Nashville is known as Music City, USA for a reason – the city is full of burgeoning musicians and live entertainment venues where you can catch a cover band any night of the week. This also means plenty of people own their own musical instruments.
When it comes time to move from one home to another, making sure your musical instruments are protected is important. Here are a few tips for packing stringed instruments safely and securely.
No Hardshell Case? No Problem.
This may seem like a no brainer, but it is worth mentioning. If you have access to a hardshell case, use it. This will offer your stringed instruments the best protection possible during the move. If you are simply moving across town, then packing your stringed instruments how you would for a gig will suffice. However, if you are making a longer trek, then a few extra steps are needed – string instruments are more fragile than others.
Here are a few tips for packing your stringed instruments:
- Loosen the strings before packing. If your instrument has an adjustment key, make sure all keys are turned parallel to the headstock.
- Add crumpled paper (especially to the headstock area) to prevent your instrument from moving around too much in the case.
- Avoid using packing peanuts in a case situation. You don’t want to have to go digging them out of your instrument later on down the road.
- Avoid putting your box or case with your instrument directly in the sun or in a hot car for long periods of time.
If you do not have a hard case…
While a hard case may be ideal, sometimes you have to improvise. Here are a few tips for packing stringed instruments sans hardshell case.
- Wrap the entire instrument in plastic. A dry bag or plastic trash bag will work in this situation. Seal the openings with tape.
- After the bag is sealed, wrap the entire instrument up in bubble wrap and seal again.
- Line the bottom of a box with crumpled paper or packing peanuts. You do not want to place your instrument directly on the bottom of the box. Place the instrument inside of the box and then add more crumpled paper or packing peanuts around and on top of the instrument.
- Check to make sure the instrument does not rattle in the box. If it does, add more paper or peanuts to the box.
- Do not leave your instrument in the box sitting in a hot car.
- After unpacking, let your stringed instrument sit for 48 hours before use.
If you are short on time and need professional packing services for your musical instruments, Fox Moving and Storage can help! Learn more about our services here.