Where do I get a box for a big keyboard?

January 8, 2009 7:19 AM

Where can I find a box to ship a big keyboard?

I'm eBaying the keyboard that's been taking up space in my apartment, after getting fed up with various scammers and flakes on Craigslist. Now I have to deal with the quandary of shipping it. Where can I find an appropriately sized box, 50"x16"x6" or so? (I don't have the one it came in.)

Does some company sell these on the web? Or better yet, in NYC?

posted by zvs to travel & transportation (9 answers total)

Make one out of two smaller boxes and packing tape. This is what the guys at the UPS store did for me when I had to ship some tall speakers.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 7:44 AM on January 8, 2009

I had to do this once. Go to a music store that sells keyboards and ask if they have any left over keyboard boxes. If they've recently gotten a shipment they normally just trash the cardboard boxes anyway so they'll be happy to give you one. Plus you'll probably also get the styrofoam packing, etc. that comes with it.
posted by gfrobe at 8:00 AM on January 8, 2009

I usually dumpster dive for a much bigger box or large, flat sheets of corrugated cardboard and cut and fold it into a new custom box. Use wide plastic packing tape as suggested above. Use a smaller, sturdy box as your guide. Don't cut directly on the floor though....it'll make your wife mad.
posted by bonobothegreat at 8:32 AM on January 8, 2009

I've seen some boxes roughly that size that were used to ship rifles. Maybe a gun shop can hook you up with one.
posted by Harald74 at 9:46 AM on January 8, 2009

gfrobe got it right. Get thee to a music store.
posted by wsg at 10:10 AM on January 8, 2009

I used to be a manager at Guitar Center. If you talk to the store manager and explain the situation, given the volume of business they do he probably goes through a few of those a week. All they ever do is break the boxes down and pitch em, so if you ask nicely and show a little love (perhaps a bottle or sixer of something nice) it would be no shakes to save it for you, original packing and all. They'll just keep it in the warehouse with a post it on it saying save for....etc.
posted by timsteil at 1:23 PM on January 8, 2009

If you want a new box uline.com sells boxes of every conceivable shape and size. They also sell grey foam packing material that you can remove pre-scored blocks from (kinda like Tetris) to snuggly fit whatever you are shipping.
posted by Muirwylde at 7:09 PM on January 8, 2009

Make one out of two smaller boxes and packing tape. This is what the guys at the UPS store did for me when I had to ship some tall speakers.

Make one is fine, but.. Looks like it would take more than two :) And, use white glue as well as packing tape. Packing tape alone will not give joints any strength.
posted by Chuckles at 7:14 PM on January 8, 2009

Thanks, all. I'm going to try the guitar district on 48th Street, and failing that, I'll drop $15 on 10 boxes from uline and find some creative use for the rest...
posted by zvs at 6:51 AM on January 9, 2009