Guitars and weather

Canuck-Playa · #1 March 2nd, 2006

I was wondering what the effect of weatrher is on a guitar. I got a guitar I have to bring through town on a bus (cause i dont have my liscense) And i have heared that the weather can mess up you guitar.

I living in canada it is one onf the nicest days i have seen in ages and there is no wind. MY guitar is in a hardcase and will probally i will probally be waiting for the bus from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Is this too long?

allthumbs · #2 March 2nd, 2006

No worries. Humidity is the hardest on guitars and that has to be over a considerable amount of time. The absolute worst is living next to the sea. Salt air is brutal on guitars. The worst that will happen in your situation is that you might have to tweak the tuning before you play it.
Think about how popular guitars are in hot countries like Mexico and Spain. They seem to survive just fine in the heat.

Lcjones · #3 March 2nd, 2006

.... And as a side to allthumbs, who by the way is righteous ....

I live in South Central Kentucky where it's humidity he!!. Most of the time my boxes are out of the case and in the open. I have yet to have a problem. Temperatures fluctuate wildly and regularly and humidity during the warmer months is just plain stupid. My sinuses have more problems than my guitars.

A good guitar is built for extremes. On the other hand, a spring rain can make mush out of a $2000.00 axe.

les

Jean · #4 March 3rd, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by allthumbs

No worries. Humidity is the hardest on guitars and that has to be over a considerable amount of time. The absolute worst is living next to the sea. Salt air is brutal on guitars. The worst that will happen in your situation is that you might have to tweak the tuning before you play it.
Think about how popular guitars are in hot countries like Mexico and Spain. They seem to survive just fine in the heat.

Yikes!!

The sea is practically next door to me!!!
Oh well now I won't play in the dingy anymore

Thanks allthumbs...

Ultimate Garage Band · #5 March 3rd, 2006

Humidity, or a total lack of it, can literally destroy a guitar. I knew of a guy that left his guitar out of the case and within a few feet of a radiator/heater and the dryness of air sucked all the moisture out of the guitar and the top cracked in two.

That happened OVERNIGHT. Too much mositure in the air and you're guitar will sound mushy and dull.

Temperature wise, the worst thing you can do is take an extremly cold guitar, say below 40 degrees or so, and then expose it to a warm/hot room. Ever see what happens to people that wear glasses when they come in from the cold? Their glasses get all fogged up with condensation as they are very much colder than the surrounding air. The same will happen with a guitar, so that's the same as taking a fine mist spraying atomizer and spraying your guitar, inside and out, with water. Who'd do that?

6string · #6 March 3rd, 2006

The Godin Guitar company, who also make Seagull guitars,
make TRIC guitars cases which they say resist the sudden change in temperature

as UGB said its not the temperature change as opposed to the the sudden drastic temperature change that causes the problems

http://www.seagullguitars.com/fortepp.htm

Canuck-Playa · #7 March 3rd, 2006

Y I am in canada so I am worried about taking a guitar on and off buses across Ottawa

I will just find a ride from a freind rather than risking a 35 year old guitar. I would have a crapy weekend if the guitar broke over tempurture!

Ledhead V-2 · #8 March 6th, 2006

Seeing as how I live in Florida, I was a little concerned myself on what effect humidity would have on guitars -- especially those left out on a stand, for example. From what I've read here, it looks as though I should be alright -- though as added insurance I just may keep the living room a tad cooler than the rest of the house as that's where my guitar sits.

Led

justpickin · #9 March 6th, 2006

I agree with "UGB".....don't forget about lack of humidity.....here in the Northeast, we have some cold winters.....the heat is blasting, dries the air out.....next thing you know that pretty acoustic suddenly has a split somewhere.....store it in a neutral room, not to much heat, not too much cold......if you got a humidifier in the house even better.