The best way to pack and ship a guitar
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As a rule if you have never done this before get advice and help from someone who has shipped guitars. There are ways to minimize your stress and costs. Ship Guitars team has 30 years of experience shipping and music. Call us for free advice. 410-261-4558 or email support@shipguitars.com. 7 days a week.
Be sure to get the right supplies. You will need a quality guitar Shipping Box, packing tape, newspaper and bubble wrap. If you don’t have a hard case for your guitar, we recommend you get one. (Guitar Cases Here) Shipping without a hard case will increase the chance of your guitar being damaged during its journey.
Step 1: Prep the Guitar
Before the guitar is even in its case, there are some important steps you can take.
• Loosen the strings. You don't necessarily need to detune entirely, but it's a good idea to lessen the tension on the neck at least somewhat.
• Secure any movable parts. Nothing should be able to rattle around during transit, so it's important to secure components such as tremolo bridges. This can be accomplished by wrapping the part in newspaper or other packing material.
• Wrap the headstock. The headstock is a very sensitive part of the guitar, so you want to make sure it's nice and snug. Again, wrapping it in newspaper, bubble wrap or other material will work just fine.
• Separate strings from fretboard with newspaper. This will keep the strings from smacking up against the fretboard in transit. Simply take a strip of newspaper and slide it between the bottom of the strings and the fretboard.
Step 2: Fill in Holes Around Guitar
The idea here is to prevent the guitar from moving during shipment. You want to remove empty space in the case by filling any areas around the guitar with balled-up newspaper or other packing materials.
Think of it this way: If there's no empty space within the case, the guitar won't be able to shift and slide around.
Step 3: Box It, Fill in Space, Tape it Up
The same principle applies for the case inside the box. Try to fill in any empty space so that the case and the guitar are as snug as possible. Again, the idea is to eliminate the potential for the case to move around within the box.
Now all that's left is to seal the box with packing tape attach the correct labels to the correct box (if you are shipping more than one items) and drop it at the local UPS or schedule a pickup.
Additional Shipping Tips:
Measure your entire box Length Width X Height and Weight. All are vital to an accurate quote. Small difference in measurements can result in big price changes. Make sure you have the correct dimensions and weight of the entire item you are shipping, including the box. If you under report this their will be additional charges applied by the Shipping Company after your item is delivered..
Know the replacement cost value of your guitar Blue Book Value of Guitar
Select Insurance when shipping. Full replacement cost of your guitar. We use UPS Capital which is fragile item insurance specifically designed for guitars.(Standard insurance is not)
Select Signature required.
We recommend you drop off your guitar at the local UPS if you have one or two being shipped.
When selecting your shipping service keep in mind ground is the cheapest. But if you are shipping a $5,000 guitar, ground may not be your best option.
Print the labels (s).
Attach it to the proper box if you are shipping more than one item.
Keep your tracking information and receipts.
You will be sent an invoice with the order and tracking information for your records.
Customer Service
As a company of musicians and long time shipping experts, we have experienced the hassles of traveling with our Guitar and understand how important your gear is to you. Our team is available 7 days a week, ready to help answer any questions or concerns you may have.
- 410-261-4558
- support@shipguitars.com
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