Cold Tolerance

[Vilesilencer]

Does anyone out there have any info/stories to share about the effects of cold on guitars? I just moved into a new house, your typical college student music type place (i.e. a little cold and drafty) and I'm concerned about moving my guitars down there. I have an acoustic staying there right now in the basement, the warmest room in the house due to the furnace. When I checked on it this morning it didnt feel cold in my hands, but when I pressed the body up against my cheek (weird, but hey I wanted more than one sample) it was cold to the touch. I live in Michigan so it's going to get a lot colder than it is now... but I dont want to be seperated from my acoustic and my classical. Any advice?
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[aaeolean]

The biggest thing I worry about is humidity. Especially with your acoustic. Make sure you have a humidifier in your guitat or case. When you turn your heat up in your apt. the heat will dry out the air....in turn drying out your guitar. I don't know if the cold will be really bad for it unlest it actually freezes. That can be bad, especially when it warms back up.

Hope this helps.

BEN

[metalprep6969]

It's not the cold or the humidity that hurts you guitar, it's sudden changes in temperature or humidity, so always keep them in their cases and don't leave them in your car and you should be relatively fine.

\m/

[debaser]

It's not the cold or the humidity that hurts you guitar, it's sudden changes in temperature or humidity, so always keep them in their cases and don't leave them in your car and you should be relatively fine.

\m/

I second this. My father has an acoustic, and lives in a house that's wood-heated. I can say firsthand that the effects of temperature extremes can be pretty intense, because that thing is severely messed up.

On the other hand, if your house/apt. is chilly, but fairly constant, you should be fine. I live in Maine and we kept the thermostat at around 55-58 last winter - there were no ill effects. The humidity shouldn't be too much of a factor either - you might need to get a set-up during the winter, but that should be it.

[oRg]

Hey Vilesiliencer...what part of Michigan do you live in...the UP?...or are you going to UofM? (I hope so becuz I'm a fan...lol). Well either way, the electric should be fine as long as the temp is somewhat hospitable. Now with the classical guitar you should be pretty worried. Electrics can take the cold weather for the most of it becuz they have a nice hard body and a firm neck where on the other hand classical guitars are alot thinner. Like someone already said you should get a humidifier. Make sure your guitars don't get wet either. This will happen when you take them from a cold place to a warm place. Condensation will occur and this is what really warps the wood. Just keep them high and dry.

[Vilesilencer]

Thank you all for the info. I'm not in the house often enough to keep a very close eye on it, but I've been checking it daily and it's felt pretty consistent in temperature. So, for now it stays in downtown Grand Rapids, to answer that question of location.
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