How to ship a guitar, bass or amp
Pack it snug, then quote the packed box.
Ship a guitar in a hard case inside a snug guitar box, with the strings loosened, the neck and headstock supported and no empty space. Guitar boxes are long and light, so dimensional weight sets the price, and a box only an inch longer can cross UPS's length line and add a handling fee.
Your box size, priced live
A quote needs the real weight and the box's length, width and height, and the size goes to the carrier with every live quote, so the price reflects dimensional weight.
side by sideOne prepaid wallet
Top up by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or ACH. Each label is a ledger line, and a carrier re-measure shows on that shipment with its reason.
How do you pack a guitar for shipping?
Pack a guitar in a hard case with the strings loosened, the neck and headstock braced and every gap filled, then put the case in a snug corrugated box with padding on all sides so nothing can move. Pack it tight as well as safe: a guitar box bills on its size, and the facts below show where UPS and USPS draw their lines.
Updated
UPS and USPS facts, checked
- UPS bills the greater of a box's actual weight, rounded up to the next pound, and its dimensional weight. On UPS daily rates, dimensional weight is length x width x height in inches divided by 139, after each side is rounded up to the next whole inch, and the result is rounded up to the next whole pound. UPS accepts packages up to 150 lb, 108 inches long and 165 inches in length plus girth. Source:UPS 2026 Rate and Service Guide, pages 9 and 19 (PDF, updated September 7, 2026).
- An electric guitar box of 46 x 18 x 7 inches bills as 42 lb, and an acoustic box of 48 x 20 x 8 inches bills as 56 lb with no surcharge (length plus girth 104 inches). At 49 x 20 x 8 the longest side passes 48 inches, UPS adds Additional Handling, and the published UPS Ground price in zone 5 rises from $53.82 to $93.93 (commercial delivery, before fuel and the demand surcharge). Source:UPS 2026 Daily Rates (XLSX).
- For the 42 lb electric box, the published 2026 UPS Ground price is $27.70 in zone 2, $46.44 in zone 5 and $79.91 in zone 8, the farthest Ground zone in the lower 48, before fuel, residential and delivery area surcharges. Source:UPS 2026 Rate and Service Guide, pages 89 and 90 (PDF).
- UPS adds Additional Handling when a box's longest side is over 48 inches or its length plus girth is over 105 inches, and bills that box at no less than 40 lb; for these size lines the 2026 charge in zone 5 is $38.50. It also applies to a box whose actual weight is over 50 lb, such as a heavy amp, and to anything not fully enclosed in a corrugated box, such as a case or gig bag sent on its own. Sources:UPS 2026 Rate and Service Guide, page 179 (PDF);UPS Terms and Conditions of Service, section 40.9 (PDF). Every trigger and zone amount:UPS Additional Handling and Large Package surcharges.
- From September 27, 2026 to January 16, 2027, UPS adds a demand surcharge to every Additional Handling package: $8.75 through November 21, $11.90 from November 22 to December 26, and $8.75 from December 27 to January 16. UPS's weekly fuel surcharge applies to the base rate and to Additional Handling, and UPS Ground adds $6.50 for delivery to a home. Sources:UPS demand surcharges (PDF, August 26, 2026 update);UPS charges subject to the fuel surcharge (PDF);UPS 2026 Rate and Service Guide, page 183 (PDF).
- USPS bills the greater of actual and dimensional weight for any parcel over 1 cubic foot, with the same divisor of 139 since July 12, 2026 and each side rounded up, so the three guitar boxes bill as 42, 56 and 57 lb there too. USPS Ground Advantage adds commercial nonstandard fees of $10.00 for a parcel over 30 inches long and $21.00 for one over 2 cubic feet, and USPS takes nothing over 70 lb. Sources:Federal Register 2026-09785;USPS Notice 123 (effective October 4, 2026);USPS Domestic Mail Manual 101.
