Guitars shipped in winter, do you let them acclimate?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matt300ZXT
  • Start date Start date
During the winter months I burp the case a few times over the first couple of hours then I prop the case open about a 1/2" or so an put a small fan on in the room to circulate the air. It's usually up to temp in a few hours total. I don't bother with any set up adjustments for the 1st 24 hours or so. Really depends on how long the guitar had to sit in the cold weather during transit.
Acoustics I do the same but rarely do I ever buy any high end acoustics over the winter unless they are next day air.
I know it's probably over kill but I did have a guitar clear coat in my early days chalk out on me after a few days of getting it. I was impatient and have since learned my lesson. Patience is a virtue!
 
MusicIsLife said:
I knew someone else to whom this happened.

At a minimum, I figure it doesn't hurt to let it acclimate first. I'll bring it inside and allow enough time to adjust. I'll even leave it in the box to ensure it happens more gradually. The rate of temperature change is a bigger deal than the degree of change.
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What I do now is leave guitars in my warehouse which is usually kept at 55 degrees. Then the acclimation time is much less.
 
glip22 said:
Brand new Suhr Standard arrived years back. It was cold out. I opened the case and watched before my eyes the entire top and hardware condensate. It happened immediately and then I heard the cracks. If you do it once you will never do it again. Had to send it to Suhr for a full refin
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That sounds badass actually I would probably have kept it lol
 
What if the finish already has checking in it from just being an older guitar?
 
If its 32* or below and the guitar has been in a case and shipping box in the cargo area of an un-heated delivery truck, I'd bring it inside, away from any heater vents, and let it sit overnight. Mainly for the paint, not really for the neck.

I had a beautiful candy purple Liberatore that I FOOLISHLY used as my gigging guitar when I was doing the 4-5 night a week cover thing. We were based out of KC and particularly Jan and Feb could be bitterly cold. Guitars came in the heated bar from the trailer after a long drive on a sub zero day. I waited as long as I could before lifting the lid of the case - but obviously the clear coat got hit with a load of warm air and got weather checking cracks all over the paint. I was sick to my stomach - but now it just adds to the character of the guitar. My favorite guitars now are my spare parts mutts built with unfinished bodies and necks from Musikraft and Warmoth. I bathe them in butcher block oil and rub them out with terry-cloth rags. Those would have been MUCH better choices for my gigging arsenal at the time - at least during winter months - but I didn't have much spare change in those days and HAD to have the glitzy paint finishes. Live and learn!!!
 
It seems the acclimating thing is for the finish, not the neck and stuff then. I wasn't quite sure on that. Since it's already checked pretty good I may just give it a couple hours in the house to warm up slowly then bring it out.
 
I had a guitar shipped from CA to NJ last week. I took the guitar out of the cardboard box, left it in the case, did a quick inspection and let it sit for a day.
 
If I 'm home I take them out of the box and play the shit out of them . They might need a minor adjustment but that's the way it goes. If the finish cracks -- then it's reliced !! Not sure how to spell relic !!
 
I always let them sit overnight.

Probably overkill, but I've learned that opening the box in a hurry improves my playing very little.
 
Over here on the east coast,during the winter of dec 22' it was -35° wind chill with an outside temp of 8° Christmas week.Already knowing guitars can be sitting in a truck trailer overnight before getting transferred to the delivery truck then out for delivery can take up to 8 hrs or more the day of. @ -35° winds that week you better believe that guitar needs time to acclimate. My dad was head guy of a shipping dept. for 40 yrs.Ive heard some nasty stories because items wernt acclimated after delivery. Not just guitars, furniture too.In the late 80s,I saw a kramer guitar top crack after instantly removing it from a cold truck to a warm house,ripping the box open and popping it out of its case. So what do u do ? Error on the side of caution if you're over here in sub zero temps. Take your time opening the boxes.And like it's been said,don't judge a guitar for at least 48hrs.
 
Yeah never rush it when it comes off a truck at arctic temps. If the outdoor temp is in the 40's or 50's then a couple hours would be fine. It's all about context here.
 
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