Humidity, Hardcase or Stand?

[math2014]

Right,

 

In a previous thread i ve opened i was talking about what stands etc.

 

I ve talked with a few people that told me to keep the guitar OUT of the case if kids are not an issue, because a guitar is meant to breath (woodwise) and that a hardcase would trap more humidity than a stand in open room air. Also they further went to say that the guitar will be more affected by temperature and humidity changes in and out of the case (closed in a case all day and then out for 1hr or so).

 

What do you think about this?

 

Thanks

 

Yannis

 

PS. Quiet house, kids no issue, typical English climate.

[jonny guitar]

This is a quote from respected luthier Dan Erlewine on the Les Paul forum

. . . Zak: The most important thing is to have a relative humidity in the 40% to 50% range year-round. You don't need to go "crazy" over this. Then, you want to keep an eye on guitars "not played" for long periods of time. (Take them to you best local tech once a year at least for a checkup, or read all the many setup&repair books on the market and learn to do it yourself. My best advice (and the way I treat my guitars - I must have 7-10 electric guitars, but I don't count them - is to keep them out where I can grab them as I walk by and play them a little bit everyday. I cannot do this with 7 or 10, therefore I rotate which guitars I "keep out." My version of the BEST "keeping out" is to simply lay the guitar on an upholstered chair or couch - in almost a "thrown-down" position with the neck gently supported but not being stressed. I also stand guitars upright and gently lean the peghead into a corner. There is a Strat in my living room right now that way. The advantage of keeping the guitars "out," and visible is that they need the same moisture and comfort that you do. Any climate that cracks your skin and gives you a bloody nose in the winter is not good for your geetar either. I also take my guitars outdoors when spring comes, gradually - day by day - and give them a little fresh air and even sunshine. take care! dan

 

[rockfan]

Dan's advice is news to me. I think what he's doing to his guitars is subjective. He treats them like kids or pets.

The only thing that effects the guitar if its in a hardcase is if you bring it in from the cold and open the case in a warm home, or vice versa.
The purpose of the hardcase is to protect it from the environment. I've have guitars that are over 10 years old and have been in their case all that time when not in use, and I don't have kids. They play just as good as day one. Never had a humidity issue.
Try not to trivialize everything about a guitar. As long as you play it, clean it, store it when necessary, not expose it to extreme temperatures, the guitar will be fine.

[GuitarRules]

I would agree...I think the single biggest factor that effects a guitar is not subjecting it to temperature extremes. My elitist and my C-1 Plus are cased 100 percent of the time. I play the elitist every day and the Schecter about once a week. Zero problems here.

[jonny guitar]

Originally posted by GuitarRules I would agree...I think the single biggest factor that effects a guitar is not subjecting it to temperature extremes. My elitist and my C-1 Plus are cased 100 percent of the time. I play the elitist every day and the Schecter about once a week. Zero problems here.

 

 

I have done both case and stand with my guitars and the only problem I had was some fret sprout on one of my guitars when it was cased. I think the thing about guitars is not to ignore them for long periods of time without checking on them...ie. if you open your case and strum the guitar and it is 1 step high in the tuning do to humidity change you need to retune it so the extra tension doesn't harm the guitar over time.

[Sparkytfl]

My classical is the only guitar I keep in a case, and the only one that grows mold on the frets. Mostly in the edges. This may be related to it being in a case, or it could be something else.

[MrSteed]

I stopped playing for a while -- about 5 years or so. I had my L5S and Super 400 cased the entire time. When I took them out both had a lot of metal corrosion. The 400 Pickguard was totally warped and the pickguard bracket was totaly rusted through. Had to have some work done on it and new guard and bracket.

I'd say they were both kept at a very constant temp. It's also pretty dry here, but some humidity must have crept in.

These are both 30+ year old guitars. The finish on them remained excellent. Aboslutely no quilting on cracking.

Now that I'm playing again, I leave them out on a stand.

I think if you're going to keep them in a case, you should maybe get something like silica packets to put in the case to absorb moisture.

[jonny guitar]

Originally posted by MrSteed I think if you're going to keep them in a case, you should maybe get something like silica packets to put in the case to absorb moisture.

 

 

That would lead to way more problems than rusted parts....ie splits in wood, warpage, finish problems and more.

[math2014]

hmm lots of mixed opinions on case vs stand.

I want to avoid wood damage (warpage cracking etc.) and rust.

