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Old 02-14-2018, 12:02 PM
BT55 BT55 is offline
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Default New CF Guitar - Time To Acclimate

I’m in the northeast and temps are in the 30’s. I’ll be receiving a new Rainsong shortly. I know that you should give a wood guitar about a day to acclimate prior to playing. Do you need to give a CF guitar time to acclimate prior to playing it?
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Old 02-14-2018, 12:23 PM
jdinco jdinco is offline
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This is likely not the correct answer, but I never have given them more than an hour or two. I take the case out of the box and open it about an inch and let it sit for a while. I think they are protected pretty well in the case and box while being transported. Like I said....I could be way wrong. But I've never had an issue with CF or wood guitars. You may want to ask Rainsong.
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Old 02-14-2018, 12:49 PM
MiG50 MiG50 is offline
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I'm pretty sure you can just go ahead and play it right away, although it might be chilly at first. Remember, this isn't a wood guitar, and that's on purpose.
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Old 02-14-2018, 12:55 PM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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BT55, you'd better let it acclimate for a week to be sure!

FYI, the whole acclimation thing is to prevent cold checking, when a thoroughly cold-soaked guitar gets warmed suddenly. The pliable wood expands much faster than the brittle lacquer, creating a "crackle" effect. Since neither lacquer nor wood are present on a CF guitar, you are good to go. BTW, I've seen this cold checking occur in real time. A frozen guitar was opened in a nice warm room, and you could see the crackling occur in the finish as you watched. Yikes!
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Old 02-14-2018, 12:58 PM
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The protocol for CF is quite different from that for wooden instruments. For example, here in the desert, in the summer, when the high-noon temperature is 115, we take the guitar out of the case and throw it on to a sand dune. I suspect for your climate you would probably take the instrument out of the case and throw it on to a snow bank.

But don't take my word for this. As JD pointed out, you might want to check with Rainsong.

By the way, if your experience with Rainsong is like mine has been, you are in for a treat. Enjoy.
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Old 02-14-2018, 01:20 PM
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Unless you like the angst of what you’d rightly put yourself through to acclimate a wood guitar, just immediately take that baby out and play away!
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Old 02-14-2018, 01:21 PM
BT55 BT55 is offline
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Default New CF Guitar - Time To Acclimate

I took your advise and called Rainsong. Their rep told me that hot or cold conditions do not effect Rainsongs so no waiting is required. Open the case, tune it and play as hard as you want!
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Old 02-14-2018, 01:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BT55 View Post
I took your advise and called Rainsong. Their rep told me that hot or cold conditions do not effect Rainsongs so no waiting is required. Open the case, tune it and play as hard as you want!
But of course! In fact, the guitar may still be in tune, albeit maybe a tad low in pitch. That has happened to many of us before upon receipt of a composite guitar. Enjoy the remainder of the wait!
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Old 02-14-2018, 04:32 PM
Captain Jim Captain Jim is offline
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Well, that's the first of the good things about carbon fiber... now, wait 'till you hear it! You might want to get comfortable with this term: "piano-like tone." It was how I heard my model of RainSong tone described. There will be other descriptive terms on the next few models of carbon fiber guitars you buy. What? Next few? Yep. You won't have to wait for those to acclimate, either.

Enjoy!
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Old 02-14-2018, 06:39 PM
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Well, I was so waiting to see the guitar on a snow bank. A few years ago Mr. K had a video of a CF guitar being jumped off a roof into a swimming pool. I don't know if a sound is heard if no one else is under the water, but it was really visual.
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Old 02-14-2018, 07:13 PM
kramster kramster is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EvanB View Post
Well, I was so waiting to see the guitar on a snow bank. A few years ago Mr. K had a video of a CF guitar being jumped off a roof into a swimming pool. I don't know if a sound is heard if no one else is under the water, but it was really visual.

Where do you come up with thus stuff?
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Old 02-14-2018, 09:07 PM
Res Ipsa Res Ipsa is offline
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How to Acclimate a new CF Guitar:

(1) Take delivery
(2) Tune guitar
(3) Play
(4) Repeat step 3 daily

Alternate method:

(1) Take delivery
(2) Tune guitar
(3) Put in freezer or leave in the desert for a week
(4) Play
(5) Repeat step 4 daily

Either method works.
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Old 02-14-2018, 11:31 PM
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I think probably the best approach (IMO) if you are really worried about when to play your new CF guitar is just to wrap it back up and mail it to me. I happen to be an expert on beating dead horses along with more abstruse specialties, so I could test your guitar on a regular basis until I am certain it is ready for you and then eventually send it back to you to play (COD of course). It may take quite a while depending on the quality of the instrument though as I am not terribly reliable.

I also can offer similar services for various non-CF instruments for a slight up charge. As long as you don't mind inconsistent results, then I am the obvious choice and will help as I can.
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Old 02-14-2018, 11:56 PM
SpruceTop SpruceTop is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BT55 View Post
I’m in the northeast and temps are in the 30’s. I’ll be receiving a new Rainsong shortly. I know that you should give a wood guitar about a day to acclimate prior to playing. Do you need to give a CF guitar time to acclimate prior to playing it?
You may want to crack the case open for an hour or two so moisture doesn't condense on the guitar's electronics, if any. That's what I would do under the conditions you describe. Enjoy!
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  #15  
Old 02-15-2018, 08:52 AM
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From the trunk of my car in sub-freezing temps to playing in the house in no time. As others have said, that's one of the joys of these guitars. Enjoy immediately, refrigerate or heat or use as a canoe paddle after opening, play again any time you like.
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