- USPS Ground Advantage's published commercial price for zone 5 is $66.98 at 30 lb, already more than UPS Ground's $46.44 for the 42 lb electric box, and $98.58 at 51 lb, more than UPS's $53.82 and $93.93 for the 56 and 57 lb acoustic boxes, all before USPS's nonstandard fees and UPS's fuel and demand surcharges. Add UPS's $8.75 demand surcharge and the 57 lb box's UPS price passes $98.58, so price both carriers for that box. Sources:USPS Notice 123;UPS demand surcharges (PDF).
Published carrier rates are a benchmark, not what a GoatLabels label costs. A GoatLabels label is bought only at a live carrier rate for your packed box, one all-in number per carrier, and if the carrier re-weighs or re-measures the box, the correction shows on that shipment with its reason. Carriers change rates and surcharges, so confirm on the carrier's current page before you rely on a figure.
Guitar packing checklist
| Step | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Loosen the strings | Turn each string down until it is slack but still seated in the nut and saddle. On a floating bridge, such as an archtop's, keep enough tension to hold the bridge in place. | Less tension on the neck for the trip, without the bridge or nut shifting. |
| 2. Clear out loose parts | Take off the strap, tremolo arm and capo, and empty the case pocket or wrap what is in it. | Loose hardware rattles against the finish for the whole trip. |
| 3. Brace the neck and headstock | Fill the gap under the neck and around the headstock with foam or bubble wrap. | The headstock and neck take the damage when a guitar shifts or the box is dropped. |
| 4. Shake-test the case | Latch the case and shake it gently. Add padding until nothing moves. | If the guitar can move in the case, it will move in transit. |
| 5. Box the case | Use a new, rigid corrugated guitar box just big enough for the case plus padding, and fill the ends and sides so the case cannot slide. | UPS's terms call for packaging that is new or nearly new, and a case shipped without a corrugated box draws Additional Handling. Spare inches also add billable weight. |
| 6. Seal and label | Tape every seam with pressure-sensitive plastic or nylon-reinforced tape, not masking, cellophane or duct tape. Put the label flat on the largest face, away from seams and tape, cover old labels, and put a copy of the address inside. | UPS gives no special handling for Fragile or This End Up markings, so the packing has to do the work. |
| 7. Measure and weigh the packed box | Measure each side at its longest point, bulges included, round up to the next whole inch, and weigh the box. | UPS rounds every side up and can re-measure the box. The size and weight you enter are what the quote prices. |
Packing rules checked on : UPS packaging tips; UPS Packaging Guidelines (PDF); UPS Terms and Conditions of Service, section 8 (PDF, effective April 17, 2026); UPS 2026 Rate and Service Guide, pages 19 and 20 (PDF); UPS, shipping heavy items; UPS, common hazardous items; UPS, how to ship batteries. Cushioning for breakable items in general is covered in our guide to shipping fragile items.
What size box does a guitar need, and what does it bill at?
A guitar box should fit the case plus padding and no more, and at that size the box, not the guitar, sets the price: the electric guitar box below bills as 42 lb and the acoustic box as 56 lb, more than twice what each weighs packed.
Two UPS lines matter: keep the longest side at 48 inches or less and length plus girth at 105 inches or less where the case allows. The acoustic box below sits at 104 inches of length plus girth, so one more inch of length, width or height (49 x 20 x 8, 48 x 21 x 8 or 48 x 20 x 9) adds UPS's whole Additional Handling charge to the price. Measure the packed box yourself: UPS says the size a box maker prints on a box is no substitute for measuring it.
