How to Store a Guitar Long Term

How to Store a Guitar Long Term

Have you ever wondered how to store your guitar for long periods of time? We can’t all be professional musicians, touring the world and playing every day.

For those that have a job or other responsibilities outside of music, it’s important to know how to properly care for an instrument when not in use so it doesn’t get damaged. 

In this article we will discuss what the best way is to store your guitar. And as you will soon figure out, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to protect your guitar from certain environmental factors such as humidity and unfavorable weather conditions.

Guitars are delicate instruments. They should be stored correctly in order to avoid any damages, but what is the best way to store your guitar?

There are many different opinions out there, but here’s what I’ve found and observed. The best way to store a guitar is in its case, but not every guitar comes with one.

If you have a hardshell case for the guitar then it will be able to withstand any bumps or drops that might happen while transporting. It also helps protect against dust and scratches.

If you play your guitar on a regular basis and want to keep it out so you can grab it at a moment’s notice, then your second best option would be to use a guitar floor stand

These stands are relatively inexpensive and come in several types of materials. Just make sure that whatever stand you buy has plenty of padding to protect your guitar from bumps and scratches. 

Is It Okay to Hang Your Guitar on the Wall?

While it may be tempting to hang your guitar neatly on a wall either for quick access or so you can show it off to visitors, it is generally not recommended.

The reason for this is because hanging your guitar on a wall puts unnecessary pressure on your guitar’s headstock, which not only weakens it but could also cause warping.

However, if you really must hang your guitar on the wall, it is best to do so on a wall that is not getting any direct sunlight.

If your guitar hangs near a window where light is constant throughout much of the day, it could cause your neck to warp significantly faster.

What Is the Best Case for a Guitar?

Even though there are both hard and soft cases available, the best type of case to store your guitar is in a hard case.

The reason for this is because the amount of protection that a hard case gives your instrument is more superior to that of a soft guitar case. 

It is also a great idea to keep some form of humidity control inside of the case, as this will prevent your guitar from warping, cracking, and other symptoms of humidity problems

I recommend getting a 2-way humidity system that can control the inside of your case for both dry and high humidity occurrences. 

Best Hard Case for an Acoustic Guitar

Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Best Hard Case for an Electric Guitar

Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Should I Loosen My Guitar Strings for Storage?

The answer to this question really depends on personal preference and also what type of strings your guitar has on it. It will also depend on how often you play your guitar. 

If you play your guitar every day or at least a few times a week, then it doesn’t make any sense to loosen your guitar strings. In fact, doing this will likely become annoying, and may induce procrastination when it comes time to practice.

If you’re not going to be playing your guitar for a while and it has heavier gauge strings on it, then you will probably want to loosen up the strings a little so it lessens the pressure on the headstock.

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I love playing around with various types of guitar gear so I started this website to share my guitar gear knowledge with the world. Enjoy!

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