I'm getting ready to ship an F-attachment trombone and am stressing over the best way to pack it for shipment. For those with a lot of experience shipping instruments, would it be safe to send it in an old Reunion Blues leather bag? It's the type with the slide compartment on the outside of the bag, so the slide and bell can't possibly make contact. My thinking was to insert a cone into the bell, fill the dead space in the bag with peanuts or bubble wrap, then wrap the whole bag in bubble wrap, cocooned with packing peanuts in a 15x15x48 box. What so you, oh benevolent experts of TromboneChat? Does this seem wise, or is it best to separate the components from one another?

That sounds like a great plan.

I'll second that... Doug

I'd stay away from the packing peanuts, everything else sounds good. (Peanuts could get caught in the bell section; at the very least they are a mess to clean up.

As far as peanuts in the box, I had an experience once where the box got damaged and all the peanuts spilled out. A beautiful 6H had a crimp in the bell, and the original case was trashed. <EMOJI seq="1f62a" tseq="1f62a">😪</EMOJI>)

If the R.B. bag does not have a wooden disk at the bell, you could make one out of stiff cardboard and a piece of foam. Make sure to wrap the bell rim too, foam or bubble wrap. You can probably get a layer or two around the slide also. You Don't want the horn to be able to shift in the bag.

I recently shipped a 42B in an older R.B. bag like yours, cross-country, and it arrived just fine using the above tips.

As I was working on it, it dawned on me that it was likely safer in the bag than it would have been in a hard case!

[quote="Mamaposaune"]I'd stay away from the packing peanuts, everything else sounds good. (Peanuts could get caught in the bell section; at the very least they are a mess to clean up.

As far as peanuts in the box, I had an experience once where the box got damaged and all the peanuts spilled out. A beautiful 6H had a crimp in the bell, and the original case was trashed. <EMOJI seq="1f62a" tseq="1f62a">😪</EMOJI>)

If the R.B. bag does not have a wooden disk at the bell, you could make one out of stiff cardboard and a piece of foam. Make sure to wrap the bell rim too, foam or bubble wrap. You can probably get a layer or two around the slide also. You Don't want the horn to be able to shift in the bag.

I recently shipped a 42B in an older R.B. bag like yours, cross-country, and it arrived just fine using the above tips.

As I was working on it, it dawned on me that it was likely safer in the bag than it would have been in a hard case![/quote]

He's putting a cone into the bell flare. Peanuts are NECESSARY to absorb the movement during travel.

Thanks for the replies. I'm going ahead with shipment in the bag. Bell rim is wrapped in bubble wrap and a foam cone is in the bell. I have some larger foam "pillows" that I will surround the bell end with inside the box to completely immobilize it. There was room inside the bell section compartment, so I added a couple of layers of bubble wrap between the bell section and the slide in the outside compartment. Entire bag wrapped in bubble wrap, empty space in box filled with peanuts. Thanks again, all.

Sounds good. I like using the thick plastic foam (not styrofoam) that they sometimes use in tv and other appliance boxes, and can usually find some for free while walking the dogs on recycling night. It's easy to cut and won't allow the horn to shift inside the bag like peanuts will.

Those foam pool noodles can come in handy too, cut a slit and place pieces on the gooseneck and tuning slide.