Leaving Your Guitar in a Hot Car

Now that summer is here, a lot of people may be grabbing their guitars to play some music with the family. With summer temperatures sometimes hitting over 100 degrees, the temperature and humidity can really do a number on your beloved instrument. Leaving your guitar in a hot car can destroy it in less than an hour. The repair can sometimes cost more than the guitar.

Leaving Your Guitar in a Hot Car Softens the Wood Glue

It only takes about 140 degrees for wood glue to start to soften. Some cars will reach 175 degrees in less than an hour if parked in the sun. At that point, the bridge, which is only one area that is glued, will begin to lift off the guitar. This can also cause the wood to wrinkle under the bridge area.

Classical guitar bridges will usually fly right off. But since acoustic strings go into the guitar, the bridge usually peals at a slower rate. And if you try to re-glue it, the bond can be weaker if the old glue is mixed with the new glue.

Hot Cars Can Shrink Plastic Parts

Another problem is that the plastic parts on the guitar shrink faster in heat. This will destroy the pick guard and crack the binding on the side of the neck. The pick guard is an easy fix, but the binding can cost several hundred dollars to fix. Sometimes the money to repair it is not worth it.

The Fingerboard and Soundboard may Shrink

Another major problem is that the finger board may shrink as the moisture leaves the neck. This is something that cannot be undone. One way to tell if this has happened is that the metal fret bars will stick out passed the neck. The frets are easily fixed by filing the wire.

In some instances, the guitar’s soundboard may even crack around the sound hole. This will destroy the inlay to the point that fixing it will cost a fortune.

How to Help Prevent Damage from a Hot Car

The best thing to do if you must leave your guitar in a car is to cover it with blankets and/or a sleeping bag. Anything to insulate it. A good rule of thumb would be to treat your guitar like it was a dog. If it is too hot for the dog, your guitar may suffer as well.

If you are interested in guitar lessons, please contact me.