Originally Posted by
SteveH
The issue that I have has with hard foam/styro is it was packed so tight that the shocks were transmitted directly to the unit inside.
DH works for one of the big shippers. He brought up a good point about the styro foam - Once it takes an impact once - from the machine or externally, that portion of the foam is "Crushed" and stays that way. Its impact resistance is compromised in that spot for the rest of the trip. If nothing hits it, it's fine, but if it does, it's a one-use item. Hopefully the conditions that let it happen once were removed.
It can't be the only protection either. I found a good combination of everything - soft foam packed tightly between machine and box, bubble wrap around the pedal until it was lodged tightly in the harp and no chance to move, double box, and styro foam to take up the big spaces. Then I cut the soft foam and bubble wrap to fit the smaller spaces and made sure the box had a little tension from the packing materials on top and bottom before I did the box up.
Edit: And don't forget to bag and bubble wrap the attachments and extra plates. They will end up -everywhere- and can do almost as much destruction (especially throat plates) as the pedal.