When a musician plays their instrument, it can be an incredible experience. With the flick of a finger or a simple breath, they can bring the notes on a page to life, shape our emotions, and bring beauty to our lives like few other things can. Whether you are an aspiring musician or an accomplished concert pianist, your musical instrument probably holds a lot of value for you. Then, you want to take the absolute best care of your instrument. This is especially true when it is in storage.
Tips for Storing Musical Instruments
Here are some tips to help you store your musical instrument properly and keep it in the best shape possible:
Prepare it for Storage
Start by preparing your musical instrument for storage. Remove mouthpieces and other accessories and clean and polish them as needed. Make sure to loosen the strings on guitars or other string instruments and place tissue paper in the body to keep it free from dirt or insects.
Large instruments such as pianos or harps should be treated with extreme care. If you are uncertain about how to move a large instrument, consider hiring professional movers to help you.
Protect it With a Case
Musical instruments should always be placed inside of a case when stored. Make sure that the case is in good condition and clean. In addition, stringed instruments should be covered with a cloth inside the case to further protect them and all instruments can be placed in a polyethylene bag to keep out harmful humidity.
Pianos and other large instruments that can’t be stored inside a case should be covered with a sheet or tarp to protect them from dust and dirt.
Store it the Right Way
Musical Instruments, like other valuables, should be kept in a climate-controlled area where temperature and humidity can be controlled. Excessive temperatures or humidity can quickly damage an instrument. In addition, instruments should be kept off the floor and away from open vents and doorways. Never store anything on top of a piano or other large instrument as this can easily cause unnecessary damage.
You should consider getting your instrument appraised to determine the value and get it insured. Take a picture and notes to document the current condition and get an appropriate insurance policy to protect it from theft or damage.
Clean & Tune it Before You Use it
Whenever you take a musical instrument out of storage, you should thoroughly clean and tune it before you begin playing it again. For some instruments, such as pianos, tuning can be a complicated process and you should consider hiring a professional if you aren’t comfortable doing it.
With a little care and proper storage, your musical instrument will last a lot longer, and it will allow you to make sweet music for many years to come.
