String tension for shipping guitar

[lmacmil]

I've read one should loosen the strings when shipping a guitar.  Wondering how much?  Full step, totally loose, somewhere in between?  Guitar will be in HSC if that makes a difference.

[Dr. Robert]

I'd make them so they're floppy, but not necessarily popping out of the nut.

[Chris Rice]

I always ship them at pitch.  No problems in 13 years.

[stan]

if you're shipping via plane, then yes loosen the strings,also if you're shipping a Les Paul...LOOSEN the strings and put extra padding under the headstock

[cap'n rob]

Hi, shipping nightmare(2 years ago), sold a gold top(the one in my avaitar), loosened strings till the were floppy, but still in nut, put padding foam around and under headstoch,put in OHSC, in original box with original packing from Gibson as it was shipped to me in, shipped it ground, new owner unboxed and opened case to see headstock snapped at the bend. I think the inertia of the box being thrown from truck and landing on end took out the headstock, even when properly packed, boxed and all, inertia had to be the culprit....you never know, I do know this, someone ended up at the fedex claims dept with a beautiful gold top that was in need of a headstock repair,  cap't rob

[Tom R.]

I can't help but wonder if the broken headstock was done deliberately or not? Just a thought.
Last time I shipped with UPS they told me pack your package to survive a 6 foot fall! They said some packages fall 6 feet from one conveyor to the next to be sent on there way through the shipping treminal. I did not know that. But I do now. I like to pack so things could come through a nuclear blast. It may be over kill but I haven't lost one yet. Strung to pitch.

[swiveltung]

supporting the headstock is risky.... the last thing you want on a gibson is anything that will put force under the head stock, but also if the case is dropped, you dont want the headstock to have enough momentum to snap off.. I try to just fill in the gap, but provide no extra support on a non fender headstock.... depends on the case etc really. Strings just a few truns loose.

[teledeluxe]

Best thing to do for an angled headstock is to make sure the body won't move in the case at all. If the body can't move and you have a strudy case, the headstock shouldn't make contact with anything. Check for movement by trying to move the neck back and forth. If it moves, you have a potential issue...

[billybythelake]

Don't want to sound like I'm negative here guys but Murphys law says the odds of something going wrong are in favor of the damage. That being said and with no experience to pass on I would think that string tension should be set like it was going into storage , loose but not too loose to prevent any stress on the neck. Of course that might make the neck more vulnerable to whipping when the shipper does one of those six foot drops or any of the other things you can probably think of that could damage a guitar in a case and maybe also in a box or whatever to prevent damage.

Best probable way to do it is however the OEM manufacturers do their shipping and have max insurance on the guitar just in case.
Just my two cents worth with no shipping experience to offer.
I do like the idea of packing the guitar so that it cannot move at all in the case. that just seems like a no brainer.
Anyone familliar with how Violin cases are set up to prevent any movement of the istrument while the case is carried ?
seems like a lot of the ways are specific to the player but all seem to be intended to keep anything from moving about loosely inside the case and to protect all parts from any potential damage from that.

I seriously doubt that there is a totally foolproof way to do it as Tom and CaptRob indicate. Shit happens....

b

[lmacmil]

Well I should know Thursday if it survived.  I loosened the strings about 1 step.  It was packed by the UPS store (they charged $18 just to pack it) so at least if something happens, they can't claim it was my faulty packing job.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.