What temperature is too hot for a guitar?

The extreme temperature ranges to which any guitar should be exposed is roughly 32-95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can heat damage a guitar?

Besides acoustic guitars, electric guitars can suffer from heat as well. While the damage is not as significant as on acoustic ones, it can still damage the neck of the guitar and ruin the finish. Of course, the obvious way to protect the guitar is to completely avoid exposing it to heat.

Can I leave my guitar in a hot car?

Don't leave your guitar in the hot car.

When traveling with an acoustic guitar on a hot summer day, exposure to extreme heat inside a car can cause a guitar's wood glues to soften and the bridge to come loose under the pull of the string tension. In extreme cases, other guitar components can even begin to separate.

Is AC bad for guitar?

Cold air can also dry out your guitar. Keep it out of direct sunlight. If it's on a stand in your room, make sure it's not catching any rays. Heavy humidity can soften glue used on bracking, so be aware of those hot summer days.

Can guitars be in the sun?

You can have the guitar in direct sunlight and the heat will not damage the guitar. The case distributes the heat around the guitar evenly and djently. Having the guitar in a hot or cold climate is fine just as long as its introduced to the environment gradually and evenly.

Will Cold Weather Ruin Your Guitar?

How do I protect my guitar from heat?

What can damage a guitar?

Extremes in temperature and humidity can be devastating

Extreme cold can dry the air and cause humidity problems. Extreme humidity can cause the guitar to warp, though most warping seems to come from extreme dryness. This draws the moisture out of the instrument and causes the wood to crack.

Can you store guitar in attic?

Never store a guitar in an attic, ever! No matter the period of time, don't let your guitar go inside of an attic because it can seriously damage your guitar. Don't ever store a guitar in an unheated garage that is exposed to a concrete floor.

What temperature should a guitar be stored at?

Guitars are made mostly of wood and that wood can be affected by temperature and humidity. Extreme temperatures and changes in humidity will cause the wood to shift and change, sometimes dramatically, which affects the sound and shape. Ideal temperature is 66-77 °F (19-25 °C). Ideal humidity is 40-50 percent.

Is it OK to hang a guitar by the neck?

While hanging the guitar won't damage its neck, it can sometimes damage the finish on the neck. Certain rubber and foam-based guitar hangers can cause finish issues when they come into contact with the back of the guitar neck.

Why do guitars crack?

Lack-of-humidity cracks typically run along the grain of the wood. As wood shrinks in low humidity environments, it eventually reaches a point where the wood can stretch no further and, well, it cracks.

Is it OK to lay a guitar flat?

Laying guitar flat is not a good way to store your guitar – it's prone to accidents like stepping or dropping items on your guitar. You are recommended to store your guitar on a stand or case.

How do you destroy a guitar?

Is it better to keep guitar in case?

Cases Closed

Generally speaking, the safest way to store a guitar is in its case—ideally, a good-quality hardshell, as opposed to a gig bag or ill-fitting chipboard case.

Does heat affect guitar strings?

Temperature changes will affect the guitar by thermal expansion/contraction. But the speed of sound will also change. Even if you could keep the tension and length of the strings constant the "sound" emitted by the guitar (or amp) would change. So, it may not be the guitar that is changed, but the air.

Why do rock stars smash guitars?

Musicians smash their instruments to display emotion, to permanently end a show, to create noise, and to follow rock and roll tradition. Guitars are most often the instruments destroyed, but drums, pianos, keyboards, amplifiers, and virtually anything else on stage has been destroyed in a concert.

Who smashed the most guitars?

Muse's Matthew Bellamy

Bellamy has the distinct honor of setting a Guinness record for smashing an astounding 140 guitars on the band's 2004 tour.

Why did Kurt Cobain smash guitar?

This can be attributed to his poor upbringing and lack of money growing up. "Junk is always the best," Cobain stated to Jeff Gilbert in 1992, "I use whatever I can find at junk shops." Even when Nirvana was a huge success, he would continue to use budget guitars and what he could find at pawn shops.

Is it OK to store guitars in the basement?

Never store your guitar in the basement during the summer months. Invest in a dehumidifier if you find your home is humid in the summer. Never leave your guitar in a hot area such as in a car during a hot sunny day where temperatures can soar high enough to soften and compromise the glue joints.

Does a guitar case protect from humidity?

There are two main kinds of guitar cases: gig bags and hard cases. Gig bags are light to carry and provide a good amount of protection. They do not, however, protect against temperature changes very well. Hard cases, on the other hand, provide excellent protection against temperature, humidity, and physical damage.

What is the best way to store an acoustic guitar?

Acoustic guitars are susceptible to humidity and temperature. They should be stored in locations with a humidity of 45% to 55%, and must never be stored in dry or very hot/humid locations. Avoid storing them in locations where the temperature fluctuates, such as in direct sunlight or near the A/C.

How do you hydrate a guitar?

When you are playing the guitar, keep the lid closed on the guitar case. That will help keep the humid air in the case from escaping. If you suspect your guitar is severely dehydrated, consider bringing it into the bathroom with you as you shower for a week. The steam from the shower will help rehydrate the guitar.

Can you over humidify a guitar?

But you can have too much of a good thing: When a guitar is over humidified, it swells up and loses volume and tone. (Think of a tub of lard with strings.) High humidity can also cause finish discoloration and even allow mold to grow inside the guitar.

At what humidity do guitars crack?

Acoustic guitar dehydration

The most common cause of a crack in the top or back of an acoustic guitar is dehydration. Dehydration begins at about 35% humidity, and the lower it goes, the more dangerous it can be.

Is it OK to leave guitar out of case?

Unless you're humidifying your guitar with a case humidifier, or have small kids or pets running around that may knock it over, it's perfectly fine to leave a guitar on a stand instead of keeping it in a case when you're not playing it.