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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Wisconsin | I have a number of guitars that I have stored in a spare bedroom of our house. I want to make sure that I am storing them as properly as possible. What are the ideal humidity and temperature levels to try to maintain? Is it better for them to be stored in their cases or is it okay to have them hanging on the wall? Any other advice would be great. Thanks for your help. |
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Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | I live in Colorado where the average humidity is about 35%. The guitars I am currently playing are either on stands or hanging on the wall while those in current retirement (waiting for their turn in the rotation) sit in the cases. Some are in the basement....some in the closet...and some under the various beds.
I have never had any problems to speak of. I keep the house around 66 in the winter and around 76 in the summer. The Spring and Fall require no artificial heating or cooling.
Stephen |
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Joined:
May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | rtmoose
Welcome to the board, and try a search on "humidity", there have been some great discussions of this guitar affecting phenomenom with various solutions described. Also, consider temperature, as freezing weather means almost a total lack of humidity, drying wood to shrinking but having no effect on Adamas type tops.
I reccommend keeping instruments in their cases when the humidity outside isn't controlled, with maybe a humidifier, but what do I know, I live in New Mexico, our weather is sent to us by people like Russ from Puerto Vallarto.
Bailey ;) |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | If they're sitting for quite some time I'd put them in cases. Have you got one of those little humidifier things (the $10/1 gallom units) you could fill that every day or two? I have one of those up north and they work pretty well. I think the brand name was Vicks, like the cough drops. I'd be concerned about Wisconsin in the winter. |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 627
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | I was at the guitar center and saw reduced priced guitars, with cracked tops. I always worry when I see that. During the winter when the heat is on, houses are very dry. I run a humidifier in my music room and keep the temp lower, than the rest of the house. So far so good (10 years) Those guitar hole humidifiers and a pain in the ass, cause you got to refill them up with water constantly.
Tommy |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | My tele has never been bothered with humidity. I can tell my acoustics are affected. For my acoustics, I keep them in their cases and monitor them with one of those $15 hygrometers. See my previous post on testing the accuracy. First thing you should do is get one of these to really see if you have a problem. They really work. Check it once a week. For the round holes I use a planet wave humidifier in the soundhole and for the adamas I use a planet wave in case unit. (Though with the Adamas, humidity is less of a problem, I still monitor it.) Humidity should be kept at 40-60, and keep them away from the heater. I suppose I fill the humidifier with water about once every two weeks. In the summer lack of humidity isn't a problem in Brooklyn. |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Wisconsin | Thanks for the help! It does get wicked cold up here in NW Wisconsin (last week it never even broke 0 degrees). Is humidity the primary concern or is temperature also a factor. I keep the door of the room where I store my guitars closed for the most part, and I have not been keeping this room heated. If I get the humidity levels right, do I need to stress about the temp in the room? I guess that if I have a humidifier in there, the temp has to be at least 32, but should I be concerned about anything else? I have a few of those Planet Waves humidifiers for some of my guitars, but keeping track of filling those puppies is a real pain. I would much rather just get the humidity right for the whole room. Also, in the summer, how high can the temp get before I have to start worrying? Right now this room is not air conditioned (it rarely gets about 85 here in the summer), but again, should I be keeping the room temp within certain parameters? Thanks again for all your help! |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Wisconsin | Oh yeah, I have one more question. If the guitars are going to be unused for some time, I know to relax the tension on the strings, but should I relax them all the way or should I retain some tension? |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | What you DON'T want are wide, rapid changes in temperature (especially in an overtly "dry" atmosphere) . . . .
There was someone here a while ago, that had his guitar on a stand in a nice, warm room with a fireplace and when he open the door to bring in firewood from the extremely cold outdoors . . . . crack! . . . |
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November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Speaking of Norseman, anyone heard from him lately? |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Last he told us was his PC access was at work and they had adopted Marshall Law on it's use!
M(love it when he pipes in)Woody |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | MooseMan, use the search function and all will be revealed. |
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Joined:
February 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Wisconsin | Thanks guys! I've been playing for years but its only been the last couple of years that I have gotten guitars that I've felt the need to really take care of. My sister had an old pre-war Martin and all the years growing up she would bad-mouth O's. About three years ago, though, she actually played one, then bought one, then told me that I should. Now, I have several that I love, and I just want to make sure I don't destroy them. |
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Conditions for instrument storage
