5 Tips for Caring for Your Musical Instruments
We all love to play musical instruments because of the thrill of making a cool melody. Whether you play for fun or to earn a living, a musical instrument is a treasure that we love to cherish. However, these musical instruments are vulnerable to damages just like any other personal item. Since an instrument can be quite costly, you should take good care of it to make sure it remains in good shape. As a matter of fact, proper care can lengthen the lifespan of your musical instrument. Below are tips that can help you in keeping your musical instrument safe from damages.
1. Lock Them in the Casing
Most people like keeping their musical instruments in places where they can be seen by everyone including visitors. Showing off your instruments is a huge mistake. They actually enhance the appeal of your house. However, displaying your instruments puts them at risk of being damaged by your curious guests. Stringed instruments are actually more vulnerable to such damages than wind instruments. A visitor might be tempted to pull the strings the wrong way, marking the beginning of your woes. If you have to carry the instrument to a gig, it’s recommended you put it inside the casing especially when using public transport. The casing helps in preventing the damages that are caused by accidental falls and bumping.
2. Avoid Congesting the Instrument Casing
The casing should only be used for holding a specific musical instrument. Circumstances can make you use it for carrying other things probably because you don’t have an extra bag for putting such things. Since an instrument casing is not designed to be roomy, adding extra things into the compartment will put unwanted pressure on the instrument inside. Instead of congesting the casing, you should consider buying another bag so that you can always carry the other things separately.
3. Always Keep the Instruments Clean
It’s important to clean the instruments after every few uses. Even if you don’t use the instruments more often, cleaning them helps in boosting their lifespan. If you don’t clean your instrument, dirt and other debris will accumulate and cause it to produce unpleasant sounds when you play it. Cleaning an instrument is actually a piece of cake. You only need to wipe it using a wet piece of cloth and you will be over with it. However, you should never use cleaning solutions because they contain chemicals that can wear out the finish of the instrument.
4. Keep Room Temperature in Check
Musical instruments are affected by the changes in room temperature. By the rule of thumb, an instrument should be kept in a dry place. If the weather gets extremely hot, you should consider humidifying your home because the high temperature might cause the wooden parts to be brittle. This affects the tuning configurations of the instrument. Besides that, the heat might cause the adhesive used on the joints to melt, resulting in weak joints. You should also warm your house during cold weather to prevent the wooden parts of your instrument from swelling and warping. This will also help in preventing molds from growing.
5. Repair Worn Out Casing
Since it’s the casing that takes all the punishment that’s directed towards the musical instrument, it’s bound to wear out with time. You should repair such damages at an early stage before they get out of hand. If damages are allowed to persist, they make it easier for pests to accumulate inside the casing. Such pests especially rats and cockroaches can cause severe damages to an instrument during storage. For more insights on musical instruments including buying guides and comparisons, please visit SoundChime.com.