Wednesday 1st June

[Mak]

Cheese and onion bread roll with Brie and pastrami filling - Awesome!

So then, my turn to set the tone...

My new Navarro arrived a couple of days back. It's a beaut! My question to my honorable clooeagues here is this...

What is the best way to store guitars over an extended period of time?

- In case and tuned to pitch?
- On a stand and tuned to pitch?
- In a case and detuned slightly?
- On a stand (floor or wall?0 and detuned slightly?

any other suggestions?

Mak.

[johnreardon]

Spicy pasta and a bottle of lucozade in the local cafe. Not sure which is the best way to store for long times. I keep all my guitars in cases. My rectangle cases upright and the shaped 335, HB & Strat case on top of each other. I leave the strings tuned to concert pitch

[Zaphod]

Sliced barbequed chicken on multigrain bread, with spinach. Fat-free chips and salsa. Diet Coke.

I always store mine in the case, in any orientation except string-side down or headstock down, strings tuned to standard pitch.

[EmeraldQuiltBirds]

If I am going to store it or ship it I always detune the guitar to protect the neck. If it is going to be stored on a hanger then you have to keep it clean and polished.

I have no idea whats for lunch! Maybe some fried chicken.

[bleujazz3]

I'd have to agree that for long-term storage for an electric guitar, keeping the strings tuned to standard pitch is the best way to prevent neck-bowing and truss rod problems. The truss rod expects standard tension and change from that over extended periods of time may cause the neck to bow in reaction to the lowered string tension.

I can't say that re-tuning the strings will bring the neck back to "normal", but it is likely the neck will have gone out somewhat, requiring a truss rod adjustment, and retuning.

Just to keep the guitar in good condition, I'd clean and polish the guitar, putting new strings on before storing.

When shipping a guitar, however, it's best to loosen the strings, because of temperature differences in warehouses, and during transit. Too much heat or cold can really wreck havoc on not only the guitars (especially acoustics!) body, but neck as well.

I've heard it's best to keep the guitar in its case, stood headstock up, vertically (or semi-vertically, e.g. slightly diagonally) for long term storage.

+1 on not sure what's for lunch, maybe a good Cobb salad.

[EmeraldQuiltBirds]

Hmm....had hot dogs...LOL


I never thought about the truss rod expecting tension. And if you think about it...if you play it all the time for 30 years and that doesnt hurt it then why would keeping it in tune in storeage hurt it?


I know I would detune when shipping though just because of climate changes.

[JMintzer]

Just had some deli turkey...

I used to keep them tuned to pitch on Off-the-Wall hangers. But, now that I've moved, they're tuned to pitch in their cases, handle side up.

Once I finish the basement, they'll go back on the walls...


Jamie

[Elgreco]

Sushi today.

http://www.mikadorestaurant.com/images/sushi_board1_lg.jpg

Walls for me too.

[Aldwyn]

Hot dog with Dave's "Devil's Spit" bar-b-que sauce. My usual "working from home" fair.


I keep mine tuned to pitch, and in their cases... virtical... headstock up.
But there always seems to be one sitting on the stand behind me. :D For the last week or so, it's been the Emplyee Model McSoapy.

Peace,
Aldwyn

[Zaphod]

Sushi today.

http://www.mikadorestaurant.com/images/sushi_board1_lg.jpg

Walls for me too.
You're not going to eat *all* of that, I hope....looks like there's plenty to share!:D

[jas]

I had a tuna salad sandwich on soggy croissant and A&W root beer. I ate outside over at my mother's with my 5 sisters, my wife, 2 nieces and 1 niece boyfriend, a brother-in-law, a family friend and 4 dogs - including mine. It's my oldest sister's birthday today. Inevitably, one of the dogs got at the birthday cake but, delightfully, then vomited in my sister's lap.

All of my guitars are vertical - on the wall, tuned up and ready to rumble. Otherwise, they don't get played.

I don't baby my guitars - it's more important to me to have them immediately accessible than to keep them unboogered.

-John

[johnreardon]

Sushi today.

http://www.mikadorestaurant.com/images/sushi_board1_lg.jpg

Walls for me too.
Mark, am I too late for dinner, looks gorgeous

[Elgreco]

Mark, am I too late for dinner, looks gorgeousWe have a place nearby called Sakura Japanese Steakhouse (you know, one of those places that combines pyrotechnic displays and food) and they serve the best Sushi anywhere.

http://www.explorewisconsin.com/Royal-Tokyo-Japanese-Restaurant/royaltokyo1.jpg

[Sherpa]

I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich today. Soulfood.

