Silly Non-Sense in Packing Guitars?

[Michael_B]

I sold a couple of guitars, this weekend, and I'm packing them up to ship. I feel obliged to do a couple of things that don't make any sense to me.

The first is loosening the strings. I just don't get the theory on why one would loosen the strings, prior to shipping. Maybe in winter? What's the theory on why this is a good precaution?

The second is packing something under the headstock. What's the idea on that? Is it a question of the headstock breaking due to momentum? Or something breaking through the box, wrapping and HSC to knock the headstock?

The third is packing a gram of bud with the guitar. Just because I'm selling a guitar, doesn't mean that I've got an extra gram lying around. I don't even see how that makes any sense.

[Steve Haynie]

Keep the body from moving so the guitar does not slide around to let the headstock touch the end of the case or moving forward to touch the lid.

[hamerhead]

I NEVER pack anything around the headstock. Pack the body to "Keep the body from moving so the guitar does not slide around to let the headstock touch the end of the case or moving forward to touch the lid." Steve nailed it exactly.

I loosen the strings if I remember, but usually forget.

The bud thing is just a common courtesy. Bogart.

[Hbom]

1. I think turning the strings down a turn or turn and a half is maybe a good idea because of fast pressure changes incurred when being shipped by air. But I have nothing but hearsay to back that up.

2. I pack the body & neck tight but try to leave plenty of space around the headstock so that it won't hit anything if it takes a pounding.

3. I think the bud is necessary to keep bugs out of the case during the voyage. But again I have nothing but hearsay to back that up.

[Armitage]

When a guitar falls on it's face, the neck and headstock goes forward, the strings go loose over the nut... and then it snaps back binding at the nut and breaks there.

I saw them do it outside at B&J the Canadian distributor for Hamer with some low end guitars they were told to destroy (rather then fix).

The could only get a headstock break by falling forward, not backwards as I'd expect.

[cmatthes]

FWIW, Hamer always shipped their guitars strung up to pitch.

[veatch]

I loosen strings to take tension off the headstock. The above is correct - do *not* pad the headstock. I pad the body to make it tight in the case, but never around the headstock.

[ARM OF HAMER]

I have sold and shipped MANY guitars and I never use packing peanuts, never put anything around or under the headstock, and never reduce the string tension. I have never had a guitar arrive to a buyer with any damage. I pack the guitar with cardboard paper..................the kind thats kind of perforated and crumpled for around the case inside the box. I reinforce the front and back of the box with more sheets of cardboard and packing air pillows The bottom and top of the box are padded with heavy rolled up bubble wrap and more cardboard sheets. Than its sealed using strapping tape over the top and bottom ends and then shipping tape is applied over the strapping tape. I never pack anything inside the guitar case but the guitar, anything else ...trem arms...........other hardware.......etc. etc. is sealed in an manila envelope inside the box.I believe as do some others that the tension on the neck is what keeps it safe from damage.Most of the guitars I have shipped have gone out with weight of 25/26 Lbs.

[Michael_B]

I only use packing peanuts for people I don't like.

[ARM OF HAMER]

I only use packing peanuts for people I don't like.

[veatch]

I haven't looked lately, but there was a time that the brown paper was not "UPS approved" for packing...

I prefer the air packs. If I must use peanuts, I use the static free ones.

[G Man]

Of all the guitars I've bought online, I have never found a gram of bud, or any bud for that matter, in the case. And that includes a few guitars from here. Now I'm feeling ripped off, good thing I make it a point to never run out.

[ARM OF HAMER]

I haven't looked lately, but there was a time that the brown paper was not "UPS approved" for packing...

I prefer the air packs. If I must use peanuts, I use the static free ones.

I can say that I have used UPS more than a couple of times I have most always used the USPS "Priority" or "Express" services for the high end stuff.

[Thundersteel]

I loosen the strings maybe a half-step or so. I ALWAYS pack around the headstock, and I put additional padding around the body and heel area as needed. I make sure the guitar doesn't move inside its case.

[django49]

"Where is my bud?"

"You dumb shit! You left it in the guitar case AGAIN(?!?)"

[veatch]

I haven't looked lately, but there was a time that the brown paper was not "UPS approved" for packing...

OK - looked it up. Paper is listed now. From UPS's site:

Paper cushioning or multilayered paper padding (not newspaper or newsprint)

• Excellent for void fill
• Ideal for wrapping medium-to-large-sized, non-fragile items and those that may require moisture absorption

Note the high-lighted part - a claim may argue paper is for "non-fragile" items - i am not sure if a guitar would be considered "fragile".

Other point of interest - you need 2 inches of protection between the item and the outer wall of the container. This is where double-boxing will save yer butt. That usually results in 2 inches all around.

