Let’s be blunt for a second. Burnaby is damp. Even when the sun shows up, moisture just… hangs around. And wood hates that. Strings complain. Electronics sulk. And then one rainy week turns into a warped neck or a fuzzy amp channel and suddenly you’re pricing repairs instead of playing shows.

A lot of us musicians rely on Burnaby self storage when space disappears — moving, renos, roommates collecting pinball machines in the living room (yes, that happens). So if your favourite guitar, clarinet, or DJ setup gets temporarily evicted, let’s keep it healthy while it waits for your next gig.

I’m not writing this as some corporate robot manual. This is just what actually works around here.

Burnaby’s Humidity: It Sneaks Up on You

Burnaby lives between mountains and the ocean, which sounds poetic until your violin swells like a sponge. Near Deer Lake? Wetter. Closer to Metrotown towers? Still damp. Up at SFU? Cold + damp. Pick your fighter.

Humidity messes with everything:

• Acoustic guitars: lifted bridges, cracking finishes
• Brass horns: corrosion (and not the pretty kind)
• Woodwinds: pads get mushy, keys stick
• Amps: mould in places you do not want mould
• Synths & mixers: condensation inside boards . . . nope

Sometimes you open a case and instantly regret your life decisions. Let’s not meet that version of your instrument.

If you notice even tiny issues — weird odour, fret ends poking, valves a bit crunchy — hit pause. Clean first.

The Packing Ritual (Do It Right, Just Once)

Clean like you actually care

Fast wipe-downs don’t cut it when an instrument is going into a dark box for months.

• Wood: polish safe for finishes, no random kitchen sprays
• Brass: give it a rinse and oil, or it’ll stick later
• Woodwinds: swab. Then swab again
• Electronics: dust fans and ports, sticky tape residue gone

Also — remove the snack wrappers in your gig bag. I’ve seen unbelievable things in side pockets.

Release the tension

This is the part people skip, then cry about later.

• Loosen strings a bit (not spaghetti loose)
• Take mouthpieces off
• Drums: ease off tension, they don’t need to stay ready for a stadium
• Remove batteries — no negotiation here

Batteries leak, destroy circuits, and ruin weekends.

Snug, not squished

Bubble wrap helps. Too much bubble wrap suffocates. Your case should feel like a hug, not a wrestling match.

Label screws and small parts. Your future self will high-five you for that one.

What Case? The Right Answer Isn’t “Whatever Bag I Have”

Hard truth: soft gig bags are more like jackets than armour. They’re fine in your hand — terrible in storage.

Case Type	Protects Against	Good Choice For	Reality Check
Hard Case	Falls, pressure, humidity shifts	Strings, brass, woodwinds	Standard if you love your gear
Flight Case	Almost everything	Amps, drums, DJ rigs	Heavy but heroic
Gig Bag	Scuffs, light bumps	Short travel only	Do not long-term store
Piano Crates	Gravity, movement	Upright & grand pianos	Let pros handle this

If your case has a broken latch . . . that’s not a case. That’s a suggestion.

Humidity Control — The Real MVP

Ideal conditions (and yes, they matter):

• Humidity: 40–50%
• Temperature: 18–22°C
• Stable — not a rollercoaster

Tools that save instruments:

• Silica gel packs (cheap life savers)
• Proper case humidifiers — guitar folks know the drill
• Anti-corrosion cloths for brass
• Desiccants for electronics
• A calendar reminder to actually check things

I’ve seen a gorgeous vintage Telecaster ruined because someone thought their basement was “pretty dry.” It wasn’t.

How to Store Instruments Inside a Unit Without Sabotaging Them

Climate-controlled storage = yes
Garage storage = if you secretly hate your gear

Lay things out like this:

• Elevate — pallets or shelving
• Not against walls — let air exist
• Covers: breathable cloth, never tarps that trap condensation
• Amps sitting upright — speaker cones don’t like long naps sideways
• Keep pedals and cables organised (this is more for your sanity)

Security matters too. If the place doesn’t have cameras, access control, and humans around? Keep looking. Burnaby isn’t crime-proof.

And for pianos . . . hire professionals. Your back — and the piano — will appreciate that choice.

Different Instruments, Different Drama

Guitars & Violins

Loosen strings a hair. Humidifier in the case. Cloth between strings and fretboard. Don’t argue.

Woodwinds

Full disassembly. Cork grease before the long sleep.

Brass

Dry everything — spit exists, we all know it — then oil valves.

Drums

Nest shells with padding. Cymbals in sleeves unless you like scratches that never go away.

Keyboards & DJ Gear

Power everything down and isolate cables. Dust is sneaky, condensation sneakier.

Pianos

Climate matters more than the moon’s gravitational pull (almost).

Quick Checklist (Print It, Screenshot It, Tattoo It?)

• Cleaned like a responsible adult
• Batteries removed somewhere you’ll remember
• Hard case locked without duct tape
• Moisture control inside the case
• Not tossed behind a lawnmower
• A reminder set to come back and look

Done? Good. Go treat yourself to sushi at Metrotown or something.

Where Musicians in Burnaby Actually Store Stuff

Folks store gear because life gets tight — moving into a condo, waiting for renos, growing family, whatever. Storage keeps music alive when the space doesn’t cooperate.

Climate-controlled units in Burnaby are the safest bet. If you’ve got internal resource pages like:

• Climate-Controlled Storage in Burnaby
• Packing Tips for Fragile Items

I’ll slot these links perfectly where they boost SEO without sounding like a robot snuck in.

Final Thought (Not a Pep Talk, Just Real)

Good instruments don’t ask for much. A little respect. A decent case. Air that won’t rot them from the inside.

Then when you pull that guitar out next spring — maybe you’re heading to a jam at a buddy’s place near Canada Way — it’ll still sing like it remembers you.

And honestly? That feeling makes the whole storage thing worth it.