Freezing Temperatures in Minnesota

[serge2antonio]

Hello guys,

 

It is the 1st of December, and here in Minnesota it was 2 degrees last night after I was done with my gig, (-16 Celcius). I bought a Gibson 339 (2014) from Wildwood. It is black and has a cool Satin Finish.

 

Every time I take my guitar from the house to the car, or from the gig to the car it gets very cold. I try to minimize this by heating up the car, but sometimes I have to ride in a car that has no heating (my bandmates). How bad is this for the instrument? Should I prevent this at all cost? (It is a short ride usually on Sundays).

 

I've been using a humidifier inside the house and it is a comfortable environment. I haven't bought a humidity gauge but what would you recommend?

 

I am going back home to Guatemala in March, and I am worried about taking my guitar there because it is very humid. What should I expect? I want to prevent the neck from twisting. Also, the same goes for my Deluxe Reverb.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thank you

[SteveFord]

Don't open up the case until it warms up to room temperature is about all I can recommend. I think I'd let the amp cool down before transport to keep condensation from being an issue.

 

 

 

 

 

[Drog]

let the guitar come up to room temp before you open the case. I would also use a humidifier in the case when its indoors and stored away. If you take the guitar home with you, you made need a dehumidifier on warm days. Guitars are best around 45% humidity. Severe weather , cold can bring on nitro cracking much sooner as well.

 

The amp,should be fine, just let it warm up to room temp before using and let it cool before taking it outside.

[milod]

Yup.

 

Actually -2F ain't all that cold. I remember one New Year's rock gig when I was a kid when it wasn't really all that cold yet, but still was -30F (-34C). I think the fact that we were sweaty as all get out didn't help us feel comfortable, but other than that, no damage to the instruments cased and even in a trailer 'stedda the car which was kinda typical in the '60s and before.

 

"Tempering" the temperature change by getting there early does help. I even mostly opened the case a crack while doing the rest of the setup for a gig - it could depend a bit on the degree of insulating ability of the hard case.

 

You still might get some "spiderweb" on the finish through various temps. Heck, it could get that spiderweb regardless if it gets all that chilly. At least that was the way things happened in the '60s and '70s when I was traveling to gigs in the winter.

 

I also hauled a DR amp to gigs summer and winter... let it warm up a bit by getting early to a gig in winter before turning it on, then hitting the standby switch as it warmed up a bit, and tried to shade it in summer. I think temperature isn't the main thing on the amp, but rapid change of temperature might be. So as said above, let it cool before taking it to the cold environment.

 

It's a lot chillier in most places in Minnesota than Central America, for sure.

 

I don't see a real problem with the guitar back home. But it may want a little time to stabilize with the low altitude, warm weather and high humidity. Each guitar's an individual, though. I'm guessing you'll need some setups as it stabilizes.

 

m

[skilsaw]

Don't open up the case until it warms up to room temperature is about all I can recommend. I think I'd let the amp cool down before transport to keep condensation from being an issue.

 

Warm air holds more moisture than cold air so bringing a cold amp into the house will get condensation on it until it has warmed up to room temperature. Think of it like a window being the barrier between the warm inside air and the cold outside air. The moisture in the warm inside air condenses on the cold window. If the inside surface of the window goes below freezing, frost will form on the window.

Confused enough?

Another example - A cold beer in the fridge has no condensation on it. Bring it out and sit it on the counter and condensation forms on the cold beer can.

[milod]

Skilsaw's point is valid.

 

m