Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

[GuitarGuy503]

My room got quite cold last night and I am quite concerned about this. I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder so this makes me more concerned about this issue than most other people. Whats the best temperature range to keep your guitars in to avoid warping and any other type of damage caused by temperature changes? I'm hoping my room wasn't to cold for my guitar last night. I think it got to be about 60 degrees, possibly a lil less. I forgot to turn up the heat before I went to bed (I was trying to cool down the room a lil earlier last night). If you think this is a dumb question ,sorry, but I spend so much money on my gear and would hate to ruin it. I have a few grand invested in guitar gear. Anyways any help on this issue would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

My room got quite cold last night and I am quite concerned about this. I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder so this issue makes me more concerned about this issue than most other people. Whats the best temperature range to keep your guitars in to avoid warping and any other type of damage caused by temperature changes? I'm hoping my room wasn't to cold for my guitar last night. I think it got to be about 60 degrees, possibly a lil less. I forgot to turn up the heat before I went to bed (I was trying to cool down the room a lil earliar last night). If you think this is a dumb question sorry but I spend so much money on my gear and would hate to ruin it. I have a few grand invested in guitar stuff. Anyways any help on this issue would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Basically whatever temp your body is comfortable in is safe...What kills a guitar,especially acoustics,is an extreme change in temperature...I Like to see my guitars in around the 70 to 80 degree range and the humidity at or around 40 to 50%....It's hard here in Florida to retain this because it is so humid...I have 1 of my strats hanging on a guitar hook in my bedroom 100% of the time and I've not had any problems at all with it...You're always safer when in doubt to keep your guitar(s) in it's case though.."NEVER" put any of your gear(Guitars,effects,amps.etc.)anywhere that you yourself wouldn't want to be...Places like a cold,humid basement,right in front of a fireplace,in the trunk of a car,in your car on a very hot day etc....

John

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

Basically whatever temp your body is comfortable in is safe...What kills a guitar,especially acoustics,is an extreme change in temperature...I Like to see my guitars in around the 70 to 80 degree range and the humidity at or around 40 to 50%....It's hard here in Florida to retain this because it is so humid...I have 1 of my strats hanging on a guitar hook in my bedroom 100% of the time and I've not had any problems at all with it...You're always safer when in doubt to keep your guitar(s) in it's case though..

John

Thanks for the info, John. My guitars are always in their case unless of course I'm playing them. :32:

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

Thanks for the info, John. My guitars are always in their case unless of course I'm playing them. :32:

You should be ok then....Worry when you see bindings coming apart,paint checking,glue not holding parts together etc...Electrics are warriors and can handle alot of things an acoustic can't...Keeping a guitar in it's case is always a safe bet..

John

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

BUMP..... Anyone have anything else to add?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

BUMP..... Anyone have anything else to add?

As long as you aren't encountering any fret buzz or see any of the things I've mentioned,you're fine....Just be sure you warm your room up gradually and you should be great....Strats take all kinds of abuse and you'll be fine..

John

 

[Bludave]

Re: Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

As John said Acoustic Guitars are much more likley to have problems due to extreme temperature changes rapidly. A little trick I use (mainly because I have a lot of guitars). I keep a Hydrometer in the case of ALL my acoiustic guitars, as well as in the room that I store them in. I use a Dampit, which is a sponge that I moisten with water when I need to add water as well as a travel soap dish which I have placed a sponge in and this also is moistened when it needs it (I keep this under the headstock). The hydrometers are reasonable, you can buy them at home depot or Radio Shack for about $20. Considering the money we invest into our gear, mainly guitars its is a small investment that could save thousands in the long run. The Hydrometer measures the minimum and maximum of both Humidity as well as temp. Get one at least for the room where your guitars are stored. If you do not want to go thru the process of opening each case and checking the hydrometer, you can buy a room humidifier for about $30 to $50. This will keep the romm at a pre determined % of humidity. Humidity is much more of a concern than the temp. Here in NY it gets pretty cold. I keep my solid body electrics in my basement where the Temp can get as cool as 55. The humidity never falls below 50%. As John said If it is comfortable for you your guitar should be OK.

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

As both John & Bludave have said you should not have to worry too much if your guitars are in cases and you are not subjecting them to extreme conditions. Fortunately (?) within the UK we don't have the extreme weather conditons that you folk seem to have in the US and once a guitar has been correctly set up and provided it is kept in cases it will not suffer any damage.

I have a few guitars in my music room which are sometimes kept on stands and I have never had any problems with them but I keep my best guitars in their cases. I would suggest that you check on all of your guitars from time to time - play them and check on their condition. I would hasten to add that you should check intonation, change strings etc. I have a number of guitars (and basses) and have to do a regular maintenance on all of them.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

Other than my own ranting,I really enjoyed all the great info that was offered on this topic..Nice job guys..

John

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Best Temperature Range To Keep Your Guitars Around?...

Hey GuitarGuy,

Yes, it did get a tad chilly last night. I would agree with the consensus. I think that the worst temperature culprit would be rapid extreme temperature changes. I think that if the guitar can shrink and expand fairly slowly and evenly is a good thing, within reason. That 60-degrees probably didn't hurt much since you probably gradually heated your place afterwards.

My rule of thumb... don't leave a guitar anywhere you wouldn't leave a baby. This includes all alone in the car. It'll get stolen for sure