Whether you’re a touring musician gigging across the country or an acoustic enthusiast moving into your new dorm, you need your instrument to reach its destination in pristine condition. But the shipping challenges facing musicians can be daunting, especially if you play large, fragile instruments like guitars. To avoid cracks, splinters and even irreparable damage to your instrument, there’s a range of things to consider when learning how to ship a guitar for the first time.
When you’re shipping a guitar, there are three elements that you need to consider: the instrument, the case and the box. First, let’s look at some of the ways you can protect the instrument itself.
The right case is just as important as the internal packaging. When shipping a guitar, it’s always a good idea to pack the guitar inside its case, as this provides an extra layer of protection for the instrument.
Finally, it’s important that you get the outer packaging—the box—right, as this is the first barrier against damage when shipping a guitar.
For extra peace of mind, The UPS Store Certified Packing Experts® are here to help you pack and ship your guitar. Following established guidelines for packaging items, these shipping experts know exactly how to keep your instrument safe during transit.
The UPS Store has a wide variety of shipping boxes available, so you can choose one that’s perfect for your needs. In addition, having The UPS Store Certified Packing Experts handle your packing and shipping qualifies it for the Pack and Ship Guarantee. This guarantees you automatic reimbursement of packing and shipping costs, as well as the declared value of the item, if the package is lost or damaged.*
For an extra layer of protection, all UPS shipments are automatically covered up to $100.** You can purchase additional Declared Value Coverage to equal the full replacement value of your shipment for a fee.
Want to find out more about shipping a guitar with UPS? Take a look at the UPS Packaging Advisor and discover exactly what packaging materials work for you. If you’ve followed these steps and your guitar is all packed and ready to go, you can ship now.
*Available at participating locations. See center for details. Restrictions and limitations apply. Items shipped by UPS are subject to UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions.
**Subject to UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions.
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