Is humidity still a problem when the guitar is in a case?

[Hairy Dave]

I need to bring my guitar into the office tomorrow and I'm a bit concerned about heat/humidity. My house has a pretty even temp all year round (oil heating but no AC required here) so I've never really taken humidity into consideration. My office however is another story altogether - It's like a furnace in here!

 

The guitar won't be sitting near the heaters but the room temp is ridiculous. Most humans would open a window or ten but that isn't an option either. Apparently most of my colleagues have ice flowing through their veins and think the heat is 'just nice'.

 

Is humidity still a factor if the guitar is not taken out of the case? I'll only be there for 8 hours or so, so I'm not worried about long term damage - just curious.

[BigKahune]

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How hot can it be? . 80º?

 

I wouldn't worry. As long as it isn't by the heat source.

 

Leaving work, the case and guitar will cool down slowly during travel time.

 

 

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[Aster1]

Hi Dave,

 

I know it's a controversy here often but I'm just a really cautious guy when it comes to my guitars. I believe in the warmup cool off slow mindset esp. if the finish is Nitro or Conversion Varnish (like on Ric's). Seen bad stuff happen like chicken tracks form when a cold git was opened up in a room temp room (68 degrees).

 

Are you just meaning to take the guitar in each day and play is some there or leave it there? If it is changing between work & home for example, then I use the prop the case lid open a bit for 1/2 hr prior to removing the guitar. On the humidity part. With all the heat at work is the humidity really low? If you are just playing for a bit during the day, and you have it temp "climatized" already, I don't think a playing time out in the humid or dry for none extending times is going to hurt you any. More the quick temp change cracking or crazing the finer finishes. Poly isn't as much an issue but I don't chance them even.

 

If you are leaving it at the office even in the case and it's dry you need to keep the long term humidity up to the recommended 45-50% IMHO.

 

Hope that helps. If it's a cheap guitar, then so what. If it's bigger bucks, and you love the finish, it may matter more to you. It does to me so I play it safe.

 

Aster

[kidblast]

The effects of humidity, or the lack thereof are things that over time will cause problems. 8 hours or so, would not/should not make a bit of difference.

 

Be on the safe side, keep it in the case, when you reach your destination, let it sit and acclimate in the case for a bit if possible.

 

if that is not possible, at least give it 15/20 minutes, open the case, fan some room air in by partially opening and closing a few times, close case, wait a few, repeat a few times, then for the last few minutes, just leave the case a jar a bit. this should allow it to slowly come to room temp

 

U should be fine man, really.

[RusRob]

I would agree with the other comments. Wood takes in and releases humidity rather slowly so a few hours will not make a big difference in the wood. However extreme temperature changes will kill a nitro finish and can crack the wood. I mean extreme temps like 30 outside temps and bring it into a 70 degree house. Also the guitar itself would have to drop and rise to those temps and not just walking in from your heated car. That is one of the importance of a good case with a nice lining. The wood and lining of a good case act as an insulator keeping the temp of the guitar stable. A inexpensive chipboard case with felt is no better than just carrying your guitar around other than protecting it from water and bumps.

[Hairy Dave]

Thanks for the responses guys. Didn't bring the guitar in today (not because I was worried lol - just because I didn't need to in the end).

 

At the minute the ambient temp in my office is 81º - that's with two windows open (because my colleagues are out ) and I have a desk fan running. I'll take a reading soon when everyone is in and the windows are closed.

 

I'm not planning on taking the guitar (J45 Custom) out of the case while I'm in the office. Just worried that the excessive heat could still damage the finish even if it's still in the case.

[mountainpicker]

I'm pretty sure that for the short amount of time you are talking about and the fact that you plan on leaving it in the case that you will have no problems. I usually put a guitar in a gig bag when I'm leaving my place to go play with other people because it's easier to carry and since I live in a small town I usually walk or ride my bike. Two winters ago I put my J-50 in my gig bag and walked six blocks...it was 21 degrees below zero outside. When I got to my friends place I whipped it out and we started playing. No ill effects. I think it was JT here that showed pictures and told the story of a Banner J-45 that got carried through World War II, and is still going strong. Guitars tend to be a lot tougher than we think sometimes. People too.

[RSJumbo]

I would seriously worry more about your coworkers need to have it so warm. My 10 year old son told me zombies prefer a very warm environment.

[meanstreak]

Man I feel your pain, I lived in London for a few years and worked at a university. In the winter it would be absolutely scorching inside. I had to go to all the classrooms and offices on my floor and open all the windows just to be able to breathe!

[Hairy Dave]

Man I feel your pain, I lived in London for a few years and worked at a university. In the winter it would be absolutely scorching inside. I had to go to all the classrooms and offices on my floor and open all the windows just to be able to breathe!

 

Meanstreak, guess where I work? Yep, in a University lol. The temp is always at an extreme. When the students are here the heat is cranked to the max and when they're not we're left to freeze

 

Ah well, could be worse, I could be unemployed like so many out there. A lot to be thankful for.

[merseybeat1963]

You'd think that in a place of learning they would know better(Excessive heat settings in a world with prices as they are)

Being out of work and in a large house of 1874, we have the heat set at 59-60 fht full time..with an ele heater in bedroom(68-70 fht)..and the oven in kitchen.

Anyway..

A friend leaves his $3500 Taylor in the car everyday as he goes about to work.Only on the most extreme days does he bring it in to office.I see some finish cracks on the guitar.

Tom Scholtz(Boston) left his guitar out in the boot of his car on a freezing nite and the neck turned into a "Ski Jump".

Id never leave it in the car but it should be ok at work.