… you might need a place to store your instruments. Musical instruments and equipment represent a sizable investment of money, talent, time, and love. Whether you have weekly gigs with your old college buddies, or you just like to pull out your guitar when you are feeling blue, you know that taking good care of your mandolin, or marimba, or mixing board is important.

But if the gigs are starting to be few and far between, and your wife has had enough fun hanging the laundry on your drum set, it might be time to find a different place to store them. Using a self-storage unit for musical instruments and equipment is a great idea, especially if you choose an air-conditioned unit. Air conditioning will maintain an even temperature, reduce humidity, and help to reduce dust, aiding in the preservation of your equipment for the long haul.

Here are some other tips on storing musical instruments and equipment:

• Clean and condition your instrument to prep it for storage.
• Loosen strings on guitars, and oil leather drum skins to prevent drying and cracking.
• For brass instruments, disassemble them, and remove reeds and mouth pieces.
• Store instruments in their original case, or at least one designed for that instrument.
• Make sure the case is in good condition; line it with acid free paper if it is deteriorating.
• Store instruments up off the floor, and away from vents or doorways.

Some features that you might want to look for in your storage facility include:

• 365 day gate access
• Air conditioned units
• Protection plans
• 24 hour video surveillance systems

Then, the next time the band does get back together, your clarinet/xylophone/Glockenspiel will be in tip-top shape!