How to ship a guitar

In case you are a professional musician or an avid self-taught guitarist, you probably cannot imagine spending a long time away from your guitar. We know it is not always possible to travel with your instrument, mostly due to its size and impractical shape. This is why we have prepared some short guidelines for shipping a guitar safely. Following these instructions along with choosing the right courier services is the best formula for safe shipping and avoiding any damages occurring along the way.

How to place an order for shipping a guitar?

When your guitar is ready for shipping, a courier from the automatically chosen logistics company will collect your shipment from the indicated address. You will not have to worry about taking your heavy parcels to remote locations or doing anything else before shipping a guitar.

In case you have additional questions about shipping a guitar or if you are wondering how to pack a guitar for shipping, you can always turn to our friendly customer support team. Our experts will be more than happy to give you a hand and explain how to send a guitar by courier.

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How to ship a guitar

You have probably spent quite a lot of money on your guitar, which is why you most definitely want to ensure maximum safety and protection for your instrument when shipping it. This is why Eurosender only collaborates with the most reliable courier service providers. Our logistics partners are always going to do their best to make sure that your guitar shipping runs as smoothly as possible. Your guitar will therefore always be in good hands, making it possible for you to relax while travelling light.

If you are wondering how to send a guitar by courier, we have prepared some tips to make the start easier:

• You first need to determine the type of service that you need to book. To do this, you need to measure the shipment carefully and then insert the dimensions into the Shipment Size Checker. This way, you will find out whether your guitar can be sent using standard services or an individual offer is needed.
• Check with the shipping services provider if you need to print and put labels on the package (if your chosen pick-up country is either Poland, Sweden or Spain or if you choose Flexi service upon booking) or if the couriers will bring it.
• Place the order for shipping at least 2 days before the pick-up, especially if you are planning to leave the pick-up address soon after booking the service.

Guitar packaging

Proper guitar packaging is extremely important for safe guitar shipping. If not packed and protected properly, your guitar can get damaged during transit – even if you choose the most reliable courier company on the market!

The main guitar packaging materials you will need for protection are:

1. Guitar case – packing your guitar in a case that has been tailor-made for it will lessen the chance of damage.
2. Cardboard boxes – for protecting the case and the shipment. They can be bought at any stationery or hardware store and you can get used ones in supermarkets.
3. Bubble wrap – for wrapping the instrument. Bubble wrap can be bought at any stationery or hardware store.
4. Packing peanuts – for internal protection. You can buy them at hardware stores.

How to pack a guitar for shipping

Shipping a guitar is not a difficult task if you follow these guidelines:

1. Remove detachable parts. Remove any guitar straps and detachable parts and wrap them separately in bubble wrap.
2. Wrap the guitar. Protect your guitar with bubble wrap and place it in the case. You might have to use additional cushioning materials, such as more bubble wrap or simple crumpled paper, to secure the instrument so it does not move inside the case during transit.

   Make sure that there is nothing inside the case that could damage your instrument (e.g. loose screws etc.).

3. Check the case. After packing and securing the instrument, carefully shake the case to make sure you do not hear or feel any movement inside. If the instrument still moves around, open the case and add more cushioning materials.

   It is recommended to loosen the strings a bit when sending stringed instruments, such as a guitar. This will prevent them from breaking or putting too much stress on the neck.

4. Wrap the case. Once your instrument is safely packed in the case, you can carefully close it and wrap it in a protective plastic film. Secure the film with adhesive tape.
5. Put the case on the box. If you have kept the original guitar packaging that you have received upon purchase, you can put the case inside that box. Then fill all the empty spaces with packing peanuts or other cushioning materials and seal the box.
6. Protect the box. Alternatively, if you no longer have the original box (and your guitar case is probably too big to simply put it in a standard cardboard box), you can cut carton sheets out of cardboard boxes. Just wrap them around the case, then secure everything with a lot of adhesive tape. This will further protect the case as well as the guitar itself.
7. Label the package if needed. Now your instrument is ready for shipping. Additionally, you can also label the box with a sign saying “Fragile” or “Handle with care”. However, note that such a warning cannot guarantee that a package will be treated as such and should not substitute adequate packaging.

The reasons for shipping a guitar

Our customers have contacted us about shipping a guitar for various reasons. Some of the most common ones were the following:

• Sending a guitar to the repair shop. Some of our customers bought their guitar abroad and then could not find an authorised repairer in their home country. This is why they then had to find suitable courier services for shipping a guitar and Eurosender offered them just that.
• Moving abroad. When moving abroad by plane or even other less baggage-restrictive means of transportation, carrying a large guitar case along with all the suitcases or backpacks can be quite stressful and complicated. Many people have therefore decided to simply ship their guitars in advance in order to avoid such problems.
• Selling a guitar. Some customers have sold their guitar online and could not meet with the buyer in person. Shipping a guitar turned out to be the most practical option in this case.
• Musical performances. Professional musicians usually do not part from their beloved instrument that easily. However, sometimes there is no other possibility than shipping a guitar instead of carrying it along. Reliable courier services are extremely important in this case as the instrument needs to be safely and quickly delivered to the chosen destination and this is exactly what Eurosender can provide to its customers.

If there is anything else you would like to know about shipping a guitar or are still unsure how to send a guitar by courier and ensure that your shipment safely reaches its destination, do not hesitate to get in touch with our experienced customer support team.

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