Packing an Arch Top Instrument for Shipping

[29er]

I am selling an octave mandolin with the typical floating bridge. I've shipped lots of flat tops and solid body electrics but never an arch top. My thinking is that it's a good idea to remove the bridge and keep just enough string tension to keep the strings from flopping around. Does this sound like way to go? I fear that a strong enough impact could transfer force to the top and cause a crack. Any input is welcomed.

[Pine Cone]

Over the years I have purchased 3 archtop guitars and 3 mandolin family archtops, all of which were shipped to me. Two of the guitars and my mandolin and mandola shipped inside hard cases inside cardboard boxes. My 1940 Gibson L-47 and Eastman Octave Mandolin both came in gig bags inside cardboard boxes. All were shipped with normal or near normal string tension and floating bridges left in place.

They all arrived without any damage.

Unless you remove the floating bridge I do not think lower string tension will protect the instrument. When I ship banjos I lower string tension and remove the bridge to protect banjos with skin heads.

The shippiing box, instrument case and packing method and materials matter far more than string tension.

[Wade Hampton]

I play mandolin and had an archtop octave mandolin, and have both shipped and received multiple examples in the mail. I strongly recommend that you mark the position of the bridge with blue painter’s masking tape, then tuck the bridge in the case pocket for the journey. Leaving the bridge in position while it travels is just asking for a cracked top.

For many years I was a dealer for Saga Instruments - Kentucky mandolins and Blueridge guitars - and received many mandolins from them. They were always shipped with the bridge in the case pocket.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[29er]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

I play mandolin and had an archtop octave mandolin, and have both shipped and received multiple examples in the mail. I strongly recommend that you mark the position of the bridge with blue painter’s masking tape, then tuck the bridge in the case pocket for the journey. Leaving the bridge in position while it travels is just asking for a cracked top.

For many years I was a dealer for Saga Instruments - Kentucky mandolins and Blueridge guitars - and received many mandolins from them. They were always shipped with the bridge in the case pocket.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

Thanks, Wade. This confirms my approach. The placement of the bridge will be marked with painters tape and the bridge will be secured in the case pocket. I barely trust any shipping company these days and a sharp impact in just the right spot could spell trouble. An archtop with a floating bridge present a different issue when shipping.

[RJVB]

A possible alternative if your case or gigbag has space: cut out a piece of strong enough foam that will sit around and over the saddle. I made one of those that I slip under and over the fingerrest brace (it has a horizontal slit for that) and against the fingerrest, whenever I take the instrument out in its (well-padded) gigbag.