Storing instruments through a New York winter
Storing instruments through a New York winter
A New York winter is hard on wooden instruments for one reason: steam heat. Radiators drive indoor humidity down sharply, and dry wood shrinks.
What dry air actually does
Wood loses moisture and contracts. On an instrument that shows up as fret ends that suddenly feel sharp against the hand — the fingerboard has shrunk across its width while the metal frets have not.
Further along the same path: lower action and buzzing as the top or fingerboard settles, and in the worst cases, cracks along the grain of an acoustic top.
Solid-wood acoustics are the most vulnerable. Laminate instruments and solid-body electrics are considerably more tolerant, though a solid-body’s fingerboard still shrinks.
The target range
The commonly cited comfortable band for wooden instruments is around 40 to 55 per cent relative humidity. A heated New York apartment in January can sit well below 30.
A cheap hygrometer is the entire diagnostic tool needed. Without one you are guessing, and the symptoms only appear after the damage.
Raising humidity
A room humidifier is the most effective approach and benefits everything in the room, including the people. Case humidifiers work well for instruments that live in cases, and are the right answer for a valuable acoustic.
The practical trade-off: instruments in cases with humidifiers are safe and are not played. Instruments on stands are played and are exposed to the room. For most people the honest answer is to humidify the room rather than to lock everything away.
Where not to put a stand
- Against or near a radiator.
- In the path of a forced-air vent.
- Against an exterior wall, which is the coldest surface and can attract condensation.
- In direct sun through a window, even in winter.
- Near a door to outside, for the temperature swings.
Coming in from the cold
An instrument carried in from a cold street should be left in its closed case for a while before opening. Letting it warm gradually inside the case avoids the thermal shock that can check a finish — the fine crazing seen on older instruments.
Half an hour is usually plenty for a short trip; longer if it has been outside for hours.
Should strings be slackened?
For normal storage over a winter, no. Instruments are built to sit under string tension and the neck is set up with that tension in mind. Slackening strings for a few months tends to cause more setup drift than it prevents.
Slackening is worth doing for long-term storage of many months, or for shipping, where an instrument may be dropped or subjected to temperature extremes.
Cases versus stands, decided honestly
A case is better protection. A stand gets the instrument played. If an instrument is genuinely valuable or genuinely sensitive, case it and humidify the case. For everything else, a stand in a well-chosen corner of a humidified room is the arrangement that leads to more playing, which is the point.
A short winter routine
- Buy a hygrometer and actually look at it.
- Aim for roughly 40 to 55 per cent.
- Humidify the room, or the case for anything precious.
- Keep stands away from radiators, vents, exterior walls and sun.
- Let a cold instrument warm in its closed case before opening it.
- Leave strings at tension for a normal winter.
Where this sits in the shop
Everything discussed above comes back to one part of the shop: Guitar Stands and Racks, which currently holds 4 listings between $19.99 and $67.99. The whole of it is picked and packed at Yung Chin, 1776 Broadway, New York, NY, during Tue–Fri 7:30am–3pm, closed Sat–Mon — so anything written here can be checked by phoning the counter on ((212) 582-3626.
From our shelves
- STRICH Wooden Guitar Stand Multiple Guitars, Guitar Rack for 5 Acoustic or 8 Electric — $67.99
- Universal Guitar Stand with Secure Lock Neck Holder, Acoustic Guitar Stand Floor for — $19.99
- Portin 3-Tier Multi Guitar Stand with Vinyl Record Player Storage Rack — $59.99
What we get asked about this
How long will my order take?
Handling takes 1–2 business days and carrier transit is normally 3–7 business days, so most orders land in 4–9 business days. Tracking is emailed as soon as the label scans.
How much is shipping?
Orders of $49.00 or more ship free inside the United States. Below that, a flat $5.99 covers packing and carrier handling, whatever the box weighs.
Read next
- Guitar stands and racks: how many instruments, and where
- Wall mounts: what the neck actually rests on
- Bass strings: gauge, winding and what each change does
Ordering from Yung Chin
Orders of $49.00 or more ship free anywhere in the United States, and a flat $5.99 covers everything below that. Handling takes 1–2 business days and carrier transit is normally 3–7 business days. Unused items can go back within 30 days, and if the mistake was ours we pay the return postage.
Questions about anything above go to [email protected], answered within 1 business day, or call (212) 582-3626. Full detail is on the Shipping Policy and Refund and Returns pages.