| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | Some suggest removing the strap button from the |
| When packing a guitar for shipping one must take | | | | bottom of the guitar (especially in hollow bodies) to |
| great care that it is properly secured to minimize any | | | | prevent damage when the box is in the upright |
| chances of it being damaged. The key is to pack the | | | | position. |
| guitar properly within the box so that it can endure | | | | Next place the guitar in the inner box (or case) and fill |
| the external forces that can occur during shipping and | | | | any spaces with packing material. Pay special |
| handling. Here are some guidelines and tips to help | | | | attention to the neck joint of the guitar. This is the |
| you assure that your guitar will reach its destination | | | | most common place damages occur. Make sure there |
| unscathed. | | | | is plenty of padding to support this area at the end |
| The safest way to ship guitars is to double box | | | | of the neck. |
| them. The inner box can be a hardshell case or a | | | | Once the inner box is secured place several inches of |
| triangular shaped cardboard guitar box. The outer | | | | packing material at the end of the outer box. Stand |
| box should be a sturdy double-walled cardboard box. | | | | the box upright and place the inner box (or case) into |
| Finding a box big enough to ship a guitar can be a | | | | the outer box with the body end (not headstock |
| challenge because of the length of the instrument. | | | | end) of the guitar down. Now fill spaces around the |
| Some cardboard box companies make specific | | | | inner box with packing material. Give the inner box a |
| guitar boxes’ that are 50 x 20 x | | | | few good shakes during this step to make sure the |
| 8. Ask your local music store, and they may willing | | | | packing material fills all the spaces. Top the box off |
| to give you both a used triangular box and a suitable | | | | with several inches of packing material for the end, |
| outer box from shipments they have received. Take | | | | cut any excess length of the box, tape it up, and |
| note of the actual dimensions of the box: length, | | | | you’re done. If you have packed the guitar |
| height, and width. These are very important to | | | | properly you should be able to shake the package |
| calculate shipping costs and in keeping with | | | | and not feel anything move around inside. |
| regulations of shipping package sizes. Remember that | | | | A few words about packing material. There are a lot |
| you can always cut a box down if you need to. | | | | of choices here that will work fine. Newspaper, |
| First, prepare the guitar for shipping. Strings should be | | | | Styrofoam popcorn, and bubble wrap are most |
| loosened to reduce strain on the neck. In hollow | | | | commonly used. One of the most effective packing |
| body archtops the bridge should be removed from | | | | materials I’ve seen used for guitar packing is |
| the top if possible and secured elsewhere. | | | | gift wrapping paper. If you can get it for cheap it |
| Newspaper or other padding should be placed | | | | works really well. |
| between the strings and the body of the guitar. | | | | |