is not a shipping container — the case latches were designed for people and cars, not for parcel belts — and carriers treat a bare case as one big scratch waiting to happen.
Do I need to detune string instruments?
Yes, by roughly a full step. Full tension plus a temperature swing is what cracks headstocks and warps necks; completely slack strings let the bridge shift on an acoustic. A quarter turn on each tuning peg is enough for most guitars and violins.
When does an instrument have to ship by freight instead of parcel?
Once the packed carton exceeds about 108 inches in combined length and girth, or the weight climbs above 150 pounds, parcel carriers stop accepting it and the piece has to go on LTL. Uprights, concert grands, drum kits with hardware and large amplifier stacks are typical freight cases.
Should I add declared value or shipping protection?
Yes for anything above the $100 base coverage on a parcel label. Add declared value for the replacement price and ask for a signature on delivery; both are offered inside the checkout when the carrier supports them for the route. For a vintage or high-value piece, a brokered parcel policy typically pays out where a carrier's declared value does not.
What about temperature and humidity?
Ship during shoulder seasons where possible. Extreme cold cracks lacquers and dries out acoustic woods; extreme heat softens adhesives on brass and shifts wooden necks. A gel humidifier inside an acoustic case buys some margin; a ground service that takes a couple of extra days on a warm week is often kinder to the instrument than an overnight.