How to Properly Store Musical Instruments

Tips from TOMCO on Properly Storing Musical InstrumentsHOW TO PROPERLY STORE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

When you have a move coming up in your future and are the owner of musical instruments, you may find yourself wondering how to pack and store them properly. Whether you play for fun or work as a professional musician, your instruments must be packed and stored very carefully to ensure they make the journey safely. There are several questions that must be answered, including the proper types of boxes, how do you pack brass or string instruments? At The Other Moving Company, we have put together a few helpful tips.

 

The Right Packing Supplies

One thing you should never do when packing your musical instruments for storage or transportation is skimp on the packing materials. If you try to cut down on the cost of things like packing paper or bubble wrap, you could easily end up spending a lot more on repairing your valuable instruments.

  • String Instruments – the first step in packing string instruments like guitars, violins, violas, cellos, and double basses, is to loosen all strings slightly. Doing this will help reduce the risk of warping the neck and at the same time stretching the strings. Once this is done, use bubble wrap to completely wrap the instrument and tape it. Then place your instrument in its case and use either more bubble wrap or packing paper to fill any voids. This should provide all the protection it needs.
  • Brass Instruments – start by removing the mouthpiece so that it can be wrapped and packed separately. Once again use plenty of bubble wrap to package the instrument and tape to keep it all together. Be sure to pack your brass instruments in their cases, just like you would with string instruments and pack any voids.

An instrument’s original case is designed to hold the instrument in place and protect it. They are also the best way to pack an instrument for storage or transportation so that it does not shift around.

 

Big Instruments

If you plan to pack a piano for storage and possible shipping at a later date, you should wrap it in several moving blankets. These will protect the instrument from damage if anything bumps into it. If you’re not sure you can handle this, call in a team of professional packers and movers to take of it for you. Other large instruments such as drums can be disassembled and placed in separate cartons. Be sure you use plenty of packing to keep the drums from sliding around in the boxes and becoming damaged.

Always pack one instrument per box and use heavy-duty professional grade boxes. These are strong enough to withstand being stacked and are perfect for both storage and shipping. Before using a woodwind or string instrument that has been in storage, let it rest unpacked for at least 24 hours to give the wood time to acclimatize to the temperature and humidity levels of your new home.

 

Contact Us Today

For more information on packing musical instruments for shipping, contact The Other Moving Company online or by calling us at (866) 482-6683 and let our experts guide you through the process.