Everyone knows that a good piano keyboard can be a fair bit expensive (although there are definitely some good inexpensive ones). You don’t want to damage such a valuable piece of equipment just because it wasn’t handled well enough during shipping. Here is everything you need to know about shipping a piano keyboard:
How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Piano Keyboard?
On average, the cost of shipping a keyboard is around USD5/mile for a distance of less than 100 miles. For distances up to a thousand miles, the rate is around USD1/ mile.
What is the Cheapest Way to Ship a Piano Keyboard?
Different shipping companies have different shipping rates. The standard rate for shipping a keyboard piano through UPS is around USD13. The rate for FedEx is around USD 11.
Most users find FedEx to be more reliable, along with providing affordable service. Apparently UPS has a 20-foot drop policy listed in their conditions, which is not great for a fragile keyboard.
If you have a heavy-weight instrument, it is better to use a freight service since your instrument may suffer damage through regular courier services like FedEx and UPS. Freight services treat larger, fragile items with more care.
What are the Shipping Policies of the Major Shipping Companies Regarding Piano Keyboards/Digital Pianos?
UPS
The first step is to select the item you’re shipping (musical instrument), along with its dimensions and weight. UPS provides guidelines on the best way to pack your piano and label it. Make sure that your label has all the necessary info, such as the complete return address, full street address, postal code and the recipient’s phone number.
UPS does not have any policies prohibiting shipping any type of musical instruments on local and international flights.
FedEx
FedEx has a maximum weight limit of around 150 lbs. Since most keyboards don’t hit triple digits in weight, you’re good to go. In fact, if you do have an unbelievably heavy piano, you can make use of their freight services that deliver items weighing 150lbs or more.
FedEx also requires you to loosen any strings in musical instruments to avoid stretching and damaging them. If you have a weighted keyboard with a spring or hammer system, ensure that it is packaged properly so that your instrument remains intact.
All major shipping companies provide packaging materials in case you’ve lost the original box. Simply provide the dimensions of your instrument with the weight and you’ll be given the packaging material needed, as well as your keyboard shipping box. The keyboard shipping box provided by your carrier is likely to be much more appropriate for shipping your keyboard than the retail box that came with it.
What is the Best Way to Pack a Piano Keyboard for Shipping?
Start off by placing bubble wrap under the keys of the keyboard. Use more bubble wrap to cover the keyboard (or synthesizer). Use plenty of bubble wrap (don’t worry about wasting too much) to ensure that nothing happens to your keyboard during the journey. Ideally, wrap the instrument twice for maximum safety.
You need to spend extra time and effort on wrapping the ends of the keys since they’re the most sensitive part of your keyboard and the most likely to suffer damage during shipping. One way to do this is to roll up strips of bubble wrap and then attaching them to the end of the keys to hold them in place.
Spread packing peanuts all over the shipping box before putting the keyboard inside it. Once the keyboard is in the box, fill it up with more peanuts. If you don’t have packing peanuts, you can use paper instead.
Shipping the Package
Include all the information about your instrument: the weight, height, length and width. You can even choose to add insurance to your shipment to ensure that you don’t have to deal with any losses if it gets damaged.
Once you pay the shipment charges, print the labels the shipping company provides and attach them to the package. Make sure none of the barcodes, addresses or other important info get covered. Then, either wait for the parcel to be picked up by the courier service or take it to a designated drop-off point.
Video Tutorials on Packing Your Piano
If you need a visual guide to help you pack your keyboard, you can check out the following videos:
How to Pack Your Instrument:
How to Ship Your Instrument:
Wrapping Up
If you ever need to ship your piano, whether you’re moving to a new location or you’re sending it to someone you know, you need to be very careful. Keep an eye on a number of factors:
- Packing your instrument properly
- Applying all labels so that they won’t come off and are clearly visible (such as a fragile label, delivery address, etc.)
- Choosing the right courier service- one that is not too expensive, is known for its good service and lets you track your order until it is at its final destination.
Remember, shipping a keyboard will be somewhat expensive, but as long as you take the right measures, your instrument will reach its location unscathed. If you can, it might be more feasible to sell your instrument and buy a new one if you’re moving across the globe. The cost will be more or less the same, but without the added risk of damaging your piano during transit.
