There’s nothing like green corrosion spots on your cymbals, rusted tension rods or cracked drum wraps and shells to ruin a completely good drum kit. But with proper storage methods in mind, those negative results can be avoided.
My new Gretsch Catalina and vintage Rodgers drum kits rest in a dark studio shed and directly next to a warm boiler in a dimly lighted garage. These are not exactly the most ideal storage locations to bring out the best in your shells’ tones or lifespan, but they serve as a beginning point in our discussion.
Exposed long-term to either temperature extremes below 32 degrees Farenheit or above 90 could spell disaster for your drum shells, not to mention chronic problems with tuning. Your comfort zone temperature wise for free standing or stored drums, cymbals and hardware hovers around 65 degrees with low humidity – like the preferred climate inside your own home.
First, don’t stack drums from smallest diameter to largest on top of each other like they do in some music stores. While many drummers use this stacking method as a space saver – and it does work well while breaking down gear on stage – over time the weight of the drums will begin a waterfall of bearing edge and drum head warping issues.
The best accessory product you could ever invest in for your drums are hard or soft cases to help protect them in storage and in transport. They are many different case styles and price ranges – I’ve found success with relatively cheap soft bags – including a whole line of products offered here at Gibraltar Hardware as discussed in this archive blog post last August.
Locations such as unventilated attics or beside campfires, woodstoves, direct sunlight, over heater vents, or other extreme temperature areas are not so good for drum storage and even active set-ups. Notice a trend? Heat causes your shell’s wood to expand, ultimately affecting its ply construction and outer wrap laminate. Attics in particular can reach 110 degrees during the summer so unless you want bubble wrap instead of your beautiful green glitter laminate, it would be best to avoid them. Dry sheds can work well, too, only if they have insulated inner walls with sheetrock like mine does.
When my wife doesn’t hide the extension cord, my studio shed’s space heater is actually the perfect way to regulate temperature, so long as it is set on medium low and actively monitored to avoid potential for fires. And the other kit in my basement works fine, too, because I use a dehumidifier during damp times to avoid excessive mold and mildew build-up.
Use of car and truck tow trailers for your drums and band equipment are wise investments as well, so long as the trailer is not a permanent storage location. The same temperature and humidity tips above apply to trailers. Strive for storage at about 50-60 percent humidity. And if you have to leave drums, hardware and cymbals in either real cold or hot, humid areas, be sure to clean and inspect them regularly.
If you don’t own cases, the best long-term storage location is a dry walk-in closet with your drums wrapped in heavy moving blankets and then sheet plastic. I do not recommend taking the actual wrap covering off of your drum shells before storing them for long period of time, however. The wrap acts as a layer of protection for your shells and in most cases requires a heat gun to remove, which is best left to a professional.
- Tim Kane is a freelance drummer, instructor and writer living in Massachusetts. He writes a regular blog for Gibraltar Hardware.
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