owens hound Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Hello all,I did a search and didn't come up with anything so here is my question:I'll be storing 2 - 3 acoustic guitars for at least 3 years in a storage facility and am wondering what is the best way to prepare the guitars?Do I take the strings off? What do I need to know about humidity?Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,Jason www.myspace.com/nobandatpresent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy P Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Definately leave the strings on. Is the storage facility climate controlled? I imagine if the guitar is packed securely in a decent case it should be ok. Be sure not to pack heavy objects on top of your guitars. Hopefully you will not have drastic temperature changes. If the room/vault is somewhat insulated from the outside environment the wood should fare well. Be sure it is not subject to any source of moisture or excessive heat or fire. www.birdblues.com My Stuff On Sound Click Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billster Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I would slacken the strings - keep them on, but not tuned to concert pitch, especially for an acoustic guitar. Originally posted by Pappy P: ... or excessive heat or fire. So a moderate amount of fire would be ok? Buy my CD on CD Baby! Bill Hartzell - the website MySpace?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy P Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Thanks Bill. I've been doing it wrong all this time. I had my steel string in my closet for two years with the string at concert pitch. That's probably how my neck got slightly (very slightly) warped. No fire, period. I was assuming you had steel string guitars. Bill would you recommend slack string for a nylon string/classical quitar as well. www.birdblues.com My Stuff On Sound Click Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billster Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Wood moves with the temperature and humidity. All things do, really, but wood more than steel. You need to let the wood move without the outside influence of string tension. Buy my CD on CD Baby! Bill Hartzell - the website MySpace?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owens hound Posted August 21, 2006 Author Share Posted August 21, 2006 Thanks for the replies Pappy and Billster. I may have a couple of options to where I'll be storing them. As I live in Ontario, Canada, we get temperature ranging from very hot (+39 Celsius) to very cold -39 Celsius). I was planning on putting them with the rest of my stuff in a 'you store it' place that is basically a row of attached garage sized units. The temperature ranges there will be extreme. From what you are saying I think I'll look for other options for storing them in less harsh, more controlled conditions.Good to know about leaving the strings on. They are all steel string acoustic guitars. www.myspace.com/nobandatpresent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steevo Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 It might not be practical in your case, but I wouldn't store them for any length of time in an environment where I wouldn't be comfortable myself. Especially acoustics. I vote for temp/humidity conrolled and detuned strings. My .02. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HedZeppelin Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Pappy P....That's Don Felder, right? The quote from "Victim of Love"? One of my faves. I'm a bigEagles fan... The Song Remains The Same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Originally posted by owen's hound: ...As I live in Ontario, Canada, we get temperature ranging from very hot (+39 Celsius) to very cold -39 Celsius). I was planning on putting them with the rest of my stuff in a 'you store it' place that is basically a row of attached garage sized units. The temperature ranges there will be extreme... Do NOT do that! Originally posted by Steevo: ...I wouldn't store them for any length of time in an environment where I wouldn't be comfortable myself. Especially acoustics. I vote for temp/humidity conrolled and detuned strings. My .02. S. Bingo! If you're comfortable your guitars will likely be as well so long as the humidity stays at or around 35% to 45%. I worked at Gibson Customer Support for 3 months and received a significant number of calls from people who had stored their instrument, long term, in the case only to open said case and find a cracked top due to lack of humidity. Extremes, of course, will do the most damage. Switching from one extreme to another will do the most damage in the shortest period of time. But other than those relatively unusual states, it's lack of humidity that will do damage to wood instruments, shrinking the wood until it cracks. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owens hound Posted August 23, 2006 Author Share Posted August 23, 2006 Great to know, thanks fantasticsound!! I'll find a more suitable place to store these guitars. www.myspace.com/nobandatpresent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Geezer Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I won't tell you about my Ramirez Classical that was stored too long...... Got relatives or friends that you trust? Lynn G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owens hound Posted August 23, 2006 Author Share Posted August 23, 2006 Hey Guitar Geezer, I can store them at my Mom's place if necessary and that seems to be my best option so far. That would be in a heated basement with a de-humidifier in the summer. I am interested in what happened to your classical guitar...Also, thanks for your thoughts as well Steevo. I forgot to mention that in my last post. Jason www.myspace.com/nobandatpresent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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