Storing guitars.

[Multiversal]

I'll be heading home on Christmas break soon and am wondering what I should do to store my guitars for the 3 and a half weeks I'll be away from them?

I usually have my humidifier running, but that has to be refilled.. and I won't be here.

Should I keep 'em in the case? Keep 'em out on stands?

I appreciate your replies.

 

[GuitarHack]

Everything I've heard (and experienced) says in the case is better. It slows climate transitions.

 

[greenwizard]

I'm leaving mine in its case. Don't put it close to a heater or to the windows. If you still have the desiccant pack then leave it in.

 

[Multiversal]

I guess I'll throw them all in the case and in the closet away from the heater. Thanks for your replies.

 

[Sweat]

Definetly keep them in the case and away from drafts, heaters etc. store where the climate will not change much, mine stay in the case except for the one I am playing at the moment.

 

[GuitarHack]

Multi, I've also heard not to lean them up against an outside wall, which will get colder then the room...FWIW.

 

[Multiversal]

Ahh! That makes sense, GuitarHack!

Thanks guys for your advice. I'm only taking one home. My twin gave me his Fender Scorpion strat as a gift a few years back and I used it as my main guitar for a long time because I stopped using trems, but now that I've brought my floyded guitars back out and am getting new BALLS I figured it's time to bring it back and give it to him as a Christmas present.. mojo intact.

I'm thinking about getting an AXIS as my next guitar. It would look nice next to my JP6!

 

[Astrofreq]

I guess I'll throw them all in the case and in the closet away from the heater. Thanks for your replies.

That's really about the best you can do. You can send them to me and I'll watch 'em.

 

[MusicManJP6]

yeah, in the case is the safest place for them. Although, a friend of mine leaves his PRS out ALL the time without any ill effects. He had to get a setup a while back coz it had gone out of whack real bad. I think he had left it in his car overnight a few times from partying too hard. Now THAT was stupid. I almost smacked him in the mouth for that one...

 

[DrBob]

I'm leaving mine in its case. Don't put it close to a heater or to the windows. If you still have the desiccant pack then leave it in.

The bit that confuses me is that moisture for a solidbody electric is generally perceived as being a bad thing and yet conversely for an acoustic, keeping the moisture levels up is actively encouraged.

I've seen these things you can buy that look like a big tube of acrylic paint but it's actually a sponge that you add water to and put in the case with your acoustic.

Is it because of all of the exposed unfinished wood on the inside of the sound box ?

A bit of a cautionary note about dessicant packs. They do only have a finite capacity for absorbing moisture so if yours is a little old or perhaps you've been in a humid area for some time you might want to look at sourcing some new dessicant.