Whether your guitar is vintage or modern, electric or acoustic, it’s likely made primarily from wood. Unfortunately, wood is an organic material, prone to swelling in damp conditions and drying out with heat – both of which can damage the appearance and sound of a guitar.
This means that whether you’re storing your guitar overnight or for a much longer period, it must be kept in a controlled environment to prevent damage to both its appearance and sound.
Temperature
Ideally, a guitar should be stored at a constant temperature between 21° C and 26° C.
Avoid storing your guitar where it will be exposed to high temperatures. Heat can draw moisture out of the wood, eventually causing fading and cracks. When coupled with high humidity, heat can also cause the glue joints in the in the neck, bridge and braces to separate.
Exposure to cold, on the other hand, can cause small cracks in the finish of the guitar.
You should also avoid storing your guitar in a space that experiences rapid temperature changes. These can cause the wood to expand and contract too quickly, resulting in hairline cracks.
Humidity
All guitars, including electric solid-bodies, should be stored in an environment with reasonably low humidity.
When stored in a fairly humid environment, the moisture in the air can cause the wood to expand and swell rapidly. Although most guitars are sealed with either a polyurethane or nitrocellulose finish, the wood is still capable of absorbing moisture from its surroundings. This can cause the finish to discolour and encourage the growth of mould inside the guitar.
To protect your guitar against high humidity while in storage, use a dehumidifier. Alternatively, if the environment is too dry, use a humidifier to put moisture back into the air.
Because the typical drying technique used in the manufacture of guitars has changed over time, you should bear in mind that newer guitars usually need a little more moisture than vintage guitars.
Dust and sunlight
It’s important to keep a guitar dust-free while in storage. Dust can damage both its appearance and sound. You want to stop dust from scratching the surface of the guitar, as well as preventing an accumulation of dust inside the guitar.
It’s also important to keep the pick-up dust-free. Dust that accumulates in and around the pick-up can lead to crackling and poor tone in acoustic guitars, and rust and corrosion of the pick-up in electric guitars.
To protect against dust damage, wipe down your guitar with a dry cotton cloth before storing it, and keep it in a hard case to protect it.
When storing a guitar, keep it away from direct sunlight to prevent damage to its finish and fading of colour.
XtraSpace storage solutions
At XtraSpace, we provide the perfect solution for storing a guitar or other musical instrument, with clean, secure and affordable self-storage spaces at locations across the country. Browse our self-storage branches to find one near you or call us on 0861 250 259 for more information.
Alternatively, if a guitar is the only thing you’re wanting to store, then you may want to consider our valet storage service SpaceBox.