How to Properly Store Guitars
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- Опубліковано 21 чер 2011
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Andrew Wasson of Creative Guitar Studio answers questions from off of his Guitar Blog website...
Q). How does one go about properly storing guitars?
Tom - Birmingham UK.
A). Music Instruments like to be in pretty much the exact same environment as we do! So, just like we wouldn't want to be living in someplace terribly hot, or very cold, or extremely damp -- neither would an instrument. So, when you store your instrument store it someplace with average (45 -- 55%) humidity level, & at a Temp. around F 70 -- 75o. or,
24 o Celsius. When it comes to humidity, if your home is extremely dry, then a humidifier would be a good investment, and vise-versa if it is very damp, then a de-humidifier is good. And, be very careful with using humidifiers or de-humidifiers inside your guitar case. Because if the guitar is in the case the humidity level is still subject to the room overall. In general though, I would suggest storing the guitar in the case, if it is in a display cabinet or on the wall, be careful of daylight. The sun can bleach or even warp the guitar, so a room without windows would be ideal. And, finally, be sure to slack off the strings if you're storing the guitar for extended periods.
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Not to mention that you should always, ALWAYS clean the strings after using the guitar. Any kind of tissue will do. You need to remove the fat and sweat of your fingers, as it helps the guitar strings to get rusty faster. Also, washing you hands BEFORE using the guitar is a great idea.
Great post as always Andrew!
@raultejedor,
Guitars are built to stress levels. For example; they are designed for a level of pressure from the headstock and if that pressure is exceeded, (approx. 80 lbs. for nylon string & 135 lbs. for steel), the neck or bridge could be damaged.
The idea that you'd need to change strings, "one at a time," to maintain neck pressure (?) is totally 100% false. Read Dan Erlewine's book The Guitar Player Repair Guide or just email him directly about this.
It doesn't matter how the case sits.
Great advice Andrew! Very helpful tips!
It's the strings i was concerned with. Great video over all. I appreciate you sharing this. Very helpful.
Sanding up in it's case? Vertical or horizontal? What if I only have a soft shell case? How should I store guitar necks for future projects? lying fretboard down? hanging?
But how about if you go to Gibson's website and they specify that a guitar is designed to spend it's entire life "in tune" and suggest the only time to detune a guitar is when shipping?...Would that be a source of "horrible advice"?........
BTW,I have a 1998 Gibson LP R9(15 years old)and have never detuned(except when changing strings) and neck to this day is dead straight,I've only had to slightly tweek the neck once it's entire life....
I understand de-tensioning the strings for storage is not good. The Truss rod compensates for the tension. If you detention the strings then the neck will remain over flat for a long period of time. It is best to have the neck sit in the position of which you play. Someone prove me wrong... please.
I store my strat out of the case and permanently plugged into a Soldano/4-12 cab, hanging up backwards with the strings resting on a felt pad by the saddle at 50% humidity. Doin’ it proper I think?
Thanks for the video, but it didn't answer my question. Can you please clarify few things...
1) Can the guitar be kept in a soft padded case stand up?
2) if it was a box which was lying flat on ground, should the guitar be just kept so the body and the head of the neck touch the ground level ? Or should the neck be given any support?
3) is it ok to keep an electric guitar hanging on a wall with a neck holder?
Thanks, hope you can clarify my doubts..
Andrew, Really like the new format with a single topic. It makes this channel easier to search as well. Great work. I did "Thumb Up" for this.
Thanks!
Thumbs up for the T-Elliot cab! :D
What's the difference between a guitar played with normal string tension and one not being played with the same tension in storage???
sits on a stand for months on end with full tension, what exactly is the difference the neck is designed to handle the tension
That's interesting actually, I always assumed it was good to de-tension your strings and truss rod, but you're right, it would normally be fully loaded
If you think about it you really shouldn't take off the tension. The truss rod is still adjusted to counter that tension so youll end up with a badly bowed neck wouldnt you?
Not true, leave the tension on the strings . The neck is more likely to warp with no tension
Why should you release the tension for long term storage if you don't release the tension during normal every day use?I mean,if the tension on the strings/neck might cause problems during long term storage,wouldn't it also cause problems during every day usage?
@RoathRipper What's wrong with rubbing a piece of cloth in your strings? It takes like, 10 secs. And about washing your hands, it's part of normal hygiene habits. I don't see any problem in wanting to save some money. Plus, OCD isn't diagnosed by a pshysician, but by a Psychologist.
very helpfull.
do I need a hard case to store my guitar or a soft?
So I cannot keep my house at 58 F degrees? That's too cold to store guitars?
I don't want to store my guitar D:
After a certain number of guitars, you don't have a choice.
