SCTX_Hacker Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 Okay so I have heard grumblings about not travelling with my J-45 because the changes in humidity can mess it up. I not only bought this guitar to play, but I also am not nearly good enough to warrant a "travel" guitar. I am not a professional, and I just want to play for enjoyment. So I am heading from the Gulf Coast of TX to the mountains Tennessee next week. Do I need to be concerned about taking my J-45? Travelling by car, but staying in a climate controlled cabin. Appreciate any input.
Buc McMaster Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 Howdy! The gulf coast of Texas is quite humid.....the mountains of Tennessee are cooler and drier......true. But I'm assuming you don't store the guitar and play outdoors in Texas and won't when you get up north either, so I wouldn't be overly concerned. You might notice some minor changes in the setup but nothing that will affect the instrument long term. I would advise against leaving the guitar locked up in the car when you make lengthy stops along the way (if you do).........car cabins heat up real fast under the sun. Have a safe trip!
L5Larry Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 ...Do I need to be concerned about taking my J-45? No problems, the guitar will be fine. Professional musicians and "pleasure players" travel with guitars everyday. Don't let what you read on the internet scare you out of enjoying your guitar,.... and enjoying your trip.
Pesh Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 Do I need to be concerned about taking my J-45? If you're still worried; there are plenty of tools available for you to track humidity levels and make sure your guitar remains in the optimum environment. Have a look at the D'Addario Planet Waves HumidiPak / Two-way Humidication system, which is a handy gizmo for maintaining the humidity in the case, and there is the HumidiTrak, which monitors it for you with bluetooth phone connectivity. A friend of mine who goes to the states with his guitar often uses this stuff, and he swears by it.
AnneS Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 And remember not to let bug spray anywhere near it. Or bears... 😋
OldCowboy Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 And remember not to let bug spray anywhere near it. Or bears... 😋 Yep. Bug spray eats the finish and bears will eat the instrument. In the 1970s a buddy of mine returned from backpacking/camping with a bear bit guitar!
dhanners623 Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 Yep. Bug spray eats the finish and bears will eat the instrument. In the 1970s a buddy of mine returned from backpacking/camping with a bear bit guitar! Bears will also eat the picker.... As long as you take decent care of your guitar, keep it in the case when not playing, keep an eye on humidity, etc., you'll be fine. They`re built to be played and they are often more robust than we think they are. More guitars get damaged by getting knocked over (when they should've been in the case) than by changes in humidity. And if you're traveling by air, remember that you CAN carry the guitar as carry-on. It'll either fit overhead, or you can ask a flight attendant if they can store it in the closet or wardrobe. Doesn't hurt to read up on your rights: https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-issues-final-rule-regarding-air-travel-musical
Boyd Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 I'm sure you will be fine if you just exercise a little common sense. But you can get much better protection if you purchase a more rugged case. Not so much of an issue travelling inside a car, but I wouldn't even consider air travel in the original case. See this recent discussion: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/131341-calton-case-for-j45-true-vintage/
jdd707 Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 Best wisdom I've heard: Think of your guitar as your baby and don't treat it differently that you would a child while traveling (good thing .... guitars never ask "are we there yet".Tennessee is a great place for pickers/strummers. Ask around about jams. For instance there is one every Friday night at the "Old Rock School" in or nearTownsend.
sbpark Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 What do you think professional, touring musicians do? It's a guitar, not a Faberge egg for Christ sake! Just keep it in it's case when your not playing it and yo'll be fine. Cracks me up how the internet has created this huge wealth of misinformation about humidity and guitars. Sure, super humid and damp climates can be harmful, if not detrimental, but for a short period of time there's absolutely nothing to worry about.
SCTX_Hacker Posted July 29, 2016 Author Posted July 29, 2016 What do you think professional, touring musicians do? It's a guitar, not a Faberge egg for Christ sake! Just keep it in it's case when your not playing it and yo'll be fine. Cracks me up how the internet has created this huge wealth of misinformation about humidity and guitars. Sure, super humid and damp climates can be harmful, if not detrimental, but for a short period of time there's absolutely nothing to worry about. Exactly what I was thinking.
OldCowboy Posted July 29, 2016 Posted July 29, 2016 Common sense, or a considerable amount thereof, appears to have diminished in a rather direct proportion to the rise of the web. Play your guitar in the rain, you'll have problems. Store it in the trunk of your car, you'll have problems. Let it dry too rapidly if your climate has dramatic humidity changes, you'll have problems. Forget to refill your case humidifier in the winter, you'll have problems. Jump up and down on it, you'll have problems. Don't use a case, you're asking for problems. Better the bear eats your guitar than eating you, so if you see one munching away on the thing - don't interrupt! I like bears, but tend to avoid their backyards when I'm - oh, you know - sleeping.
Hogeye Posted July 30, 2016 Posted July 30, 2016 Old Cowboy got it right. Don't ever put you guitar in the trunk of your car in the summer. The heat will kill it for sure. Humidity is important but heat will do more damage and much faster. Keep you guitar in a good case and keep it out of the sun. If you keep it in a black case and let the sun shine on the case you are in trouble even if your guitar is in the back seat. It's a total mystery why most guitar cases are black but they are and they are dangerous in the summer.
OldCowboy Posted July 30, 2016 Posted July 30, 2016 Old Cowboy got it right. Don't ever put you guitar in the trunk of your car in the summer. The heat will kill it for sure. Humidity is important but heat will do more damage and much faster. Keep you guitar in a good case and keep it out of the sun. If you keep it in a black case and let the sun shine on the case you are in trouble even if your guitar is in the back seat. It's a total mystery why most guitar cases are black but they are and they are dangerous in the summer. Lately, I've been pondering the black case issue a lot. White, or a close approximation, makes so much more sense when a guitar gets carried out. It seems almost worthwhile to invest in at least one white case for that purpose, even if it sits empty the rest of the time.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.