To ship a cello, loosen the strings slightly, keep the bridge standing, pad the instrument inside a hard case, then pack the case in a double-wall cello box with at least 2 inches of cushioning on every side. Ship it by UPS Ground or USPS Ground Advantage, declare its full value and insure it.
A full-size cello is about 48 inches long, so its shipping box usually runs over 50 inches and is priced by size rather than weight. The steps below cover preparing the instrument, choosing a box, picking a carrier that accepts the dimensions, and protecting the cello against heat, cold and humidity in transit.
How Do You Prepare a Cello for Shipping?
Most shipping damage to cellos comes from pressure on the top, a bridge that falls, or a neck that takes a knock. Prepare the instrument before it goes into the case:
- Loosen the strings a little. Bring each string down a half-step to a whole step. That eases the load on the top and neck while keeping enough pressure to hold the bridge and soundpost in place. Fully slack strings can let the soundpost fall.
- Check the bridge. Make sure the bridge stands straight and square to the top. Many dealers wrap a soft cloth around it, or place tissue between the tailpiece and the top so the tailpiece can’t tap the varnish.
- Protect the fingerboard. Slip a folded cloth or foam piece under the strings between the fingerboard and top so the strings can’t press into the wood.
- Retract the endpin. Push the endpin fully into the cello and tighten the screw.
- Remove loose items. Take rosin, mutes, spare strings and accessories out of the case pockets and pack them separately in a small bag. A loose rosin cake can crack the top.
- Add humidity control. Place a cello humidifier or humidity pack inside the case, especially in winter, to limit the risk of cracks and open seams.
Our guide on how to ship musical instruments covers the same principles for violins, guitars and other stringed instruments.
Should You Ship a Cello in a Hard Case or a Soft Case?
Use a hard case. A fiberglass, carbon fiber or composite case with a suspension interior keeps the instrument off the shell, so a blow to the box doesn’t pass straight into the cello. A soft gig bag alone can’t stop a heavy package from crushing the top.
Pad the cello inside the case so it can’t move. Tuck soft cloths or foam around the scroll, the neck and the lower bouts until the cello stays still when you gently tilt the closed case. Store the bow in its holder in the lid, secured so it can’t slide, or ship it separately in a tube.
What Box Do You Need to Ship a Cello?
The case goes inside a corrugated outer box, never shipped bare. Music shops and luthiers often have used cello boxes, and moving-supply stores sell double-wall boxes in large sizes. Build up the box in four steps:
- Lay 2 to 3 inches of firm cushioning, such as foam sheets or large-cell bubble wrap, on the bottom of the box.
- Wrap the case in a plastic bag or stretch wrap to keep out moisture, then lower it into the box.
- Fill every side and the top with at least 2 inches of cushioning so the case can’t shift. Avoid loose packing peanuts, which settle and let the case move.
- Seal all seams with packing tape in an H pattern, mark “Fragile” and “This Side Up,” and add the label on the largest flat side.
Measure the finished box before you buy a label. A full-size cello box is often around 55 × 22 × 15 inches, which works out to about 129 inches in length plus girth and about 18,150 cubic inches in volume. Those numbers decide which carrier can take it.
Which Carrier Should You Use to Ship a Cello?
UPS is usually the most practical carrier for a full-size cello, because its size limits are larger than USPS’s. USPS can still work for smaller fractional cellos or a tight box, as long as it’s under 130 inches in length plus girth for Ground Advantage.
| Service | Size limit | Delivery commitment | Cello fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPS Ground | 150 lbs, 108 in. longest side, 165 in. length + girth | 1–5 business days | Fits full-size cello boxes; expect Additional Handling or Large Package charges |
| USPS Ground Advantage | 70 lbs, 130 in. length + girth | 2–5 business days | Fits only tight boxes; nonstandard size fees apply over 30 in. and 2 cubic feet |
| USPS Priority Mail | 70 lbs, 108 in. length + girth | 2–3 business days (expected) | Too small for most full-size cello boxes |
What Size Rules Affect the Cost of Shipping a Cello?
Size, not weight, drives the cost. A cello in a hard case may weigh 15 to 25 pounds, but carriers bill by dimensional weight when it’s higher: length × width × height ÷ 139. The 55 × 22 × 15 inch box above has a dimensional weight of about 131 pounds.
UPS also adds an Additional Handling charge when the longest side is over 48 inches, and a Large Package surcharge when length plus girth is over 130 inches or the volume is over 17,280 cubic inches. USPS adds nonstandard fees for packages longer than 30 inches and larger than 2 cubic feet. Trimming the box by an inch or two can move it under a threshold, so measure carefully and round up as the carriers do.
To see what those size rules mean for your box, compare live UPS and USPS rates in the ParcelPath rate calculator. ParcelPath is free, with no subscription or per-label fee, and offers up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS retail rates.
How Do You Protect a Cello From Temperature and Humidity?
Wood and hide glue react to rapid changes. A cello left in a freezing truck overnight or a hot trailer over a weekend can develop cracks, open seams or a lifted fingerboard. Timing helps more than packing here:
- Ship on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday so the box doesn’t sit in a warehouse over the weekend.
- Avoid shipping during heat waves and deep freezes if you can wait a few days.
- Choose a faster service in extreme weather to cut the time the box spends in transit.
- Ask the recipient to let the case sit closed at room temperature for a few hours before opening it.
How Should You Insure a Cello for Shipping?
Declare the cello’s full replacement value and insure it for that amount. UPS covers a package up to a limit unless you declare a higher value, and USPS Ground Advantage includes up to $100, with more coverage available for merchandise up to $5,000. Many student and professional cellos are worth more than that.
When you buy the label through ParcelPath, you can add Shipsurance coverage. Before you seal the box, photograph the cello from every side, the bridge and the packed case, and keep the photos with your receipt. Claims for instruments are usually decided on whether the packing was adequate, so the photos matter.
Shipping several instruments at once for a school, orchestra or shop? A crated pallet sent by LTL freight can be safer than separate parcels. You can request an LTL quote in the PalletPath freight quote tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you loosen the strings when shipping a cello?
Yes, but only slightly. Lower each string by a half-step to a whole step so the top and neck carry less load. Keep enough tension to hold the bridge upright and the soundpost in place, because fully slack strings can let the soundpost fall. Then place a soft cloth under the strings and tissue under the tailpiece.
Can you ship a cello with USPS?
Sometimes. USPS Ground Advantage accepts packages up to 130 inches in length plus girth and 70 pounds, which fits only a tightly packed cello box. Priority Mail’s 108-inch limit is too small for most full-size cellos. USPS also adds nonstandard fees for packages longer than 30 inches or larger than 2 cubic feet.
What size box do you need to ship a full-size cello?
A full-size cello in a hard case usually needs an outer box around 55 × 22 × 15 inches, which leaves about 2 inches of cushioning on each side. That box measures about 129 inches in length plus girth, within the UPS limit of 165 inches and just under USPS Ground Advantage’s 130-inch limit.
Why does it cost so much to ship a cello?
Because carriers price large boxes by dimensional weight: length × width × height ÷ 139. A 55 × 22 × 15 inch cello box has a dimensional weight of about 131 pounds, even if the packed cello weighs under 25. UPS also adds Additional Handling for boxes longer than 48 inches.
Sources
- USPS Ground Advantage (size limits, dimensional weight, nonstandard fees, insurance)
- USPS Priority Mail (size limits and dimensional weight)
- UPS: Shipping Dimensions and Weight
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 601: Mailability and packaging
Part of our How to Ship Musical Instruments guide. Related: How to Ship a Violin, How to Ship a Guitar Amp, How to Ship a Keyboard Piano.
