Because classical guitars are made of wood, they can be significantly impacted by the weather. To help keep your instrument safe in the cold, follow these steps:
Never Leave Your Guitar in the Car
This one may seem obvious, but it can be hard to follow. We don’t always remember that we have a wooden passenger in our car, but we need to make sure to not leave it there when it’s cold out. I know it can be a hassle to bring the guitar inside, but it’s preferable to having to buy a new instrument.
Keep the Guitar in its Case
I often advise parents to leave the guitar out to help make practice at home easier. However, when it gets cold, that can cause damage to the instrument so it’s best to leave it in the protection of the case.
Keep the Humidity Above 40%
Wood bends when the humidity goes lower than 40% or higher than 60%. This can cause cracks in the instrument since the wood tries to bend but is unable to since it’s part of the guitar and not a tree. Hot air room humidifiers like this are great at keeping the overall humidy up and you can also get case/instrument humidifiers to help as well.
Play Your Guitar Every Day
Playing your guitar helps keep the wood lively and warm. Additionally, by practicing every day you’ll be able to check on it and make sure everything is working right. If problems arise, it’s better to catch them early.
