Dyed-in-the-wool traditional musicians typically own more than one musical instrument, which they intend to keep for a lifetime even if for sentimental reasons. Thankfully, operators of storage spaces thought of reinventing ordinary warehouse facilities into climate controlled self storage units. In West Sussex in the UK the changes that transpired in storage units in Horsham, had practically provided the solution for musicians facing growing storage problems. Many of them were facing space-related issues in their respective household.
Storage used to be a problem before but there are times when true blue musicians cannot resist acquiring an extra guitar now and then; or grab the chance to own a digital piano along with an electronic keyboard sold at greatly discounted prices.
Now that self storage offers an additional space at a relatively lower cost than a home expansion project or transferring to a much larger apartment — the less expensive but still valuable musical instruments can find places inside self storage units.
Using the Right Kind of Case Even in Climate-Controlled Spaces
Although a self-storage space is climate controlled, it’s not a reason to skimp on giving your musical instruments the proper storage and attention they need. First off, it’s still important to individually keep musical instruments in appropriate cases. Those who need to take out an instrument occasionally can use the regular soft storage cases. Provided that the instrument will receive thorough cleaning before returning them in their storage spaces.
The musical instruments you take out regularly because they are the ones you use in your gigs have a different story to tell. They need extra protection from all the hauling movement during long and frequent travels. It’s important therefore to carry them in hard cases. Actually, even for long term storage, hard cases are ideal because the hard and tight covering can keep your instrument protected against UV rays, moisture, oxidation and insect infestations.
A tip shared by expert musicians is for you to reinforce case protection by placing acid-free paper on the case padding when storing the instrument. This extra precaution ensures that any minute particles of dust that get trapped inside the case will settle on the paper and not on the padding. Otherwise any residue that settles amd builds up on the padding can scratch the surface of a delicate musical instrument.
Musicians are often reminded of the need to clean a musical instrument before putting them in long term storage. While there are different steps involved, which depend on the kind instrument to be stored, an important thing to remember is to not use ordinary household cleaning materials or detergents. They may contain chemical ingredients that can do damage to the wood, paint and metal components of an instrument. Ask advice from reliable fellow musicians who base their recommendations on successful experiences. Putting your total trust on purely online store recommendations is a bit risky.