SHIPPING SUNN GEAR: Tips, Stories, ect.

[N2000s]

Wanted to create a tread to get everyones thoughts and experience on shipping Sunn amps and gear.

Some things I have learned over the years when shipping or receiving amps...

Take extra care to make sure the transformers will not budge since they can be known to rip off their fairly weak mounts and roll around like a bowling ball taking everything out inside. A good way to help with this is to wedge tightly thick/hard Styrofoam or cardboard between the transformers and the top of the amp. I've also seen hard Styrofoam being placed inside the amp pushing against the two transformers to make sure they cannot move. Double boxing is also be a great idea to help with keep everything in good shape as well as packing and shipping the tubes separately.

[EdBass]

+1 about removing the tubes and blocking the transformers. I've had many more problems with speakers than amps. Here are some EV SRO's I got a while back;



Two of the 4 were in this condition, no obvious damage on the outside of the box. In the last few years I had 2 SRO's, 3 K140's, 2 K145's, a D140F, and a Celestion (in a Trace Elliot bass cab) destroyed in shipping. All packed well, all suffered traumatic life ending strikes generating enough G force to shatter cast frames, shift magnets, rip cones, etc. As far as shipping tips for drivers, #1 would be to not ship them at all if it's possible; go get 'em. Since that rarely is an option I'd say in a speaker cab is best, followed by bolted to a piece of plywood with plenty of cushioning under the plywood and behind the magnet as well; those EV's were bolted together face to face with about 4" of styrofoam behind each magnet, in a tight fitting box.
My guess is the box was dropped flat onto a slab from about 5-6 ft. or so. The magnet on one of them flattened the 4" of foam into a half inch thick piece of masonite. Not many speakers will withstand that kind of impact regardless of how well they are packed.

[kupervaser]

I bought a Sunn 200S on ebay in poor condition but with tubes. I asked the seller to pack well and to pack the tubes separate. I also insured the packege for $500.

When it arrived at my house in The Netherlands, I noticed that the package has been opened at the customs, which is not really strange, but they closed it very badly. There were holes everywhere. Plus the amp has been packed not really well. The tubes were in the bubble plastic but were in the same big box as the amp, the amp crushed one of the KT88 power tubes to dust. I still have no idea whether this happened due to poor packaging or due to the fact that the package has been opened and not closed very well.
At this moment I started a procedure to claim the money because I insured the shipping but I see little chance.

Here is the picture:

[Johnny Guitar]

While working at my local music store around 1970 I noticed all Sunn Heads were being shipped with a block of wood wedged between the tops of the transformers and the inside of the cabinet because of bent trannies. 
I have purchased 3 Sunn Amps that have had the transformers ripped loose during shipping.  I bought a 200S cab that showed up boxed so the wheels were outside the box.  Of course the rubber wheels were not only gone but the metal sides where the axle connects was ground almost all the way off from the cab being dragged by the UPS guy! 
The one that made me the maddest was a 200S cab that showed up in two boxes.  One box had the cabinet without speakers or the back panel.  The other box had the back panel with two of the sweetest looking D-140s just sliding around on the back panel.  I couldn't believe these pristine JBLs weren't damaged sliding around inside the cardboard box.  Then I turned them over to find the idot had left two screws through the middle of the back panel and they were sticking up with the speakers being puntured from the screws.
Not Sunn, but while we are on the subject.
A Fender Dual Showman showed up in a very very thin cardboard box with NO packing.  I noticed a line of evenly spaced 1" cuts in the cardboard.    It was from the edges of the knobs rubbing through the box because of the angled control panel.  All of the knobs & several pots were broken.
I found a WEST amp that I had always wanted to check out. I had thought about driving to pick it up instead of shipping since it was only about 50 miles but just didn't have the time.  Its still sitting in my "to do" pile with both trannies ripped off there mounts and the can cap is busted off.   I was compensated for ALL of these damages by either the shipping companies or the sellers!!
Johnny G       

[rmr84]

I have only sold one Sunn item where I needed to ship, a Concert Slave. I had no issues, it was actually to a member on here.  Placed in a large box, but with a ton of bubble wrap and peanuts and insurance.

Has anyone shipped a cab? Curious how you did that... I am looking to move one now.

[EdBass]

I have only sold one Sunn item where I needed to ship, a Concert Slave. I had no issues, it was actually to a member on here.  Placed in a large box, but with a ton of bubble wrap and peanuts and insurance.

Has anyone shipped a cab? Curious how you did that... I am looking to move one now.

First, take out a second mortgage to pay the shipper...
Seriously though, old Sunn cabs are pretty durable. The only big cabs I've shipped have been through a freight company, dock to dock, wrapped in heavy plastic and strapped to a pallett. Expensive, but pretty successful.
It's also not cheap, but if it is within UPS parameters and you have UPS pack it for you at one of their UPS stores you won't have any issues with claims. In my experience that's the only way to avoid any claims hassles; the speakers I pictured above turned into "negotiation" that caused a final settlement for less than replacement value of the drivers.
Most claims go that way, they often claim that the damage was caused by incorrect packaging.
I'd be very curious to see how N2000s's ordeal goes with the shipper; I hope I'm wrong but that looks like a  "No shipper error" situation to me.

[mckinnon audio]

   Hi there,if that JBL D-140 cone is that tight in the v/c gap,there's a good chance you're looking at magnet shift from being tossed,dropped,etc. Hope not,good luck Mel.

[loudthud]

Sometimes you just get lucky. Below is a picture of a 610S cabinet I got off ebay. The cabinet was empty (no speakers) when I bought it. It was shipped FedEx with absolutely no packing. You can see the shipping label wrapped around the lower handle.

[ROCKETBRO2]

I have only sold one Sunn item where I needed to ship, a Concert Slave. I had no issues, it was actually to a member on here.  Placed in a large box, but with a ton of bubble wrap and peanuts and insurance.

Has anyone shipped a cab? Curious how you did that... I am looking to move one now.

I posted this in another thread at one time, but I got a shipping carton from the Sunn plant in Tualatin and wrapped my little Ampeg combo (Portaflex?)and shipped it to Hawaii twice when we played there. That little combo was perfect for travelling by air.

[Johnny Guitar]

Hello
I've purchased a pair of 412SR columns, several 200S cabs, 412 Sceptre cab, 1500S cab, Sonaro Combo and they were all shipped UPS or FedEX with only minor problems that were caused by the seller.  The problems are as mentioned in my previous post. No support for casters - almost always broken.  Even when asked to remove for shipping they usually don't.  The above mentioned Showman had the tall 215 JBL cab.  The cardboard was very thin with no packing.  The corners of the cardboard were worn away and the chrome corners were gouged up.  I told the seller he did not pack the amp as would be expected and sent pictures with the cardboard corners gone on the cab and the holes from what was left of the knobs.  I told him it was not shipping damage, that it was his fault and I expected to be compensated which he did.  I ended up with a pristine pair of D130s that went in one of my 200S cabs for guitar.    I have had problems shipping speakers just like EdBass.  If they are dropped hard enough your packing can't save them.
Johnny G

[george]

Never ship raw driver packed in foam "peanuts" - not a good outcome.
Is it still possible to ship amps via Greyhound bus?

[CLD]

I think so but they have size restriction. My 118BH, for example, was too big even though it was within the weight limit.