In case or on stand?

[David Lewis]

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?

[Denny Gies]

In a case, period. I don't want to take any chances on damaging it when not being played. Too risky.

[AlanN]

Another one of them been-discussed-many-times threads.

In the case.

[David Lewis]

I did a search, but I'm just curious, as it seems that it's about 50/50... that's 50% in the case, because it protects it better. 50% out: because 1) it's easier to practice if it's there. 2) it opens up the sound.

I like them out, because I'll play them more... but ...

[Bertram Henze]

2) it opens up the sound.

Only if somebody inadvertently puts their foot through it.

I like them out, because I'll play them more.

I always wonder what playing means in this context
- real concentrated practising, or
- idle fingering, like the instrument was Allen Jones furniture?
I always find that unpacking the instrument is a neccessary part of preparing for practising, like driving to a gig.

[Tom Sanderson]

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

[JackHorner]

In an open case . ...the room temp & and humidity are fairly constant and the mandolin is properly supported

[EdHanrahan]

Rover on a stand near the TV. Actual decent instruments in cases.

[almeriastrings]

Seen to many accidents to risk anything other than in the case.

I knew one guy who kept his guitar on a stand, said it was safe... he lived alone... always careful... no dogs....

Then one day a neighbor's cat wandered in, and you can guess the rest

[Dan Krhla]

wall mount string swing. Seems safer than stand, still readily available.

[Tobin]

All my instruments stay in cases when not being played. It takes literally 3 seconds to open a case, so anybody who is using that as an excuse not to play is pulling your leg.

Aside from the obvious protection against damage, and the fact that it's easier to control humidity in a case than in an entire house, a case also keeps the instrument from getting dusty. And there's way more than just dust floating around in your house. Bugs of all sizes and shapes, hair and dander, and lots of other stuff moves through the air and settles on things. When you burn your toast and it smells like smoke in your house - that smoke is absorbed by everything. When you cook a nice stinky fish for dinner and your house smells fishy for a while, the odor is absorbed by everything exposed to the air. Keeping an instrument in a closed case just keeps it "fresh", if that's important to you. It protects against damage from light too.

What?! Damage from light? Are you crazy, Tobin? Well, yes, but that's beside the point. Light does tend to change the color of things, as well as cause degradation of certain materials over time, which is why museums will store sensitive items in the dark, or protected from light damage. Direct sunlight is the worst (like, say, if your mandolin stand gets afternoon sunlight coming through the window). Indirect sunlight is not as bad, but still has an effect. Electric lighting is much less harmful, but it still contains small doses of UV light. For obvious reasons, exposure to light is not going to cause noticeable changes in an instrument over short periods like weeks or months. But over years, it will. Some folks like the look of an aged-darkened instrument, and if this is what you want, then by all means, stick that mandolin on a stand in front of the window. But if you like it the color it was when it was made, and want to keep it that way as long as possible, keep it in a case.

[Bob Clark]

In their cases, with the cases are in their rack. Protection is my goal and I view this as their safest location. It's easy enough to get them out to play, as I need them.

[slk]

Always back into the case it goes for several reasons. Humidity and breakage. Why would you want to take the chance of your beautiful instrument getting damaged? I am one of the most careful persons I know but ya know the saying S___ Happens. When you least expect it to...............

Steve

[stevedenver]

+1 tobin
humidity, light, safety
+1 bertram mindful engagemeny
+1 stuff happens, peace of mind

[Londy]

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

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

[Tom Sanderson]

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

bought at a yard sale. It's an old "Secretary" desk. you can find them on Craigslist quite often. It doesn't have to have glass doors.

[pops1]

I take good care of my instruments, but my main gigging mandolin has lots and lots of distress, played in less than great environments, pickups stuck to the top in an emergency and it looks like the saying "road hard and put up wet". I still keep it in the case like the rest that are still looking nice. I don't know what I would do without if something stupid happened. There is another saying but i'm sure you all can figure that one out.

[Jim]

About half out on wall hangers or stands the other half in cases.

[terzinator]

Most are on the wall in my music room. Whole house is humidified, and I have an extra room humidifier in there.

The instruments aren't cheap, but they aren't priceless Loar-era heirlooms, either. I like to see them on the wall; they're cool.

I figure I use the "i don't keep pretty paintings in boxes; I hang them on the wall." line of reasoning.

[Northwest Steve]

I leave one on a stand next to my daughters violin in the corner of a room. It definitely makes a difference for her willingness to practice. I feel it makes a difference for me as well and not just noodling. If I see it is a reminder, out of site out of mind. Now if I had a $10 or 20k mandolin would be a different story.

[bobby bill]

It doesn't have to have glass doors.

No, I think it does. Pretty nice set up.

[Mark Gunter]

All my instruments stay in cases when not being played. It takes literally 3 seconds to open a case, so anybody who is using that as an excuse not to play is pulling your leg.

By the same token, as applied to music stores, "It takes literally 3 seconds to open a case, so anybody who is using that as an excuse not to sell an instrument is pulling your leg."

Must be nice to be so dogmatic. I, for one, have about 12 instruments out of the case right now. I play 4 or 5 of those multiple times in a day, most days. Doesn't matter to me how long it takes to pack each one up, with strap removed or properly folded and accouterments tucked inside, I prefer to see the instruments and to pick one up on the spur of the moment to play if desired.

Now, I cannot speak as to "using that as an excuse not to play" because I've never made any sort of excuse not to play. About a year ago I advised my neighbor to leave her guitar on a stand so she could play it more often. She chooses not to do so. She also chooses not to play often at all.

I've seen this particular logic though, posted before, as if it is a final answer. Perhaps you really believe it is; just remember that it flies in the face of the old adage, "Out of sight, out of mind," so while that other logic makes sense to you, it may not work for everyone.

[darrylicshon]

I keep only a few out on stands the other ones stay in cases but i don't have anougth cases for all my mandolins

[Tobin]

You seem a bit defensive there, markscarts, as if this were a direct insult to your choice of leaving instruments on stands. It was not. If you like to have your instruments out on display, great. And your neighbor's example actually proves my point. She chooses not to play, and it has nothing to do with the guitar being accessible or not.

Accessibility on a stand is a convenience, for sure. But does "out of sight, out of mind" really apply here? Is there really anyone who wishes they played more but keeps forgetting they own a mandolin because it's not right there in front of them?

[JeffK]

Case for my nice mando. If I want a conversation piece, I can leave my Rogue out on a stand or hang it from a wall - though I've semi-permanently loaned it out to a friend who wants to learn to play, and I may not see it again since I encouraged him to pass it along if he doesn't get into it. On my stands currently are, a cheap plywood 12-string guitar and an electric bass. If the cat knocks over the guitar, it's no loss and I have a nice one in a case in the other room, and the bass is nearly indestructible and already a bit banged up (but it plays great). Neither care about the humidity, which I control in the cases with humidipaks.