Anyone who owns a guitar is usually proud to have it in their possession. Therefore, musicians must know how best to store their guitars; otherwise, the instrument can get severely damaged or even destroyed. Luckily, there’s no shortage of storage options available for guitar owners.
Here are 13 ways to store a guitar when not in use:
- Control climatic conditions.
- Store in the center of the room.
- Prevent exposure to direct sunlight.
- Store the guitar in a hard case.
- Store guitars in an upright position.
- Reduce string tension.
- Use a guitar stand.
- Buy a guitar rack.
- Consider a wall mount.
- Place the guitar on a shelf.
- Get a guitar cabinet or display case.
- Detach vibratos during storage.
- Clean the guitar before storage.
What follows is an in-depth look into each method of guitar storage. Applying any of the following storage tips will help protect and prolong the lifespan of your guitar.
Related: best glue for guitar building, acoustic guitar pickup not working? how to fix it, and electric guitar not working when plugged in? 5 fixes. For the full overview, see our step-by-step guide to cleaning and maintaining a guitar.
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1. Control Climatic Conditions
The most commonly used material in the manufacture of guitars is wood. Wood does not react well to fluctuating climatic conditions. When exposed to extreme humidity or generally damp conditions, it tends to swell.
On the other hand, wood dries out when exposed to high temperatures. Either situation will damage wood-made guitars and change the instrument’s sound output. Therefore, you want to make sure that you’re storing your guitar in a mild environment.
The ideal temperature for long-term guitar storage is standard room temperature. However, your guitar will remain in good condition under a temperature range from 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 to 26.7 degrees Celsius). Therefore, when setting your thermostat, you should ensure the temperature does not exceed that range.
Moreover, the manufacture of guitars happens under humidity-controlled conditions. As a result, their storage conditions should also mimic their manufacturing conditions. To preserve your guitar, ensure the humidity in the storage area is between 45 to 55 percent.
Given the adverse effects of extreme temperature and humidity on guitars, you must avoid storing your guitar in certain areas. For example, you should not keep your guitar in a car, especially if the temperature falls below or above the range mentioned above. Cars experience a constant shift in climatic conditions throughout the day; therefore, they are not ideal for guitar storage.
You can purchase several items to help control the climatic conditions in the rooms where you store your guitars. For example:
- A temperature and humidity monitor. The ThermoPro Digital Hygrometer Indoor Thermometer (available on Amazon.com) provides high and low temperature and humidity readings, thus, helping ensure room conditions remain within a specified range.
- A humidifier. In dry areas with low humidity, a humidifier will help increase moisture content in the air to help reach optimal humidity for guitar storage. For example, this LEVOIT Humidifier (available on Amazon.com) has 360 rotating nozzles to guarantee homogeneous moisture distribution in your room.
- A dehumidifier. It will come in handy in very humid areas since it will remove excess moisture from the air, thus preventing exposure of your guitar to excessive moisture that will ruin the wood. Consider this Letsport Upgraded 68oz Dehumidifier (available on Amazon.com) equipped with auto shut-off to prevent spills when the tank is full and save energy.
- Silica Pads. If your area experiences high humidity, consider placing silica pads in your guitar case to help absorb moisture. Make sure you replace the pads after several months or as instructed by the manufacturer.
2. Store in the Center of the Room
The temperature and humidity conditions you store your guitar in should remain consistent. One way of making that happen is by keeping your guitar around your room’s center instead of against outside-facing walls. The room’s center receives the most consistent atmospheric conditions since there are minimal factors that can contribute to temperature and humidity fluctuations.
On the other hand, outside-facing walls experience exposure to elements that can cause temperature fluctuations around them. For example, in scorching places, outside-facing walls absorb heat from the sun, which guitar cases can absorb, thus exposing your guitar to sweltering conditions.
Alternatively, outside-facing walls can get freezing cold too, causing damage to your guitar’s finish. You should also avoid placing your guitar on concrete surfaces. Concrete is a porous material that absorbs moisture from its surrounding. Therefore, it will absorb the moisture in your guitar, causing dryness that increases the risk of your guitar cracking.
Moreover, some rooms in your home may not be ideal for guitar storage. These include your attic, garage, and your basement.
These rooms are usually humid and damp, which contributes to guitar damage. Moreover, do not keep your guitar near the ceiling since the temperature changes quickly depending on the time of year and weather.
Choose the space you will store your guitar carefully, and ensure you place the guitar as close to the room’s center as possible.
3. Prevent Exposure to Direct Sunlight
Exposing your guitar to direct sunlight can ruin it. In addition to bending your guitar’s wood out of shape, the heat will also destroy its finishing. Guitar finishing contains glues that make it look shiny, clean and aesthetically pleasing. However, prolonged exposure to heat can soften glue used to hold the components together, resulting in your guitar falling apart.
The sun’s rays will also contribute to cracking in your guitar’s polished finishing. Therefore, you should avoid storing your guitar in areas that receive direct sunlight, like near a window. Ultimately, you can keep the guitar in a room that does not receive any sunlight to guarantee its safety from direct sunlight.
4. Store the Guitar in a Hard Case
Hard cases are easily the best way to store your guitar when not using it. Guitars left lying around are susceptible to falling objects, someone dropping them, and environmental factors.
Moreover, other cases like gig bags do not provide enough padding to protect your guitar against external shocks that can cause damage. Gig bags are most convenient when you regularly use your guitar and help keep dirt and dust off your guitar.
A high-quality hard case will have a hard shell that will absorb external shocks like when your guitar drops, thus, protecting the instrument. A hard case will also delay the effects of sudden changes in temperature and humidity on your guitar.
Hard shell cases are available in different sizes. For instance, for a ¾-size acoustic guitar, you can consider purchasing the Gator Cases Hard-Shell Wood Case (available on Amazon.com). The case has durable black Tolex PVC-covered plywood that protects against bumps and damages.