Shipping guitars

mikesobi

I am moving back to the US after 23 years in Spain and am shipping ten guitars as well as other instruments and household goods by container cargo. Does anyone have any tips for the guitars? Should I loosen the strings like when they go by plane?
Thanks

klaatu

Here is the definitive guide for shipping guitars:
http://archtop.com/ac_shipping.html

It might be a bit of overkill, but the general advice is sound. By all means, loosen the strings, but removing the bridge as they suggest is probably not necessary. Get a proper guitar shipping box, cushion all around with bubble wrap (best), packing peanuts (aka angel shit), or wadded newspaper, but don't pack it too tight. Don't put bubble wrap inside the case, use blank newsprint if you want to pad parts of the guitar itself. Mark it Fragile all over, and put a This End Up label on the top (as if anyone pays any attention to that, but it's worth a try). Be sure to put a sheet with the mailing and return addresses inside the box just in case.

Good luck!

brandoneon

I recently moved from NY to France and sent my guitars by container cargo with everything else. I was actually told by my local guitar shop to not loosen the strings, but to keep them tuned as per usual (and to also leave the bridge in place). I placed packing paper around the headstock, neck and anywhere else where the guitar might slide around. Also added those spongey clip-on humidifiers just in case. And I didn't even bother to pack the case in a box, since it was the shipper's job to make sure that everything was secured within the container. The outcome: everything arrived safely and without a scratch.
Don't forget to insure your guitars, and good luck!

gitpicker

This should answer all your questions about packing your guitars for shipping:

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musicia ... king1.html

Jazzaferri

A good friend who is a top luthier recommends taking some of the the tension off down a couple of whole tones and make sure that nothing is causing pressure on the bridge

mikesobi

Thanks for all the advice. My guitars are on thier way. ( Along with all my other possesions )
I'll see them in a month. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.