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Acclimatiizing a new guitar


uncle fester

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Hi All - I've seen a lot of comments and different theories on receiving a new guitar (having being shipped) and how to get it acclimatized to inside temp / humidity. From what I gather, it's not the best idea to bring it in from sub 30 deg F temps and just start jamming. Anybody have inputs or ideas how best to reintroduce a new guitar to warm temps?

 

Thanks all... (fantasizing future scenarios!)

 

Rgds - billroy

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Haha. I use a hair dryer and warm it up 10 times faster. Then I put on new heavy gauge strings and ramp it up to terz tuning. Now it's ready for some Pete Townsend windmill action.

 

Warning: This doesn't work on ukuleles.

 

Actually, I open the box in my cool basement and flip the case open to do a quick assessment of the condition. Then I sigh loudly and close the case, bring it upstairs and let it sit overnight. That should do it.

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Haha. I use a hair dryer and warm it up 10 times faster. Then I put on new heavy gauge strings and ramp it up to terz tuning. Now it's ready for some Pete Townsend windmill action.

 

Warning: This doesn't work on ukuleles.

 

Actually, I open the box in my cool basement and flip the case open to do a quick assessment of the condition. Then I sigh loudly and close the case, bring it upstairs and let it sit overnight. That should do it.

 

 

Don’t forget the sitting at a table tapping your fingers looking at the box.......

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

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Over night is definitely the safest way,

 

Everyone has a different theory.. But it is a waiting game..

 

give it a few hours (2/3) inside before you open the box.

 

open up one end of the box see how cold the case feels... fan some warmer into the box and close it again.

 

if after about 3 hours the case still feels cold, wait a bit more. fan in some warmer air every now and then.

 

once out of the box, let the case sit at room temp for another few hours.

 

Crack the lid, and see how cold the body feels. Still cold? close the case and stare at it for at least another hour or 2... by now you're heads about to explode right?

 

once the body feels like it's no longer cold, I'd say your good to go. minimum, this is about 5 / 6 hour ordeal at least.

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.

Wow. . That pretty much rules out gigging in cold weather/winter areas. . eusa_whistle.gif

 

I've received nitro guitars in the winter (Michigan) - sit it one (1) hour with case closed. Then sit it one (1) hour with case cracked, ready to go. Never had a problem.

 

OTOH if your anxiety prone, let it sit with case closed overnight. . B)

 

<> An acoustic guitar can take more than a day or two to adjust completely to the environment - temperature and humidity. But for preventing checking/cracking, a coupla hours as I mentioned will be fine.

 

 

.

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. . . and how old is the guitar? Despite hearsay which seeks to perpetuate the stereotype about old guitars being more fragile, old gits are more stable, and their finishes are mostly cured. Newish guitars are the ones to be more careful with. I had a four year old J-45 come in from the Brown Truck, directly into the cool basement (probably not as "cool" as JedZep's basement). After waiting two hours, the case was removed from the shipping box/material, yes, case cold to the touch, but on initial inspection, the nitro on the top had blushed, highlighting/exaggerating every minor scratch or ding. Back into the case overnight- the next morning, all was well.

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Lately I’ve been having UPS and FedEx holding the guitar for me to pick up. Not worried about being home and the guitar has already been setting around in a controlled enviorment all day long. Ready to go when I get home.

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Lately I’ve been having UPS and FedEx holding the guitar for me to pick up. Not worried about being home and the guitar has already been setting around in a controlled enviorment all day long. Ready to go when I get home.

Good idea, Dave. For UPS my incoming are held at the customer service center, in a cooler, somewhat temp controlled warehouse. The FedEx deliveries go to a FedEx Office location closer to home. Unfortunately, right off of the cold FedEx truck to the back of the "store", where the gals like to keep their area at around 80°F (~27°C).

 

Getting to the above-mentioned FedEx store before the local delivery truck arrived, I watched in horror as the driver pulled the guitar box out of the step van in a terrible snowstorm- in his rush to get inside, he grabbed the guitar box, and pulled it down the steps of the truck, bumping it on each step, set it upside down on the street, where the wind toppled the guitar over. Once the guitar box came inside (yes, I went outside to "greet" him), I was forced to open the guitar box/case to check for damage. Not good.

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Good idea, Dave. For UPS my incoming are held at the customer service center, in a cooler, somewhat temp controlled warehouse. The FedEx deliveries go to a FedEx Office location closer to home. Unfortunately, right off of the cold FedEx truck to the back of the "store", where the gals like to keep their area at around 80°F (~27°C).

