Shipped guitars protected from freezing?

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Are goods kept above freezing in trailers of UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, and US Pistol Service?

[Earnest Bovine]

Are goods kept above freezing in trailers of UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, and US Pistol Service?

Yes, as long as the trailer is on the ground in Alabama in the summer time.
For every 1000 feet that you go up, the temperature drops about 3.5 F. So at 35,000 feet it is more than 100 degrees cooler than on the ground.

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Earnest,

Wouldn't airplane cargo be kept from freezing?

And if truck trailers are freezing inside, wouldn't that damage the instruments? I can't remember ever seeing any kind of heating apparatus on "dry freight" trucks like UPS and furniture movers, so I'm wondering if they keep it from freezing, and if so, then how.

[Donny Hinson]

The freezing doesn't hurt most instruments, it's the sudden temperature changes that are the real problem. Things like removing a guitar from a car on a 100-degree day (when the temp in the car can reach 130), and bringing it into a room that's 68-degrees. Even worse is taking one from the back of a pickup when it's near zero outside, and then bringing it into a room with a woodstove!

As long as the temperature is changed gradually, chances of harm to the wood or the finish are very small. Most experts recommend that instruments be left in the case for 15-20 minutes to give them time to acclimate to room temperature whenever there's a wide temperature difference from where they've been to where they are.

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Thanks, Donny. I knew it had to be that there's not necessarily any damage from freezing because I don't remember any temperature control on dry freight semi trailers. (Ironically, you can keep a load above freezing in a refrigerated trailer.)

I didn't know that a guitar in a case adjusts in only 15-20 minutes. That's good news.

[Pete Woronowski]

In winter conditions it can take 16 hours to adjust during shipping to inside temperture.
Another good tip is after it has sat for the period of time is to slightly raise the lid and hold it open for 30 minutes with something like a pencil to let it adjust for condensation.

Take Care, Pete

[Darryl Hattenhauer]

Thanks Pete. Now I don't feel so crazy. Last week I got a guitar and let it sit not just in the case but in the shipping box all night. That's because here in Phoenix I was bringing it in from 115 F at 10% humidity to 77 F at 35% humidity. I figure that's way too careful, but with a new guitar I want to be totally sure.

Do you know anything about this change from hot and dry to cool and damp?

[Pete Woronowski]

Hey Darryl, 115 to 77 is not really that bad, using the pencil trick here is a good idea but it could be almost immediate.

Planet Waves makes a new pack that you keep in your case and its quite brilliant, no water needed and it keeps your gtr at 45% asl long as its in the case.

Take Care, Pete

[Donny Hinson]

Solid bodied guitars take longer to acclimate, due to their thick wood (high mass). Acoustic guitars will adjust fairly quickly. Also, keep in mind that heavy, sponge-padded road cases hold heat and cold far longer than standard cases, and instruments in them take far longer to adjust to surrounding temperatures.

Humidity is not a generally problem as long as it's not terribly high or low for long periods of time. Finished wood is almost immune to changes, but the inside of acoustic guitars remains unfinished, and is therefore more easily affected. Reasonable caution (stay out of the rain, and away from dry-heat sources) is usually all that's required.

[Gene Jones]

For years I abused my guitars by hauling them in extreme heat & cold temperature in car trunks and bus storage compartments, but the only inconvenience I ever experienced was the moisture on the strings from sweating caused by movng from outside to inside environments.

........but, that was when I playing for a living. Today, I care for my equipment like it's a favorite grandchild!