[fishfartz]

this house is the driest ive lived in (northwestern alabama), and ive lived in florida at the ocean, maryland/DC/, tulsa, w. va, etc.


anyway - its about the same as it was for me in those humid areas i lived - either way about once maybe twice a year my "touchy" guitars need slight truss adjustment. i notice it when it warms up in spring and cools down in the fall. i usually notice and do this whether its my guitars in a case or the ones that always stay on a stand.

i suppose if i took a certain guitar places often id like to keep it in the case so it can be accustomed to often changes in climate/humidity - but for the ones inside i just keep em' on the stand

[xupernaut]

dont obsess about these things so much just play yer guitar wherever you keep it just make sure its not too dry like were i live in winter it gets real dry inside and i run a humidifier too dry is much worse then too humid. i dont think it matters where you keep it in or out of the case as long as you wipe it down now and then and do reg maintenance.

[ExtraGum]

Originally posted by rockfan The only thing that effects the guitar if its in a hardcase is if you bring it in from the cold and open the case in a warm home, or vice versa.

 

 

I can tell you from experience that this is simply not true--in particular, you can get rusted parts because humidity gets trapped in the case.

 

One way or the other, a guitar case is not sealed off from the outside environment, and changes in humidity, etc. will affect your guitar, even if it is in a case.

[GAS Man]

Originally posted by math2014 I ve talked with a few people that told me to keep the guitar OUT of the case if kids are not an issue, because a guitar is meant to breath (woodwise) and that a hardcase would trap more humidity than a stand in open room air. Also they further went to say that the guitar will be more affected by temperature and humidity changes in and out of the case (closed in a case all day and then out for 1hr or so). What do you think about this? Thanks Yannis PS. Quiet house, kids no issue, typical English climate.

 

 

A case is good for homeostasis. Keeping things the same.

 

Your house can go from fairly humid and cool to 75 and very dry if someone comes home and cranks on the heat. A case will protect your guitar from the rapid temp and humidity fluctuations.

 

And if you had the guitar in a case in an area where is was 65 degrees and you know want to bring it out in an era where the heat is kicked on and it's 74, then just pop the case open a hair and leave the guitar in there for about thirty minutes so it can adjust to the change and temp and humidity. Then pull it out and play.

 

Cases are a good idea for valuable acoustics. My personal opinion is that most solid bodies can take these temp and humidity changes much better.

 

But lets say you have your Gihbson SG out in your car and it's been 34 degrees and rainy all day, and then you are going to bring it in from the cold into a warm dry club to play. Then you should do the same thing. Leave it in its case until it warms up a bit, then crack the case open a bit, and then finally remove the guitar.

 

I don't see any reason why someone would think that a case "trapping" humidity would be a problem unless you had had the case open in an extremely humid environment.

 

P.S. For the most part I like leaving my electrics in stands and close by so when the urge strikes to play, it's just reach over and go! Guitars are meant to be played. I view cases as good for storage.

 

However, the dust that gets in the potentiometers from sitting out on stands is a little bit annoying. (scratchy sounds)

[math2014]

So i guess majority says stand?

[cybersecretary]

I am temporally staying at a friends house.
yesterday i took out one of my elects to play. It had been 3 weeks.
it was under my son's bed in a case... downstairs where it is damp. (not a basement, just a damp house)

It was damp. like condensation! The case felt damp on the inside..
I freaked and took all the guitars upstairs where it is drier. and opened and tuned them all.
all were really sharp.
usually they are in tune or a half step low.
we have had no rain. regular temp and humidity.
I moved my bed upstairs 3 weeks ago because i was having an allergic reaction from the musty and damp moldy smell in that part of the house.
moved my son upstairs now too.

can't believe that the axes actually felt cold and damp. thought they would be safe in the cases.

[angus_old]

whenever I've bought a new guitar with case it's come with a packet of that 'do not eat' humidity absorbing stuff. I leave it in there with the guitars

[walfordr]

Originally posted by ExtraGum I can tell you from experience that this is simply not true--in particular, you can get rusted parts because humidity gets trapped in the case. One way or the other, a guitar case is not sealed off from the outside environment, and changes in humidity, etc. will affect your guitar, even if it is in a case.

 

 

+1

 

It makes no difference at all! Keep it on the stand if you're not going to knock into it by mistake otherwise keep it in the case.