guitar in case/humidity protection?

[passthej45]

Ok here's the deal. Live in southern Louisiana so humitidy(low) isn't too much of a problem. I always keep my guitar in the case when not it use and it doesn't seem to have any problems. What I was wondering was how much does the case protect from temp and humidity issues ?

[jgwoods]

Keeping the guitar in its case will slow the rate of change due to humidity, but not the final outcome- it will absorb or lose just as much as it would sitting on a stand in the room the case resides in.

There are really two problems to worry about if you like to worry about things-

 

Shock- a sudden change like opening a cold guitar case in a warm room and having the warm air hit the ice cold guitar- The finish often can't take it and it cracks- crazing it is often called.

 

Drying out- especially in Northern winters. The guitar wood gets dry, shrinks and cracks- most often tops. Along the way the action goes low, buzzes develop, fret ends stick out and nick you.

 

Too wet- much more rare. The top swells, action goes high. In worst cases the guitar pops apart into a kit.