advice on storing flamenco guitars for 6 to 12 months

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pink

Posts: 570
Joined: Jan. 8 2013

advice on storing flamenco guitars f...

I will be needing to store a couple of flamenco guitars for between 6 and 12 months and was hoping someone could advise me of the best way to do this.
The guitars will be stored in hard cases ,boxed and placed in a sealed wooden shipping container which will be kept in a warehouse which I believe is temperature controlled. I will also be storing several steel string electric and acoustic guitars in the same way. These will have the strings loosened off......I have stored steel stringers in this way before without any problems.
I am assuming that I should slacken the strings on the flamenco guitars too and was also wondering if I should use humidifiers as well?
Any advice would be gratefully received!!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2014 22:04:19

bernd

Posts: 680
Joined: Feb. 15 2004

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

If the temperature is around 20° C, then you won't need a humidifyer. Btw there is no humidifyer working longer then just a few days without being refilled. That means you would have to open all guitar cases after any few days to refill the humidifyers. As long as the guitars are in their cases stored in a container, the container provides a closed atmosphere to the cases while the cases provide a closed atmosphere to the guitars as well. So even an outside placed electric room humidifyer does not have any effect to the guitars. It makes no sense at all.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 27 2014 23:38:43

krichards

Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

In a case, in a box, in a sealed container, in a warehouse, in the UK. That's likely to be a very stable environment so don't worry about humidity.

But tell us where are you going? Some place where you can't take a guitar?

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Kevin Richards

http://www.facebook.com/#!/kevin.richards.1048554

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2014 7:49:23

pink

Posts: 570
Joined: Jan. 8 2013

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

Bernd.....many thanks for your reply.The humidifier was the bit I was most unsure of for the flamenco guitars. My steel stringers have been stored on several occasions without issue, it is the more delicately topped flamencos that have my immediate concern!
Kevin, my wife, two sons and I are hoping to spend up to a year travelling round Europe....a few months of which will be in Spain. Your guitar is coming with me.....the only one that is by the way!! We are in the process of selling our house and once that happens then we can away....but as we all know the selling part can be the tricky,long winded bit...let's hope it moves quickly for us.
Hope all is well with you Kevin?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2014 11:11:52

BarkellWH

Posts: 3459
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

Pink,

Several years ago the U.S. State Department asked me to go to the Pacific Island nation of Palau for nearly six months, on a consulting basis, as Charge' d'Affaires in our Embassy. I left two flamenco guitars at home in Washington, DC during that gig on Palau. The ambient air provided sufficient humidity, but the main point I want to suggest is that I did not loosen the strings. You will hear different opinions, but my flamenco guru, Paco de Malaga, said it was not necessary to loosen the strings. And, in fact, it may create a problem by relieving the tension on the neck for a long period, causing it to be in a slightly different position when you begin playing again.

As I say, you will hear different opinions on whether or not to loosen the strings, but my expereience in leaving them taut during a nearly six-month period proved satisfactory.

Bill

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With the name of the late deceased,
And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here,
Who tried to hustle the East."

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2014 11:29:54

krichards

Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

quote:

Kevin, my wife, two sons and I are hoping to spend up to a year travelling round Europe....a few months of which will be in Spain. Your guitar is coming with me.....the only one that is by the way!! We are in the process of selling our house and once that happens then we can away....but as we all know the selling part can be the tricky,long winded bit...let's hope it moves quickly for us.
Hope all is well with you Kevin?

More radiotherapy for me this week, but it doesn't slow me down too much. I'm polishing no 34 at present, a lovely spruce/rosewood negra.

Sounds like a wonderful adventure you're embarking on. I hope it goes well for you. Please keep us informed especially when you're in Spain.
Good luck

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Kevin Richards

http://www.facebook.com/#!/kevin.richards.1048554

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2014 14:17:17

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

Wish you the best, Kevin.

-

A humidifier in England?
I would expect RH there at largely over ~ 60%. Conditions like I was counting with when my guitars went on travel in a sea container.

