Protecting a Guitar

If you're playing your guitar on a daily basis (It is recommended that you practice at least 10-15 minutes everyday) you will want to keep it within arm's reach, a guitar stand is a really good way to go. A wall hook will keep it off the floor while still displaying it to the room through a U-shaped grip that will hold it by the headstock, while a stand supports the guitar by its base. (Owens 2021)

Storing your guitar in its case is also a great way to keep it safe and sound. You will want to store your guitar in its cases, standing up, not lying down. When storing one or more guitars, avoid staking case one upon another. If standing them up isn’t an option, store your guitars (in their cases) on their sides, with the upper side pointing up. Store your guitar in a room or a closet nearer to the center of the building rather than near an outside wall. This helps protect the guitar from climatic extremes. A case humidifier is a good idea during dry winter months.

If you need to store your guitar for any length of time, first, detune all strings by a whole step, otherwise the neck may pull forward if temperatures change too rapidly. Be sure the instrument is cleaned and polished, then place it into its original case along with a small bag of silica, which will absorb any excess moisture.

Finally, put the guitar and case in a large plastic bag. Now place it in a cool, relatively dry place such as a closet or under your bed. Never place it in an attic, an unfinished basement, garage, or so forth, where temperatures will almost certainly fluctuate. (Sweetwater 2007)

Maintaining ideal humidity levels in your guitar room or home studio is essential to protecting your acoustic guitars. Most experts and instrument manufacturers suggest humidity range of 40-50% is best for storing instruments. Anything less could cause the wood to:

Shrink, lowering the top and strings, which causes even more stress and eventually cracking.
A humidity level in excess of this range can cause wood to expand and warp from it’s original shape. (Sylvane 2021)

It helps to know the relative humidity of the place where you keep your instrument. Buying an inexpensive digital hygrometer is a smart way to track the humidity in a room. Aspire to is 50 percent humidity at 70 degrees. Many of us would have a hard time making that a reality, so do what you can—generally 40-60 percent humidity is optimal.

(AcousticGuitar 2020)

f you have one guitar or several, it’s worthwhile to know a few basic practical tips about how to store them properly, especially if it’s for a few months.