Guitar Storage

[jonsick]

So, I need to put my guitars into storage for a couple of months. Most have hard cases.

The storage unit itself is plenty dry enough, but it is unheated so may be cold.

Should I do anything to help prevent the guitars from suffering any damage? I haven't really got an option but to storage them. I was thinking if I should put in some packets of silica but wondering if that would just be unnaturally too dry for them.

 

[Humbuck]

Keep them up off the floor and put an old sheet over everything to keep heavy dust off the cases. Silica packets are be a good idea...it won't hurt the guitars at all.

 

[Ram150023]

Wrong area to post this question...

But yes it can be TOO dry for a guitar. Have to find a happy medium. And in a cold environment still affects the wood... If you can... Try to find a heated, dry place. No need for the silica packets at that point. But they wont hurt

 

[Humbuck]

Cold will do nothing to the wood or the guitars.

 

[odibrom]

I'd take the strings off and loose the truss rod on all guitars.

 

[Ram150023]

Cold will do nothing to the wood or the guitars.

So your saying leaving your guitar in your car in the dead of winter wont affect it?

Sorry... I respectfully disagree. I did that once. Completely fvcked the neck. Yet it was very dry and in its case in my car. Just the cold.

If i ever have to take any one of my guitars out of the house, the car is either warm / cold, per winter / summer... Just my experience and

 

[Humbuck]

It's because you brought it into a warm room and the quick temp change "completely fvcked the neck". You can't do that or a few things could happen to the guitars. Bring them up to temperature slowly and generally nothing will happen that won't just require adjusting.

What was wrong with the neck that didn't just ultimately require an adjustment?

The silica packets will help if the weather or the inside of the facility gets exceptionally damp. They will not dry out anything on the guitar...that's preposterous.

There's no reason to take the strings off and loosen the truss rod for storage.

 

[bostjan]

Things to avoid:

1. Changes in mechanical stress. Many would say taking the strings off or whatever helps this, but, think of a guitar in its normal intended configuration - there is tension on the neck. The neck tension balances the string tension and all is well. If you change something here, there could be mechanical deformation of the neck as things move.
2. Changes in temperature. Hot or cold itself can damage the guitar, but far more dangerous is rapid change of temperature. As the temperature changes, some materials expand or contract. The crucial point is that they change size at different rates. For example, the wood expands more quickly than the finish, so a common effect of thermal shock is that the finish will crack.
3. Humidity and changes in humidity. Wood will also expand and contract with changes in humidity. If the wood is too damp or too dry, it can be damaged; however, rapid changed in RH can have the same effect as rapid changes in temperature, in that the wood may change size, whilst the metal and plastic components of the guitar do not, realizing as a mechanical strain on any interfaces.

 

[odibrom]

Things to avoid:

1. Changes in mechanical stress. Many would say taking the strings off or whatever helps this, but, think of a guitar in its normal intended configuration - there is tension on the neck. The neck tension balances the string tension and all is well. If you change something here, there could be mechanical deformation of the neck as things move.
2. Changes in temperature. Hot or cold itself can damage the guitar, but far more dangerous is rapid change of temperature. As the temperature changes, some materials expand or contract. The crucial point is that they change size at different rates. For example, the wood expands more quickly than the finish, so a common effect of thermal shock is that the finish will crack.
3. Humidity and changes in humidity. Wood will also expand and contract with changes in humidity. If the wood is too damp or too dry, it can be damaged; however, rapid changed in RH can have the same effect as rapid changes in temperature, in that the wood may change size, whilst the metal and plastic components of the guitar do not, realizing as a mechanical strain on any interfaces.

All true, as far as for removing the strings and loosening the truss rod, the point is to let the wood adapt itself freely and unrestricted by the tension. With the truss rod loose there won't be any tension inside to be balanced by the strings pull, so... free to move, and it won't be much I guess.

However, I have no experience on caging my guitars for long periods of time in extreme cold situations... one should do as think is best.

Would oiling the unprotected woods help?

 

[bostjan]

So...my point early was that if you take the strings off and loosen the truss rod, everything will start to move, for sure. Storing it in a cold place, it will likely move, but, ideally move very little and move back if gradually warmed up. Without any control force, you have no idea what will happen, and that's a good way to warp the neck.

 

[odibrom]

I'll take your experience on that, glad we all change thoughts peacefully.

 

[jonsick]

Hi all

Just an update. I ended up moving all my main gear to storage a couple of days ago. The room isn't blisteringly cold, but not ideal. And I think I was lucky. The security cameras at my current place picked up somebody trying to break in during the early hours of yesterday morning. While they didn't get in, it looks like my concerns were correct.

 

[Mangle]

Did wherever you stored your gear offer insurance?