What possible shipping damage should I look for after receiving my new guitar?
 

I recently ordered a brand new Gibson J-45 from GuitarGuitar, and it is set to arrive in the coming days. GuitarGuitar is a massive music retailer and they obviously know how to package equipment correctly, so I'm not exactly worried about injuries. They have overwhelmingly positive reviews of thousands people having hit guitars shipped a long way and not experience any defects.

But if there is any damage to it when I receive it I will only have 48 hours to report it, so what possible injuries should I look for that could have occurred? Is there any small or specific thing I should examine or is it just obvious things like scratches, cracks etc? I don’t know too much about guitars and that's why I ask, this is the second guitar I’ve ever bought.

Thanks!

I've bought many a guitar from Guitar Guitar and never had a problem. They are a fantastic retailer.

Things to check are

1) Headstock. Pay particular attention to the back of the headstock for any cracks or splits. This may indicate a headstock break or undue stress being caused by incorrect handling. Very unlikely though.

2) if there are puncture holes in the shipping box check nothing has gone all the way through. The case should have protected the guitar and at worst there may be superficial marks on the case

The state of the shipping box is a great indicator of any likely damage.

If you do find anything you're not happy with, photograph it and call the staff at Guitar Guitar straight away. They'll sort any issues out without fuss or delay.

Don't worry too much. Guitar Guitar send out hundreds of instruments and pack them well. Enjoy the J45

Make sure that you can make a truss rod adjustment (to ensure it isn't seized or stripped).

Just received a used guitar from guitar center last week and it was packed terribly. Fortunately there was no damage.

One of the most common mis packings is neglecting to support the neck/back with padding.

Many guitars rest their necks on the accessory box lid area, lifting the guitar slightly off it's back in the main compartment of the case.
If the guitar box is dropped, this can snap the neck or put undo pressure on the base of the neck where it connects to the main body of the guitar (heel).

I learned long ago that it's wise to support the upper back of the guitar below the neck joint at the shoulder area with some flat padding against the back of the case.
If that's not there, good to check that out.
Also, the head should be covered with padding to protect the tuners and headstock.

An excellent question and one that needs to be addressed more often so all are aware in these types of issues -

great responses.
* the headstock / neck area for sure.
* truss rod is one I neglect, but a good idea.
* rattles-- from bracing coming loose.
*tire tracks on the outside of the box (could not resist--trying to be funny) :)
* following directions to wait 24 hours before opening is a good one during winter shipping.
GC has a great return policy---(edit: wrong store.) Ignore this part.

Just a heads up that the OP ordered the guitar from Guitar Guitar in the UK, not Guitar Center so Guitar Center's return policy not much help to them!

shipping damage is hard to miss. The box will tell that story

Thanks.
that detail went right past me.

I once had a whiplash issue with one of my guitars thanks to Delta Airlines and one area that you should inspect carefully is on each side of the neck where the headstock, nut and fretboard come together. On mine there was a small crack on both sides of the neck coming from where the nut sets into the fretboard. If there is anything there, tune down to take the pressure off. It turned out to be a fairly easy and inexpensive repair.
I hope that your guitar arrives safe and sound.
Best,
Jayne

Visuals
 

I've had a few guitars (and banjos & a mando) delivered - even once when bought in a shop (they did the set up and shipped it to me a week later.) Never had a problem. Obviously the immediate thing is the state of the box. If it looks okay, that's a good start. The J-45 will also be in it's hard case. That's also good. The just check everything closely (edges, binding, headstock back and front, the neck join, nut and bridge. This is of course, so they can claim from the courier if something is broken. But if the guitar looks sound, and later on something shows up (maybe you missed it at first check)- bit of dodgy bracing, fine crack on bridge, faulty tuning peg etc that's for GuitarGuitar to fix/replace. Reasonabilty is the key - you're only expected to check if there is obvious damage.

My tuppenceworth anyway. I've never (fingers crossed) had a problem with DPD - they deliver for Guitarguitar and lots of guitar retailers. Enjoy your new guitar

Exactly what JKA has said. I've used GuitarGuitar before and they're pretty good very responsive to phone calls. I would also add that the weather has been cold and damp, the guitar has been in a warehouse and fallen of the back of a lorry - sorry arrived on the back of a lorry. A recent purchase for me arrived in standard + 1 tuning but was fine once acclimatised in the house. So check for anything VERY amiss with the top and action.

Enjoy your guitar, Mike

ps check all the case candy is present. Warranty, allen key etc

As has been noted, most shipping related damage will be really obvious, in the form of piercing or crushing blows to the box.

But, as has been mentioned, is the headstock "whiplash" issue (as Jayne called it). A dropped guitar can have a damaged headstock with no outward evidence of a problem [edit: I mean outward in terms of the box]. Gibsons are particularly vulnerable to these injuries because of the trussrod adjustment at the headstock. Such injuries can run the gamut from fine cracks around the headstock to neck transition all the way up to total failure and accompanying decapitation.

This kind of damage, while a possibility, is still fairly uncommon.

I'd add, take pictures of the shipping box before and during unboxing just in case.

Was it shipped with the endpin installed or in the box?
Case to endpin clearances are sometimes tight and a heavy drop might drive the endpin into the tail block like a wedge- can cause side cracks.