| Instrument and box | Size and packed weight | UPS billable weight | UPS Additional Handling | Published UPS Ground, zone 5 | USPS Ground Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric guitar | 46 x 18 x 7 in, 18 lb packed (5,796 cu in; length plus girth 96 in) | 42 lb, set by box size | Not reached: longest side 46 in | $46.44 | Bills 42 lb too, plus nonstandard fees: the box is over 30 in long and over 2 cubic feet |
| Acoustic guitar | 48 x 20 x 8 in, 22 lb packed (7,680 cu in; length plus girth 104 in) | 56 lb, set by box size | Not reached: 48 in is on the line, not over it | $53.82 | Bills 56 lb, plus the same nonstandard fees |
| Acoustic guitar, box 1 in longer | 49 x 20 x 8 in, 22 lb packed (7,840 cu in; length plus girth 105 in) | 57 lb, set by box size | Reached: longest side over 48 in | $93.93, including $38.50 Additional Handling | Bills 57 lb, plus the same nonstandard fees |
| Bass guitar | No worked example: measure your packed box | The greater of packed weight and L x W x H / 139, each rounded up to the next pound | Longest side over 48 in, then billed at no less than 40 lb | Quote the packed box | Same dimensional rule over 1 cubic foot; nonstandard fees over 30 in long and over 2 cubic feet |
| Amp head | Measure and weigh your packed box | The greater of packed weight and dimensional weight | Packed weight over 50 lb, with no minimum billable weight | Quote the packed box | Up to 70 lb; nonstandard fees past 22 in long or 2 cubic feet |
| Combo amp | Measure and weigh your packed box | The greater of packed weight and dimensional weight | Packed weight over 50 lb, or any size trigger (longest side over 48 in, second-longest over 30 in, length plus girth over 105 in, over 10,368 cu in), then billed at no less than 40 lb | Quote the packed box | Up to 70 lb; nonstandard fees past 22 in long or 2 cubic feet |
Billable weights apply UPS's rules: each side rounded up to the next whole inch, length x width x height divided by 139 on daily rates and rounded up to the next whole pound, and the greater of that and the actual weight, also rounded up to the next pound. Prices are UPS's published 2026 Ground Daily Rates for zone 5, commercial delivery, before fuel and, on the Additional Handling row, the demand surcharge, checked on: UPS 2026 Rate and Service Guide, updated September 7, 2026 (PDF); UPS 2026 Daily Rates (XLSX); USPS Notice 123, effective October 4, 2026; Federal Register 2026-09785, USPS dimensional weight. They are a benchmark, not what a GoatLabels label costs. More box sizes are worked out in UPS billable weight examples, and every carrier's limits are in the package size and weight limits guide.
How do you ship an amp or a pedalboard?
Ship an amp in a box with dense padding on every side and any tubes wrapped and packed on their own, and ship a pedalboard with the pedals fixed to the board, the batteries out and the board padded inside a corrugated box.
An amp is dense compared with a guitar, so weigh the packed box before you choose a carrier. Over 50 lb packed, UPS adds Additional Handling for weight, and USPS takes nothing over 70 lb, while UPS accepts up to 150 lb. If an amp and a cabinet would push one box past 50 lb, price them as two separate boxes as well as one.
Pack for the weight. UPS warns that packing peanuts and crumpled paper crush and shift under heavy loads, so use foam blocks or molded inserts, and on an open-back combo cover the speaker with a sheet of cardboard so nothing presses into the cone.
On a pedalboard, unplug the power supply and any loose cables, and take the battery out of any pedal that has one: UPS requires that a device shipped with batteries cannot switch on in transit. Anything with a lithium battery, such as a wireless unit or a rechargeable tuner, has its own UPS rules, so check them before you buy the label.
Case or no case: which costs less to ship?
Shipping without a case costs less only if it lets you use a smaller box, because a guitar box bills on its size, not its weight: the electric guitar box in the table weighs 18 lb packed and bills 42 lb, so it could gain 24 lb before its weight changed the bill.
A hard case needs a bigger box than a guitar in a fitted carton, so it can add inches, and inches are what get billed, most of all past 48 inches long. A smaller box without a case leaves less between the neck and headstock and every knock, though, so a hard case inside a snug box is the safer choice for any guitar you would not want to repair.
Either way, the case or bag goes inside a corrugated box. UPS adds Additional Handling to anything not fully enclosed in corrugated cardboard, and that includes a hard case or a gig bag sent on its own label.
Should you insure a guitar?