Question for anyone....I am wanting to store my mandolin while I am at college...I will be releasing the tension on the strings, but my Mom had a question. Why would storing in cause more problems for the neck, when the tension is already on the strings even if you are playing it. What keeps the neck from breaking while being used, when it can break by being stored?
Hi Andrew. Check out James Taylor's vids on his UA-cam channel. He has a huge room set aside for his mammoth collection. Good ideas from that for storing a lot of guitars. Thanks. Bill
When guitar is in case will it bow the neck if laying flat down or is it better to set case on it's side?
MICHAEL DAVIS Get a hardshell case
Sanding up in it's case? Vertical or horizontal? I have 3 Fender Mustangs 1965, 1966, 1967 and would like to know how to store them in the hard cases please
He hasn't answered your question maybe he doesn't know
@RoathRipper EVERY 6 MONTHS?! I feel sorry for your poor guitars...
@RoathRipper well we like to keep strings clean. its much easier to play them and it sounds better.
washing hands: 30 seconds
wiping strings: 10 seconds
out of a 24 hour day. you're telling me less than a minute spent to keep strings clean is overkill? i can see keeping some dirt on the fretboard but keeping the strings filthy is just dumb, they rust quick and are hard to slide around on
Thats how Keith Richards wrote all those great songs: by keeping his guitars and string clean. Some say he learned that from Jimi.
washing hands: 30 seconds.
Dude...you were way ahead of the curve here in 2020.
@@rgwak hahaha
April 2018
also, keep them away from wall heaters
..
Why
Too late
I live near the sea, always 80% humidity or more... :(
what do you do if you have too much Humidity in the air for your acoustic guitar to handle?
+Mr.OrangeCat get a dehumidifier
Yay its Andrew...We share our name you know?
explain to me why leaving the strings at normal tension is not a good idea 'at all'.
Now I´m confused. I thought guitars were built taking into account the constant tension, so it was not good to release it all at any point, not even while changing strings (that´s why we change one tring at a time).
I was also hoping to hear about how to store the case itself with the guitar inside, in vertical or horizontal position? does it matter at all? I tought it did.
Congrats Andrew for your great effort posting these videos.
Bands have big storage units that hold about ( 5_10 guitars ). What are they called and how can i find one cheap ? Thanks
James Matusiak They call them Vaults, but they can be decently expensive.
There is no reason to loosen the strings, exept you go on a flight and the guitar is in the trunk and not the cabin.
24 degrees? Is that normal in the USA? Seriously? Normal room temperature is 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) in the UK.
I have a Martin and its new and believe me guitars dry out fast the first 5 years of the guitar has to be humidified very often. So much that you would think its too much but in a dry environment like where I live its necessary. Nomad MN305 HumiReader Hygrometer is a good tool for both reading humidity and hydrating the guitar inside a case. I wish I knew that from day one. My guitar is sitting in the shop having work done on it.
Leave incase if safe temp humid leave it as is. I stored one with advised loosen the strings a key I did this but causing hump on body/ neck bit but returned and hump went away. 50 humid 17 to 23 temp and leave them at tuning. Dont believe storing tuned down. It will affect neck in bad way but fender advice also to tune down! Joke when look down see new lump! No. Twisting neck? No idea. Dont slack tension. Unldss wrong temp. Norms guitars out of case tuned? Why. Truss rod trust!
Mr Bean's brother?
@MrLino its fucken overkill guys, think about it. Besides, me like a bit o filth on my axe just for aesthetic reasons. Filth gives a 'distressed' look like those custom relic editions which are apparently more expensive than brand new equivalents with no dings lol.
I just finished watching two extremely bad "advice videos" about how to store a guitar (Expert Village & eHow) and this video is the absolute BEST.
Very, very well done Andrew. You are one of the only guitar guru's online that I totally KNOW that I can trust 100%. Thank you for what you do.
EVERYONE please give this video "thumbs up" to help it beat out those terrible Expert Village & eHow videos giving such horrible advice.
I am going back to my room without windows.
@joesimmons90 wash hands? of course, thats a nobrainer, boys n girls - before picking up yo guitar wash the elephant dung from the hand and finger area. Then u may play. Ludicrous discussion.
pictures is worth 1k words
@MrLino ru serious bro? that's going too far. just buy new strings every 6months and see your physician about your borderline-OCD symptoms. Sorted!
and remember, guitars don't play themselves.
@shredguitarman430 Man...I stopped seeing eHow and EV videos since their "Rock Star Guitar Lessons : Play Guitar Like Stevie Ray Vaughan" (and it gets worse...There are more)
I think those are the worst videos ever made about playing guitar here on UA-cam
People seriously do not go there...