I then packed them at decent humidity, wrapping them in newspaper and then in clinge wrap. Then put into guitar case.
Turned out the container was quite an old / beaten up one, thus likely not isolating well against the humid climate on sea. But the guitars arrived perfectly.
-

I think the slackening of strings to be meant as measure against additional strain during impact. Just like the stuffing of the head compartment ( against breaking off head plates), which is one thing I do for travelling axes.

Ruphus

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2014 15:53:43

keith

Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

not sure about slack strings for storage--i think strings are slacken for shipping (pressure changes, gorillas tossing guitars). in a way, the guitar should be treated like it was being played and we do not slacken strings after playing and then putting the guitar in a case. one concern would be the material touching the guitar--plastic or vinyl touching nitro or french polish might not be a good thing for such a long period of time.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2014 19:15:53

pink

Posts: 570
Joined: Jan. 8 2013

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

Thank you everyone for the replies!
You know that's what I really love about this place.....people bother!!
The content of the original post almost becomes an irrelevant part of the equation.....the replier finds the time to comment . This is what happened to me,why are you worried about that? just so brilliant, helps you keep your feet firmly on the ground,helps you appreciate what you have or hope to have!!!
Kevin , I can't wait to see as picture or two of number 34!? Your work is quite simply astounding and I will be contacting you again for another guitar. Above all , your strength with what you are going through is an example to us all. My warmest wishes to you and your family, you are not only a fantastic luthier but also an incredible inspiration....thank you again for number 32!!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 28 2014 20:37:37

estebanana

Posts: 9367
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

Hello Pink,

So lets cut to the chase. Did the policia finally catch you for all those parking tickets and the judge is sending you the slammer for 6 months to pay your dutiful debt to society for bilking your city out of parking ticket revenue?

Never give in man, never let the bastards beat us! Serve the time never give up red cent or hard earned pound for a damn parking ticket.

Viva la Revolution! Occupy Flamenco Foro!

There will be a grand juerga for you when you get out of the pokey.

Your guitar will be safe with all the good council you have received on proper storage, if you need file baked into a cake to be delivered on visiting days just let me know, I got your back brother.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 29 2014 13:29:23

pink

Posts: 570
Joined: Jan. 8 2013

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to estebanana)

quote:

ORIGINAL: estebanana

Hello Pink,

So lets cut to the chase. Did the policia finally catch you for all those parking tickets and the judge is sending you the slammer for 6 months to pay your dutiful debt to society for bilking your city out of parking ticket revenue?

Never give in man, never let the bastards beat us! Serve the time never give up red cent or hard earned pound for a damn parking ticket.

Viva la Revolution! Occupy Flamenco Foro!

There will be a grand juerga for you when you get out of the pokey.

Your guitar will be safe with all the good council you have received on proper storage, if you need file baked into a cake to be delivered on visiting days just let me know, I got your back brother.

Damn those tickets.....they bring nothing but pain, and my life has seen so much pain,it makes me cry just thinking of it. And the thinking...... oh how that gives me such pain! , the cycle is endless. Talking of pain, I remember doing a ''stretch'' back in "66" for the theft of a car ticket printing machine.....I foolishly thought that ingenious contraption would make my future but it all turned to turd and I found myself looking at the wrong side of a 15 year stint. At that time I had my first foray with a banana cake making ''prison friend'' charity....its name? The Estebanana Cake Brotherhood......lovely cake except for the metal content.... lost too many teeth......so much pain........!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 29 2014 22:37:23

estebanana

Posts: 9367
Joined: Oct. 16 2009

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to pink)

Maybe this will cheer you up:

I'll warm up the oven and get out the baking recipies

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 30 2014 0:52:35

pink

Posts: 570
Joined: Jan. 8 2013

RE: advice on storing flamenco guita... (in reply to estebanana)

quote:

ORIGINAL: estebanana

Maybe this will cheer you up:

I'll warm up the oven and get out the baking recipies

Don't forget the baking gloves.....
Thought you might like this one.......

Police and Thieves - The Clash: http://youtu.be/3V73auvenZA

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jul. 30 2014 8:10:27