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Cases
– Front Line Instrument Care
“The case is the safest place…”
Keep your instrument in its case when you are not playing. Although
this seems like the most obvious thing ever said, you’d be
surprised how many people leave their valuable instruments lying
on beds, sitting on chairs or tables, stuck in between the cushions
of a couch or just hanging around. We have seen far too many instruments
in our repair department that have been sat on, fell off the chair,
got knocked over by the dog/little brother/wheelbarrow/vacuum cleaner/roadie
or “some idiot”.
A clean case is also important. If your instrument is left exposed
to air, and hence dust, the mechanism is more likely to be corroded
or clogged with airborne impurities. Clean dirt and lint out of
the case regularly using a vacuum cleaner or the old tape trick
(a strip of tape patted sticky side down onto the case lining will
pick up all sorts of stuff you probably didn’t even know was
there).
PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE COINS OR OTHER SMALL OBJECTS IN YOUR
CASE!! Coins especially can get stuck inside the tubes
which make up your instrument, but any foreign object can also get
stuck. This includes paper, old reeds, pads, packets of chewing
gum, etc., etc., etc. Keep a separate bag for sheet music, cleaning
gear, instrument stands and so on. These items can bend the key
rods or create dents in your instrument if jammed into the case
with the instrument. Many modern cases (and quite a few old ones)
have a separate compartment or two for such items, but don’t
try to overload them. You should always wrap any small items in
a cloth or bag to prevent them floating around inside the case,
thus preventing them from getting into the instrument.
INSTRUMENT STANDS:
Stands are a great idea for short-term placement of your musical
instrument, but they ARE NOT A STORAGE OPTION. While it is a good
idea to leave your instrument exposed to air FOR A SHORT TIME (ie
3 – 5 minutes) after playing to ensure thorough drying, try
to avoid leaving your instrument on its stand for any longer than
you have to. Use the pull-through or other drying implements before
allowing to air-dry for a short time. The stand can be good for
this purpose.
KEEP YOUR CASE DRY. If you put wet pull-throughs
or cleaning cloths straight back into the case, you may as well
not bother using them, as the moisture remains inside the case and
causes the same kind of damage to pads as just leaving them wet.
This also has a disastrous affect on wooden instruments, not to
mention the increased problems of mould and/or corrosion on the
mechanism. Let the cleaning cloths dry out for a few minutes before
putting them back into the case.
The instrument can be air-drying at the same time.
ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CASE IS DONE-UP SECURELY BEFORE
PICKING IT UP.
A few years ago I discovered just how easy it is to pick up a case
that isn’t closed properly. The result was that my Selmer
alto hit the concrete path outside my house at high velocity. I
have since taken up the mantra: “Do up the zips, do up the
zips, do up the zips…” every time I put the sax into
its case, even if I am not about to pick it up (what if someone
else does?). Lots of modern cases have zips to close them, and it
is not always possible to see clearly whether or not they are closed.
The same applies the more standard clips and locks.
An old trick is also to carry the case with the lid next to your
leg/body, so that if the locks do come undone for some reason the
lid will fall against you and not just open completely allowing
the instrument to fall (this also happened to me once). It’s
easy for locks and catches to be opened accidentally, especially
if you are in a crowded place or carrying lots of things. Coloured
tags/keyrings can be put onto zipper tags to show more clearly if
they are closed.
TO LOCK OR NOT TO LOCK?
If you lock the case you know that the locks won’t accidentally
be opened, but don’t think that locking the case will somehow
deter thieves. If someone wants to steal an instrument, they will,
and they don’t care what sort of damage they do once they’ve
got it. The other danger is that you may lose the keys! Keep a spare
somewhere, and if travelling, get someone you are with to also carry
a spare – after all, you don’t want to be breaking in
to your own case.
Personally, I would lock the case if the instrument were going to
be travelling separately from me (e.g. as checked luggage on a flight,
in a bus etc), as this will prevent accidental opening.
CASES SHOULD BE SILENT
When putting your instrument down, it should not make any sound.
Most modern cases fit the instruments snugly, so there is less danger
of the instrument being damaged in transit by bouncing around inside.
NO CASE OFFERS PERFECT PROTECTION. Enough force applied by dropping,
bumping or something landing on it will distort the case to the
point of breaking, damaging the instrument inside or both.
ENSURE THAT SHOULDER STRAPS ARE SECURE BEFORE USING.
Please also note that the HANDLE SHOULD BE USED BEFORE THE SHOULDER
STRAPS. Picking up the case by the straps could loosen the catches
or clips, as well as send the instrument swinging around to collide
with something near you.
Many cases are described as “FLIGHT” cases. The purpose
of such a case is that you may take it on board an aircraft as your
hand luggage, thereby avoiding the possibility of damage by Baggage
Handlers. This title does NOT indicate that the case is any stronger
than any other – it is more an indication of minimal size
and weight. Things that are called “ROAD” cases are
usually huge, heavy and solid, with aluminium or steel corners and
edges, and are designed to withstand roadies, baggage handlers and
other forms of natural disaster/thermonuclear warfare. Road cases
are not very practical for day-to-day use, but do offer the best
possible protection.
We do not recommend the use of “SOFT CASES” or “Bags”,
as these offer almost no protection at all.
“GIG BAGS” should have a substantial amount of padding
incorporated into the lining, but are not suitable for larger or
heavier instruments, or in any situation where someone other than
the owner is likely to be handling the instrument.
The newer generation of moulded lightweight cases, which are essentially
a shaped piece of polystyrene with a cloth cover and some zips and
pockets, offer quite reasonable protection against small knocks
or bumps, and are usually quite inexpensive. A hard shell is always
preferable, but if weight is an issue then these are much superior
to a plastic bag.
Remember that a good quality metal wind instrument will probably
last 50 to 100 years if well cared for, but cases tend to last only
5 – 10 years. REPLACE YOUR CASE IF IT IS SHOWING SIGNS OF
DAMAGE OR WEAR. As with people, it’s what’s inside that
counts. You can extend the life of your case by replacing any worn
handles or other hardware, but the internal padding etc is very
expensive to replace or refit, so a new case can be a better option.
You may wish to have more than one case for your instrument to
suit different needs and situations.
Not all cases fit all instruments, so bring your instrument to
the shop for a proper fitting, or discuss the brand and model with
our sales staff. We probably have a similar or identical instrument
to try in a particular case, but it’s best to check first.
And last but not least,avoid any situation of extreme temperature, whether hot or cold,
no matter how strong your case is.
Don’t leave your instrument in a car where it could bake,
freeze or be stolen.
Have a look at our selection of instrument
cases.
To enquire about anything on this page please
feel free to
contact us by clicking
here or phone (02) 9557
4588 |
