Weather and Guitars-Myth?

[Hellbat]

My Model 5 has never needed a truss rod adjustment since I bought it in 1987. My RR1 was all over the place with temperature changes when I first got it. It still needs tweaking a bit spring and fall but for the most part it's calmed down to the point where I could leave it if I wanted to. My LaPatrie acoustic hasn't needed any changes but it has semi-high action anyways so it would be harder to notice.

[Ben...]

You don't live in an area that has an up to 80 degree Celsius temperature difference from summer to winter. Just carrying one outside for a couple minutes and driving to guitar lessons at -40 messes up the tuning on my floyded guitars. I had to borrow a guitar because my DK2 was so out of tune one time and I didn't have any of my Allen keys or the time to tune it. My Soloist hasn't seemed as bad but it hasn't reached any real winter temperatures yet. We'll see for sure in January or February when you can get frost bite in under two minutes (Go -50+ wind chill factors, woo!).

[Rupe]

It really depends on the guitar. Moving from PA to CO several years ago (humid to bone dry) required me to adjust a few necks (and dress some fret ends) and moving back to PA started it all over again. My main Jem needs tweaked a few times/year no matter where I'm at. That said, some of my guitars (Rands, Les Paul Custom) never needed any adjustments through it all.

[DonP]

So what is the Myth? Is this a Myth-Buster episode?

Weather does impact guitars requiring a retuning on certain guitars.

Pausible.

[Robert Hendrix]

I have a building in my backyard that I use for a studio. My house is small and lately has become even smaller so I don't really have room for all of my guitars, therefore I have been storing the electrics and the bass in the studio and still keep my acoustics in the house.

The studio is still in the process of being insulated and, while I do have air conditioning in there for summer practice, I still haven't decided what to do for heat in the winter (thinking about getting a small woodburning stove)

Anyway, to make an already long story less long, I haven't had a bit of trouble with my electrics since I've been keeping the out there, but I do try to leave them in the cases when not in use. I don't know if that has helped or not, but.....

[Cygnus X1]

So what is the Myth? Is this a Myth-Buster episode?

Weather does impact guitars requiring a retuning on certain guitars.

Pausible.

Just what we are seeing here.
I've read many times how guitars can't take the abuse but
mine have done quite well.
Thus the question.

[thebeggar]

I'm glad this question was raised cos it's something I've thought about for a while. I'm wondering what effect leaving some of my guitars in my tin garage in their cases through summer. If it's close to 40 degrees celsius in the sun like it was today it must be at least 10 maybe 15 degrees warmer in the shed.

And I don't mean effects like minor truss rod adjustments but actually warping of the necks. So far I haven't had any issues (that I've noticed).

It's usually on stinking hot days like this that gets me wondering. Hopefully next summer they will have a room of their own.

[Lev]

My Soloist has been through just about every type of weather imaginable in the last 9 years including Boston winters and Dubai summers. I've only needed 1 truss rod adjustment in that time, and I'm almost certain that was exclusively because of switching my strings from 9's to 10's, not the weather.

Regardless, is it a myth? I doubt it, wood does react to weather changes.. but I haven't had such issues with my guitars.