Long Term Guitar Storage

[Tj Turner]

I may have won myself another all expenses paid long term vacation. If it comes through, then I would need to store my guitars for an extended period. Currently they live in my basement, which has 2 dehumidifiers and stays at a great 50% RH, at about 65 F in the summer and maybe 55-ish in the winter. What would you guys recommend for long term storage? Keep them strung, unstrung...what kind of products to keep in the cases...I have Planet Waves Humidipaks in my Taylor case and it seems to keep it pretty constant. Anything else to consider?

Thanks...

Tj

[Dave Bagwill]

It sounds like you already have the perfect spot for long-term and don't need to do a thing. As far as detuning, I've heard it both ways so I'll let others chime in.

[ken cierp]

Ditto Dave

And there is no reason to take off the strings or even de-tune -- it was built to stay in tune and not self destruct whether you are there or not.

[Tj Turner]

Thanks guys... Sounds like I'll be all right. I may take one with me, maybe the one that survived the trip last time, but the rest will have to stay.

Tj

[TonyinNYC]

I don't mean to contradict anyone, but depending on how long you will be away, it might not be a bad idea to loosen the strings on the guitars in storage. Guitars require neck resets because of the string tension, so slacking the strings on a guitar that is not in use for extended periods of time can extend the time frame between neck resets. It wont hurt the guitar either way in the short term, but long term, I think it is wise to remove the one thing that causes the need for a neck reset, namely string tension.

Good luck on your trip.

[ken cierp]

Just so I get the logic -- if the guitar is built in such away that 10 years from now it will need a neck- re-set, if you reduce the string tension for a period of two months -- it then won't need a neck set until July of 2022 instead of May of 2022? Just jerking on you -- but here is my logic, breaking in a guitar if you will, is done while all the components are under their design tensions and stress levels --- playable and ready to play. What is the point of letting the wood acclimate to an unnatural state? Just a thought? Also, I ship guitars tuned to full concert pitch -- something I learned from Denny Zager.

[Tj Turner]

It will be more like 7 months when all is said and done. Maybe I can get my wife to break it out now and then and let it sing!