J. Thomas Davis Guitar Maker - Online Workshops

Protecting Your Instrument During The Summer

June 1, 2000

Late one morning on a sunny day, a customer drove in from out of town to pick up his twenty year old D-28. Included in the work that we performed was a bridge reglue. Before leaving, he asked directions to a new mall in our area and stated that his wife wanted to spend the afternoon shopping since they had come so far to pick up his instrument. Thinking very quickly, Steve asked the customer if he would like to leave the instrument at our store until they were finished shopping. Steve continued saying that the couple probably wouldn't want to carry the D-28 around the mall all afternoon. As the man glanced at his wife and she frowned back at him, Steve went on to say that they surely wouldn't want to leave the instrument in the trunk of the car on a warm day like this and then find that the bridge had come unglued again before they even made it home. The man thought that maybe he could loosen the strings. The wife was unsure that the guitar was really that delicate.
The thin delicate woods in an instrument are held together with glue that will soften at high temperatures. Even after the guitar cools down, it will not be the same. Protecting your instrument during the sunny, warm months often requires as much forethought as effort. Taking risks with your instrument may risk the life of your guitar and it's warranty. In the above instance, the manufacturer would not expect to pay for another bridge reglue since the warranty assumes that proper care has been given to the instrument. The next time you take your instrument for a ride in the heat, remember to take it with you while your car bakes in the parking lot.