Mission Possible - Shipping without a hard case

Preparing, packaging, and shipping an instrument without a hard case!

During the 10 years of posting on this blog I have written three (3) detailed articles regarding preparing, packing, and securely shipping a bouzouki instrument.
All of the articles refer though to instructions of how to securely and safely ship a musical instruments inside a hard case.

Here is an article I created for the "impossible mission' shipping securely your instrument without a hard case. l also created instructions  regarding packing and securely shipping an old mandolin without a hard case! Both methods tested successfully in real-life  scenarios 

Materials to be used:

1.       Exterior cardboard Box 38 x 13.5 x 16.5

2.       Interior reinforcement heavy duty cardboard boxes 16 x 12 x 12

3.       Small bubble cushion wrap

4.       Large bubble cushion wrap

5.       3M Heavy Duty packing scotch tape

6.       Printed Fragile labels

7.       Foam panels

       Total packing material cost $ 45.00

Steps of preparing the instrument

   1.      After inspecting the instrument, de-tune all the strings, and very carefully, remove the bridge from the soundboard. Do not leave the bridge sideways on top of the sound board since the small movement in transit can lightly injure the luster and the finish of the bouzouki’s top. (I have experience on this)

***Attention:

By de-tuning all the strings together at the same time you risk to damage your instrument's sound board and neck. Instead de-tune them little by little and one by one starting from the outer strings, going to the inside ones. First de-tune the lowest D (RE- kantini), after the thicker D on top (RE-mourgana). Following the second lowest D (Re-kantini), and then the thinner top D (RE-under the mourgana). At the end the remaining middle pair of strings, the lower A and finally the upper A (LA -for a trichordo set up) Repeat until all strings are loose enough so you can easily remove the bridge

  2.  Use a small size bubble wrap to carefully wrap securely the bridge, then place it inside the soft case / bag pocket (if applicable). If it doesn't fit inside the pocket, place it inside the soft case (Take photo for insurance purposes)

  3.      Tune back slightly the strings so they are not loose on top of the fretboard and the sound board and they are tight enough to create straight lines and be able to hold the smaller bridge (nut) in place. Use cautious; Do not tune back the strings excessively. (Take photo for insurance purposes)

  4. .       Wrap the instrument very carefully all around with the bubble cushion wrap and secure it with the shipping tape.Use double sheet of bubble cushion wrap, at the area around the soundboard, the bowl, the connection of the neck to the bowl, and at the head stock. (Take photo for insurance purposes)

Steps of preparing the shipping box.

  In our case we will use an exterior 38 x 13.5 x 16.5 white cardboard box

The out of -the shelf cardboard boxes available at Home Depot have dimensions which do not fit or will be too large for our bouzouki instrument. So, we will need to improvise a strong and rigid set up.

1.       Take two of the heavy duty cardboard boxes 16 x 12 x 12 and close them with packing tape

2.       With a razor knife cut out the square sides of the boxes. Your goal is to create a square pipe with the end-sides open and length of 16 inches each. These are your interior top and bottom reinforcing boxes, and where your instrument will be placed. .

3.       Use the 3^rd 16 x 12 x 12 box to reinforce the remaining empty sides. Secure the inner boxes inside the exterior box (Take photo for insurance purposes)

4.       Place the instrument inside the boxes and fill up the empty spaces with the thick large bubble wrap. Use enough bubble wrap to stabilize and protect the instrument from all sides and directions. Do not be "cheap" in materials in this step. Use most of the bubble role and the packing tape to secure properly your instrument. (Take photo for insurance purposes)

5.       Place foam panels or any other rectangular panel made by hard material, and use them as beams to reinforce the inner space of the outer box ,so it can stay rigid even if someone drops it or sit on it. Place the panels vertically and horizontally to stabilize both dimensions of the box.

6.       Add extra cushion at the bottom and at the top of the box where the bowl and the head-stock of the instrument rests (Take photo for insurance purposes)

7.       Do not forget to place inside the box also the plastic case / bag  (if applicable) and the wrapped bridge from step 2 of the “Preparing the Instrument” section. (Take photo for insurance purposes)

8.       Print Fragile labels and stick them all around the exterior box. (Take photo for insurance purposes)

9.       Ship it with tracking number and insurance (Take photo for insurance purposes)


Shipping an old mandolin without a hard case 

Materials to be used:

1.      Two (2) heavy duty cardboard boxes 16 x 12 x 12

3.       Small bubble cushion wrap

4.       Large bubble cushion wrap

5.       3M Heavy Duty packing scotch tape

6.       Printed Fragile labels

7.       Brown heavy duty craft paper

       Total packing material cost $ 20.00

1. You will need to open (unfold)  at first the two heavy duty 16 x 12 x 12 cardboard boxes by easily peeling the inside part of where the sides of the boxes connect (glued) 

2. Keep from each box the 16 inch and 12 inch panels (green highlighted) 

3. Use heavy duty packing tape to attach (secure together) the side smaller panels of each box 

4. You have created the top and bottom longer sides of your shipping box 

5. Follow the same instructions by removing the bridge from the mandolin, and securely wrap it with bubble wrap 

6. Wrap your mandolin very carefully all around with the bubble cushion wrap and secure it with the shipping tape.Use double sheet of bubble cushion wrap, at the area around the soundboard, the bowl, the connection of the neck to the bowl, and at the head stock. (Take photo for insurance purposes)

7. Stitch (with heavy duty packing tape)  the box longer sides from step #4.You should now have a rectangular card-box pipe with height approx of 28 inches.    

8. Cut a piece from the remaining scrap parts of the boxes and create the base of your box.

9. Place your mandolin inside the box. (Take photo for insurance purposes)

10. Fill up the empty space by using alternately large bubble cushion wrap and brown heavy duty craft paper .(Take photo for insurance purposes)

11. Cut another piece from the remaining scrap parts of the boxes and create the top of your box. Seal the box, add fragile signs and  ship it with tracking number and insurance (Take photo for insurance purposes)