Storing basses in attic?

[TPTroll]

Hi

Space is at a bit of a premium at my house, and I'm looking to store some of my less precious basses in the attic. They'd be in hard cases, and near the entrance to the loft. Loft is partly insulated not the roof section, just the bottom.

Is this an absolute no no, or given how mild our climate is getting, ok?

I know I'd have to slacken strings while in storage, store flat, and let them settle once back in the house.

Thanks

[CamdenRob]

I wouldn't slacken the strings personally... they act against the truss rod and without that load you may get issues with the neck bending, especially is the temperature / humidity is a bit erratic up in the loft.

On the plus side if you have any siblings with children they can sell your basses on ebay in years to come as the famed "found in an uncles loft" instruments.

[TPTroll]

Thanks, noted.

Does anyone store their basses in the attic?

[Happy Jack]

I've stored basses all over the place.

What they HATE is rapid change, in temperature or in humidity or in both.

If your loft is well insulated (i.e. externally against the roof, not internally against the rest of the house) so things only change slowly, then you should have no trouble, especially if all the basses are in hard cases.

If your loft changes with the weather, then I wouldn't even consider storing instruments there.

[NancyJohnson]

I wouldn't store anything long term in mine. It's fine for Christmas decorations, chairs and boxes of old glassware, but basses/guitars?

In my opinion, the temperature and humidity swings will wreak havoc on instruments, hard case or otherwise.

[gary mac]

Unless you have a very high tech insulation system, it's got to be a no no. Temperature variations are just too extreme.

[casapete]

Just no.
My 63 Precision had been stored in a loft. The (refin) paint was peeling off in strips,
and the frets were green. Took a fair bit of sorting out, fortunately the neck hadn't warped.
Maybe source a relative or good friend with some space in a spare room?

[KevB]

Has anyone tried storing a portrait of their basses in the attic to stop them from ageing?

[ras52]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1450262406' post='2931031']
Has anyone tried storing a portrait of their basses in the attic to stop them from ageing?
[/quote]

That only works if you play exclusively in Dorian mode.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1450262526' post='2931035']
That only works if you play exclusively in Dorian mode.
[/quote]

That's a bit of a grey area.

[ras52]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1450262719' post='2931040']
That's a bit of a grey area.
[/quote]

I'll admit it does sound like a wilde theory.

[Bassmonkey]

KevB deserves an Oscar!

[RhysP]

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1450262526' post='2931035']


That only works if you play exclusively in Dorian mode.
[/quote]

Very good!

[Geek99]

I stored a tokai Strat in mine for years in a bin bag and it was absolutely fine

[pineweasel]

[quote name='TPTroll' timestamp='1450259395' post='2930951']
Does anyone store their basses in the attic?
[/quote]

I do. Never had a problem. My Wal quietly appreciated up there for years; now it's out and being played again with no ill effects.

[Happy Jack]

Last I heard, Aerosmith kept all their toys up there.

[yorks5stringer]

Maybe ask Alesha?

[pfretrock]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1450262406' post='2931031']
Has anyone tried storing a portrait of their basses in the attic to stop them from ageing?
[/quote]
I stored a portrait of a Trace Elliot in my attic. It was OK.

[MoonBassAlpha]

I really wouldn't do it. I have wall hangers in our study and just about get away with it. New acquisitions need to be pretty though, according to my wife! The upside is she can sometimes tell an SG from a Telecaster (with a little prompting!)

[EssentialTension]

Don't do it.

If you must then don't loosen the strings and get some silica gel packets.

[Lord Sausage]

I have one in a hard case, which is then in a cardboard box that is insulated with stuff.

[KevB]

[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1450266643' post='2931114']
I stored a portrait of a Trace Elliot in my attic. It was OK.
[/quote]

A portrait of Trace, eh? any pointless noodling with it?

[Billy Apple]

My Luthier recommends not to store instruments in the roof space due to the changes in temperature and especially the heat in summer. I suppose if you've had the space decked out an insulated into a proper room then it may be OK, but if it's just a roof space then definitely not.

[Skol303]

I looked into this myself a little while ago and concluded that storing wooden instruments in an attic is generally a bad idea.

The two factors that will mess up are changes in humidity and temperature. They can cope with cold slightly better than heat; it's the summer months when your attic will become a Balti oven that are going to wreak havoc and result in banana-necks.

Be warned!

[Billy Apple]

I did store my basses in the attic.

For three months

I had trouble with rats though.

They won't keep the noise down and can already play better than me.

Boom-tish