This packing advice is designed to show you how to pack your string instrument safely to avoid any damages to your property. Appropriate packaging is particularly important with parcel shipments, since the packages have to withstand a theoretical fall from (approximately) one meter in height. Please take time to read these packing tips carefully. It is worth the effort – to ensure your string instrument arrives safely with us.
General information:
- masking tape, adhesive tape, or string is not suitable for sealing such a cardboard box.
- do not use crumpled newspaper as padding material, although you can use it in order to fill empty spaces in the package.
- In case you are reusing an old cardboard box for packing, please make sure that all old labels and barcodes have been removed or blanked out.
You will need the following materials:
- stable cartons with the right size for the content being shipped
- bubble wrap
- packing tape and cutter/knife
- padding material; such as air cushions and scrunched up paper
Violins, Violas and Electric Cellos
Fold a piece of cardboard and put it underneath the tailpiece. Apply tension to the strings to make sure the cardboard does not get out of place.
Double Basses and Acoustic Cellos
Remove the bridge and wrap it into bubble wrap or soft padding material.
Put the well-padded bridge carefully underneath the tailpiece. Apply tension to the strings to make sure the bridge does not get out of place. This is important for preventing the loose bridge from damaging any parts of the instrument.
1.1) Wrap the frog (bow end) with bubble wrap or paper, this is to prevent a detached bow scratching the body of your instrument.
1.2) Place the bow in the case.
1.3) When packing a double bass, make sure the scroll is suspended and not making contact with the cardboard box. Support the upper back with additional padding to hold the scroll of the back of the cardboard box, otherwise you can risk a broken neck.
Once your instrument is well packed in its case, please package it safely in a cardboard box.
2.1) Please tape and reinforce the bottom of a cardboard box.
2.2) Fill the bottom (10 cm approximately) of the package with padding material.
3.1) Place the wrapped article inside the cardboard box.
3.2) Wedge packing material into the space around your instrument. There should be (approximately) 10 cm of padding material between the article and the cardboard box.
4.1) Add a layer of padding material on top. Please make sure that the product is packed tight and is not moving around in the parcel.
4.2) Seal the lid with tape and apply tape along all the open seams of the parcel as well. Attach the return label clearly visible on the outside of the parcel.
