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Thread: How do you store your instruments when not playing

  1. #26
    Registered User Ranald's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    "Bow bugs" is a colloquial name for a series of insects that eat animal hair and fur, and perhaps other animal matter. Museums have people who work at keeping them from artifacts. The bugs live in the outdoors, probably in your yard -- perhaps not in the desert, but I wouldn't bet on it. When I lived in a rural home, I often saw them indoors, not knowing at the time that they were bow bugs. Occasionally, I find them in my urban residence. Yes, they do lay their eggs in dark places, and invaded my violin case, The larvae ate the hair from my bow, though I never saw them. Getting a bow re-haired is expensive (close to $100 these days). After contacting a museum conservator, and learning about the process of sealing the violin case case in plastic garbage bags, then putting it in the deep freeze for a few months (repeat if necessary), I just threw out my case. Perhaps keeping the fiddle out of the case would prevent them to a degree, as they lay eggs in dark places. Still, if your bow is lying around the house, it's presumably dark at night, and they may creep out of other dark places, looking for food. Anyway, do what works. If you do keep your fiddle in a case, keep it shut when you're playing or when you're not using it, so no creatures can crawl in. This is not a problem with mandolins or other lute instruments, only with bows that use horsehair, as opposed to synthetics. (Bow bugs are also suspects in my baldness.)
    Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
    "I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
    Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.

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  3. #27
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    If I have to step away, it goes back in the case.
    At home I keep my instuments in my office. In spring, summer, fall they're probably on stands. If the heat is on they're in cases with humidifiers.
    The exception is my electric violin. It's essentially a lacquered stick. I'm not so concerned about humidity.
    Steve

  4. #28
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    I have two young girls (ages 6 and 3) and they have friends over sometimes too (play dates).... my Weber and my Red Valley go back in their cases and upstairs to my room every time I'm done. If I have to walk away for only a minute those two mandolins still go back in their cases but I might leave them downstairs but not on the floor (where I practice most).

    The Loar LM170.... it goes wherever. My kids are surprisingly careful and respectful but if something awful were to happen to it... well, I guess I could buy a new (cheap) mandolin.

    None of this causes me to play anything more or less.

  5. #29
    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    Quote Originally Posted by Jill McAuley View Post
    Ever since I was a kid I've enjoyed the ritual of getting an instrument out of it's case.
    Like Jill, I enjoy the ritual of getting my instruments out of their cases to play. I also enjoy wiping the down and putting them back in their cases when done. It is just part of the whole experience. I also like the security of knowing they are put away and safe in their cases when I am not playing. How I would kick myself if I didn't do this and something were to happen to one of them.
    Purr more, hiss less. Barn Cat Mandolins Photo Album

  6. #30
    Registered User Dave Fultz's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    They live in the case, but for the cheapest one that痴 sharing a stand with a guitar next to my easy chair. Same with my guitars and ukes. In cases.

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  7. #31

    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    In the case, where it belongs (all of them).

  8. #32
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    All instruments go back in their cases (although sometimes the case is a gig bag, and I keep the "gigging" instruments I take out every other day -- banjo, guitar, ukulele -- in soft cases all the time). Then they go back down in the cellar, most humid -- or least arid -- area of my house.

    When I've left instruments "out," I've sustained damage a couple times, which convinced me not to do that.
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  9. #33
    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    I have several mandolins hanging on the wall next to my computer desk where I can grab one when the urge hits for as long as necessary. I can and do rotate my attention amongst them so as to distribute fret wear evenly and avoid jealous spats within my cave. They rarely see a case.



    The above is a bit dated. I cleaned up the cave for this photo. I must say, though, that I have seriously wondered about humidity but I bought a hygrometer over a year ago and attached it to my music stand. I have never seen it above 55 or below 35. We have no humidity contol other than Mother Nature herself and the fact that we do have forced air heat in the winter.
    New to mando? Click this link -->Newbies to join us at the Newbies Social Group.

    Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).

    My website and blog: honketyhank.com

  10. #34
    Registered User Denman John's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    Keep them handy hanging on the wall in the living room. RH isn't a problem where I live.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  11. #35

    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    In the case, always!

  12. #36
    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    No kids, no pets, no visitors in the house who aren't family (well-trained) or fellow musicians. Every instrument is out on stands or on a wall hook, with every room humidity and temperature controlled. Easy to just pick something up and play it.

    All our instrument cases are packed under a stairwell, for use when traveling outside the house to a gig or session. I hate having cases lying around (unless another musician is visiting). Lived that way for years, have enough space not to live like that now.

    Unless you're travelling, or can't control the humidity/temp in your living space, I have never understood why people want to expose their instruments to the shock of taking it out of a "controlled" case into some other environment. If you can control the room, then the instruments adjust gradually to daily and seasonal cycles of temperature and humidity. It's the sudden changes that can be harmful.

  13. #37
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    Here are the rules of my musical life:

    If I am not playing an instrument it is in the case.

    If an instrument is in the case the case is closed.

    If the case is closed the case is latched.

    Other than that I have no opinion.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  15. #38
    Registered User AaronVW's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    Quote Originally Posted by Gary Leonard View Post
    Bah, two dogs, two cats, and an 11 year old who likes strumming any instrument. I still keep them on the stands in the living room.
    Same. If I put them away they won't get played.
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  16. #39
    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    Cases, always cases

  17. #40
    Registered User Doug Brock's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    I always keep my main mandolin on an instrument wall-hanger in my bedroom. I have a whole-house humidifier and central air/heat so humidity and temperature aren't issues (I still don't have any vents near the mandolin). No sunlight on that wall, and the wall is an interior wall that doesn't contain a heating/cooling duct, so no hot or cold air on the other side of the wall.

    I like being able to grab my mandolin and play for even for a minute or two. I also love being able to see the mandolin! It is the prettiest decoration in my house (at least in my eyes).

    (I do need to add another hanger so I can keep both my mandolins out. I'm still trying to figure out how my new MD315 compares to my MD505, and it would be nice to alternate them more often and more quickly.)
    Doug Brock
    2018 Kimble 2 point (#259), Eastman MD315, Eastman MDA315, some guitars, banjos, and fiddles

  18. #41
    Registered User mtucker's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    I had a bad experience a number of years ago with a nice acoustic. I'm convinced the problem developed over a period of time from exposure to swings in temperature and humidity. Now they're all in cases in a cool closet. I play just about every day and find it's not a problem. In fact, rather enjoy hitting my stash each time and deciding which to play.
    Last edited by mtucker; Jan-09-2019 at 6:01pm.

  19. #42
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    Default Re: How do you store your instruments when not playing

    A few years ago, I was in Louisville, Ky visiting family and stopped in at First Quality Instruments to have a look. They had a instrument storage area I believe called "the vault". There was a Bizillion Dollars worth of stuff , all within wonderful glass and wood showcases with lighting to do Edison proud. A woodworkers' dream... I've been thinking that a nice cabinet large enough to hold a few (or a bunch) mandolins with glass and lighting and able to display our prizes so everyone could see. It could be as plain or as fancy as the woodworkers' abilities are..... wait a second, I am a woodworker...…...
    kterry

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