Do you keep your ukuleles in their cases or display them?

Czechmate01 · Mar 6, 2016

Hi people,
I apologize if this topic has already been asked, I am wondering how you store your Ukuleles. I would like to hang mine on a wall in my home. However I want to make sure that displaying them is ok for solid wood ukuleles over time. I own a Amahi concert which is laminate, a Mya Moe myrtle concert and an Ohana 250g tenor which is solid wood with a high gloss finish. I live in Florida so we tend to have high humidity however I run my ac almost year round so that lowers the humidity in my home. I find that I play my instruments more when they are not stored in cases. Just wondering what is best for the instrument. Thanks for your input.
Sue

Croaky Keith · Mar 6, 2016

Although mine are all laminates, they stay in their 'gig' bags for protection, except for 2 that are in regular use daily, one of which sits on a stand for instant grab & play/practice.

(I've read that real wood requires 50% humidity.)

natchez · Mar 6, 2016

Cased and humidified when not in use- it is pretty dry in our high desert climate, Reno NV. When I practice I have one out at a time on a stand.

DownUpDave · Mar 6, 2016

Buy a couple of acurate hydrometers (mearsures humidity level). If you can keep the inside of your house between 40 - 60 % humidity level you can leave your instruments out.

I live in Canada and the winters are very dry so all my ukes live in their cases with a humidifier.

Mivo · Mar 6, 2016

Except one, my ukuleles all live in hardshell cases. I take them out when I practice/play and put them back when I'm done. The one that always sits on the desk or the couch is a laminate one with a solid top, just so I can noodle a bit on it while waiting for a call, a download to finish, etc. It's my most played and also cheapest uke because it's always readily available.

mm stan · Mar 6, 2016

Aside humidity issues if you also get solid body ukes later, laminates fare well hung.
The thing about hanging ukes is convenience, but they do get dusty and grimey..also nicked..and may fall
Some like the convenience and use them as wall art too however
I prefer mine in the case..as i live in hawaii and no humidity issues, nicks, grime and dust.
I do however have cheap laminates on stands for convienience but they nick as well

Rllink · Mar 6, 2016

First of all, I do not display my ukulele.

For a long time, I didn't put it in the case and it sat on a stand in a room that my wife and I use as a business office. I liked the idea that I could just pick it up, thinking that I wouldn't play it as much if I put it in the case. But then I didn't like it sitting there where I might kick it around, so I got to putting it in the hard case when I wasn't playing it and stuck that on top of my filing cabinet. I don't think that I play it any less than I did when it was not in the case.

kkimura · Mar 6, 2016

My OXK is out on a desk stand or hanging on the wall all year. The Kamaka lives in it's case with a humidifier in the dry New England Winters and hangs on the wall in the Summer.

Ukulelerick9255 · Mar 6, 2016

Case and humidified, it's only on a stand when I'm playing and need to put it down.

sukie · Mar 6, 2016

In a case or humidified plastic bin. But I do it for protection as well as humidity.

hollisdwyer · Mar 6, 2016

I used to but now I keep them in a case with an Oasis humidifier.

Sonic · Mar 6, 2016

Keep it in hard case or gig bag would be better as the time of take it out is still easy ( If you don't lock it with keys)

Ukulele Eddie · Mar 6, 2016

I keep three on wall hangers, one in case next to where I play and the rest in cases. I keep my home humidified so don't mind leaving them out.

Deadbait · Mar 6, 2016

I live in Florida and have my ukes hanging on wall hangers year round. They are out of the way, look nice, and are ready to be grabbed and played anytime. I have one solid wood, one laminate and one solid top and they have been out for over two years and no issues. I would not leave them on the floor or in a stand for fear of damage, but wall hangers work good for me. The current humidity is 42% and it's winter time, so no worries here.

Django · Mar 6, 2016

My wonderful wife has been kind enough to let me use a spare bedroom as a music room. She wanted to be able to see my instruments and convinced me to display them, so I purchased an old china closet and paneled the inside to make the darker instruments more visible. The case used to have 2 Martin Custom Shop guitars and a vintage Martin Ukulele. Times have changed and I miss the guitars, but enjoy the ukulele very much, so for now, the display has the instruments that I play most often.

I live in New Hampshire, so the display needs a little extra humidification during the winter months. I keep a few containers of distilled water inside along with a good Hygrometer. The humidity stays between 45 and 55%. The wooden case keeps the level right around 50% during the rest of the year. They are on a wall that does not get direct sunlight and the windows in the room are UV treated. It is nice to enjoy them as works of art as well as tools.

This also keeps them dust free.

bunnyf · Mar 6, 2016

I keep mine (all solid, various woods) hung on the wall. In SW FL it's super humid and even with AC on in summer, I still think humidity is good. 5 yrs and no problems.

KohanMike · Mar 6, 2016

I keep them in a display case I made from a shelf in my bookcase, inspired by wickedwahine11. It has two water trays on the bottom shelf with covers that I slide open and closed to control the humidity using two hygrometers, one digital, one analog. Stays between 44-56% humidity at all times.

Joyful Uke · Mar 6, 2016

Case with humidifier. Even in humid weather, they stay in the case, since my dogs are likely knock them over, sit on them, or mistake them for a dog toy. (And I don't want to risk finding out that they play better than I do. That would be hard on the ego.)

cml · Mar 6, 2016

On the wall if our indoor humidity is above 40% on the wall hygrometer, under that and I put my good uke into its hardcase with a humidifier and small hygrometer (which is wireless and sends the data to the wall hygrometer).

mikelz777 · Mar 6, 2016

If they (solid or laminate) aren't being played, they are in their cases which are humidified during the winter months. I don't want to regret any potential accidents and having to remove them from their cases is not a deterrent to playing them.

Do you keep your ukuleles in their cases or display them?

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

UU VIP

Well-known member

Mystery Man

Well-known member

UU VIP

Well-known member

Aloha

UU VIP

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Los Angeles, Beverly Grove West

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads