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October 2007
Posts: 2711
Location: Vernon CT | I've read in a lot of posts that a lot of you leave or at least imply you leave your guitars "out" of their cases displayed on stands for long periods. My understanding is that this is not good for the guitar due to humidity +/-. I would love to "display" mine more then I do. What is your take on this and time frame you can get away with w/o damaging the guitar? Would you say as long as you have a humidifier in the sound hole (filled) it would be fine? |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Keep the room properly humified. |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Depends on your environment.
As far as humidity the guitar should be kept in an invironment between 40-60% RH. Weather that's inside the case or out in a room does not really matter. A lot of folks (self included) have installed humidity control in the room so you can safely leave the guitars out.
The second thing to consider is safety. If you've got young kids running around or a big dog with a wagging tail probably not good to leave the guitars out in the open. The other thing is that they will get dusty out in the open so once a week I go through and dust all mine just like I do the coffee table and TV.
Dave |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by cliff:
Keep the room properly humified. +1, and during the summer, dehumidified. If possible, dedicate a room for this purpose only. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Mine only see the inside of a case when leaving the house for practice or a gig.
Here in the mitten state we don't have to worry about the dry desert air or the steam baths of the south. My house has hot water baseboard heat which does not suck the moisture out of the air like forced air does.
Yep... I leave them out. I like to see them around the house and I like them within easy reach. Remember... these are designed to be the "working mans guitar". They don't need as much attention as other makes. It's not the main reason I like my Ovations, it's just a side benefit. |
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November 2006
Posts: 3969
| A guitar in its case doesn't get played. All of mine are "wall art" and a particular one gets played as the mood (and song) strike me, and nearly all of them get played every day.
In this part of the "Steam Bath" State we get wild swings in humidity at this time of year. Every time a cold front passes it'll drop down into the 15-25% range, but then jumps back to 40-50% in a day or two. Summertime is when the outdoor humidity stays consistently above 70%, but the AC keeps the indoor level at a comfortable 40%.
I've never noticed a problem with my O's. The wood boxes go out of tune with the slightest change in humidity. Haven't had any serious problems (top cracks, warping, bowing, etc.) with any of them leaving them out full time.
YMMV with your own environment, but O's seem to be less prone than wood boxes to humidity changes. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I've noticed something else.
My wood topped guitars sound much better in the fall / winter / spring seasons. Summer humidity will take a noticable amount of volume and "brightness" out. Sounds more like a Martin. Not that there is anything wrong with that. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Being is SoCal, about 12 miles from the ocean, humidity is not a factor. All my guitars are either on the wall or on stands, throughout the house. If they are not out, they don't get played, plus in some areas of the house, they are wall art. I'm happy to say that my wife likes them on the walls very much...... |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Keeping them out. Consider humidity and safety.
When I lived by myself, with no pets, I left them on a stand no problem. After I got married, I have to leave them in the case; even hanging on a wall, they'll get knocked over. Sort like that scene with the leg lamp in a Jean Sheppard's A Christmas Story. If you don't know the movie, never mind, just know it's a safety issue.
I noticed a change in the summer too, but I attribute it to more sweat dripping off my fingers killing the strings faster. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | No humidity problems here. Just got to clean the moss off every now and then :D |
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Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | All mine hang on the wall all the time. I monitor the humidity in the room, and it usually stays around 43-50% which is right where it should be. They are high enough on the wall that pets don't bother them and my son knows better. A guitar in a case doesn't get played nearly as much as one that's always staring at you....calling you..... ;) |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | On the Wall , on the Stand`s , Within Sight and Reach....well , I have to apply " principle of rotation "..
Vic |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | On the wall. If they weren't on the wall, I'd probably never see them.
Mine are in a room about 9 x 12. With one wall taken by the computer desk, another by a keyboard, another by bookshelves, another by 6 guitars, 1 mando and a uke hanging... just getting a case out of the closet and taking out/putting in a guitar is a production that requires considerable finesse. |
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November 2004
Posts: 1330
Location: ms | I have a two year old I hide all guitars.... |
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December 2005
Posts: 1234
Location: Tidal Mudflats of Virginia | Out of the cases and covering three walls of a 10x10 dedicated music room.
Humidifier for the winter keeps them happy at 40% and summertime AC keeps them in the 45% range.
Door stays shut and dust is minimal.
Sad fact is; out of sight, out of mind... |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| Originally posted by gulfcoast:
I have a two year old I hide all guitars.... My 18-month-old can't reach mine hanging on the wall. May have to re-think when he gets older, but for now he asks when he wants me to play for him, and has even learned to strum (gently) with a pick or his fingers while I shape chords with my left hand. He really enjoys the fact that "he's making music," and (so far) has learned to respect the guitars & not try to beat on them.
edit - I was sh#!ing bricks when Beal had all those original slotheads, protos, etc. lined up in my family room at g8rbowl, never mind everybody else's treasures, keeping a close eye on the little one who wanted to strum every one. And Mrs. Beal kept saying, "don't worry about it, he can't hurt them, they're built to take it." Riiight. |
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Joined:
June 2004
Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | Mine are all out and hanging on the walls or sitting in stands. I keep a whole house humidifier running in the winter. They take turns calling to me saying "play me now, please!" :D |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | I have three on the wall. Rotate a couple now and then.
An added benefit is if the guitar can catch some UV from the sunlight, over time it will give the guitar that golden vintage look. This does not work with black guitars. :D
Also as previously mentioned. A guitar in the case won't get played as much. |
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Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6996
Location: Jet City | Originally posted by Capo Guy:
over time it will give the guitar that golden vintage look. This does not work with black guitars. My Black Guitar has definately aged. The Striping used to be silver and gray.
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March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | All are hanging on the wall, except for the 2 electrics, which are on stands. No kids or anyone else around to bother them and the store room with the cases has so much other junk in it, I'd never take the time to go in there and get one out of a case.
One humidifier keeps the room at 46%. Almost all get played on a regular basis, but that's more a change in attitude than anything. When I only had one, I decided that if it was out of the case I'd play it more. It sat on a stand, mostly unplayed for 20 years. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | out on the walls, although the real good ones are in cases and the ones that just didn't make the cut that week stay in cases till the next cycling of the hooks. |
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Joined:
April 2007
Posts: 225
Location: Stow, Ohio | Hang 'em on the wall, play 'em often, and dust 'em even more LOL |
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Displaying your guitar (s) good or bad?
