Uke storage: hanging vs cased

[lesalulu]

Hi All,
I’ve just joined Rockclass101 a few weeks ago, I’m new round these parts.
I have a newly formed collection of three ukes, one plastic, one laminate and one solid. Of course I’d like to hang them all on a display wall but have heard you shouldn’t hang solid wood instruments.
Just wondering how others store/display their ukes, especially the solid ones?
Thanks.

[lisadmh]

I have my laminates hanging, but my solid in a hard case with a humidifier in the winter when it’s dry, and hanging in the summer when it’s more humid around here. I don’t know if this is the best approach though. I’m following.

[robinboyd]

I have my good one in a hard case while the others are all hanging. Having said that, I have a hygrometer and a humidifier in the room in case the humidity drops too low, although that rarely happens. Right now the humidity is 47% and I haven’t used my humidifier for months.

[lesalulu]

Mmmm. Thank you. I’m wondering if I can hang my solid uke during autumn, winter and ( I live in a subtropical climate) then store in a case during high Summer when the humidity is nearing 100%. Might be a workable compromise.

[robinboyd]

Just make sure you test the inside humidity before working out what to do. It can be quite different from the outside, especially if you have air conditioning.

Going by the fact you use the word “autumn” and you say you live in a subtropical climate, I’m going to guess Brisbane or southern QLD?

[lesalulu]

Excellent guess @robinboyd. I am from Brisbane. Are you an Aussie as well?
Great tip, I would have just used a weather app and not thought of measuring humidity inside.

[robinboyd]

Yeah, I’m in Hobart. Obviously a very different climate from Brisbane. I’ve attached a photo of my hygrometer. It was just a few dollars off Ebay.

[lesalulu]

Excellent, thanks for that. I’ll grab one and will be able to monitor things a bit better.

[miztaken]

I am in Sydney.
I usually have my instruments on stands in our dungeon music/craft room.
It is nice and stable temperature and humidity wise down there.
They are solid wood, and I have no problems with them. I may have to retune a little as the instrument warms, but that’s about all I do.

Even in the lounge upstairs, I tend to leave them on stands, but out of the sun and not directly under the aircon flow.

If I don’t have them easily accessible, then I tend not to play/learn as much.

I have some gorgeous instruments (my opinion), but we have a more temperate climate in Sydney with more gradual changes in humidity and temperature so the woods can expand and contract slowly (unlike Tassie).
And I will never hear the minute difference in tone produced by the wood being slightly drier or more humid.

[lesalulu]

Thanks mistaken. Think I’ll try having my solid out with my others, buy a hygrometer and see how I go.
I’ve noticed that if I gave a uke close at hand, I’ll pick it up more often to play.

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