Storage when not playing a guitar question

Everyone will have their own opinion. I have guitars that have been hung on the wall for years, I can take one down give it a quick tune and play it. I have guitars in their flight cases, hard shell cases, gig bags and no cases leaned against the wall with their back showing. They all work just fine. I don't do anything special with them. Some say loosen the strings when kept in storage. I have never had a problem.

joe

I just packed my guitars (except acoustic) for moving, might not unpack them till mid January. I detuned them and cushioned them inside their cases. Original box or hardshell case. Nothing special, just common sense opinions I recieved from these forums.

But you're only putting them away for a few days. Someone said in a previous thread about changing strings that habit / rule of changing a string one at a time (instead of taking all the strings off at once) came about prior to truss rods. Truss rods holding the neck straight against the lack of tension of removing all the strings. I think that also applies here also.

And while that is theory, what Joe said above is from actual experience with many guitars.

Mike

Case storage is fine -- like Joe, I have guitars stored in almost every situation. My only advice is watch the humidity for acoustics with solid woods, and situate cases where they will not be knocked over. A guitar inside most cases is still vulnerable to headstock breakage from a sudden shock.

Just make sure that they're not in a closet against an outside wall in the middle of winter, right?

The only reason that I say this is because I know someone who used to store their acoustic against an outside wall(no case though), and now the neck is twisted.

Thanks for the suggestions and recommendations. :D

Your Welcome.

Don't let them get to hot, to cold, to dry, to wet, and keep'em clean.

Joe

Make sure that if your guitars are going to go unused for a while during storage that you loosen the strings before storing it. That way you release tension on the neck and it helps reduce potential warping.

Make sure that if your guitars are going to go unused for a while during storage that you loosen the strings before storing it. That way you release tension on the neck and it helps reduce potential warping.
For anyone interested, I stored a guitar in it's case in the loft space for over 30 years. When I took it out, the strings were not too far out of tune and everything was great once I'd adjusted the truss rod (it was badly adjusted before the guitar was stored away).

I'm with Joe - as long as it's kept so it won't fall over, and no one will kick it, the way its stored doesn't seem to matter too much for my gear.

Looking around me, I've got guitars in floor stands, guitars in hard cases, guitars in gig bags, and guitars unprotected leaning against file cabinets. Some are on end, some on their sides. One's flat on its back (in a case). One's flat on its back without a case on a padded piano bench, because I'm doing some work on it today, replacing a bad tuner.

They all get rotated through use, and I've never noticed any problems related to storage.

My main concerns were what would happen to the neck if left a certain way for a period of time. For example if I lean one against a wall for an indefinite period of time, could the neck be effected? Same if you leave it in the case on it's "lap" side (case handle up) would the neck want to warp down based on gravity?

Mostly, I leave them on the guitar stands for easy access. I seem to always have one it a case so was just wondering if there is a special way to leave it when not in use.

I like to overcomplicate matters. Sorry. :oops:

my guitars get a lot of use and they spend all their time hanging on the wall when their not in use. I figured thats the best way as the weight and gravity pull down so it should keep the neck and truss ok :)

I'm not in a band and I only play for personal fun, altough after 16 years i really want to form a small band.