I have been an advocate of stands that use surgical rubber for padding. This is because I have never known these stands to hurt an instrument of mine over many years. I still find that this is the case, however, two things have me thinking a little different with regard to the risk of using these stands.
To begin, I keep all of my instruments in their cases when they are not being played. This keeps them safe and allows for the clay pot humidifiers to add the moisture over the dry winter months. This practice minimizes the actual contact time with the rubber and so may not be a fair test of the safety of surgical rubber. I have never heard of anyone who has used a surgical rubber stand have problems.
In addition, I purchased a new surgical rubber stand yesterday and found the following note on the warranty that came with the "Ultra Stand."
There is no such thing as a completely safe instrument stand. Contact with the rubber or vinyl protectors for a long period of time can cause markings in the finish of the instrument. Nitrocellulose lacquers are especially susceptible.
Wood does "breathe" even through lacquer, and when the air cannot get through, a mark will occur. In addition, rubber goes through molecular changes over time, and may even try to bond itself to a smooth surface. It is important to note that instrument polishes, humidity, heat and air borne pollutants all add to the problem and are often the real cause of the interaction with rubber.
If you suspect an instrument has a fragile finish, cover the contact points of the instrument with a soft cloth. Instrument stands should only be used to "temporarily" store your instrument, such as on a gig. The safest place to store your instrument is in its case.
So there you have it. word to the wise ...
