I frequently buy an sell French horns on EBAY. Too often the horns I receive are needlessly damaged in shipping. If these recommendations are followed, most shipping damage can be prevented.

Chaim Abrams

1. Without a case - This is easy. Place the horn in a plastic bag and use a sturdy cardboard container large enough so that the horn does not touch any side. Surround the horn with enough packing peanuts so that the container is completely full.

2. With a case - The thin metal of the bell and bell throat make shipping a French horn more dangerous than most other instruments. Damage is inevitable if the horn is not packed carefully. Most horn cases are not designed for shipping. They allow some movement of the horn within the case. If this is not prevented, the torque of the body of the horn will bend or twist the bell throat, and the bell itself may be bent or twisted by contact with the case. All movement within the case must be prevented. Bubble wrap is what I usually use, placing it around the horn and between the bell opening and the case. This is necessary in all but the best compression cases.

The case should be placed in a shipping container filled with packing peanuts or air bags. A clean and empty sealed plastic milk jug or rigid styrofoam block may be used to fill large voids. Soft foam and crumpled or shredded paper are too resilient and do not prevent motion. Horns that I have received packed with these materials have always arrived damaged. It is motion within the case or container that causes damage, not the actions of UPS or USPS personnel.

 
A note to my buyers: All horns that I ship follow this guide, and I have never had a horn damaged in shipping.
Chaim Abrams