Optimum storage conditions to prevent finish checking

[bvuille]

Hello all,

I was playing my X-700 last night and much to my chagrin noticed two small finish cracks starting on the top. I'm pretty sure they happened within the last week or two since I examined it closely a few weeks ago and didn't see it and the weather has recently gotten colder here in California. I have a guitar humidifier in the case, but this was apparently not enough to prevent the checking. What is the optimum temperature and humidity for storage of an archtop guitar? Is it better to leave it in the case with several humidifiers, or should I store it out of the case in a room with a humidfier and carefully controlled temperature? This really bums me out, as I have several other less expensive archtops that don't have similar problems. Thanks for your advice!

 

[guildman63]

Hello all,

I was playing my X-700 last night and much to my chagrin noticed two small finish cracks starting on the top. I'm pretty sure they happened within the last week or two since I examined it closely a few weeks ago and didn't see it and the weather has recently gotten colder here in California. I have a guitar humidifier in the case, but this was apparently not enough to prevent the checking. What is the optimum temperature and humidity for storage of an archtop guitar? Is it better to leave it in the case with several humidifiers, or should I store it out of the case in a room with a humidfier and carefully controlled temperature? This really bums me out, as I have several other less expensive archtops that don't have similar problems. Thanks for your advice!

Please correct me if I am wrong, or not completely right, but as far as I know, it's not just the humidity, but the change in temperature that causes checking in a lacquer finish. The wood will expand and contract much faster than the lacquer will, so when taking a cold guitar into a warm environment it is important to allow the guitar to sit in its case for a while until it sufficiently warms so that the wood can expand at a much slower rate. I hope this helps.

 

[GAD]

Yeah, it's temperature changes that do it in my experience. Leave your guitar in the cold car, then bring it inside and the lacquer will crack. Same with opening the case after it's been shipped in the cold. Gotta let it acclimate to the temp.

 

[Walter Broes]

Yep, it's temperature shock that does this more than anything else - going from the one extreme into the other, don't ask me how I know.... :evil:

 

[Dr. Spivey]

Temperature change is the biggest problem. I think there a number of other factors that make one guitar more prone to checking than another. exactly how the finish was applied, the specific lacquer used, previous repairs etc. can make two otherwise identical guitars react differently. It's the curse of lacquer. The individual pieces of wood used, preparation and each guitars history of use and abuse are probably contributing factors as well.

I guess all we can do is take care of them the best we can.

 

[AlohaJoe]

Also... one of many good reasons to always use a hard case for a nice guitar. A guitar brought into a warm house from the cold outside will warm up slower in a HSC.

 

[chazmo]

If you can keep stable temperature and proper humidity in a room, that's easier (and probably better) than encasing the guitar, but it really depends on what works best for you. In New England, it's hard to keep 50% humidity in a room 24/7. I generally put my guitars in cases through the winter.

Temperature shock is, as Walter pointed out, the worst offender for checking a finish. You do *not* want to open up a cold guitar in a warm room, or vice versa.

 

[AfterGlo]

Thanks for this thread! I get the part about temperature changes and I remain interested in whether things like in case humidifiers are an important (or overrated) part of the equation. Got a real nice old guitar for the first time and I want to take care of it.

 

[Christopher Cozad]

Regarding temperature, I can add that, in addition to going from cold to hot too quickly, too much heat (like a guitar left in a hot car or too close to a stove or fireplace) can spell real trouble. Some of glues can loosen. I have seen a bridge slide toward the soundhole, and a fretboard shift off to one side.

Damage will certainly occur if a guitar's woods have been allowed to become too dry or too damp (whether the guitar was stored in a case or left out in the air).

Too dry: The soundboard can 'washboard' where the grain visually ripples forming a 'corduroy' effect. Believe it, or not, the lacquer can stay intact. The entire soundboard can become concave which can cause the center seam on the top to fail. Nasty cracks can appear, usually in the top, but the back and sides are not immune.

Too damp: The woods can swell and warp and break glue joints, if the glue hasn't already failed from the moisture. You can end up with a mis-shapen guitar or a guitar in several pieces.

It isn't necessary to live in the dry desert or the wet tropics to experience these conditions. The buildings we dwell in are quite capable of reproducing these climates (think 'damp basement' or 'chapped lips and hands' when you turn the heat on). Note that laminated woods tend to fare better in these harsh conditions than the more expensive, solid woods.

The good news is wood is relatively forgiving (much like the members of this forum ). The more effort you invest into creating a moderate, temperate environment the more you will ensure your instrument a long, happy life.

Christopher

 

[guildman63]

Thanks for this thread! I get the part about temperature changes and I remain interested in whether things like in case humidifiers are an important (or overrated) part of the equation. Got a real nice old guitar for the first time and I want to take care of it.

I just ordered 3 Oasis OH-6 in case humidifiers for my guitars. I live in New England where the humidity drops to around 18 to 20 percent in my home. I have read a lot of good things about the Oasis case humidifiers, so this should do the job. The Planet Waves Humidipak looks very good also, but involves a continued expense over time of buying replacement packs instead of just using distilled water. On the other hand, if you are only dealing with one guitar it is not as much of an issue. Also, the Humidipak gives off or absorbs moisture, depending on whether the environment is dry or damp, and the packs are supposed to last quite a while, so for one guitar that would have been my choice. Should I get my X-700 one day I will most certainly get the Humidipak. Good luck!

 

[bvuille]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I looked at my X-700 again last night and the "checking" is not there. I think I imagined it, or more likely, thought that a small section of the grain on the top was checking. It was only visible when viewed from just the right angle. Perhaps I'm just a bit too concerned about my alpha guitar and should just try to enjoy it without being worried that it might fall apart or get damaged...

 

[adorshki]

It was only visible when viewed from just the right angle.

That's not unusual and could be a result of it stabilizing, temp-wise. In any case
we hope it's so insignificant as to relieve you from further distress, if in fact it's truly there, and now you know what you need to know to prevent a true catatstrophe.
Thankfully it's widely agreed that the problem is strictly aesthetic. But I know that's small consolation when you've been proud of an unblemished finish.

 

[billydlight]

so let me get this straight: You DON'T want finish checking?