No case acoustic guitar shipping proposal

[Dave Hanna]

Please comment on the guitar shipping instructions stored here:

http://www.moonlightluthiers.com/packacousticnocase.htm

[Greg Mirken]

Crushing damage is much less likely than neck breakage due to "whiplash". If the box is dropped from vertical, either on the front or the back, the weight of the tuners can contribute to the shock on the neck. Even a guitar shipped in a case is vulnerable to this if the neck isn't cushioned within the case so it can't move. I would say the single most important thing you can do is immobilize that neck. And get insurance.

[Dave Hanna]

I agree for the most part. Hopefully the instructions address this. However, all of the shipping damage we are seeing is cracked sides due to weight on the box (i.e. crushing). This is to say the sides are cracked and displaced (i.e. not aligned) on either side of and sometimes both sides of the lower bout block.   USPS is most impressive in this regard.   We have seen the delivery person pull a guitar box out of the truck with 5-6 boxes on top and drop the entire pile on the ground.  100% of boxes shipped through them have significant damage.  Usually with FedEx, we can't tell the box was handled or processed, except for the added stickers.

[Robbie Collins]

I've seen the same poor handling with UPS too. I use FedEx but, boy, are they getting expensive.

One need trick is to double box the guitar and use Great Stuff foam spray sparingly in gallon size zip lock bags between the two boxes.