Playing in the Sunshine!

[Ragpicker]

I was asked to play at a church outing this weekend, outdoors in a park.
I noticed that after just a few moments, my Red JF30 was very hot to the touch. I was unable to find any shade to play in.
I played a quick set and then put it away in the case under a picnic bench.
My question is, will playing in direct sunlight cause finish cracks? How do the folks who play on stage deal with this situation?
Thanks for the comments.

 

[West R Lee]

Hey Rag,

I think that it's the abrupt, sudden temperature changes that cause checking. One thing about direct sunlight that I didn't know until recently is that it can cause a guitar to tan just like we do. I wouldn't think that would affect your red JF30, but over time, it does darken a natural finish top. Be careful about really hot temperatures though for prolonged periods, it will soften the glue on your flattop and could cause bad things to happen like your bridge pulling up or your braces to come loose.

West