So you’ve got a guitar leaning in the corner. Or a trumpet in its case under the bed. Or maybe a whole piano sitting in that room you never heat properly. And now you’re thinking about storage—maybe you’re moving, maybe the kids need the space, or maybe you just look at that beautiful, fragile thing and think, I should probably not ruin this.
Good instinct. Let me tell you a quick story.
My first decent acoustic guitar was a used Taylor 114ce. I saved for months. I loved it. Then, one winter, I left it in its case in my bedroom, right next to the old steam radiator. You can probably guess where this is going. Come spring, when I opened the case, the top had sunk so much the strings were practically on the frets. It looked… sad. Deflated. The repair guy took one look, sighed, and said, “Radiator?” That cost me $350 I didn’t have to learn a lesson I’ll never forget: Your instrument is basically a plant. It needs the right environment.
Here’s the real, un-sexy truth they don’t put in instruction manuals.
Forget “don’t get it wet” like it’s a Mogwai
Sudden change. Wild swings. That’s what warps wood, cracks finishes, and kills glue joints.
- A hot, dry room in January? Bad.
- A cold, damp basement in July? Also bad.
- Moving it from one to the other in a day? The worst.
So what do you actually DO?
First, clean it. I mean really clean it. Wipe off fingerprints (acids from your skin), empty spit valves (gross, but vital), loosen the bow hair. You’re tucking it in for a nap. Don’t tuck it in dirty.
Second, the case is your best friend. That hard shell case isn’t just for airlines. It’s a buffer. It slows down the climate shock. If you have a gig bag, fine for a weekend trip, but for storage? Hard case. No debate.
Third, humidity is everything. You don’t need to be a scientist. Just get one of those little $12 hygrometer things online. Stick it in the room where you keep your gear. If it reads below 40%, it’s too dry. Above 60%, it’s too damp. The sweet spot is right in the middle. For my guitars in their cases, I use those Boveda packs. They’re like little pillows of “please don’t crack.” For a room, a simple humidifier in winter does the trick.
But where in my house is actually good?
Let’s run through the bad spots quickly:
- Attic: Oven in summer, freezer in winter. A wood-killer.
- Garage: Same as attic, plus damp floors, fumes, and bugs. Just don’t.
- Basement: Often a damp mold-fest. Unless it’s perfectly finished and dry, it’s a gamble.
- Against any outside wall: That wall gets cold, your instrument touches it, and condensation happens. Bad news.
- Near ANY heat source: Radiator, vent, fireplace, sunny window. Direct, dry heat is a desiccant. It sucks the life out of wood.
The best spot is an interior closet, on the main floor, away from vents. But let’s be honest—how many of us have a spare, perfect closet? My “music closet” also houses holiday decorations and the vacuum cleaner.
Here’s the uncomfortable part
Sometimes, your house—no matter how much you love it—is the worst place for your instrument. Old heating, poor insulation, a partner who cranks the AC… it’s a battle you can’t win with a $15 humidifier.
This is where I had to get real with myself. When my partner and I moved into a tiny temporary apartment last year, there was literally no good place for my piano or my bass rig. The thought of a regular storage unit gave me hives. You know the ones—metal boxes that turn into saunas or iceboxes.
What I needed, and what I eventually found, was proper climate-controlled storage. And I don’t mean “has a window unit.” I mean a space that’s actively managed to stay between 55 and 75 degrees with steady humidity. A space that feels like a clean, boring office building hallway. Not too hot, not too cold, not too damp, not too dry. Boring is what you want. Excitement leads to cracks.
When I was looking, I called a few places and asked pointed questions: “What’s your humidity range? Is the climate control on 24/7 or just during business hours?” You’d be shocked how many places mumbled. That’s why at our place, we run the climate control like it’s for a library archive, because for you, it is. Your Les Paul or your cello is an archive. It deserves a boring, stable, predictable home when it can’t be with you.
Quick cheat sheet by instrument:
- Acoustic Guitars/Violins: Hard case. Humidity pack. Store upright on its side, not flat.
- Pianos: This is the big one. Never, ever in a non-climate-controlled space. The soundboard will crack. It’s not an if, it’s a when. It’s the most expensive lesson you can learn.
- Brass/Woodwinds: Clean it till it’s spotless. Light oil on moving parts. Case it.
- Drums: Loosen the heads a quarter-turn. Stand them on their rims, don’t stack them flat.
The Final Thought
Storing an instrument isn’t about hiding it away. It’s about pausing it. You’re pressing “stop” with the full intention of pressing “play” again later, and you want it to sound exactly the same—or better—when you do.
Do the prep. Find the right spot. And if the right spot isn’t in your house, that’s okay. Just make sure the spot you choose is more library than garage. Your future self, the one who opens that case to find a healthy, happy instrument, will thank you.
And if you’re ever in a bind and need that kind of boring, stable, safe space for your gear, you know where to look. We’ve got the climate control dialed in for one reason: so you don’t have to have that sick, sinking feeling when you open the case. We’ve all been there. Let’s avoid it.
0 Comments