Shipping a trombone safely comes down to three things: the right box, plenty of padding, and making sure nothing can move. Here's how we pack trombones at our shop.
Live near Keller, TX and would rather skip the hassle? Our Pack and Ship service will do it for you.
What You'll Need
- A new double-walled corrugated box, rated at least 250 lb. test (new boxes are stronger than used ones)
- Bubble wrap with large bubbles, at least 5/16" (8 mm)
- Packing peanuts
- Strong packing tape
- "Fragile" and "Arrow" stickers
- A packing slip (more on that below)
Choosing a Box
Trombones come in many different sizes, and require boxes ranging from 40x16x16" (102x41x41 cm) to 45x20x20" (114x51x51 cm). To determine the right size, measure your trombone's overall length and bell diameter, including any case. Then, add the required 3" (8 cm) of space between the trombone (or its case) and every wall of the box. If the box doesn't allow for that, the carrier may deny a damage claim.
As musicians, we also recommend packing the trombone yourself rather than using your local shipping store's service.
Should It Ship in Its Case?
If the case was made by the trombone's manufacturer for that exact model, like a Yamaha trombone in its factory Yamaha case, shipping it in the case is usually safe.
We recommend packing these areas at a minimum:
- Inside the bell flare
- Around the bell flare
- Around the tuning slides
- Around any triggers and rotors
- On top of the trombone body and/or handslide
If the case has the handslide stored within the lid, there must be packing material between the body and handslide. Otherwise, when the case is closed, things may shift, collide, and cause damage.
Aftermarket cases like Marcus Bonna or Protec aren't built to fit one specific trombone, so the parts can shift inside. Make sure to fill any gaps, and cover all parts of the instrument if possible.
Never ship accessories inside the case with the trombone. Mouthpieces and handslide swabs fall out of their slots, bounce around inside the case, and dent the instrument. Lubricants leak all over the case, mutes get crushed, and anything loose can scratch the finish.
If you must include accessories, put them in an outside pocket of the case, or in a separate bag or pouch buried in the packing peanuts outside the case. Bubble wrap anything heavy or with sharp edges.
Packing the Trombone
- Tape the bottom of the box and add about 4" of packing peanuts.
- Take the mouthpiece out and close the slide lock.
- If it's shipping in its case, pad the inside as described above. Lay the case on the peanuts, centered so there's room on every side, wedge rolls of bubble wrap between it and all four sides of the box, and skip to step 6.
- If it's shipping without a case, separate the bell section from the slide and wrap each piece in several layers of bubble wrap until it's barely visible, taping each layer.
- Lay the wrapped bell section on the peanuts, centered so there's room on every side, and wedge rolls of bubble wrap between it and all four sides of the box. Add a layer of peanuts or bubble wrap, then lay the slide on top, leaving at least 1" between the two pieces.
- Put the mouthpiece and any other accessories in an outer pouch on the case, or in a separate bag or pouch buried in the peanuts.
- Fill with peanuts all the way to the top, pressing them into the corners. The box should close without force but be full enough that nothing shifts inside when you shake it.
Make sure no part of the trombone touches the walls of the box without several inches of padding in between. The tuning slide, bell, and handslide are the parts most likely to take a direct hit or crush through the side of the box.
For step-by-step photos of the wrapping and padding technique, see our article on shipping a French horn. It works the same way for a trombone.
Before You Seal the Box
- Place a packing slip inside listing every item, its value, and both your and the recipient's address, email, and phone number.
- Place "Fragile" stickers on every side, pointed the direction you want the box oriented. Always be aware of where the bell rests, never on the bottom, to help avoid damage. You can also draw arrows and write "This Side Up" on the box.
- Put the shipping label on the side of the box that should stay facing up. If a sticker or label is upside down, the shipping carrier will transport it upside down.Â
Insurance and Carriers
Always insure the package for at least what you paid for the trombone.
Each carrier caps how much it will cover (UPS and FedEx call this "declared value"), so pick one that can cover your trombone's full value.
| Carrier | Most it will cover | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| UPS | $50,000 per package | Coverage drops to $1,000 if you drop off a prelabeled box at a UPS store or other drop-off location, and to $500 in a UPS drop box. For a trombone worth more than $1,000, hand it to a UPS driver or take it to a UPS Customer Center. |
| FedEx | Varies by service | Coverage is limited to $1,000 for instruments more than 20 years old and for customized instruments, on every service. |
| USPS | $5,000 | Too low for many professional trombones. |
These limits are current as of October 2026. Please confirm with the carrier before you ship.
We use UPS Ground for most of our domestic instrument shipments. From our location it's the best mix of speed and cost, and we've had fewer damage problems with them.
If you use USPS, choose Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express. Economy services like USPS Ground Advantage spend much longer in transit, which raises the risk of damage.
This information is provided as a public resource. Houghton Horns LLC assumes no liability for damage during shipping or for damage claims denied by your carrier.