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Sell or Store (Moving dilemma)

friendlybass

friendlybass

Guest
Jul 19, 2012
2,955
2,234
Colorado
#1
Hey guys, so here's my story.
Ive got a wonderful set of almost matching chrome grille swr cabs. These are some of my favorite cabs in existence, but I just moved out of my parents house with the wife into a much smaller townhouse. I don't have room to store them anywhere in the house (its a 410, a 210, and a 115) except for a cellar whose water tightness I can't speak for at this time. The wife said I could keep my 115 in the bedroom cause its the smallest and her favorite sounding of the three.
These cabs are my favorite cabs, bar none. But they would cease to be my favorite pretty quickly if they got damaged or they were too big a PITA to move in and out of my cellar to use. So here's the question.
Do I trade these in for some smaller cabs or do my best to store them safely?
 
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#2
If storage space is your primary dilemma, how will trading the cabs resolve that? Even though they may be smaller, they will also require storage. It sound like you really like the cabs too which further complicates the issue. Obviously, if you sell them you will no doubt pay more to replace them in the future so that doesn't help either.

How about that cellar? Any evidence of past water damage (stains, musty smell, puddles)? Have you talked with neighbors and asked them about their experiences with their cellars? You may want to find some cargo pallets to put down to keep your stuff off the floor and put them in the basement. Do you have your equipment insured? Do you have flood / water damage insurance?

If you plan to play out you may want to keep these guys.
 
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#3
If money for a climate controlled storage facility is available, personally, I would keep the cabinets in a storage facility near your present residence.

Furthermore, in light of the limited free space at your new location, the storage facility can also be used to keep other items as well.
 
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#4
walldaja said:
If storage space is your primary dilemma, how will trading the cabs resolve that? Even though they may be smaller, they will also require storage. It sound like you really like the cabs too which further complicates the issue. Obviously, if you sell them you will no doubt pay more to replace them in the future so that doesn't help either.

How about that cellar? Any evidence of past water damage (stains, musty smell, puddles)? Have you talked with neighbors and asked them about their experiences with their cellars? You may want to find some cargo pallets to put down to keep your stuff off the floor and put them in the basement. Do you have your equipment insured? Do you have flood / water damage insurance?

If you plan to play out you may want to keep these guys.
Click to expand...
Getting smaller cabs would allow me to store them in the house as opposed to the cellar, but I get your point.
I had figured pallets and a tarp would more than protect them, but its hard to tell what's happened in the cellar since its just dirt with a small cinder block platform for the water heater and furnace. Enough room to stand in, and there's no evidence of groundwater issues, but its essentially a hole in the ground under the house.
I have renter's insurance which covers my gear while its in the house, but since swr is no longer in business these would be difficult to replace.
I appreciate the sound advice.
 
#8
friendlybass said:
Getting smaller cabs would allow me to store them in the house as opposed to the cellar, but I get your point.
I had figured pallets and a tarp would more than protect them, but its hard to tell what's happened in the cellar since its just dirt with a small cinder block platform for the water heater and furnace. Enough room to stand in, and there's no evidence of groundwater issues, but its essentially a hole in the ground under the house.
I have renter's insurance which covers my gear while its in the house, but since swr is no longer in business these would be difficult to replace.
I appreciate the sound advice.
Click to expand...

A townhouse.. How old is this thing? Anywho... Tough call.. I would sell them.. and get something smaller and lighter.. but that is me.
 
#9
Once you sell them, chances are you might not find them again at that price or condition. If you really like the sound, I'd say keep'em.

You could put them on a pallet in your basement. If real flooding is an issue, get an old shelf or other piece of old furniture and somehow put them on top of that (securely). If mustiness or moisture is an issue, wrap them in a big plastic bag and seal it.
 
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#10
Salicete said:
"My wife said I could keep" is a phrase that one should ~never~ utter.

Do you tell her how many geegaws she can keep? I'll bet not.

Find a spot for them in your new place if you don't want to give them up. Worst case scenario, put them up on palates in the basement in case of minor leakage.
Click to expand...
For the record, my wife has been unbelievably awesome in letting me take up a chunk of the bedroom and living room for gear. I get to keep all the guitars and basses, both guitar amps, and my small recording setup all in the house, the cabs just add up to being bigger than our refrigerator so they really do need to be stored elsewhere
 
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#13
Problem with a lot of basements can be inherent dampness and whatnot. Your cabs could grow mildew and absorb nasty odors even if they don't get direct water damage.

Just gotta sell. Get yourself a nice, small cab and forgot all that other stuff.

Also, ignore the jerks that don't seem to understand that relationships are a two-way street.
 
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#17
If you decide to use your cellar and it's damp there is a major caution. The pallets will keep them out of puddles but a tarp will trap moisture UNDER it and cause lots of damage. A breathable drop cloth will keep the dust off but you need to watch out for trapping moisture or those chrome grills will look like a '51 Desoto in no time. Ask any biker who put their pristine ride away under a tarp in the fall and was greeted by a rusty wreck in the spring.
 
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#18
friendlybass said:
For the record, my wife has been unbelievably awesome in letting me take up a chunk of the bedroom and living room for gear. I get to keep all the guitars and basses, both guitar amps, and my small recording setup all in the house, the cabs just add up to being bigger than our refrigerator so they really do need to be stored elsewhere
Click to expand...

Easy fix, sell your guitar amps...are you not a bass player? :)
 
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