Winter Guitar Care
Hi, everyone. As we head into winter we should be thinking about protecting the investment in our guitars. Especially the acoustic guitars. The two areas we have to watch out for is extremes in temperature and humidity.
Guitars are usually manufactured in controlled environments with temperatures around 70 degrees F and 40 to 55% humidity. An acoustic guitar is made of several types of wood, some plastic, some metal, some glue and organic materials and a thin layer of finish. The inside of the guitar is bare wood. When the guitar is exposed to very cold and then gets very warm, these various elements will expand at different rates. This expansion will probably cause at least some changes in the way your guitar plays, maybe even some slight buzzing. However, at the extremes, it can cause cracks and warping.
For example, it's below freezing, you have your guitar in the back seat of the car. You run in the store for a few minutes but it turns into a lot longer. You finish and go to your destination that has had the furnace on for a long time and the air is dry and warm. Your guitar case is cold to the touch. DO NOT OPEN IT! Wait until it warms up, about an hour or so. Then, if the case was very cold, crack the case a little and let it set longer. This extreme cold to hot can cause what is known as "checking", little hairline cracks in the finish. They don't effect the sound or playability, but they look bad and moisture can work it's way in to the wood. Over time it could ruin the finish.
Low humidity is also another problem for our guitars. Try to keep it at about 40 to 50 % in the area you store your guitar. That can be very difficult, especially in older houses. So, you can get a guitar humidifier that will help. In the bad old days (60's and 70's) I'd put a section of raw potato in the pocket of the case. What a pain and mess! You don't have to do that. There are several humidifiers made for guitar. Planet Wave makes one of the best that I really like. You can get it at most music stores and definitely at Guitar Center (see my buddy Stan).
Here are a few things to remember.
1. Keep your guitar in the case as much as possible.
2. Try to keep your guitar in a coold place (42-50F) for an hour before your go outside.
3. When transporting, warm up the car if possible before putting the guitar in.
4. Try to keep your guitar out of the trunk.
5. Let your guitar warm up in the case if it gets cold.
6. Don't let the guitar get too dry (low humidity).
7. If you use a guitar humidifier, check it often and don't let water spill inside the guitar.
8. Don't store your guitar over or near a heat vent or cold air return.
Bottom line, concern and care for your instrument is an ongoing thing. While the above is aimed at acoustics, electrics should be cared for much in the same way. The manufacturers don't cover cracks due to environments they can't control. And I can't warrant any of the above, also. This information has largely been gleand from my own experiences and observations and from the Internet. If you need more information, you are welcome to ask me and you can contact the manufacturer