My guitars are kept in their cases stored vertically headstock up ;)

I also wash the peanut butter and jelly from my hands before grabbing a guitar.

[Zaphod]

....Inevitably, one of the dogs got at the birthday cake but, delightfully, then vomited in my sister's lap.I just love family get-togethers!

Was it the birthday girl who ended up with a lapful of vomit? :eek:

[kev]

Turkey sandwich: Whole grain wheat bread/sliced turkey/mustard/swiss cheese/fat slice of tomato

Baked Lays Sour Cream and Cheese potato chips

A fully leaded Coke

Three chocolate chip cookies



Mak, how long are you looking to store the guitars in question? Months or years?

I've not had any problems with storing guitars tuned to pitch, but most of them see some playing time each month if not daily. They've mostly been in cases when not in use. The one that's been a case queen the longest is also probably one of the most fragile. It's a solid cedar topped/maghogany back and sides classical. It only sees playing time whenever my brother or I show up for visits and hasn't had a string changed since '93. No problems other than the general tuning thing before playing it. The guitar, when in the case, is usually sitting in a corner up on it's side, in playing position. So, that's the exception. At home, I have all of my guitars on wall hangers currently, but before that, I kept them all in their cases, upright, and in my music vault (ie, any closet with enough space).
kev

[irwcustom]

That Sushi looked great Mark! I had lunch provided on my CAD training course - sausages with chilli, sarnies, crisps, fruit, etc - oh and some exploding spicy style Scotch egg thingies - you bit into them and your dining partner gets a face full. Another miracle friendly bacteria yogurt drink


All guitars stored at concert pitch, body to the bottom on the case, stored vertically.

[bleujazz3]

Hmm....had hot dogs...LOL


I never thought about the truss rod expecting tension. And if you think about it...if you play it all the time for 30 years and that doesnt hurt it then why would keeping it in tune in storeage hurt it?


I know I would detune when shipping though just because of climate changes.
Yes, a guitar that has a truss rod and strings in tension; the truss rod has a very slight convex curve to it within the truss rod cavity to counteract the tension of the strings (convex towards the fretboard).

The truss rod not only provides strength and stiffness to the neck: you can imagine why old Martin guitars needed neck resets after 10-15 years of play.

They used to have to remove the neck and place shims where the neck meets the body to get the proper playing angle, due to the fact the necks would bow concave towards the fretboard due to string tension. The concave bow increased the distance from strings to fretboard.

Enter the truss rod era, where you could adjust the truss rod (only let a qualified tech do it, unless you're versed in guitar repair) to shorten the distance from strings to fretboard. (Bridge and/or saddle height adjustment usually accompanies this truss rod adjustment)

Loosening the strings and placing the guitar in storage for years at a time causes the truss rod to exert convex pressure on the neck, and eventually warps the wood after many seasons.

Think of how the long 2x4 studs you keep for woodworking projects in your basement workshop warp after many years. If you lean the studs up against the wall unsupported, it's the same idea as a truss rod exerting pressure on the neck (only slightly different by being reversed).

Keepin the guitar in tune counteracts the pressure the truss rod exerts, and preserves the neck over long periods of time.

[Dan Desy]

Orange Peel Chicken and white rice with a Coke.

I keep my guitars tuned up in their cases (except when I play them), standing up. But I don't have a problem like John with not playing them,, because I don't have a couple dozens - just 3-4.

Besides, where else are you going to keep your "case queens"? ;)

[nasum]

Pastrami on Rye with Maysturd (my special mayo/mustard blend) and pepperjack cheese.

When I used to work at a guitar store I noticed that the ones hanging on the wall developed some interesting neck issues if they weren't picked up and played every now and then. If you're intending to store something away for a long time, it is suggested that you leave it in a case in the most stable environment possible, with the strings slightly slacked.

[nasum]

I bought one of those Fender "Case Stands" a few years ago to keep everything nice and readily available in my room. They're very nice.

[jas]

I just love family get-togethers!

Was it the birthday girl who ended up with a lapful of vomit? :eek:
No, Karma was in the house...it was the sister who brought the vomiting dog.

-John

[BoyMambo]

Steak sandwich with caramalised onion.


Electrics, cleaned, tuned 1 semi-tone down and face up, lying flat. Any batteries removed.

Acoustics, cleaned, tuned 1 semi-tone down and face up, Standing upright with no weight on the face of the instrument, also I add a humidfier or a potato stored to keep the mosture constant. Any batteries removed.