 

Getting to the above-mentioned FedEx store before the local delivery truck arrived, I watched in horror as the driver pulled the guitar box out of the step van in a terrible snowstorm- in his rush to get inside, he grabbed the guitar box, and pulled it down the steps of the truck, bumping it on each step, set it upside down on the street, where the wind toppled the guitar over. Once the guitar box came inside (yes, I went outside to "greet" him), I was forced to open the guitar box/case to check for damage. Not good.

 

I've noticed FedEx beats up the boxes more than anyone. About a month ago I received a guitar direct from the factory. It took two days to get here. The box was all beat up. The guitar was okay.

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Thank you all. I'm about an hour west of Boston, so it very likely could be in the 20s (deg F)... but this time of year just as likely to be 10 degrees as 50. I like the idea of intercepting it at the Fed Ex warehouse - I'll investigate that. Otherwise - depending on how cold it is outside - I'll plan to bring it in either to a cooler room in the upstairs or the basement if it's really cold outside, then go step by step, opening an end of the box etc...but give it overnight in the case before taking out and going wild. It might be overcautious - but for my first go 'I want everything to be perfect ; )

 

Regardless - I will anticipate tapping my fingers, pacing, staring at the box, practicing the cr#p out of the 2 songs I want to play on it more than anything (not that there's not another 40 behind them, but you know) and happily agonize through the feeling of a kid the night before Christmas.

 

It was asked in the thread - it is a new guitar, (blasphemy, sorry, something truly vintage is next... and probably rhymes with ummingbird, but this is my learner and I heavily relied on the eyes and ears of the shop to help me select) but the point of the finishes not having the chance to cure on new guitars is well taken as well.

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I myself up in western Canada leave the guitar in the case closed in the box in a room temp setting for a minumum of 4 hours before opening..

 

any sooner may result in finish cracks were every where.. as well as wood cracks.. room temp is key..

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I'm about where you are in distance from Boston.

 

It's actually pleasant out there right now, but for sure it's been a cold day. Hard to know that spring is days away by looking at the landscape and thermometer!

 

Let us know how the adventure ends!

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I myself up in western Canada leave the guitar in the case closed in the box in a room temp setting for a minumum of 4 hours before opening..

 

any sooner may result in finish cracks were every where.. as well as wood cracks.. room temp is key..

 

I agree. I will wait overnight if the guitar is finished in nitro. It is a tough wait but worth it.

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It's actually pleasant out there right now, but for sure it's been a cold day.

 

 

The thermometer read 47 in the sun yesterday, but it sure didn't feel like it. It's down to 22 now. 2 weeks ago we were outside in shorts playing baseball... I truly love New England, but it better not mess with my guitar!

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The thermometer read 47 in the sun yesterday, but it sure didn't feel like it. It's down to 22 now. 2 weeks ago we were outside in shorts playing baseball... I truly love New England, but it better not mess with my guitar!

 

More snow coming over night tomorrow too..!! Awesome!!

 

When are you expecting this to be delivered? hopefully by Wednesday?...

 

Hang in there!!

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Mother Nature and Fed Ex are both playing with me. Mother Nature says I've got anywhere from 1 to 47 inches of snow to dump on you, and it's all coming - or maybe none of it.... and Fed Ex is just messing with me. Guitar was in NJ Monday, NY Tuesday, due in Boston Wed, Got a message wed AM it's back in NJ and looking to be delivered Thurs. tap tap tap...

 

On the upside - we've got 15 new chickens (just hatched w/in a few days)... too cold outside so they're in our dining room. They love when I play guitar (especially bass) puts them all to sleep... then they're easier to grab if you want to make nuggets ; )

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If the gods are smiling - today will be the day. Instead of delaying longer and taking time to acclimatize the guitar - I decide to go the other way and acclimatize myself. I've moved the family outside (it's cold, but we got some nice hats), and we're all planning the first concert this afternoon when it arrives... as long as no one passes on from exposure ; )

 

A little more serious - it should be delivered today, will judge the temp and time to warm it up from there.

 

Itch, scratch, tap, tap, tap... Again - thank you all for the input, and listening to my ramblings - billroy

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Well at least you wont go hungry with all them chicken nuggets hopping around.

 

Supposed to be in the mid 40s today round here today, you just may catch a break!

 

Good luck, let us know how the saga unfolds.

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The box is here, it's pretty mild out today (45 deg F), so I let it spend 2 hours in the box, now it's just in it's case warming next to the fire (just kidding... not next to the fire!) It is sitting in it's case, next to the chickens, it's calming. The gent from Western Canada said 4 hours was good for him - and with it being so warm out - that's what I'm going for. Next post should be a pic - hopefully not relic'd.

 

ps - Just starting my 3rd pot of coffee waiting for this thing. Never been into it before - but much more caffeine and I might hear some speed metal coming out of my fingers!

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