Storing acoustic guitars upright in case

[buddyw]

I always thought storing an acoustic Gibson flat in the case was the best way. I have been seeing acoustics being stored upright leaning back away from the handle.

This would save on floor space I have always stored them flat. I want to build a closet that would be pretty much in the middle of the house. Standing them up would save space. I doubt it would affect the humidity program.

[buddyw]

Not sure why I can sign in on my iPad but my laptop wont let me sign in fore the last 8 months. 

I sent an email asking for help signing in but got no response. Today I reset password again on iPad and can sign in but it wont sue the password on my laptop. 

I have photos on my laptop of my guitar storage and humification setup but cant send them on my laptop

[kelly campbell]

I have always been told upright is fine. I store mine upright plus they also store them that way in warehouses.

[uncle fester]

IMO there may be an optimal way of storing a guitar, i.e. storing upright in the case, flat in the case, hanging from the neck...  and I'm not sure which is best, but there's quite a few good enough ways and really you just need to hit one of those.  

If it's in a case in a place it wont get banged around, and humidity is managed - I'd say your all set.  I actually like to leave mine out in stands, the key to that is having quality stands that wont damage the finish or fall over and again are not in a place it will get bumped, and manage humidity in the overall room.

[j45nick]

I store all mine as you describe: in the case, with the case more or less upright. As you say, it's a practical way to store them, and it saves on floor space.

There is no downside to storing them this way that I'm aware of, and there are a number of rack designs available with this general configuration.

There wouldn't be room in my office/music room to store them flat, even if I built shelves.

[Murph]

Mine store on the wall at home.

However, if they are in a case you're fine. They flop all over the place when in transit gigging around. My '79 SG case looks like it went through a rockslide.

Actually......

[zombywoof]

Some of my cases are now worth more than the guitar in them.

Once you exceed the number of guitars you can store flat under a bed, lining them up against walls in a closet becomes the norm.  Benn doing it for over 50 years and have never lost a minute's sleep worrying about them. 

While I am not much for hanging guitars on walls, I do  keep those needing repair in an old road case which I initially acquired during one of my numerous moves. 

[BigKahune]

I would make sure the cases are protected from falling sideways, the bottom from slipping out hitting the headstock end on the floor, or tipping backwards hitting the headstock end on the floor. Yes, it happens, and these cased falls can cause damage including headstock breaks.

[slimt]

All mine are either upright or on shelves in the insulated  drywalled  basement . Up off the floor and away from out side walls.   

[buddyw]

Thanks I have built two sets of shelves I have flat black paint and black indoor outdoor carpeting for the guitars to sit on. But I think the wood not being sealed is robbing the guitar cases of humidity. Since I could store all my guitars in the same place as one of the shelve units I was going to build a rack to stand them up.  I might just still paint (seal) the wood and carpet the shelves since I am most the way through that process and I don’t need that space.

I have have went to the D”Addario humidification system and put them in three guitars on 10-23-2019. I took out a guitar Saturday and it had small cracks showing up I changed the packs and now their going away. 

Cracks will have to be another subject but I will mention a little right now.

I have been noticing a lot of similar guitars have the same cracks. At the sound hole on each side of the neck I don’t like those cracks the one on the bottom goes from the sound hole clear to the binding and cracked the binding. It will almost totally go away once humidity gets back up I am wondering if the neck is causing a problem or pressure from the case. 

When I bought the guitar the seller was not sure if it was original case it is light brown with pink interior, the guitar is 1993 J-100 Extra Natural finish. The other area showing cracks is the center up high on the back starting at neck junction and going down 9” I have also seen the same thing on a 1995 J-45

I plan on taking it to a shop and have them go over it and see if there is anything to worry about.

Edited December 17, 2019 by buddyw
Spelling

[j45nick]

BuddyW, do you live in an exceptionally dry climate?

The cracks you are seeing aren't really normal in a guitar that has been kept reasonably humidified over its life. I have several 70-year-old guitars that have rarely been kept in a controlled climate, and they show no signs of cracks, nor do any of my other guitars.

