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clausti
Nov 17, 2006, 6:39 AM
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so, i finally sold my electric guitar that i got in high school.
but i still have my acoustic, which i'm kind of attached to, which doesnt get played nearly as much as it should because of that pesky school thing.
while i am taking a hiatus from the pesky school thing, i will be livin' in my CRV, and i was wondering, from people who know lots more about guitars than me (i am *very* amatur), is there a reason i shouldnt take the guitar with me on my road trip, other than space?
i mean, if i am out west the whole time, humidity shouldnt be a factor right? how hot does the guitar have to get before it is bad for it? it'll be in a fairly nice hard case if it comes.
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rrrADAM
Nov 17, 2006, 6:47 AM
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Take it with you... Hardshell case if you got it, otherwise a gig bag is around $20... Just be carefull if you don't have a hardshell case.
As for humidity, temp and elevation changes... Its not gonna hurt it, it'll just 'slightly' go out on it's intonation and the action may get higher. Its easy to have it trued for about $20, but I true my own guitars.
And I'll true your's for you if you make to the LBC.
Hope this helps.
(This post was edited by rrradam on Nov 17, 2006, 6:49 AM)
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clausti
Nov 17, 2006, 6:50 AM
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hardshell case i got.
i'm thinking that if i have room its gonna come, just because i want to.
but i would like to know if theres any serious reasons i shouldnt bring it.
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rrrADAM
Nov 17, 2006, 7:55 AM
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None whatsoever... Other than you don't want to leave it in your car in a high-crime area.
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redlegrangerone
Nov 17, 2006, 11:10 AM
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If this guitar is expensive or has sentimental value I would not bring it. Leaving guitars in cars is verybad for them. Heat can delaminate them or ruin the glue. You can also crack the wood. You can go to any used guitar shop and pick u a cheap guitar for a road trip. Then you do not have to worry about it.
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overlord
Nov 17, 2006, 11:21 AM
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the only real issues are heat and theft. so dont leave them in the car if possible. apart from that, it should be ok if youre carefull.
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camhead
Nov 17, 2006, 2:33 PM
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on roadtrips, I've always dealt with the dilemma of finding a balance between a good instrument and one that I don't mind beating up on the road.
Temperatures are most definitely an issue. If you are going to be in hot places in the summer, park in the shade, crack your windows, or better yet, leave your guitar back in your tent if it is safe. A few years back I had found an awesome cheap guitar for road trippin', and its neck was warped beyond repair from the heat of my car.
Oh, and ditto everyone that said to get a hard case.
And as a subjective matter, you should totally get a nylon-string! They sound cooler and are nicer on your fingers after a hard day of crimping.
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clausti
Nov 17, 2006, 2:36 PM
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haha, steel strings, baby. steel.
but seriously... how hot is hot enough to worry about? parking in the shade in 80 degree weather? sun in 60 degree weather? i dont really have any clue how hot "too" hot is.
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redlegrangerone
Nov 17, 2006, 2:46 PM
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I would say sun in 50 degrees would do it. It gets much hotter in the car. The other problem is moving from different temperature extremes. Musicians take great care in transporting guitars. A hard case is essential and I would also recommend at least some type of humidifier. Anything you can do to keep the climate as regulated as possible, your guitar will thank you for.
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robbovius
Nov 17, 2006, 2:50 PM
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In reply to: haha, steel strings, baby. steel. but seriously... how hot is hot enough to worry about? parking in the shade in 80 degree weather? sun in 60 degree weather? i dont really have any clue how hot "too" hot is.
I've had guitars get hot to the touch at outdoor gigs and not had them have serious problems with intonation or action, but the rise and fall of the temperature gradient was gradual, and the ENTIRE guitar got hot as a unit, as opposed to having a guir sit in a position so one side can get hot, while the other stays cool, which is prime warpage conditions.
leaving it in your car on a 60 degree day would be fine.
on a cloudy 80 d egree day it'd be okay too, as long as you release the string tension before you put it back in the case. a hardshell case is the better storage unit than a gig bag, if you're keeping the thing in your car.
avoid having the guitar lie in the sun when temps pushing high 80s and up.
there are small in-the-case humidifiers that you can buy (basically as small plastic can with a sponge in it) that help greatly in keeping acoustics healthy. I recommend them.
I'd be more worried about theft, than heat damage, personally.
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redlegrangerone
Nov 17, 2006, 2:53 PM
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The heat thing depends where you are going to road trip also. In parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona, it can still get hot in a car in winter. Then you have the cold places like Colorado and others.
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clausti
Nov 17, 2006, 3:24 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: haha, steel strings, baby. steel. BOOOOO! As for temps, I would just be careful in the summer when you park in the sun with your windows all the way up. My truck has a white shell, and I've noticed that it never gets too hot in the pickup bed if I crack the windows of the shell. But again, you would be best off leaving it in your tent during the day as much as possible.
as far as a tent... i'm going to be sleeping in my crv as often as possible. anyplace they'll let me sleep in my car, i will be.
and i already have a hard shell, so if it comes, that's what it'll come in.
as far as temps in the car, this past summer i noticed that with the stuff under the crash pad in the back of the car, the temps didnt vary all that much. if i can find space for the git-fiddle under the crash pad/platform, that's where it'll be.
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vertical_reality
Nov 17, 2006, 3:50 PM
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Don't worry about the heat, it's not an issue if you know what you are doing. Heat does not harm a guitar, it's the sudden drop in temperature that fucks it up.
If you think your guitar has gotten too hot then take it out of the car but do not remove it from the case. Give it time to adjust to the new outside temperature, and when you open the case do it slowly.
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madriver
Nov 17, 2006, 4:44 PM
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what kind of guitar? Martin, Takamine, Taylor, or a bargain basement flat top? If the guitar is worth some real bucks, then most of the previous posts about heat and cold will apply. If it's a beater then don't sweat it. If it's a Gibson J-250....or Martin 000-42 don't leave it lying around anywhere. If its a Fender DG-8S have at it.
Have guitars will travel
MaD
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iceisnice
Nov 18, 2006, 10:19 PM
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do you want to bring your guitar to play at little campfire gatherings? or do you just want something with ya so you can keep on practicing? there are travel guitars out there that break down and are easy to get around with. they don't usually produce a good sound (unless you are willing to shell out a lot) but it is something you can practice with.
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