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Thread: long term cymbal storage

  1. #1

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    Default long term cymbal storage

    hey,

    With the wife moving out, I turned the lemon of empty shelves into the lemonade of cymbal storage. I practice on an ekit and about half of the stands I use for gigs are used on the ekit. By the end of the year, I'll be moving into a new place, and there won't be so much for cymbals to take up about 4m2 of storage space.

    I have a soft bag which is fine for transport, but can I leave them in there all the time? I guess the weight of cymbals stacked on top of each other isn;t the best idea. I could have them be vertical, but then all the cymbal weight is on one edge.

    Should I buy a hard case that separates the cymbals or am I just being a bit over-protective of my kitties?
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  2. #2

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    Default Re: long term cymbal storage

    I can understand the concern with horizontal stacking, because you have the accumulated weight of other cymbals. But could a cymbal develop a flattened edge from it's own weight, if stored vertically ? Keep your room temp. below 1675 degrees F, just to be safe

  3. #3

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    Default Re: long term cymbal storage

    I would put piece of rags in between the cymbals if you are going to store them stacked this way it would make a cushion and less chances of flattening them. Another suggestion is why not hang them on a wall like a clock, this would take less room and you would sleep at night knowing your cymbals are safe and they make nice wall decorations.

  4. #4

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    Default Re: long term cymbal storage

    I have an actual Cymbal Tree display from a music store.

    If you go to a music store ask if they have any old ones.
    My store has three in back we aren't using.

  5. #5

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    Default Re: long term cymbal storage

    I doubt that storing cymbals vertically will damage the edges - this will probably only happen if you drop them - PLACING them into the storage position isn't likely to damage them.

    If you have a LOT of cymbals stored vertically I would worry about just how much weight is leaning against the 'inner' cymbal and would consider using fixed dividers and separating them i.e. Rides, 18/19 crashes, 16/17 crashes, 15/14 crashes, Hi Hats, Splashes, Chinas etc. If you are only storing a relatively small amount of cymbals and there isn't too much weight overall I wouldn't bother separating them - if they all fit in the soft bag they should be ok.

    If you want to take the belts and braces approach you could put the cymbals inside old t shirts/pillow cases etc to separate them in the bag and place the bag on top of something soft - just remember to check them occasionally to make sure they don't corrode due to humidity. (I live right next to the sea and a few of my stored cymbals that I seldom use developed a few green spots after about 6 months)

  6. #6

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    Default Re: long term cymbal storage

    Even when I'd transport my cymbals in a soft bag I used the plastic sleeves they came in just to ensure less chance of them marring each other up. However, I do keep my extra sets in the softbags and store them bell up.

    Each set normally consists of a ride, 2 or 3 crashes, a set of hats and a splash.

    For a larger set, I rely on my SKB hard case which stores them bell down but with rubber support on the shoulder area so no real pressure is applied to the bell area.

    I would probably store them any way but on edge. You never know when that next earth quake is going to hit.
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  7. #7

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    Default Re: long term cymbal storage

    I just keep them in my soft case and store them flat. I've considered building a rack to hang them on, but I don't know if it's acceptable to hang them on a rod from the center hole.
    -Brian

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    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  8. #8

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    Default Re: long term cymbal storage

    I've always just kept them in a bag vertically...have done it for years and I've never noticed a single problem. Is there something that has happened to someone's cymbals in the past when stored this way? It seems like it'd save the most space and as long as there's a soft surface underneath them I would have thought that any damage would be nearly impossible.

  9. #9

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    Default Re: long term cymbal storage

    Quote Originally Posted by pcs90 View Post
    I've always just kept them in a bag vertically...have done it for years and I've never noticed a single problem.
    +1

    I have some cymbals that were stored this way for about 11 years. Took them out to inspect them and they were fine. I do agree with other posters that it is a good idea to put something in between them, felt or plastic works ...

  10. #10

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    Default Re: long term cymbal storage

    cool thanks guys!

    I'm sure my cat would love room temp at 1600F, if a major earthquake hits prague, cymbals will be the least of my worries, humidity doesn't seem to be a problem so far.

    My soft bag has dividers, so looks like they will have a nice, happy home. Added bonus, above my front door, there will be a storage area, guess what's going there so when i leave, i'll see the akit and if i have the bedroom door open, when i walk in, the first thing I'll see is the ekit.

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