From Norman Lebrecht’s great blog Slipped Disc

If it’s not the Customs, it’s the US airlines. This message was in from the Lute List:

Hello all,
Last night the soundboard of my 13-course lute was completely smashed after being valet-checked on a flight. (It just happened to be my birthday. Thanks Delta.)
Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A.
Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer
www.christopherwilke.com

There is now an UPDATE, which is an even grimmer tale, here.