Packing requires planning and care, especially when it comes to moving fragile musical instruments. Whether you plan on packing a single instrument or a whole orchestra, you will need to take extra care when moving. Musical instruments are expensive, so the last thing you want is for them to be damaged on the way to your new home. Unfortunately, this is likely to happen if you aren’t well prepared. Our team at Fixed Price Movers has been helping people pack and move successfully for over 15 years. We have worked with all sorts of belongings for many years, so we definitely know how to handle packing and moving musical instruments. Read on for helpful tips from our team on how to handle instruments during a move.
General Tips
Before getting into the detailed specifics of how to move different types of instruments, there are a few more vague tips you should keep in mind.
When it comes to packing supplies, never try to save money or cut corners. These supplies are essentially what are going to protect your instruments during the ride. One crack or rip in a box can cause significant damage. If you are unsure what supplies you are going to need, our team at Fixed Price Movers is here to help you. Our website offers ready-made packing kits, which will include all the supplies you are going to need. You can also purchase high-quality individual packing supplies according to what you need.
Always try to find and use the instrument cases before placing them in the packing box. These are one extra layer of protection, which has never hurt anybody. If you are very unsure of how you are going to pack your instruments, we recommend considering hiring a moving company. Our professional and motivated team at Fixed Price Movers will happily do all your work for you, and you won’t have anything to worry about. We also offer moving insurance in case anything does happen on our side.
Moving a Piano
Since pianos are heavy and large, we recommend using the services of a professional team when moving. Not only to protect the instrument but also to benefit your health. Many people damage their backs by trying to move a piano alone. When you are moving a piano, the most important part is to distribute the weight effectively. These instruments have delicate and light legs, but the top is very heavy. By distributing the top weight well, you will be able to maintain the balance of the instrument during the moving process. Before you start, make sure that you have gotten the correct equipment for moving a piano. Two furniture dollies are going to help roll the piano across a flat surface, and heavy-duty furniture straps will help make it easier to lift and move. The metal casters on your piano are not going to help you roll further than two inches and won’t be able to hold the weight of the piano on their own.
Transporting String Instruments
String instruments are light, yet they are more fragile than other types of instruments. The sound boxes, bows, or fingerboards can easily crack if they are handled roughly. Even a single speed bump can cause significant damage, so you must be very careful.
No matter whether you are moving a guitar, violin, cello, or another string instrument, you will need to loosen the strings before you pack the instrument. They need to be loose enough so that the temperature doesn’t put any strain on them. But do not loosen them too much as the bridge may fall over. You must also loosen the hairs from the bow.
Then, before you place the instrument into a case, use bubble wrap to add a layer of protection. Once it is inside the case, use a soft cloth or some scrunched paper to fill up any empty spaces in the case. If you don’t do this step and leave empty spots, the instrument will move around and hit the casing walls. This will lead to scratches and sometimes more damage.
A hard case is perfect for transporting an instrument and keeping them safe from any moisture. Also, if this is applicable to your instrument, then make sure to turn all the turning keys, so they become parallel with the headstock. This is vital as they will be protected from snapping off.
Moving Woodwind Instruments
Woodwind instruments have very robust parts. But, even a small dent in one part of a saxophone or clarinet can destroy the instrument sound. Make sure to disassemble your instrument fully and wrap all the pieces in bubble wrap. Then, place these pieces into a hard case. Both of these steps are very important and should not be overlooked. If you do not own a hard case, wrap the instrument pieces in many layers of towels and bubble wrap to protect them.
Moving Percussion Instruments
The good news about percussion instruments is that they only require simple protection. When packing drums for a move, you should start by finding a box that is a few inches larger than the drum. Next, use bubble wrap to wrap the bottom, top, and sides of the pax. Place the instrument inside, and fill any empty spaces using paper or extra cloth.
Moving Brass Instruments
The most important part of moving a brass instrument such as a trombone, trumpet, or french horn is removing the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece needs to be packed separately. Then, wrap the instrument in plenty of bubble wrap and place it inside of the own case. If you are using a box, make sure to add more layers of bubble wrap. Also, use cloth or paper to fill the empty spaces.
We hope our tips have helped you understand how to properly pack musical instruments. It is very important that you follow all the steps, and use lots of packing supplies. These extra supplies will only cost you a few more dollars but will guarantee protection. If you think this is too much work or you don’t want any risks, you can always hire our team at Fixed Price Movers to help you. We wish you happy packing and a successful move!