Transporting a guitar in cold weather.

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Georg

Posts: 405
Joined: Feb. 5 2006
From: Germany

Transporting a guitar in cold weather.

I know that Henrik has already asked this question, but I can't find it because the search function doesn't work.

On friday I have to transport my guitar in a small trailer during a 3 hours drive. There's no chance I can put it into the car (Nine people, nine guitars, one bus for nine persons, only a small trunk). I'm worried because it's pretty cold here in Germany (-5°C). Even if John's video suggests something else. It's not my most expensive guitar, but I like all of them. It will be in a good hardcase. Do I have to worry?

Georg

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 11 2007 18:58:16

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Transporting a guitar in cold we... (in reply to Georg)

I never got cracs because of the winter. If there would be a way to slowly cool it down and slowly warm it up again,.. I think that would be best. But I have no idea how to do that. Im also thinking about that... and hope somebody knows some good solutions.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 11 2007 20:04:49

jshelton5040

Posts: 1500
Joined: Jan. 17 2005

RE: Transporting a guitar in cold we... (in reply to Georg)

Temperature is not the danger it's the low humidity resulting from the cold that can cause cracks. If you can find a big enough plastic bag put the case inside and seal the end. This will maintain the ambient humidity for many hours. You could also add a damp sponge in zip-lock bag with pin holes but this probably wouldn't help much if the temperature is below freezing. Make sure you loosen the strings.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 11 2007 20:23:23

duende

Posts: 3053
Joined: Dec. 15 2003
From: Sweden

RE: Transporting a guitar in cold we... (in reply to Georg)

i have sometimes put socks and T-shirst around my guitar in the case

never with Anders guitar but with my alhambra

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 11 2007 21:55:20

val

Posts: 800
Joined: Apr. 4 2007

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Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Nov. 8 2010 18:11:06

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 12 2007 0:41:24

Georg

Posts: 405
Joined: Feb. 5 2006
From: Germany

RE: Transporting a guitar in cold we... (in reply to Georg)

Thanks for all your advices.

The thing with the socks and t-shirts sounds good. If I can add a toothbrush somewhere, I wouldn't need any suitcase...

I have a big plastic bag, so I'll put it over the case.
Loosening the strings. It's on my checklist.

Val, thanks you offer At the moment I can bear the cold, but if it gets worse, I'll contact you.

Georg

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 12 2007 14:57:04

el ted

Posts: 466
Joined: Nov. 13 2003

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Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Dec. 5 2007 15:14:43

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 12 2007 16:00:20

gerundino63

Posts: 1743
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands

RE: Transporting a guitar in cold we... (in reply to Georg)

Hi Georg,

I do not know if this is doing any good or bad, just an Idear.
They call it a survival heat pack, I would not put it directly in the guitar, but inbetween some socks ot towell.
http://www.vtarmynavy.com/hand-warmers.htm

Good luck!
Peter

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 12 2007 19:16:11

Georg

Posts: 405
Joined: Feb. 5 2006
From: Germany

RE: Transporting a guitar in cold we... (in reply to Georg)

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea. I have actually two of them. These gimmicks didn't come to my mind until now. What do the luthiers think of this?

Ted...Well what should I say...

Perhaps I should add a bottle of rum, so that the guitars can sit around the fire, drink rum, and play some melancholy melodies. Perhaps I will even get a little ukulele out that way. What do you think?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 12 2007 21:19:19

HemeolaMan

Posts: 1514
Joined: Jul. 13 2007
From: Chicago

RE: Transporting a guitar in cold we... (in reply to Georg)

i would stray away from heating the guitar with the packs
they wont spread the heat round good enugh, and you'll get some parts warm and others stl very cold = bad

wrapping it in socks makes little sense lol, the only way that would work to keep it warm is if it generated its own heat to heat up the layer of air that the socks are insulating... but it cant do that! lol plus socks are terrible insulators lol.

as for the plastic bag, i think thats a good idea.... except that once you trap the humidity and cool it down it will condense, possibly drip onto your guitar and FREEZE. make sure you keep towels or something absorbant on the inside of the bag,

or better yet, just wrap the whole case in cling film or a zipper bag.

if that doesnt work, then go out back in the trailer and wrap yourself around the case, that should keep it sufficiently taken care of lol

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 12 2007 22:25:31

val

Posts: 800
Joined: Apr. 4 2007

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Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Nov. 8 2010 21:33:35

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 13 2007 0:41:19

HemeolaMan

Posts: 1514
Joined: Jul. 13 2007
From: Chicago

RE: Transporting a guitar in cold we... (in reply to val)

val

actually if the plane weren't pressurized your guitar would have been at 50 below zero, at approximately 300- 500 mb of pressure, and would have cracked due to the enormous pressure changes

pressure at sea level is 1015 mb. the lowest recorded sea level pressures (around 880 mb) were back in the 1780's in the caribbean.... in the eye of a hurricane......

think about it, why would they bother making a plane into two separate air cells? even in cargo planes there are pressurized items that are shipped. imagine if a can of hairspray exploded!!!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Nov. 13 2007 6:38:44