Decksaver

The Lounge Other Gear
#21

I think of them like synth insurance.

My two main instruments are the Syntakt and Opsix. They are always on my desk and when not in use have Decksavers on them.

I’ve also got two little kids. Sometimes they have little friends in the house. Sometimes toys (or whatever else amid the chaos) are airborne.

These covers are also nice for putting a synth in a bag or something when taking them out somewhere and not worrying you’ll knock of a knob or bend something. A little strap or band can help keep it in place.

I’m sure those with all analog patching really appreciate them too.

3 Likes
#22

TL;DR: yes

Details in the Syntrx thread:

I like decksavers so much I made a wooden one for my Virus:

As far as dust goes - I live in a weather-sealed high rise, have a HEPA filter in my office-studio and still get a layer of dust on things. Pillow cases are fine, but decksavers (and my laser cut wood cover) look great.

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#23

Yeah it does!

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#24

Maybe check Etsy as I got a 3d printed one for a Faderfox controller and a non brand vacuum formed ‘decksaver’ for my digitakt and they are great. And cheap.

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#25

I used to find them fussy and kind of ugly, like plastic slipcovers on furniture…your instruments are made to last and shouldn’t be gathering dust anyway!

Then my one-year-old figured out how to open my office door

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#26

Before my beloved Tango (coolest cat), I never had decksavers.

Now I have decksavers for anything left out

They’ve been helpful except for the ones that cover my OTO machines… those are not designed well and I have a paint chip on Boum because they frequently get knocked loose.

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#27

I saw this, and as a Virus owner was salivating.

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#28

One knock I’ve found against decksavers is that when you sell a synth, you have to decide whether or not to include the decksaver, or upsell the decksaver along with the synth. And if either, then you have the problem that the decksaver has to be shipped separately because it doesn’t fit over the synth in its original packaging. Shipping separately is fine if the customer is paying for it, but including a decksaver as a bonus doesn’t pencil out if you have to pay to ship it.

I have some random decksavers of synths long sold that aren’t saving anything now.

2 Likes
#29

I haven’t read what anyone else has said, so forgive me if I’m repeating anything…

Honestly, if you don’t travel or gig with your gear, just throw a tea-towel over it on the desk, and save yourself the money.

But if you do travel with your gear, Decksavers are a no-brainer. And not just because they protect the gear in various ways, but also because they allow you to use a wider variety of travel cases. That is to say, without the Decksaver, if you really want to keep your gear safe, you’d have to find a hardshell case of specific dimensions. Whereas with the Decksaver, you could use any number of semi-rigid softshell cases, of which there are simply more styles to choose from. Hell, you could even put several pieces of gear in the same bag, with accessories, etc.

As for those worrying about the paint on the corners of their gear where the Decksaver makes contact, well… I’m sorry, but no self-respecting working musician would be caught dead complaining about that. Seriously, if you’ve ever seen real touring instruments and their peripherals, then you understand what kind of abuse they are subjected to and otherwise built to withstand.

To that end, you might consider such wear-and-tear to be a right of passage, if not a point of pride. Hence why the posers of the world are out there paying extra for brand-new “road-worn” guitars.

:roll_eyes:

Cheers!

P.S. Of course, it also depends on what kind of touring you do. I mean, if you’re flying a lot, forced to check your gear as luggage, well… At that point, proper ATA flight cases become necessary, regardless of whether or not you’ve invested in a Decksaver.

2 Likes
#30

Okay, I couldn’t help but read some of the other comments, and I have to say…

If money is no object, and you like the aesthetic of Decksavers, regardless of how you use or abuse your gear, then by all means, go for it. But it sounds like the expense is not trivial for the person I was responding to, so my advice stands.

As far as kids and cats are concerned, however…

I think it’s important to acknowledge that a Decksaver, at least in so far as gear left sitting on the desk is concerned, is not secured to the top of your gear, so… If your child can open the studio door, it only stands to reason that the Decksaver is cold comfort from there. To which end, a good lock on the door is a lot more cost effective.

As for the cat, well… I hear they’re good eating.

:yum:

Cheers!

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#31

image

Wanted for questioning

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#32

TSA Agent threw my carry-on suitcase onto my Decksaver + Analog Case covered Blackbox at the Boston Airport, which (thankfully) resulted in zero damage . . . Absolutely worth it

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#33

:rofl:

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#34

Well, you know how you become a baggage handler, right?

They lock you in a padded room with a bowling ball…

If you manage to lose or break the ball, you’re hired.

:wink:

Cheers!

6 Likes
#35

Anyone have fit issues? Some of my decksavers fit like a glove, slide on and grab the sides enough you could hold the synth upside down and it will stay on. The most recent one I got though is loose and jiggles a bit.

Wondering if it’s worth trying a heat gun on the decksaver to bend the edges in a bit… scared I’ll just ruin it though. Cause it to warp or something.

#36

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#37

I’m an academic…this is, like, every single zoom faculty meeting :joy:

Recently we were at the hardware store and there was this little grid of wood squares for demonstrating different shades of wood stain…she started poking it with her finger shouting “drums!” and I realized it looked exactly like an MPC

1 Like