Tips for moving musical instruments safely
Moving a musical instrument is not the same as moving a couch. While, in some cases, the weight and the bulk might be similar, musical instruments are quite delicate and require special care and handling. In most cases, it is best to leave the transport of these items to the professionals. However, by following some guidelines and acquiring some knowledge, you can do it on your own, as well! All in all, you want to be moving musical instruments safely, at all times. This is what is most important. We are going to see what are your options if you want to relocate your instruments from one place to another.
How to move musical instruments safely – Tips and Tricks
Not all instruments are the same. In fact, no two instruments are the same when you think about it. But, for the most part, they can be grouped together when it comes to moving. Some items, such as a piano, you will need to hire piano movers NJ to transport. Sure, you can try to do it on your own but if you don’t know what you are doing it is a risky endeavor. Moving a piano is something best left to the professionals.
You also might want to consider storage space for your instruments. The fact of the matter is that oftentimes you will want to do some remodeling of your new place before you can truly settle in. Your instruments will, most likely, just be in the way of that. The best option is to safely store them inside a storage unit. If you choose to go that route, you will need to prepare them for their stay in storage. For this, you will need some packing materials and some know-how. We will be going over that, as well.
Moving musical instruments safely – Hire a professional mover
Like mentioned previously, the safest way to transport your items is to hire expert residential movers NJ and have them relocate your items. Most people choose this option and never look back. Simply put, the amount of work that is required in preparing and transporting these items can be overwhelming. Add to that the stress that might be associated and you get a nasty package indeed. By choosing to hire movers, you will be paying to remove all that stress and work and can put in that time towards something else.
Actually, if you can use that time to earn money, you may even make a bit of a profit, depending on your line of work. Worth thinking through.
How to pack and move musical instruments safely?
But if you want to do it on your own, regardless of the reason, here is what you will need to know. There are several types of instruments and we are going to go through methods of their transportation. For quick reference, here is what we will cover:
- Moving a Piano
- Drums
- How to move instruments with strings safely?
- Brass and woodwind instruments
Moving a Piano
Pianos are notoriously difficult to move on your own. In fact, you can’t actually do it on your own, you will need some help. The best thing is to have a person for each side of the piano so the weight distribution is at its best. This will ensure that there are minimal risks to the piano itself. You will also need proper equipment, both for preparing and actually moving the piano. The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that the lid is firmly closed and secured. Some pianos will have a lock but others you will need to secure manually. What you want to do is to wrap the lid and then tape it over, firmly securing it. Never tape directly over the piano as that might damage it.
You will also want to remove anything that can easily be removed, such as any music stands. The less weight you have to carry, the better. You will also need bubble wraps, blankets, and towels to wrap and pad your piano before you even try to lift it. Finally, you may want to utilize some moving straps in order to lift and carry the piano.
Drums
When it comes to drums, you will want to have a box that is slightly larger than the drum itself. You want to pack one drum inside one box. Never simply lump them together. The first thing to do is to wrap the drum carefully. After that, you simply place it inside the box that is previously lined with packing peanuts. This will ensure that your drum has maximum protection during transport. The rest of the drumming equipment can go in a separate box. These items are not as fragile as the drums themselves but you still want to wrap and pad them, just in case.
How to move instruments with strings safely?
Most musical instruments have a string or two. In fact, string instruments are the most numerous in the world of instruments. Your guitars, ukuleles, cellos, and so on, are one of the most delicate instruments out there. They require careful tuning for optimal operation and are thus kind of tricky to move. They are quite sensitive and a simple bump in the road can damage or even break them.
That is why you need to carefully prepare them for transport. You will want to either loosen the strings or remove them before placing them inside a container. Loosening them is quite enough as that will protect them from both the temperature damage and any bumps. The best case is the original one, of course, but you will still want to line it with a plastic foil and wrap them in generous amounts of bubble wrapping. However, if you can’t pack all your musical instruments properly, you should search for a reliable moving company to execute the task instead of you!
Brass and woodwind instruments
Finally, these instruments are usually quite big and easy to move. If you have their original cases, simply pack them inside, provide a bit of wrapping and padding and you’re good to go! Even if you don’t have the original packaging, simply disassemble the instrument and wrap each part separately. You can then use some towels as padding.
Moving musical instruments safely is all about preparation. The more time and care you devote to this task, the safer your instruments will be. Or you can simply find a good moving company and have them do all of the work for you.