Leaving your axe out of it's case

  • Thread starter Thread starter true-eurt
  • Start date Start date
Personally, I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference whether they're in or out of the case, as long as the humidity and temp are monitored and controlled as necessary. But I do know from experience that if you live in a high humidity environment, and have no way to dehumidify, DO NOT leave guitars in their cases (unless it's getting opened and played almost daily). They'll mold and mildew like crazy, damaging the finish and pitting/oxidizing metal. Not to mention stinking up the place.
Here's a case in point- one friend asked for my opinion on his old guitar, a 1952 Martin O-18. He didn't play and it had just been sitting around, leaning on the wall or in a closet (no case). It was in remarkably good shape, no major issues. Well, could have used a neck reset, but they all need that after 50+ years. Another friend also wanted an opinion of her old guitar, a 1967 Martin OOO-18.She bought it new, but never played it, and left it in the case for all this time (a Geib hardshell). In a more favorable environment this would have been a great find, essentially new old stock. But it was a mess. The finish was destroyed, braces had come loose, needed a neck reset and on and on. Over $1000 work just to get it playable, without fixing any of the cosmetic issues.
So thats my story- if you live in the tropics and don't have a climate controlled room, leave 'em out and hope for the best.
 
Armistice...ggunn....and Horsedoc...thanks for your added input.

This thread has turned out very interesting and full of info...and opinions and a lot of things to consider. Most depending on where you live(climate-wise)....(traffic in and out of studio)....(storage room)...and by far, the actual time one will spend with their guitars.

While I want to protect my guitars and do not want to be foolish with them, I think by using a lot of the suggestions here...and heeding some of the advice given by you guys, that the decision to hang them on a wall rack for display and quick use, is the best one I can come to.

Using proper measurements, material, construction, padding, hanging of the rack securely, perhaps some bottom end support of kind(if possible) and keeping an eye on humidity...should work out well.


Looking at all my guitar cases, lined up in a row...covering the beauty, of something meant to be used and enjoyed, knowing I am missing out on that everyday...makes me more determined to build a wall rack and display my babies. I never get to look at them(except one at a time as they are taken out of their case and played)...and some are neglected play wise. They seemed to have become, pretties hidden away. I like pretties...but see actual worth, only in those that can provide me pleasure.

Not just thought candy...but eye, ear and touch candy as well.

It will be great to walk in my room, eye my pretties and choose which one to love up at a moments notice... feeling the pleasure it gives me, as I hear it's song...then I will have satisfied my lust for the moment.

I welkom all suggestions on the making of a wall display rack. Woods, screws...hanging methods..etc.

Tony, I will be asking you a lot of questions as well..!!!:D

Hopefully, I will have acquired a digital camera by then and can post some pics as I go....oh man...this should be interesting.

I haven't really built anything since shop in the 6th grade...I didn't do so good...:eek::D

I am slooooow too...not just mentally, but project wise too.;)


I have 13 guitars at the moment and thought, perhaps two racks to be better than just one...??? One of those is a Morrell Lap Steel and thought it might be nice to have a special rack for it. I have a Dobro too and meant to ask about keeping it out...would the same apply to it, being as it is Metal body..?(I think that's what it is)

MORRELL LAP STEEL..http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/5/8/0/270580.jpg

REGAL DOBRO..http://www.jagshouse.com/music/images/RegalMetalBody.jpg
 
Hey Tony....I am going to start assembling the tools I will need to get started with the Axe wall rack.

Could you kindly tell me what I will need...?























Please don't say a carpenter...:D
 
true-eurt said:
Hey Tony....I am going to start assembling the tools I will need to get started with the Axe wall rack.

Could you kindly tell me what I will need...?


Please don't say a carpenter...:D
Click to expand...

I'm not sure what the guy used that built the wall rack, my Mrs. had it built as a surprise and I know the man that made it had an excellent woodshop full of tools.
I would say that a a table saw would help for the straight cuts and a band saw would help on the hangers themselves.
As an alternative, a circular saw and a sabre saw would work, but they would require a bit more careful handling-I only had these 2 saws for a long time and I built several monitor and P.A. speakers with them.
Are there any local Colleges or schools that might have a Craft shop? Often they will let you use some of their saws for a small fee as well as helping you with the project-usually their equipment is better than most people's-way better than mine!
Hope this helps out-send me a PM or email with any more questions...
 
Yah....I don't wanna cut a finger off or nothin'...:eek:


I will email ya later.

Thanks Tony!!


PS...that workshop idea sounds like a good one to me!
 
One from the tropics

I have kept some guitars for long in and out of cases. My country is very hot, and where I live, very humid. Average humidity is above 70% for most of the year, and during the two months of monsoon, it's about 90-95%. Summer temperatures are about 40C, and winter is about 28C.

I split the bridge on my Takamine with a combination of high temp/humidity (which I assume softened the glues) and medium strings at concert pitch (which was the stock configuration when I got the guitar), plus the finish colour has deepened with all the pollution. This axe hadn't seen the inside of a case for two years.

The electric which has been cased up for almost two years shows no damage or problems - the finish is slightly duller and the fingerboard has some white mold, which a bit of lemon oil takes care of right away. Similarly the classical which was inside a padded gig bag - after almost a year of no use, two strings were still in tune, and no deposits or finish issues at all.

Since I got my new expensive handmade last week, it's staying in its case and being pulled out to play - conventional wisdom notwithstanding. There will also be some amount of silica gel and a Dunlop CO-101 (placebo, but what the hell) always in the case. Once the Takamine is fixed, it will also be inside it's gig bag with some silica gel for company.

Our local guitars are very sturdy, though. I have a beater made almost entirely of plywood and painted black, that sounds very tinny but can probably survive concrete blocks falling on it. I would not worry about leaving that one out of its case.
 
It's a shame I don't read my own posts.. I've just moved to a new place and been moving the furniture around and all that, trying to work out where to put everything, and so I've had my #2 acoustic on a stand out of it's case for about 6 weeks now... it was OK for about the first half, but in the last three weeks, when it's been dry as a nun's nasty and cold (Australia - midwinter) the damn thing has dried out and I have buzzes happening all over the joint.

Back into the case it went with a sponge - I'll check it in a month and see if it's better and if not haul it down to the garage for a grease and oil change...

...curses.... :(
 
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