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You can ship a violin or viola safely if you pack it like it will be dropped, because it will be. Loosen the strings, protect the bridge, immobilize the neck and scroll, and put the hard case inside a larger outer box. Cellos are too big for parcel labels: they go by freight or specialty courier. LetterAgent labels are Canada-only Xpresspost up to 5 kg.
A violin's bridge is held in place by string tension alone: there is no glue, no screw. At full tuning the strings pull with considerable force, and a sharp impact can send that tension through the bridge feet straight into the instrument's top, cracking it. Backing the strings off a few turns relieves the pressure so a jolt moves the bridge sideways instead of punching it downward. Do not remove the strings entirely, though: the sound post inside the body is also held by tension, and if it falls, resetting it is a luthier job. Slightly slack is the sweet spot.
Fold a small piece of soft cloth or foam around the bridge so it cannot shift or snap under impact, and make sure nothing hard can press against it inside the case. Then immobilize the neck and scroll: these are the parts that snap when the instrument shifts inside the case during a drop. Wedge soft packing material (crumpled tissue, bubble wrap) around the neck so it cannot move at all, and pad the scroll end. Pack the bow separately in its own holder or tube, never loose against the strings: a bow bouncing around inside a case is a classic source of scratches and cracked varnish.
The hard case is the inner box, not the shipping container. Put the closed, latched case inside a larger outer box with cushioning on all six sides, and fill every gap so the case cannot shift. This is textbook double-boxing: the outer box takes the impacts, the inner case holds the instrument still. Seal the outer box with proper packing tape (not masking tape), and mark it fragile if you like, but do not rely on the marking: sorters move too fast to baby any single parcel, so the packing has to survive indifference.
| Instrument | Parcel shipping? | Packing notes |
|---|---|---|
| Violin | Yes, in a hard case inside an outer box | Loosen strings, pad bridge, immobilize neck and scroll |
| Viola | Yes, same method as violin | Slightly larger case; same double-box approach |
| Cello | Generally no: too large for parcel labels | Ships by freight or specialty instrument courier in a flight case |
| Bow (any) | Yes, in a bow tube or its case holder | Never loose; hair loosened to avoid tension damage |
If the instrument has real value, yes: declare an accurate value and buy the carrier's coverage or third-party shipping insurance, and photograph the instrument and the packing before you seal the box. Those photos are your evidence if a claim is disputed. Keep the receipt for the instrument's appraisal or purchase too, since a claim adjuster will ask what it was worth. LetterAgent's labels are flat-rate Canada Post Xpresspost, Canada-only, up to 5 kg: a cased violin in an outer box may fit within that if the dimensions work, so confirm the boxed size before buying the label. A cello will not.
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