More here: http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/packaging/supplies/your_packaging.html

Edited for spelink and shtuff...

Edited to add: Looking at the descriptions of all of the options, all of them state "ideal for lightweight" or "not recommended for fragile items", etc. I think they've done a good job covering their arse...

[burningyen]

For tiltback headstocks, I detune. BCR/Greg deservedly gets HFC respect, and I see that he also recommends detuning:

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/3288938-post27.html

But in fairness, I don't know a single guitar maker who detunes:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/do-you-loosen-the-strings-when-you-ship-an-electric-guitar.1566728/

I suspect (but can't prove) that that has more to do with other business issues than with maximizing the survivability of the instruments.

[DaveL]

One note, guitar manufacturers often are self insured so they don't neccesarily pack to UPS guidelines

(ever notice a Fender MIM guitar shipped in a box that is only slightly larger than the guitar?).

They get a killer corporate rate and don't pay declared value, so they would rather keep costs lost

than take a hit now and then.

That said, I don't like those air bag things, they're weak and often pop. peanuts shift around,

make a mess for the receipient. They also break up and the little pieces can get into places

you don't want (like chassis of an amp). My company (electronics mfg) doesn't even want

them in the building... not even the static free ones.

I rarely have an issue with a properly sized box (2-3 inches of clearance on all sides) and

bubblewrap, paper etc...

[cynic]

I recently shipped a guitar that was worth considerably more than any I've shipped previously, and while I typically use the wadded up butcher paper as padding (and have never had a problem), I felt nervous using it this time. In the end I chose peanuts, packed as tightly in the box as I could to prevent the shifting thing from happening.

I curse peanuts (and often the sender) when opening a box, but in this case I was more concerned with the guitar arriving safely than any mess the buyer would need to deal with.

[Hbom]

Nothing more fun than trying to pull a guitar case out of a big box stuffed full of sf peanuts.

Unless it's cleaning up afterwards.

[bcsride]

I "pack" the guitar in side the case carefully. Extra "cut outs" of some sort around the control knobs and levers so they never see any load. Pack the body or neck so the headstock never sees any load. I don't alway "double" box the guitar. Up to the buyer. I don't think it needs it. I've sold plenty and shipped via Fedex. Never had a problem. Tune to pitch.

[cynic]

re: the double boxing, I've always figured the cardboard box is the second box. That form-fitting foam wrapped in plywood has to count for something.

[ARM OF HAMER]

Shipping some thing means its going to get dropped. .................more than once! So the better the packing job you do and the better the materials used will lesson the chance something is going to get broken.I don't use the air pillows [And the ones I use will not burst inside the box] as a device to just lesson the impact of a fall or drop but to take up space and work with the other stronger reinforcements I use on the box ends. And I agree that a good case with nothing it it but the guitar will provide most of the protection for the guitar itself.................everything else you do to it is just added insurance. These fine instruments often travel many miles to get to us so you want to do everything you can to make sure your not going to be dealing with a insurance damage claim for a broken instrument at the end of the journey. A ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[RobB]

Shipped hundreds of guitars. Every one has arrived safe/sound. I used to crush butcher paper around/under the headstock but was advised against the UNDER bit.

Now I need to knock wood...

[Caddie]

A lot of this talk about "headstock damage", isn't that why we all insist on an original hard shell case (OHSC), a case made specifically for that particular model of guitar will hold it precisely & firmly in place. The correct case takes into account neck to body angle, neck to headstock angle, entire length of guitar, snug fit around the body, correct height of neck cradles, etc. Guitar damage occurs when the guitar collides with the interior of the case. Get correct case. Don't put bubble wrap or butcher paper in the cavity for the headstock.

The next layer of protection absorbs the forces applied to the case. The box holds the packing material in place around the case. It also absorbs and deflects corner hits and some punctures.

Did ya watch the Indy 500? The guitar is the driver. No matter how many times that car flips over, that crap that we see flying off the car is doing that because it absorbed the impact forces instead of the driver absorbing it. Seeing the driver flip the steering "wheel" out of the cockpit, stepping out and walking. THAT is what you want to see when you open the guitar case.

When you buy a guitar insist on the original hard shell case. THAT will resolve a lot of the battle against shipping damage.

Now, how can we get Danika Patrick to hop out of your new guitar case in that black leather body suit. Surprise, surprise, surprise Sarg!!!

Just my $0.02

Cheers!

caddie

[Armitage]

OHSC is a great assist... but it's designed for carrying the guitar around... not being tossed in the back of a truck by someone who doesn't care of thinks it's funny, falling from being put down with the heavy end up or falling off conveyors. For that there are flight cases.

Big, heavy and tough with aluminum edges...

Trying to make a regular case protect your guitar like a flight case is my intent.