How to ship drums overseas and domestically

PACKING GUIDELINES

How to package a drum kit for shipping

Preparing a drum set for shipping can be tricky, but with our guidelines and the right packaging materials, you can ensure your drums arrive safely to their destination:

1. Remove the hardware: including stands, legs etc. and put them to one side.
2. Prepare bass drum: removing the drum hoops and heads. Wrap the bass drum hoops with bubble-wrap and slide them into the shell.
3. Pack drums: wrap the bass drum floor tom with bubble wrap several times, and then wrap with a layer of cardboard and tape securely. Repeat for all drums.
4. Prepare the box: with a layer of bubble wrap and additional cardboard on the bottom and sides.
5. Place drums into a box: starting with the drum bass shell, and place each smaller drum inside one another. Place the bass drum heads into a box and fill any extra space with packing peanuts.
6. Pack the snare drum separately: by covering both the drum and the bottom and sides of the box with bubble-wrap and cardboard.
7. Pack the cymbals separately: by covering both the cymbals and box with additional cardboard and bubble-wrap as in steps 3 and 4.
8. Pack smaller hardware and other items: by wrapping with additional bubble-wrap and tape, and depending on how much space is left, place them into each box.
9. Fill any extra space with cushioning: to ensure nothing can move around during transport.
10. Label each box and seal with tape: reinforcing the sides of each box.