Humidity Time !!!!!Important!!!!!!

[crazydoc]

What about electronics?? I sometimes keep my mixer, amp and fourtrack in my car overnight if I am really beat. Will the cold winter temps hurt them??( of course I live in a good area) I always have enough energy to grab my guitar though.

No, the cold won't hurt your equipment. I too live in a "good area" and my locked van was stolen out of my well lit driveway three months ago, never to be seen again. If you have anything you value, don't leave it in your vehicle if you don't have to.

Any way to avoid damaging your hands due to cold? How do you know when cold is too cold?

I think if you can play your usual licks at your usual speed, the temperature is OK. If you feel warm, and your fingers have normal sensation it's OK. If your body gets too cold, the blood vessels in your extremities constrict to conserve heat, and it's concievable that the repetitive trauma of fingering or fingerpicking the guitar under conditions of relative hypoxia (low oxygen levels) in your fingers could lead to some tissue damage.
If your fingers are black with gangrene, it's probably been too cold for quite some time.

 

[cellardweller]

Damnit, and here I thought all I had to do was cut back on the cigarettes to lessen that discoloration, now you're telling me amputation may be in order?

I usually deal with some level of discomfort so it's kinda hard to gauge. Not to mention smoking cigarettes and the constriction of blood vessels associated with that probably doesn't help in this...

It didn't seem to bother The Edge during the New Years Day video... I always knew he was a cyborg, that bastard...

 

[crazydoc]

Not to mention smoking cigarettes and the constriction of blood vessels associated with that probably doesn't help in this...

Read and weep:

"Smoking is very closely related to Buerger's disease and smoking history is one of the criterion for diagnosing the disease. In general if the patient absolutely abandons smoking the course of the disease will be invariably benign, but if smoking continues any treatment will ultimately be futile. Though "passive smoking" has adverse effect on cardiovascular system, non smokers should never develop the disease. Active smokers can be indentified by measuring levels of continine, the major metabolite of nicotine in urine. Since all smokers do not develop the disease an immunopathogenesis is considered probable. It has been proposed in Japanese that presence of a gene linked to some HLA antigens might control the susceptibility to the disease.

Clinical Presentation : varies with the stage of the disease. The patients may present with foot claudication and later with calf claudication. Gangrene and ulceration may follow the above symptoms, but many times they may occur without previous history of claudication. The stepwise progession of the disease as seen in atherosclerasis may not occur in Buergers disease. Parasthesia, coldness and skin colour changes are common complaints. Dependent rubor and slow venous filling are commonly seen. Gangrene and ulceration usually follow minor trauma and with development of secondary infection they may progress proximally and are associated with intolerable rest pain."

 

[hookiefree]

If a guitar is exposed to low humidity for any length of time, the wood will dry out, causing string buzzing, protruding fret ends, cracking, top-sinking, and other damage.

What if you already have string buzzing (the buzzing doesn't come through the amp though) and protruding frets? Is it expensive to have fixed? Also are there other steps beside the soapbox to take to protect a strat or other guitar without sound holes?

 

[Light]

What if you already have string buzzing (the buzzing doesn't come through the amp though) and protruding frets? Is it expensive to have fixed? Also are there other steps beside the soapbox to take to protect a strat or other guitar without sound holes?

Buzzing on an electric which does not come through the amp is normal and not an issue. If the fret ends are sticking out, the guitar has already been exposed to low humidity. We fix it by reshaping the fret ends, and it should not cost more than $50-$65.

Keep your electrics in the case, with soap box type humidifiers. Electrics are less susceptible to humidity issues, but you can still get fret end problems.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[mndog75]

I have been playing guitar for 15 years, and not once have I ever had any problems with warping or cracking or anything else your discussing. I have left my gear in my car overnite, I try not to do that often. I mean c'mon dudes a special room with a humidifier??? it sounds like your afraid to take the dam thing out of the house, its meant to be played not to sit in a room with a bunch of cigars.I realize the care an acoustic needs from time to time, but really never had any problems with them either, my shit never goes out of tune either.Im not trying to be an asshole, I think that you all are being a little to anal(just my thoughts) also. all I do is keep them clean and a nice case.

 

[Light]

...(in) a nice case.

This is the most important thing you can do. But if you don’t do more, you will have problems. I see it every day. I am guessing you don't own a good acoustic, because if you treated a good acoustic this way, you would have ruined your guitar.

You gotta figure that if someone who makes his living repairing guitars is telling you how to keep from damaging them in the first place, he must mean what he says. I do not ask any one not to play their guitars. That does not mean you can not take care of them. Never having lived in Maryland, I don't know how cold it gets up there, but I assume it does not get as cold as it does in Minnesota. You also live much nearer an ocean, which helps a lot with the humidity. But really, if you own a good acoustic guitar (one which is made of solid wood, and not plywood) you either humidify it while the heat is on, or you are going to have problems. Your guitar changes with the seasons, and there is no way around it. If you have been fortunate enough not to have your guitars get damaged through your neglect, you have been lucky. Please do not tell others that they should share your disrespect for their instruments. I see hundreds of guitars a year which have been treated as you are treating your guitars, and I KNOW what can and does happen. If you chose to ignore the facts, that is you problem.

By keeping your guitar in a consistent environment, you are protecting the tools you use to make music. Of course you should play them, and use them as the tools they are. All I suggest is that you protect your investment, because a good guitar is without question a serious investment.

Sorry if this is a bit of a rant, but I get really irritated when people suggest that it is OK to abuse your guitars this way.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[cellardweller]

In response to the recent post advocating blatant and cruel neglect of instruments,

1. I suppose you would also think it strange that she (my guitar) has her own chair?

2. Oh, and I suppose I am some kind of wierdo for dressing her up in little teddies and the like?

3. I suppose I am also stange for putting bows and ribbons in her hair (excess string @ tuning peg)?

Didn't you ever have a puppy?