Insure a guitar whenever losing it would cost more than you could comfortably absorb, because what a carrier pays by default is limited and is not the instrument's value.
Before you seal the box, record the guitar's condition: photos of the body, neck, headstock and serial number, then one of the packed box. UPS's terms call for packaging that is new or nearly new, as in step 5 above, and the photos are your record if you ever make a claim. The insurance decision guide linked below works out when a premium is worth paying on your lanes.
What GoatLabels does and does not do. GoatLabels prices USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL side by side on every parcel, one all-in number each. A quote needs the real weight and the box's length, width and height, and the box size goes to the carrier with every live quote, so the price reflects dimensional weight. Labels are bought only at a live carrier rate, and if a carrier re-weighs or re-measures the box, the correction shows on that shipment with its reason. You can save up to 20 box sizes, such as your guitar and amp boxes, you need no carrier account, and Billy, the assistant, drafts a shipment from a pasted order, a screenshot or a photo and compares live rates. GoatLabels does not calculate billable weight for you, and it does not ship freight, handle hazardous materials or connect your own carrier account.
More on heavy and oversized parcels: how to ship heavy packages covers every weight band, UPS billable weight examples works out more box sizes, UPS Additional Handling and Large Package surcharges explains every trigger and minimum, and UPS vs USPS for heavy packages compares the two carriers weight by weight. For cushioning, see how to ship fragile items; for coverage, the shipping insurance decision guide works out when a premium is worth paying.
Shipping a guitar, answered
- Should I loosen the strings before shipping a guitar?
- Yes. Loosen them until they are slack but still seated in the nut and saddle, so the neck carries less tension in transit, and leave them on. On a guitar with a floating bridge, such as an archtop, keep enough tension to hold the bridge in place.
- What size box do I need to ship an acoustic guitar?
- One that fits the case plus padding on every side and no more, with the longest side at 48 inches or less and length plus girth at 105 inches or less if the case allows. The example on this page, 48 x 20 x 8 inches, bills as 56 lb with UPS and draws no handling fee; the same box an inch longer passes UPS's 48 inch length line and adds Additional Handling. Measure your own case first, because cases vary.
- Can I ship a guitar in a gig bag?
- Only inside a box. A gig bag on its own is not a corrugated container, so UPS adds an Additional Handling charge, and it gives the neck and headstock little protection from a drop. Put the bagged guitar in a snug guitar box with dense padding around the headstock and body, or use a hard case inside the box.
- How much does it cost to ship a guitar across the country?
- It depends on the box more than the guitar. Across the country is UPS zone 8, the farthest Ground zone in the lower 48, and the electric guitar box on this page bills there as 42 lb though it weighs 18 lb packed. The dated facts block on this page lists UPS's published 2026 Ground prices for that box in zones 2, 5 and 8; a GoatLabels label is bought only at a live carrier rate for your packed box, one all-in number per carrier.
- Is UPS or USPS cheaper for shipping a guitar?
- Quote both with the packed box. At the published 2026 prices on this page, before fuel and USPS's nonstandard fees, UPS Ground comes out lower in zone 5 for the two guitar boxes at 48 inches or less, because both carriers bill the box at its dimensional weight and USPS Ground Advantage charges more at those weights. Past 48 inches, UPS adds Additional Handling and, until January 16, 2027, a demand surcharge on it, so price both carriers for that box. The extras differ too: USPS adds nonstandard fees for a parcel over 30 inches long and over 2 cubic feet, while UPS adds fuel, a residential fee for a home address and, over 48 inches long or 105 inches in length plus girth, Additional Handling plus its demand surcharge.
Related reading: package size and weight limits by carrier, heavy and oversized parcels across four carriers, carrier billing adjustments, how to ship heavy packages, all guides on the blog.
Quote the guitar box you packed.
Four carriers, one number each.
USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL priced side by side on every parcel from the real weight and box size, and paid from a prepaid wallet by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or ACH. Free is $0 a month with 50 shipments; Pro is $40 a month flat with unlimited shipments.
No carrier account needed.