Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

[GuitarGuy503]

Well it got hotter in my house today than I had expected. I checked the house temperature tonight and downstairs it got up to 87 degrees. I'm concerned because my guitars are kept upstairs in my room and I can imagine it probably reached over 90+ degrees upstairs today. I'm very concerned about all my gear but I'm especially concerned about my Les Paul due to the fact the finish on them are touchy when it comes to temperature.... I read in the owners manual that if it gets to hot or to cold the finish can checker...... So I'm very nervous about that. Both of my guitars are always in their hardshell cases when I'm not playing them. I don't have a/c or a cool basement at my house so I just don't know what I can do to protect my gear. Theres only one place I can think of that i could put my guitars downstairs (in a closet with a crawl space) which would keep them somewhat cooler considering it would be downstairs. Anyways I just am a little concerned about this. What should I do? Or am I worrying to much about it? If you are in the same situation I am with no a/c or a cool basement what do you do with your gear to protect it? :smack:

 

[seafoamer]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

I honestly think u'r fine. Rapid change in temperature, & lack of humidity are the common enemies. Having a hot house, I don't think is gonna do anything.

I used to own some frightingly expensive archtops and in the winter when bringing a gtr in from the outside, I would keep it in it's case and not open it for a half hour, so the gtr gradually warmed up.

 

[FretFire]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

I agree with foamy, plus don't forget that most people LIKE it when nitro gets a bit of checking on it . I think they'll be just fine as long as the temperature changes aren't quick and drastic. I'd be more worried about humidity levels than temp. anyways.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

I agree with foamy, plus don't forget that most people LIKE it when nitro gets a bit of checking on it . I think they'll be just fine as long as the temperature changes aren't quick and drastic. I'd be more worried about humidity levels than temp. anyways.

That checkering remark aint funny man....! :yell: :evil: Well, so maybe it is ... a little... :lmao: Don't jinx me.... :smack:

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

I agree with foamy, plus don't forget that most people LIKE it when nitro gets a bit of checking on it . I think they'll be just fine as long as the temperature changes aren't quick and drastic. I'd be more worried about humidity levels than temp. anyways.

How can I tell if its to humid for my guitars though?

 

[seafoamer]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

Get a hygrometer to measure humidity. Around 45% - 65% humidity is what u want.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

Well, I for one DONT dig the checquering. My LP has it very very slightly, and I don't dig it.

Guitarguy, you can always drive over to my place and store your stuff here in my air conditioned house :laugh2: .

And, yes, it got hotter than the bejesus today. One day it's 60 and rainy, the next it's 95. Damn mountain!

-Matt

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

Get a hygrometer to measure humidity. Around 45% - 65% humidity is what u want.

Thanks buddy I'll have to look into that.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

definitely hot here today in portland.


but, I leave my les pauls in my music room, where it often gets pretty warm at times. I think a lack of humidity can do more harm and a sudden change in temp really harms.

you're probably okay today.

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

definitely hot here today in portland.

Huh? You in town, bro?

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

I didn't know that lack of humidity does harm . . . it gets really dry here in Canada during the cold winter! What does the lack of humidity do?

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

For most of the U.S. temperature shouldn't be an issue with msot guitars.

The big danger is with a rapid change in temperature. A good example of this is going from being in the trunk of a car in mid-Janury when it's well below freezing and then into a house that's warm to hot. Leaving the guitars in the case in the house will help them adjust. But the rapid change in temperature will cause checking; it's the basic concept of contraction and expansion of the materials in the instrument.

As guitar do get older and the finish becomes more brittle it's more of an issue.

Living in New England I've only seen one guitar that checked and was here for all of its life; it was a 50's Les Paul that lived in an attic for a decade or two. It took close to 40 years for it to happen.

Humidity can play hell with guitars as well, but not so much that I would consider them to be in danger. Mostly a good snap of humidity will necessitate a set-up to accomodate for the changes with the wood swelling.

Acoustics...eh...sure. I'd tend to want to take care of them a little more when it came to humidity. But most of that is due to so much wood on the inside of the body being bare.

I'm not saying folks shouldn't be careful. But I think alot of the precautions that folks advise fall into a category that's about as neccesry as Avalanche Beepers in New England.

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Temperature concerns and protecting my guitars......

i dont know, i think i topped you guys in heat and humidity down here in miami!

Had a lengthy outdoor jam today and i thought my strat was going to melt between my fingers!