In France, one in three musical instruments sold in 2024 was second-hand —representing approximately 500,000 transactions out of a total of 1.5 million (Chambre Syndicale de la Facture Instrumentale, CSFI). On Reverb, the world's leading music marketplace, sales reached 191,793 transactions in September 2025 (Grips Intelligence). Behind every transaction is a shipment. And behind every instrument shipment is a risk that musicians always discover too late.
The problem is not that carriers are incompetent. It's that their automated sorting chains were designed for rectangular, uniform packages. A guitar with its 65 cm neck, a saxophone with its brass bell, a violin with its 0.3 mm thick spruce soundboard: these objects are logistical anomalies in a sorting system that handles 1.7 billion parcels per year in France (ARCEP, 2024).
As a result, musician forums (Zikinf, Audiofanzine) regularly feature reports of cracked necks, misaligned machine heads, and dented sound holes. And when disaster strikes, Carrier legal coverage Carrier limited to common law liability—approximately $23/kg of gross weight according to standard French contracts. For a 4 kg Gibson Les Paul guitar, the Carrier legally required to reimburse €92, regardless of the actual value of the instrument.
Whether you're a musician selling your gear on Reverb, a luthier shipping your creations, or retailer handling dozens of orders per week, the stakes are the same. This guide details professional-approved packing techniques, the exact materials to use for your instrument, and real financial coverage options in case of damage—not the ones carriers promote, but the ones that actually work.
The 3 Main Risks of Shipping Instruments
Before packing, understanding what breaks allows you to anticipate. Feedback from music communities reveals three critical areas of vulnerability.
1. Broken Handle and Strings
The neck is subject to two types of mechanical stress. On the one hand, there is the residual tension of the strings, even when they are slack (approximately 30 kg of pressure on an acoustic guitar, according to Thomann). On the other hand, vibrations during transport create repeated micro-shocks that weaken the wood. The frequent result is a longitudinal crack at the heel of the neck, or worse, a clean break between the 5th and 7th frets.
2. Striped Finish and Marked Frets
The metal strings in direct contact with the fingerboard act like vibrating sandpaper. Every jolt during transport rubs the strings against the wood, creating irreversible grooves in the finish. Varnished guitars are particularly vulnerable. Looper documents this phenomenon with photos: after a poorly packed trip from Paris to Lyon, a Les Paul Custom had eight deep scratches on its rosewood fingerboard.
3. Damaged Mechanical Parts and Components
Saxophones, trumpets, and percussion instruments are subject to two risks: deformation of the metal body under pressure, and detachment of the pistons/movable keys. The bell of an alto saxophone can be deformed with just 5 kg of concentrated lateral pressure. Guitar hardware (Floyd Rose vibrato, Tune-o-matic bridge) can easily become misaligned if the instrument moves around in the box.
PRO Packaging Materials for Musical Instruments
Improvisation kills instruments. Here is the exact equipment recommended by professionals according to the type of instrument, with precise dimensions and verifiable references.
Why is double corrugation mandatory? Single-wall corrugated cardboard can withstand approximately 15 kg of vertical pressure. Double corrugation increases this to 40 kg, which is critical for supporting stacking in trucks. Thomann points out that 80% of breakages occur during vertical compression during logistics sorting, not during transport itself.
Low-cost equipment tip: Music stores regularly throw away original manufacturer boxes (Fender, Gibson, Yamaha). Ask for them for free—they are often better sized than generic boxes and already include the appropriate protective padding.
Wind Instruments, Keyboards, and Percussion Instruments: Packaging Specifications
Trumpets, flutes, digital pianos, and electronic drums each have their own specific areas of vulnerability, which are often overlooked because they receive less media attention than broken guitar necks.
Wind instruments (trumpet, trombone, flute)
The main risk is not damage to the body—brass is very resistant—but deformation of the pistons and slides. A lateral pressure of just a few kilograms is enough to bend a trombone slide or misalign a piston, rendering the instrument unplayable without repair. The recommended procedure is to place each instrument in its original hard case (or a custom-made box made of cut PE foam), then treat the whole thing as a double box. The movable slides should be lightly coated with cork grease to prevent them from sticking due to vibrations. The bell of a saxophone or bass clarinet must always be removed and packed separately in a rigid PVC tube (Ø 50 mm) secured with foam.
Digital pianos and MIDI keyboards (> 61 keys)
The main risk is key breakage due to concentrated vertical pressure. An incorrectly sized box that collapses under another package in a truck can break 3 to 5 keys in a second—and individual key replacement often costs €80 to €150 each at an authorized service center. Recommended packaging: custom-made triple-wall cardboard box with a thin plywood board (3-4 mm) placed on top of the keyboard before packaging to distribute any vertical pressure evenly. For keyboards with a pedal board, the pedal board must be removed and packed separately—its mounting is not designed to withstand shocks when attached.
Electronic drums and percussion instruments
Silicone drum pads and electronic cymbals are resistant to direct impact but very vulnerable to internal connections. Integrated cables (multiplex cables, connection modules) can become detached from their connectors due to continuous vibration during road transport—without any visible external damage. Each pad must be removed from its support, individually wrapped in bubble wrap, and the cables wound without excessive tension and secured with paper tape (non-adhesive on the connectors). The central electronic module deserves the same treatment as consumer electronics: antistatic bag + PE foam + double-wall cardboard.
What to Do If Your Instrument Arrives Damaged After Delivery?
Despite perfect packaging, there is no such thing as zero risk. Understanding your options and their limitations will help you avoid unpleasant financial surprises.
Carrier Responsibility Carrier A Mirage at €23
All carriers (Colissimo, Chronopost, UPS, DHL, etc.) apply the Montreal Convention (air transport) and, above all, the Road Transport Convention by default: flat-rate compensation of €23 per kilogram. For a 3.5 kg guitar, you will therefore receive a maximum of €80... even if the instrument is worth €3,000. This derisory protection is a trap that 90% of private shippers fall into because they are unaware of this limitation.
Carrier Insurance Carrier Capped and Slow
Carriers offer optional ad valorem insurance, but with three major limitations according to our comparison of carrier parcel insurance:
- Limit : €500 with Mondial Relay, €1,000 with Colissimo standard, €5,000 with Chronopost
- Prohibitive delay: 45 to 90 days of administrative processing depending on the Carrier
- High rejection rate: 15-25% of claims rejected for "non-compliant packaging" even with photos
Comparison of Actual Costs of Shipping Insurance Solutions
Financial analysis of a Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar costing €2,800 shipped from Paris to Lyon.
Sources: Colissimo Insurance Analysis, Chronopost Insurance Analysis, Claisy 2026 rates
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions Packaging Musical Instruments
Additional Resources Shipping, Parcel Insurance & Logistics
To deepen your knowledge of protecting high-value packages:
- Complete guide to e-commerce parcel packaging - Cross-functional methodology for all fragile products
- 2026 E-commerce Parcel Insurance Comparison - Comprehensive Analysis of Market Solutions
- Insuring high-value parcels: comprehensive guide - Legal framework and reporting obligations