Hanging or casing??

[FrankC]

Just got myself a beautiful 818e first edition!! How am I gonna take care of this gorgeous guitar - before I'd hang my guitar on the wall out there in the fresh air but what do I do with this quality item?? Any advice?? Shall I keep it in its case or keep it in the fresh air - it is getting played everyday!! Anyone else playing an 818e out there? I've got number 12!!

[etzeppy]

Bob Taylor would tell you to keep it in case with humidity packs. I hang my 616ce LTD for three reasons.

1. I play guitars that out much more than guitars that are put up. It's easy to grab one off the wall and play for a few minutes. You have to make a date to pull a guitar out of the case and play it.

2. It's a beautiful guitar and I love looking at it.

3. It's fairly humid in my area and I keep it in the 40% range without much effort. Not ideal I know, but not too bad.

[mgap]

That "fresh air" could kill your guitar.  As etzeppy said Bob Taylor suggests that you case your instrument. 

[Captain Jim]

Congrats on the new guitar!  Every circumstance is different.  We have a home in an area that is considered both humid and semi-arid.  Go figure.  Air conditioning keeps the interior pretty stable, humidity-wise.  (Between 45 and 55%)  Due to that, I am comfortable keeping my guitars on the wall, where I can enjoy their beauty AND easily take one down to play.  When we travel (boat or RV), any guitar that goes along stays in its case.  With a case humidifier, if the conditions call for it.

I understand if circumstances dictate a guitar has to be kept in its case (like a rowdy kid, a chewing dog, no place to keep it out, dry climate, you live in an igloo above the Arctic Circle, etc)... darn shame to hide a beautiful instrument and not have it easily available to play, even if you just have a couple minutes.

So, not a definitive answer, but every situation is different.

Welcome aboard,
Captain Jim

[azslacker]

Really depends on where you are. I'm in Arizona and my instruments stay in the case with humidifiers for most of the year. In the early summer I run a swamp cooler, which keeps the house, me, and my instruments pretty happy at 50-55% humidity. I usually leave the guitars out on stands for those few weeks.

[FrankC]

Thanks for the advice guys!! I am in Scotland so not sure - never really thought about humidity though we do power up the radiators at this time year so may get a meter just to get an idea and keep it in the case till then but so beautiful and would love to keep it on show!!

[azslacker]

You could get one of these to display the guitar. http://coppergazette.blogspot.com/2011/11/glass-front-gun-cabinet-for-sale.html

[ctkarslake]

Welcome to the forum Frank!

...and about that 818e... pix or it didn't happen, forum rules!

[DougalE]

FrankC:  Congratulations.  I'm wondering what that new body style sounds like. 

Here's my take on what you should do: 

First, keep it in the case until you figure out what is going on inside your house.   Then get one of these, or something like,  to monitor the room you are going to keep it in: 

w.amazon.com/AcuRite-613-Indoor-Humidity-Monitor/dp/B0013BKDO8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1381805097&sr=8-3&keywords=acu+rite+humidity

It will tell you to a fair degree of accuracy what the air is like in your room. THere are far more expensive/accurate options for a humidity gauge, but this one should work if you don't have money to burn. 

If your room is pretty regularly between 40 and 55 percent humidity, you can hang the guitar, but always check the gauge if you sense the room might be drying out.  I had to buy a humidifier.  I bought one of these:   

http://www.amazon.com/Crane-Ultrasonic-Humidifier-Gallon-output/dp/B005PK7RW4

There are better options, but this one works okay for me.  I don't have that big a room.  But a room humidifier is always a good thing to have.  If it gets really dry, which it does here in Southern California, I use a Dampit sound hole worm type device also when the Santa Ana winds kick in, which they did last week. 

I hate cases and having to take the guitar out of the case and put it back in.  I want the option of picking up the guitar and playing it on a whim. But yes, a case is  the best place for it, not only for purposes of keeping it humidified, but also to keep it from being damaged.  One of my guitars had a confrontation with one of my Dobermans one day and didn't fare to well. 

[CodeBlueEMT]

 I keep 'em cased (Humidipaks for 3 of 'em) if they're not being played. My music room is small (11'x10') w/ a huge closet for storage. Currently, my Carvin C980-12, 314ce, and Fender FM-62SCE are sitting out on their stands. That alone should raise a few eyebrows. 

 I hate dusting.

 



   

[coldshot]

I keep mine in here.

[coldshot]

An older pic when I first built it, although most guitars have been replaced now.

[FrankC]

Some great advice guys and thank you for the welcome - the body sound is great really full and a big deep strumming tone - I mean I've been playing a £250 simon and Patrick for 15 years so it's bound to be big compared to that!! As for photos, I'll Need to check one of your threads for how to do that!!


Thanks again - off to buy a humidity gauge!!

Frank

[jivauk]

Hi Frank

Welcome from fellow UK members (south of the border in Northumberland).

We like to keep our guitars out on display and ready to play at a moment's notice (no children or pets to worry about accidental knocks). We bought a digital Thermometer/Hygrometer from Amazon UK to check our humidity situation

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002U9U4B4

Now we're concerned about the humidity levels (usually 60 to 70) and put the guitars back in their cases more often than we used to.  <sigh>

[Drock2k1]

I personally would keep it in a case. Beyond humidity issues, the strings will last longer. I would prefer to keep them hung though, they just scream..."hey you, get over here and play me"