How to open/acclimate guitar that has been shipped. - Page 3

skypeace · #31 02-12-2020, 01:22 AM

Set the box up in the corner of your living room, set candles around the box, light them and then bow down and worship the object of your desire.

Personally if it is a guitar I am excited about I am opening the box, checking for shipping or handling damage, manufacturers defects, etc., so I can begin the exchange process if required. I may wait a couple of hours if I think there is an extreme temperature difference, but if the temperature difference is that extreme I am already concerned about damage and want to check it out.

These instruments, many of which are created from fine choice hardwoods better be able to take a licking and keep on ticking. Wait 24 hours, yeah right, sounds like mysticism to me.

Oh, this is a really funny thread.

JayBee1404 · #32 02-12-2020, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skypeace

These instruments, many of which are created from fine choice hardwoods better be able to take a licking and keep on ticking. Wait 24 hours, yeah right, sounds like mysticism to me.

I don’t think it’s the ‘fine choice hardwoods’ that are the main problem. It’s the finish - especially nitrocellulose lacquer, and more especially on a new instrument - that can be affected by rapid temperature change.

It’s never happened to me personally, but I know at least one owner who opened the cold case of his new Martin in a warm room and watched the lacquer craze right before his eyes, and I’ve read similar anecdotal evidence on various forums.

My philosophy is ‘Caution costs nothing’ but hey, each to his own!

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

funstrumming · #33 02-12-2020, 12:20 PM

Timely zombie thread, as I'm getting my first Martin today. I am not known for my willpower.

The UPS tracking shows the guitar arrived in the Bay Area yesterday a.m. and will be delivered today. It's been a balmy 50-70 degrees F. in the Bay Area. I'll be a little cautious, but under those circumstances the guitar should be fine if I tear the packaging open immediately and set upon it like a pack of hyenas, right?

frankmcr · #34 02-12-2020, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funstrumming

Timely zombie thread, as I'm getting my first Martin today. I am not known for my willpower.

The UPS tracking shows the guitar arrived in the Bay Area yesterday a.m. and will be delivered today. It's been a balmy 50-70 degrees F. in the Bay Area. I'll be a little cautious, but under those circumstances the guitar should be fine if I tear the packaging open immediately and set upon it like a pack of hyenas, right?

Depends where the guitar came from.

gmel555 · #35 02-12-2020, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funstrumming

Timely zombie thread, as I'm getting my first Martin today. I am not known for my willpower.

The UPS tracking shows the guitar arrived in the Bay Area yesterday a.m. and will be delivered today. It's been a balmy 50-70 degrees F. in the Bay Area. I'll be a little cautious, but under those circumstances the guitar should be fine if I tear the packaging open immediately and set upon it like a pack of hyenas, right?

I think this Zombie is among the most useful. I'm usually very cautious about opening guitar shipments in the winter, but you should be in good shape. If it were me I'd probably take it out of the box and leave the case unopened for a couple of hours before opening, but do your own thing. Enjoy your NGD!

hairpuller · #36 02-12-2020, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funstrumming

Timely zombie thread, as I'm getting my first Martin today. I am not known for my willpower.

The UPS tracking shows the guitar arrived in the Bay Area yesterday a.m. and will be delivered today. It's been a balmy 50-70 degrees F. in the Bay Area. I'll be a little cautious, but under those circumstances the guitar should be fine if I tear the packaging open immediately and set upon it like a pack of hyenas, right?

Funny, but I just received a guitar via UPS yesterday in Sonoma County. It was high 70's yesterday. I unboxed it right away, then put the case in the back as I ran a couple errands. By the time I arrived home (couple hours later) the case felt cool to the touch, but not cold. I opened it up (my house temp was 66) slowly and it looked gorgeous! I think having had it sit at the UPS depot all day in 70 degree weather took away any chance of spider cracks.

I rather wait a bit then be really regretting a damaged finish. I agree though, it is really hard to wait!!

Scott

PatrickMadsen · #37 02-12-2020, 07:02 PM

I have an old 1895-1902 Bruno coming in from Nebraska. I live in Washington State. I normally would just open the box but on this think I'll wait overnight before opening. Neb. has got to be really cold while here it's a balmy 43o.

