| I have bought several basses and guitars online from reputable dealers (Bass NW, Bass Central, Musician's Friend), including one acoustic bass guitar and two acoustic guitars, and none of them were packed in a hardshell case.
As long as the instrument is properly packed, and insured, you have nothing to worry about.
Music stores receive new basses and guitars every day, and they are almost never shipped in a case, just packed well in a cardboard box.
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Experience is what you get, when you don't get what you want.
45 year old freshman
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