01/24/2026
Don't forget to prep your guitars to ride out the winter weather ☁️ 🌡️
The biggest winter threat to your guitar isn’t actually cold—it’s low humidity. During the winter months humidity can easily drop below 30% – well under the 40-50% safe range for guitars.
Common humidity-related winter guitar problems include:
-Cracked acoustic guitar tops and backs
-Fret sprout from fingerboard shrinkage
-Neck movement and truss rod changes
-Finish checking from temperature shock
-Tuning instability and dull tone
Thankfully there are some simple things you can do to keep your babies safe!
1) Keep a humidifier in the room where you store your guitars. Ideally you want to maintain 40%-50% humidity. Keep a hygrometer with your guitars as well to monitor the humidity situation.
2) Keep your guitar in its case. There are also plenty of guitar-specific humidification devices that can be placed directly inside your guitars' case for targeted protection.
3) Keep guitars away from heat sources. Avoid placing your guitars near radiators, heating vents, fireplaces, or space heaters. Direct heat dries wood unevenly and can damage finishes and glue joints.
**AND MOST IMPORTANTLY**
Let Cold Guitars Warm Up Before Playing.
Strings and metal hardware need time to stabilize after being exposed to the cold. Allow your guitar to reach room temperature before tuning and playing.
