How Can I Store My Ukuleles?

Classrooms come in a wide variety of sizes as well as the amount of available ukulele storage – or lack thereof. There are many options for you to choose the best solution for your scenario while sticking to your budget. You may discover more than one storage option would be beneficial if you plan on storing them at some point, but also consider the amount of time you can save if you do not need to remove instruments from their cases, or if you will be transporting the ukuleles if sharing with other classrooms, transferring to a stage/performance area, etc. Here are some ukulele storage options you may consider.

Gig Bags

Gig bags are the most common ukulele storage option as they allow each instrument to be handled individually, offer the easiest transport with hand/shoulder strap, provide padding for protection against bumps, and prevent dust from collecting on and inside the body. Ukuleles in the gig bags can be stored in a closet, large bin, cardboard box, or almost any available space.

Some series of ukuleles, such as the Makala Dolphin, Kala Waterman, and Westwood series, include a non-padded gig bag, which offers limited protection. Most wood model ukuleles, such as the Makala MK-S and Kala KA-15S, do not include a gig bag and will fare better and be better protected while in storage and transit if there is some padding in a gig bag. If you do not have gig bags, you can begin by keeping them in their individual boxes and storing them in the larger carton (usually holds 10-12). Here are some of our most popular gig bag options.

Kala BB-S Series Gig Bags

Kala’s BB series gig bags offer 10mm of padding with handle, strap, and accessory pocket. Available in soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone sizes.:

356612 Kala BB-S Gig Bag, Soprano

356613 Kala BB-C Gig Bag, Concert

356614 Kala BB-T Gig Bag, Tenor

356615 Kala BB-B Gig Bag, Baritone

Kala UB-S Series Gig Bags

For more substantial protection, Kala UB series gig bags are available with 12mm of padding and available in soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone sizes:

355040 Kala UB-S Gig Bag, Soprano

354768 Kala UB-C Gig Bag, Concert

354769 Kala UB-T Gig Bag, Tenor

355041 Kala UB-B Gig Bag, Baritone

Westwood Basic Gig Bags

357445 Westwood UGB-S Soprano Ukulele Gig Bag

357446 Westwood UGB-C Concert Ukulele Gig Bag

Stand/Rack Options

You might consider a stand or rack as your primary or even secondary ukulele storage option to store your ukuleles as it may take a lot of time to remove a full set of instruments in and out of the gig bags.

Westwood Ukulele Floor Rack

This is a versatile rack that is completely adjustable to hold 12 soprano-size ukuleles, 10 concert-size ukuleles, 6 guitars, or a combination of instruments while taking up only 40” x 18” of floor space. Visit westmusic.com to find out more information about the Westwood Ukulele/Guitar Rack (356171).

A&S Band Room Ukulele Racks with Wheels

The A&S Band Room racks enable music teachers to store up to 30 ukuleles in an attractive mobile ukulele storage unit, making them quickly and easily accessible to students. Heavy-duty locking caster wheels ensure your instruments are safely stowed away.

A&S Band Room Soprano Ukulele Racks:

356308 BRU18 Holds up to 18 Soprano Ukuleles

356309 BRU30 Holds up to 30 Soprano Ukuleles

On-Stage GS5012 12-Space Ukulele Rack

Use as floor stand or mounts on wall-Instrument Storage

On the floor or off the wall, The On-Stage GS5012 Ukulele Rack gives teachers, students, and dealers the ultimate in safe, secure, and spotlight-ready access to today’s hottest selling/trending stringed instrument. Complete with 12 EVA coated yokes for instrument protection, black powder-coated finish for spotlight-ready optics, non-slip feet for secure placement and wall-mounting brackets for display versatility, The On-Stage GS5012 delivers solid, maximized, out-sized support for the mini but mighty ukulele.

A&S Band Room Universal Size Ukulele Racks:

These racks have a larger frame and can be used to store any size ukuleles. They can accommodate soprano, concert, tenor, baritone, or any combination of sizes.

356417 BRUM18 Holds up to 18 Soprano, Concert, Tenor, and Baritone Ukuleles

356418 BRUM30 Holds up to 30 Soprano, Concert, Tenor, and Baritone Ukuleles

Wall Storage Options

If you have space, proudly display your ukuleles by hanging them on your classroom wall!

The String Swing Wall Mount has a neck cradle sized especially for ukulele necks and comes with complete mounting hardware!

Custom Options

Another option is to create your own ukulele storage option by crafting loops to hang the ukuleles. Tie each end of a short cord to the top two tuning machines with some slack to create a loop, and then hang the ukuleles on a standard wall hook. You will want to make sure the hooks are screwed into a solid surface, so a long 1” x 4” or 2” x 4” mounted on the wall makes a great backing board and can be arranged in any configuration to meet your available space.

Depending on your classroom, you may have a closet or other storage space that could be modified to safely store your ukuleles. However, be sure to keep the instruments away from direct sunlight and heating/cooling vents as that may dry out the instrument and cause it to crack or warp.

Summary

There are many ways to safely store and transport your ukuleles. Choose the best method of ukulele storage that fits your space and budget while allowing easy access to your instruments.

For more ideas, contact an educational consultant to see how we can help bring the ukulele to YOUR classroom!

Click here to download a PDF of Part 5: How Can I Store My Ukuleles?

Starting a Ukulele Program in Your Classroom Series