I'm not too worried about the finish as it's pretty well crazed up I assume, more concerned with cracks and warps.

swampyankee · #38 02-13-2020, 04:21 PM

So as it turned out, after being in transit for 24 hours in temps no lower than 40, the box was delivered to my office where it sat undisturbed for the rest of the day, about 6 hrs. I unboxed but left it in its case for a couple more hours, then checked surface temp with my IR thermometer and it read room temp so I opened, tuned. And played. All is well.

Funk@delic · #39 12-07-2020, 03:57 PM

Had the same question this friday as I heard the doorbell ring at around noon for the delivery of my new A5R. Seems like its a classic risk assessment problem so I came up with a complex algorithm that ruled in all the risk factors: Cost of the guitar, warranty coverage, how badly I wanted to play the guitar, and how much my wife would be annoyed with the very large shipping box sitting in our hallway....algorithm told me to finish the work day, eat dinner with the family, pour myself a drink and then go open up the guitar at about 8:30pm.

I'm pretty sure that if I tripled the cost of the guitar the result would have been waiting the extra 16 hours.

Aspiring · #40 12-07-2020, 04:16 PM

I live in the Seattle area and received a guitar a few weeks ago from Colorado.

After letting it sit in the case for a couple hours I threw a bluetooth transmitting hydrogemeter into the case.

Long story short the interior of the case and the instrument was quite a bit lower in relative humidity (low 30s) and was sitting about 60F temp.

I had to add humidifiers and open the case slightly to get the interior to come up to mid 40s humidity and it took several days for the inside of the case to come up to the temperature in the house.

It took several days for the neck to settle back from humidity as initially it had increased relief.

The chart below shows the first few hours after I moved the sensor from the room that I was in to inside the case with the case in the room.

As you can see the temp and the humidity don't move to equalize very quickly.

Screenshot_20201113-112725.jpg

Pinetreebob · #41 01-13-2021, 02:49 PM

I just received my brand new Gibson ES-335 today. UPS delivered it at 12:08 PM (I noted the exact time!) and I am now waiting patiently. The low temp last night was about 30 degrees F and the Temperature when delivered was 32. It's been nearly 4 hours sitting in the shipping carton. I am planning on slicing open the top of the carton in a bit and leaving it that way while I go out this evening. I should be home around 10:30 or so. I'm on the fence whether or not I will open the case before I go to bed if I feel the outside of the case and the case and hardware don't feel cold.. The temperature in my house is in the high 60s so the difference from the lowest temp to highest is about 40 degrees.
I am a a patient man and might wait until tomorrow morning. I kind of figure the 24 hours suggested waiting time will cover the worst case scenario such as acclimating from -30F to 80F. If I wait, I don't think I will sleep soundly tonight!

619TF · #42 01-13-2021, 02:55 PM

I'm confused. You searched for that special guitar. You paid your money for that guitar. You then waited for that guitar to arrive. Now you can't wait a measly 24 hours more to make sure there's no problems when you open it? Really?!

Pinetreebob · #43 01-13-2021, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 619TF

I'm confused. You searched for that special guitar. You paid your money for that guitar. You then waited for that guitar to arrive. Now you can't wait a measly 24 hours more to make sure there's no problems when you open it? Really?!

What I was saying is the 24 hours has to be based on the worst case scenario where the guitar comes from sub zero temps to a very warm house, say a 100+ degree swing. The difference in my case is about 40 degrees. I have no plan on putting my precious investment in danger and was prepared to wait as long as possible. The thing is when I brought the box in it really didn't feel all that cold. I let it sit unopened though for over 4 hours and a few minutes ago I opened the carton and reached in and felt the hardshell case and the latches. I compared how that felt to a hardshell case I have an acoustic guitar in here in my house. The case of the new guitar did not feel ANY different to the touch from the other case.
Even now, I am not tempted to open it immediately and like I said I'm going out to jam with a few friends tonight. I won't be home for another 6 hours and I probably won't open it then but wait at least another few hours after that. I just think that common sense tells me there is no reason to wait the FULL 24 hours. Of course, I would not want to be wrong! If I get sleepy, I just may put the box beside my bed and open first thing in the morning, like it's Christmas all over again!