shipping a concertina

[flix]

Hi

I recently learned the hard way a basic rule for shipping a concertina. I bought a concertina on eBay,including a lined, hard case. It arrived very well packed, with a very thick cardboard box and lots of protective foam and bubble wrap between the case and the cardboard box. However, the concertina was loose inside it's case, with between 1 inch and 2 inches of unrestricted travel inside the case.

 

The result ? One reed block is loose, several keys fell off, and there is a good air leak, (I don't believe these issues were there before shipping.)

 

And so, the lesson I learned is, protect the concertina in a way that prevents movement inside the case. I know that shippers do not always handle our precious cargo with the same affection we have toward the instruments, and each time the box is tossed, stacked ,jostled or wedged between two other boxes, the fragile concertina takes another bump against the inside of the case.

 

Next time I order anything thru the mail, I will require/specify that the instrument is packed and insulated inside it's own case.