Pack and Ship
Professional brass instrument packing by people who actually play them. Decades of experience, thousands of instruments shipped safely — using proven methods that meet or exceed carrier requirements for damage claim eligibility.
When you walk into a UPS Store or FedEx Office with a French horn, the person behind the counter has probably never seen one before. They don’t know how thin the brass is, how vulnerable the bell flare is, or how a valve section can be damaged by a single hard impact. We do.
Houghton Horns has spent decades safely packing and shipping French horns, trumpets, trombones, tubas, and more to musicians around the world. We know how to protect a detachable bell, immobilize a trombone slide, and cushion a tuba bell — because we’re brass players ourselves, and we’ve done it thousands of times.
Whether you’re selling an instrument online, sending one out for repair, or shipping across the country for any reason, let us handle the packing so you don’t have to worry.
We pack and ship all brass instruments, with or without a case. If you don’t have a case, no problem — we’ll wrap and protect the instrument directly.
Trumpets, Cornets & Flugelhorns
Valves secured, slides immobilized, voids filled inside the case. Compact instruments packed tight with zero movement.
French Horns
Fixed bell and detachable bell models. Bell-up orientation, minimum 28″×18″×18″ box, bell and corpus wrapped separately on detachable models.
Trombones
Tenor, bass, and alto. Slide wrapped separately and completely immobilized. Extra padding around the lock and stockings.
Tubas & Euphoniums
Largest boxes, heaviest materials. Valves and slides immobilized, bell heavily reinforced. Premium packing for oversized instruments.
Specialty & Accessories
Wagner tubas, mouthpieces, mutes, and other brass accessories. Every item gets the right box and the right protection.
Every packing job includes all materials and expert labor. No hidden fees, no upcharges for tape or labels.
- New, double-walled corrugated box (minimum 250 lb. test strength)
- Large-bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and/or foam as needed
- Minimum 3″ of cushioning between the instrument and every wall of the box
- All moving parts (slides, valves, triggers) secured to prevent shifting
- Packing slip with itemized contents, declared value, and full sender/recipient contact info
- Box sealing, labeling, and FRAGILE markings
- Pre-shipment photo documentation of the instrument and packing process
Our packing fees cover all materials and labor. Shipping is charged separately at standard carrier rates.
| Instrument | Packing Fee |
|---|---|
| Mouthpieces & Small Accessories | $15 |
| Cases | $25 |
| Trumpet / Cornet / Flugelhorn | $35* |
| Trombone (Tenor) | $45* |
| French Horn (Fixed Bell) | $55* |
| Trombone (Bass) | $55* |
| French Horn (Detachable Bell) | $65* |
| Euphonium / Baritone Horn | $65* |
| Tuba | $95* |
Pack Only Option
Prefer to handle shipping yourself? We’ll professionally pack your instrument at the same prices listed above and hand the sealed, labeled box back to you. You take it to whatever carrier you choose, ship it on your own account, or arrange your own pickup. Same expert packing — you just handle the shipping.
If you choose our Pack & Ship option, shipping is charged separately at the carrier’s standard published rate. We’re happy to provide an estimate before you commit.
- UPS Ground — Our recommended option for most domestic shipments. Best combination of speed, cost, and reliability.
- UPS 2nd Day Air / Next Day Air — For expedited domestic delivery.
- USPS Priority Mail / Priority Mail Express — A good option for smaller instruments and accessories. Note: USPS limits insurance coverage to $5,000.
- International Shipping — Available via UPS Worldwide services. Contact us for a quote.
Assessment
We evaluate your instrument and determine the right box, materials, and packing method.
Documentation
We photograph the instrument’s condition before packing to support any future carrier claim.
Packing
We professionally pack using our proven methods — 3″ minimum cushion on all sides.
Ship or Handoff
Pack & Ship: we generate your label and provide a cost breakdown. Pack Only: we hand you the sealed box.
Tracking
We provide your tracking number and confirm delivery.
We strongly recommend insuring every shipment for the full replacement value of the instrument. We’ll present insurance options and pricing before your shipment is finalized. UPS offers declared value coverage up to $50,000 per package. USPS limits insurance to $5,000 — if your instrument is worth more than $5,000, we recommend shipping via UPS.
Any brass instrument — French horns, trombones, trumpets, tubas, euphoniums, cornets, flugelhorns, Wagner tubas, and specialty brass. Mouthpieces, mutes, and accessories too. With or without a case.
Yes. Contact us to arrange shipping your instrument to our facility. We’ll repack it to our standards and ship it to the final destination on your behalf.
No problem. We’ll wrap and protect the instrument directly using large-bubble wrap, peanuts, and foam. Many of the instruments we ship don’t have cases — the packing method is the same either way.
Musicians selling instruments online, players sending instruments to repair shops, school and university music programs, military bands and professional orchestras, parents and students shipping for the first time, and anyone who doesn’t want to trust a general shipping store with their horn.
Houghton Horns provides professional packing services only. Once a package is tendered to the carrier, Houghton Horns is not the carrier and is not responsible for any loss, damage, or delay during transit. All claims must be filed directly with the carrier. Our packing methods meet or exceed carrier requirements for claim eligibility, and our pre-shipment photos support your claim in the event of a dispute. Customers who decline insurance do so at their own risk.
Request Pack & Ship Service
Fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you with a shipping estimate.
Request Received!
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