How long should a guitar sit

[rjohnstone]

I would let it sit in the case over night. Then, the next day, open it slowly in one inch intervals about every hour until it's open wide enough to take the guitar out. See if it plays ok, and if it doesn't, put it back in the case and repeat the procedure the next day.

:ROTF:

[quakana]

Cases dont keep the guitar at a constant temp. They are very susceptable to cold and hot weather. I open my case about an inch, and stick maybe a deck of cards to keep it open to let the room temp air get in. Guitars are made of wood. When wood gets cold its shrinks, when wood gets hot it expands. Going from one extreme temp to another you have less chance of it expanding or contracting back to its normal form (ya know not warping or cracking)

[S-man]

Use common sense. If you take it out of the case and there is condensation forming on it, I'd wipe it off and let it sit for an hour. After that break it out and Jam.

As far as adjusting the truss rod and stuff, I'd wait a day or two and then Jam.

No matter what...JAM!!!

Congratz.

[Chad]

I've seen some pics of guitars with yucky checking, so I'd rather be safe than sorry. I wouldn't worry so much about opening the case as I would the entire package. I'd bring the whole package in and let it warm up for a couple hours, the pull out the case. If it were an expensive guitar, I'd probably let that sit 30-60 minutes, then dive in.

[skorb]

open it slowly in one inch intervals about every hour

now that was :ROTF:

[Bengal65]

I think what Chad say's is the most accurate. For Hollow body or acoustic guitars, I would wait several hours before opening the case. I once had a Martin D-35 finish check while sitting in a trunk at 30 F for several hours. I waited a day to open that case. It had checked most likely when it met the freezing point and the wood top shrunk.

[Spivonious]

Okay, let's assume that the guitar was painted at room temperature. It then goes out in the cold for a few hours and shrinks. It is at this point that the paint will check, not during the warming process.

[Bengal65]

Okay, let's assume that the guitar was painted at room temperature. It then goes out in the cold for a few hours and shrinks. It is at this point that the paint will check, not during the warming process.

Maybe true with old Nitrocellulose lacquer, but with new finishes such as Polyurethane, it maintains elasticity and toughness at lower temperatures. You have 2 things working against you, one wood and it's moisture content and two the elasticity of the finish used. With solid bodies, wood is less likely to have a shrinkage than an acoustic. More so you bring out a good point in the finish. It's the elasticity at temperature that's a factor.

On guitars like Jackson and Charvel both the wood and type of finish gives you a great advatage over temperature changes.