Should I worry about storing music gear in storage unit?

[domakkah]

another thing to think of, hard-won knowledge here, when selecting a storage area is to look at the lay of the land. see if they have provided enough slope for the rain to run off, away from the units. I have had a literal river run through the storage area I was using. also, though it probably isn't an issue in AZ, even humid air can cause moisture to wick through concrete, and it will come up through boxes or anything else sitting on it. use plastic or pallets to put your stuff on.

Thats a good idea! Thanks

 

[Freejack]

Yea, I picked up pallets from the movers and stacked boxes and gear on them prior to moving when we had to clean up the house to sell it (uncluttered). Boxes with lawn bags inside holding stuff. Keeps the bugs out too.

Carl

 

[Allthesound]

You know, I do love my music gear.. but I pulled up serious roots just to move here to be with her. I love this woman, so No - it wouldn't be easier! ('sides, then I'd have ta answer to her Mom! )

I hadn't thought about wrapping the gear in trash or lawn bags to protect em from dust and bugs and such - so thanks, thats a good suggestion.

I don't really know anybody out here yet, so I can't use anybody else's garage. (but again, thats a good idea I hadn't thought of)

You might want to give a lil more thought to putting your gear in plastic bags in AZ you are essentially putting you stuff in a low temp oven. hot days cool nights can cause condensation to form inside the bag and trap it there increasing the chance of damage and or MOLD.

 

[zimbo]

I had my guitars in an outside storage locker for a couple years and one strat had a lot of checking on the finish, all the rest were A-OK. Not temperature controlled and in Colorado.

 

[Bill]

I've done it before and about to do it again. I used climate-controlled. But if it's not climate-controlled, the best options are to get an inside unit, not one with the metal doors facing the sun and cold. You don't want ground floor, since they're easiest to steal from. You don't want a top floor unit because the sun and heat beat down all day and cold seeps in overnight.

 

[KokoTele]

Modern stuff made from plastic with solid state circuits will be fine. Anything made of wood or handwired can suffer from the climate in those things.

If the humidity is low, condensation inside sealed plastic bags won't be an issue at all, but to play it safe it doesn't hurt to put a couple desiccant packs in each sealed bag.

 

[Stuco]

I would do anything to avoid using a storage unit, they are a waste of money unless you absolutely have to IMO. If you have a home and have to use storage it probably means you have too much stuff. Unless its an all laminate acoustic, I wouldn't put it in there. Get a string swing and hang it in the house, takes up next to no room.

 

[domakkah]

I've done it before and about to do it again. I used climate-controlled. But if it's not climate-controlled, the best options are to get an inside unit, not one with the metal doors facing the sun and cold. You don't want ground floor, since they're easiest to steal from. You don't want a top floor unit because the sun and heat beat down all day and cold seeps in overnight.

unfortunately - 1) the unit was chosen (not by me) for "cost efficiency", I had no say in the matter, its a done deal - its an outdoor, non-climate-controlled unit, metal sliding door (not sure about sun-facing), ground level. done deal, cannot be changed. (side note - I already have many boxes of non-worrysome books and general stuff in the unit)

Modern stuff made from plastic with solid state circuits will be fine. Anything made of wood or handwired can suffer from the climate in those things.

If the humidity is low, condensation inside sealed plastic bags won't be an issue at all, but to play it safe it doesn't hurt to put a couple desiccant packs in each sealed bag.

Good idea about the desiccant bags! (where can I get those?) So the only wood I've got to worry about are the amp frame and speaker cabs...

I would do anything to avoid using a storage unit, they are a waste of money unless you absolutely have to IMO. If you have a home and have to use storage it probably means you have too much stuff. Unless its an all laminate acoustic, I wouldn't put it in there. Get a string swing and hang it in the house, takes up next to no room.

Hmm. Looking back and reading my original post, I can see now how I wrote it unclear. Sorry 'bout that. The guitars (the acoustic and the electric and bass) are NOT going into the storage unit, I'm keeping them with me here in the bedroom, somehow. At least that much I can manage. No worries there. My computer and some books, a couple odds and ends too.

Its the REST of the gear that will have to go into the storage unit - the GK Bass Amp & Speaker Cab, the little Kustom SS Guitar Amp, my Oxygen keyboard, 6 of my 7 effects pedals, my drum machine, that kinda stuff.

and I don't really have any other option - the inlaws move into these rooms in a couple weeks, come hell or high water.

I thank you all for the helpful tips on how to protect stuff, tho! Thumbs Up!