If you’re a seller, a musician, or just gifting a guitar to a friend, you might know that shipping a guitar isn’t as simple as packing it in a box and hoping for safe shipping. Guitars are different, oddly shaped, and often difficult to ship as they carry not just financial but also emotional values. A single crack can cause damage to the melody of the guitar.
In this blog, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about shipping a guitar safely. Let’s make sure your guitar arrives ready to play and not ready for a repair shop.
Steps to Pack Guitars for Shipping
Shipping a guitar needs a lot of care and protection. Here are some of the steps you need to follow to get your shipment and get ready to ship-
1. Loosen guitar string- Start by easing the tension on the strings of your guitar. This helps to lower the chance of the neck breaking due to shifts in temperature or pressure while in transit.
2. Remove Detachable Parts – Take off items such as capos, tremolo arms, and straps. Wrap each piece separately in bubble wrap and place them inside the case to prevent rattling.
3. Protect Your Guitar with Padding- Cover the whole guitar in bubble wrap, paying extra attention to the headstock and bridge areas. Use packing foam, air cushions, or packing peanuts to fill any empty spaces inside the case. If needed, add packing paper to stop the guitar from moving around.
4. Ensure secured Packaging- Get some elastic bands or soft strips of cloth and gently hold bubble wrap around the guitar. The guitar should then go inside a hard case or a padded gig bag.
Choose the right shipping box and packaging materials
Pick a corrugated guitar box fitting for your guitar with its case. Also, avoid going for oversized packaging as it costs more and creates undue movement. For packing your guitar properly, you need materials like-
- Tape measure
- Utility knife
- Corrugated guitar box that fits your guitar
- Bubble wrap
- Packing foam
- Air cushions or packing peanuts
- Packing and clear tape
- Elastic bands
- (Optional) packing paper
Choosing the correct box size is an important point in guitar shipping. When packing, one should always opt for a strong cardboard box that is big enough for padding, whether with a hardshell case or without. Measure the guitar case and choose a box that leaves several inches on all four sides for packing materials.
Avoid using old or damaged boxes that will not offer protection. You can also double-box your guitar for extra security, but the corrugated box itself already offers two layers of protection.
How to protect your guitar with padding?
- All you have to do is slip a sheet of packing paper or soft foam between the strings and fretboard. This assures that there won’t be any scratches or friction during the transit.
- Cut small pieces of foam padding and tuck them away neatly around the bridge, tailpiece, and pickup area for that extra cushioning at the most delicate parts.
- Wrap it with bubble wrap and hold it gently using rubber bands for those tuning pegs, knobs, and switches. This shall eliminate shifting or damage while being handled.
- Certainly fill the hollow body with soft padding or bubble wrap, not to let it collapse under pressure, in case of acoustic guitars at all.
- Now wrap this guitar well in bubble wrap from the headstock to the butt end. Be sure to have each layer overlap the previous one just a bit to ensure complete coverage.
5 Pro Tips on Shipping a Guitar
- Consider shipping insurance- This insurance protects your guitar shipment from being stolen, lost, or damaged. When it comes to shipping insurance, Bigship offers you all the carriers worth finding, we give peace of mind.
- Get the cheapest Shipping Box- Shipping in a box can be pricey, so buy old boxes that are solid and will suit the shipment of a guitar. Do not waste money on brand-new boxes unless it’s necessary.
- Label Your Package as Fragile- Accidents happen during the shipment process. Every box needs to have an extra mark indicating it is fragile. Best to write “fragile” on every surface of the package to ensure its proper handling while in transit. It is also advisable to take additional protection with shipping insurance. Being expensive items, guitars deserve all possible precautions.
- Add an Extra Protection by Double Boxing- Put the original case or the high-value guitar into the slightly bigger box with padding in between them.
- Use a Logistics Aggregator Such as Bigship- It helps in comparing the price between different couriers and selecting the cheapest way to ship your guitar, ensuring real-time tracking and insurance as well, using platforms such as Bigship.
How Much Does It Cost to Ship a Guitar?
Shipping price differs according to size, weight, distance, and shipping speed.
- The Cheapest Way to Ship a Guitar- Heavy shipping through a platform like Bigship is one of the most affordable options, especially for deliveries within India. If you’re sending it internationally, the cost naturally increases, but using a logistics aggregator helps you find the most affordable option without compromising on safety.
- The Fastest Way to Ship a Guitar- Using courier aggregator services can provide you with the fastest shipping under 1-3 days, and is also budget-friendly.
- The Cheapest Way to Ship an International Guitar- This is where you should find consolidated international shipping (freight or aggregators). The shipping box needs to be as small as it can fit a guitar, and you need to compare rates before booking.
How Bigship Can Help?
Sending a guitar is a task. You want the guitar to reach its destination without damage and at a cheap rate. This is where Bigship comes into play in making life entirely easier
Bigship is usually a logistics aggregator, which lets you compare all your courier companies using a single platform rather than knocking on each of them one by one. Here’s how this helps you:
1. Best Pricing from Leading Couriers- Bigship helps you compare instantly prices from multiple courier partners-like Delhivery, DTDC, Blue Dart, etc. Instead of jumping from one site to another, we help you choose the best for your budget and service level.
2. Vary Speed and Schedule- There are times when you require a delivery to be made instantly. Bigship has made it possible for you to have various options and can schedule as you want.
3. Protect Fragile with Insurance- Guitars are sensitive instruments, and repairing them can cost you. Bigship provides an additional insurance facility while booking.
4. Real-Time Tracking- The guitar is shipped, and with that, you are worried about each movement afterward. Bigship provides you with real-time tracking so that you, as well as your buyer or receiver, have the current information.
5. Door-to-Door Pickup and Delivery- There’s no need to go to the courier office and wait in long lines. Bigship enables you to schedule the pickup from your doorstep and deliver the guitar to the final destination.
Conclusion
Sending a guitar should never be stressful, risky, or expensive. Whether you’re a business sending multiple guitars, or it’s just a one-time gift or a special piece, the key is proper packing, correct materials, and choosing a smart logistics partner.
Bigship smoothens the process and assures affordability-finder from comparing top courier rates to real-time tracking, insurance, and doorstep pickup.
So, to send your next guitar shipment with Bigship, quickly sign up here!