What is the floor in the space where you store your guitars? 

Rooms with poorly-insulated outside walls in colder climates can be problematic when it comes to controlling humidity. Whenever possible, I would store guitars away from exterior walls, and certainly away from any source of heat, whether it is forced hot air or radiated.

Make sure that black paint and carpet never come in direct contact with any of your guitars.

If possible, post a photo of one your guitars showing the type of cracks you are seeing.

[buddyw]

1 hour ago, j45nick said:

BuddyW, do you live in an exceptionally dry climate?

The cracks you are seeing aren't really normal in a guitar that has been kept reasonably humidified over its life. I have several 70-year-old guitars that have rarely been kept in a controlled climate, and they show no signs of cracks, nor do any of my other guitars.

What is the floor in the space where you store your guitars? 

Rooms with poorly-insulated outside walls in colder climates can be problematic when it comes to controlling humidity. Whenever possible, I would store guitars away from exterior walls, and certainly away from any source of heat, whether it is forced hot air or radiated.

Make sure that black paint and carpet never come in direct contact with any of your guitars.

If possible, post a photo of one your guitars showing the type of cracks you are seeing.

Thanks J-45Nick I got to get busy today but will get back with you on the photographs.

[Sgt. Pepper]

All my cases stand upright and I have never encountered an issue. They hang on the racks at the stores like that.

Edited December 17, 2019 by Sgt. Pepper

[Tekboy]

My Hummingbird hangs on a Hercules mount on the wall. The mount is lag bolted into a stud. I seriously doubt that it is in danger. My Fender Catalina is in a case and stored precisely as discussed above. It has developed no problems that I can find. I will pay a bit closer attention, though. Living in Fairbanks, Alaska was hell on all my guitars.

[Sgt. Pepper]

When my guitars are in stands this is what I use.

 

[Dave F]

This is the first winter I’ve set mine out. So far the room has been very stable. I have a meter in each corner and one towards the center of the room and the range is consistently 41%-47%  

Summertime was very easy to control  

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

1 hour ago, Dave F said:

This is the first winter I’ve set mine out. So far the room has been very stable. I have a meter in each corner and one towards the center of the room and the range is consistently 41%-47%  

Summertime was very easy to control  

 

Man I've got to get on a buying spree and have some catching up to do.

Impressive group.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Sgt. Pepper

[j45nick]

3 hours ago, Dave F said:

This is the first winter I’ve set mine out. So far the room has been very stable. I have a meter in each corner and one towards the center of the room and the range is consistently 41%-47%  

Summertime was very easy to control  

 

Dave, what are the three 12-fret full-depth jumbo's in the pew?

[Dave F]

12 minutes ago, j45nick said:

Dave, what are the three 12-fret full-depth jumbo's in the pew?

Jackson Browne, Stage Deluxe RW and Stage Deluxe LTD (hog)

[kelly campbell]

Nice collection...I also like the Hank Williams and Beatles posters..good taste..

[kidblast]

Party at Nicks!!!!

 

[j45nick]

53 minutes ago, kidblast said:

Party at Nicks!!!!

 

Not me, I got nuthin'.

We could party at Dave's, but if he's smart, he won't let most of us in the front door.

[Sgt. Pepper]

That EC Spike is frickin' sweet. I've seen him 3 times and do not recall him ever playing his own sig model.

Edited December 19, 2019 by Sgt. Pepper

[kidblast]

18 hours ago, j45nick said:

Not me, I got nuthin'.

We could party at Dave's, but if he's smart, he won't let most of us in the front door.

I would assume he is smart, so yea,,  no....

 

[Navy Vet.]

On 12/18/2019 at 5:45 PM, Dave F said:

This is the first winter I’ve set mine out. So far the room has been very stable. I have a meter in each corner and one towards the center of the room and the range is consistently 41%-47%  

Summertime was very easy to control  

Do you live in a guitar store?