Nothing stays the same, although in a lot of cases, we wish it would.
Just as a home needs a spring cleaning, so does the musical infrastructure. Overall, it’s pretty low maintenance, and you can really get used to simply grabbing those instruments when you’re going to a jam or a festival and you’re all set. (Don’t forget to bring some strings!)
But stuff doesn’t stay the same, and if you don’t get ahead of it, you fall behind it.
In the ideal state, every screw is tightened just so. Every bridge pin is nestled neatly in its little hole. Every end pin is secure. Every bow is freshly haired (is that even a word?), and every block of rosin is substantial. Every fret is robust and shiny.
In that ideal state of being, every instrument case has a tuner, a capo, a set of strings and a set of needlenose pliers. Every latch on the case works, as does every hinge.
Your sheet music (or cheat sheets, as the case may be) are perfectly organized, three-hole punched, and reside alphabetized in its 3-ring binder. The binder is of adequate size and the covers are straight and reasonably clean.
Maybe your stuff starts out this way, coming out of winter hibernation. But run all your gear through a season of festivals, jams, picnics, and gigs. Load that gear up into vehicles, over and over, and expose everything to air, summer heat, damp weather. Store it alternatively at your house, in your car, in your tent, in your camper.
Humans are lucky – when we get worn out, a good meal and a good night’s sleep rejuvenates us.
Our music stuff, on the other hand, suffers in silence, until something gives. And it can blow at any seam. A bridge pin breaks, or just decides to shoot itself out of your bridge, like a tiny scud missile into some grass and hides expertly. Your end pin silently flies the coop, and you don’t even discover it until you go to put on your your guitar strap on and it’s simply not there.
So, I’ve had to learn to hear my gear, and act when it’s crying for mercy. Tighten screws, check those end pins and bridge pins. Make sure the bridge on my bass and banjo are where they oughta be (they can shift around during travel, like the stuff in the overhead bins on a plane). Fix or replace mic cords that have been noisy or faulty. Go through the reams of paper and toss old setlists and file loose cheat sheets and chord charts. Check capos (springs and rubber parts wear out and fail when you need them most.) Check instrument stands and cases – if one of those fails you can have an expensive instrument get seriously damaged.
Your stuff will thank you for it.
