In case or on stand?

[Shelagh Moore]

We (my partner and I) have most of our guitars on wall hangers and it does certainly encourage taking one down and playing it as the mood takes us. I don't use floor stands for the reasons some have mentioned. We have a fair number of instruments and not so much space to keep cases out handy so it works better for us like that. Funnily enough, my mandolins stay in their cases... but those cases are smaller in size and close to hand behind the settee and chairs so quite accessible.

I've never noticed a problem from stinky fish suppers, curries or burnt toast with the instruments I have hanging up but then, the kitchen and dining room are separate from the sitting room where the instruments are.

[jasona]

I have a dog. Her nickname is "Tank". So in the case.

[allowishish]

one guitar and one mandolin hanging on the wall. Safe and accessible.

Multiple others under the bed in cases.

But the ones that get played the most are on the wall.

[ralph johansson]

Just one of those 'let's throw it against the wall and see what sticks' threads...

Do you keep your mandos in a case, hanging on a wall, or on a stand? Why?

Case. Safer.

[Homer Savard]

Case!!

[Tom Haywood]

$50 Rogue by my desk, leaning against the wall. I play it several times a day because it reminds me to do so. No humidity issues for it, nor do I worry about any damage. Everything else is in a latched case for protection and individually humidified as needed. I no longer use stands because I think they are dangerous. I have some plastic hangers that go over the top of doors with boot lace loops hanging on them that make nice "wall" hangers if I need to leave one out temporarily.

[Jess L.]

$50 Rogue by my desk, leaning against the wall. I play it several times a day because it reminds me to do so. No humidity issues for it, nor do I worry about any damage. ...

Same here! The freedom from worry is a great creativity-booster. Laminated instruments are somewhat more dimensionally-stable as far as changes in ambient humidity etc. And I really enjoy the instant-access, it makes playing more spontaneous & fun, instead of being a scheduled exercise (no thanks) or something.

... I no longer use stands because I think they are dangerous. ...

Well, I agree that stands are dangerous, but for my heavy-as-lead electric guitar I use a stand anyway, just because it's convenient. The guitar is a Squier & could be replaced if it fell over & broke. Hasn't happened yet in 6 years though, knock on wood (or plywood).

[Bruiser]

I picked up an old secretary desk with glass doors on top at a yard sale for 20 bucks. I took out the shelves and mounted string swing hangers. It keeps my mandolins handy, but still safe when I'm not playing them. I love it

<img src="http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=143247"/><img src="http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=143248"/>

Wow, that is awesome. My spouse has a desk kind of like that, inherited from her father. It has been in a storage locker for years, because we don't have room for it. Now I'm feeling inspired to make room for it.

Ed

[theCOOP]

I have one sitting on the love seat beside me here amongst a book, box of Kleenex and a few CD cases. It's been there over a week.

The other which was in the same position utop the couch at the other side of the room is currently utop the gig bag belonging to the former which sits utop the case for the latter. :/

The Gibson SGJ is on a stand. I only gets nervous when the dog is near it.

It only occurred to me about a week ago that it's great to have a Gibson... something... but two of my entry level mandolins far exceed it in original retail value

[meow-n-dolin]

I prefer mine hanging on the wall....

[farmerjones]

I believe cases are for transport or storage. I have a banjer, a HD28, on stands. Two fiddles in a towel lined 5 gallon bucket. Mandolin presently on floor. (It can't fall any further) And a stage pianer in the middle. All in a cozy 12 x 12 room. All at arms length. No kids, dogs or excess sunlight. I do throw rags over stuff for dust. Taking a dust cover off is work enough. I am a musician after all.

[Jim B]

In cases.

I've got two dogs. The small one is not a problem but the labrador has a tail that when it wags can be a lethal weapon (and she wags a lot)...

[Capt. E]

wow, thats freakin cool. where did you get that?

He "bought and old secretary at a yard sale..." You too can go to yard sales and flea markets.

Great Idea and looks wonderful

[sblock]

Mandolins are obviously more accessible on a wall hanger or on a stand. But I had mine on a stand and the cleaning lady accidentally knocked it off with the electric cord while vacuuming nearby. It cracked the top near the f-hole, and necessitated a costly repair. The sound was not badly affected, but the cosmetic and resale value of the instrument was diminished.

So no more stand for me, unless it's in the middle of a playing session, and there are no pets or vacuum cleaners around!

[bjewell]

My instruments are in one of two places: in my hands or in their case. Leaving musical instruments out in the open is nuts...

[terzinator]

My instruments are in one of two places: in my hands or in their case. Leaving musical instruments out in the open is nuts...

Tell that to the person who plays the piano.

[theCOOP]

Usually if mine are in their cases, they're out of reach and don't get played (with) like the my acoustic guitar in the case, the banjo in the case and the other two mandolins in their cases.

I only have two mandolin stands which eere move to and not yet retrieved from another room during the holidays.

[pheffernan]

I picked up an old secretary desk with glass doors on top at a yard sale for 20 bucks. I took out the shelves and mounted string swing hangers. It keeps my mandolins handy, but still safe when I'm not playing them. I love it

I thought of this old thread when I happened upon this cabinet:



I'm wondering if I can pop out the shelves and safely display three mandolins inside of it!

[JeffD]

... when I happened upon this cabinet:

That will look really great.

I remember years back when "wall units" were real popular. I am not sure exactly when that changed, but I don't see them as much in magazines or furniture stores. Maybe its a regional thing. I really like them. Especially in dark wood.

[Zach Wilson]

Lots of responses here. I thought I'd chime in....

I have a three year old and a (nearly) crawling baby. Enough said.

[Tom Sanderson]

I thought of this old thread when I happened upon this cabinet:



I'm wondering if I can pop out the shelves and safely display three mandolins inside of it!

I think that would work really good and would be really sweet

[Pick&Grin]

Having a corner area in the living room with zero foot-traffic, my mandolins and b**jos reside there.
My 1917 K-Style sits on the fireplace mantel (if we use the fireplace, it comes down and doesn't go back for a few days).

When it comes to my instruments, I never outgrew the toddler phase of grabbing what I see, so if they're out of case, they're more readily in my hands.

[JeffD]

I have always kept my mandolins in their cases when not in use. Mostly for the safety of it.

But its time to come clean with another, perhaps even stronger reason I do this. I experimented last week and I know this is true:

If a mandolin is out it makes it much easier to just grab and play. So here is the problem - while I do play a whole lot, there are a bunch of other things I need to be doing regularly around the house and with work, and playing that mandolin is ALWAYS more fun than these other things. My regular work (home office), regular household maintenance inside and out, all the taking care of house and home. If I left a mandolin out to play, nothing would get done around here.

[Don Grieser]

In my hands or in the case. And close at least one latch on the case if I put it down to do something else for a few minutes.

[dschonbrun]

Just one of those 'let's throw it against the wall and see what sticks' threads...

Do you keep your mandos in a case, hanging on a wall, or on a stand? Why?

Most important to keep it humidified. If you have a humidity controlled room that stays at 70%, great... for most of us, the only reasonable option is in the hard case.