How cold is too cold?

beecee

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I have 2 guitars coming in via UPS today from GC. A minty 73 D-25 and an pretty good looking F-5ce.

I know all the issues related to opening a lacquer guitar too soon in the cold but both arrived last night at the warehouse, roughly 30 degrees, and this morning temps are in the mid 30's. One left Clearwater on the 11th, the other from Phoenix AZ.

Around here, mid 30's in February is time for short sleeves.

I've only really had guitars shipped mid winter with more seasonable teens to single digits..and of course I would wait two days.

But mid 30's??? Heck I may need sunscreen-

Someone be the voice of reason here...I really want to dig into that D-25 flat back asap!! :)
 

fronobulax

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Someone be the voice of reason here...I really want to dig into that D-25 flat back asap!! :)

Sure. Is waiting 24 hours less important than seeing thermal stress fractires every time you play the guitar from now until you sell it? I mean, there is mojo and then there is just plain STUPID.

Did that help?

I always thought it was the temperature differential that caused the problems and not just the absolute temperature. So if I needed to gamble, I would open a case that I believed had an interior temperature around 30 degrees F in a space that was about 30 and not expect a problem. But for me, there is one chance to get it right and a lifetime to live with it if it is wrong and an opportunity to wait and not run the risk.
 

dreadnut

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"let 'em warm up in your house, you can wait a little longer.

Of course then we'll need photos immediately...
 

dapmdave

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You ought to wait. Finish checking is forever. 24hrs is, well, 24hrs.
 

Cougar

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I have 2 guitars coming in via UPS today from GC....

Wow, major congrats! Yeah, 30 degrees is not too bad, but still, that's a 30 or 40 degree differential taking it out into 60 or 70 degree temps. Dang, might as well wait. Can't tell you how long because that might turn out to be not long enough! I do, however, feel your pain. :tiger:
 

steve488

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Sure. Is waiting 24 hours less important than seeing thermal stress fractires every time you play the guitar from now until you sell it? I mean, there is mojo and then there is just plain STUPID.

Did that help?

I always thought it was the temperature differential that caused the problems and not just the absolute temperature. So if I needed to gamble, I would open a case that I believed had an interior temperature around 30 degrees F in a space that was about 30 and not expect a problem. But for me, there is one chance to get it right and a lifetime to live with it if it is wrong and an opportunity to wait and not run the risk.

To quote - Frono you are correct again. I work at an environmental test facility and it is indeed the differential that is at issue. Many things can go very cold if the transition is slow enough. The shock of being at one temperature and then rapidly exposed to another causes many things to "separate" (fracture) simply because the material cannot react that fast (thermal mass). Dissimilar materials generally have different coefficients of expansion so if the transition rate is too fast the items change size at a different rates and the weakest point fails. Bottom line is WAIT!! You will be glad you did....... all that sweet anticipation....
 

beecee

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there is mojo and then there is just plain STUPID. Did that help?

Yes...but so did being called to Ithaca last minute..actually right after I posted.

So no time to go there tonight.

As much as I like the F4ce I want a Chesterfield and gloss finish hence the F5ce
 

adorshki

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there is mojo and then there is just plain STUPID. Did that help?

Yes...but so did being called to Ithaca last minute..actually right after I posted.

So no time to go there tonight.

As much as I like the F4ce I want a Chesterfield and gloss finish hence the F5ce

I'd be mighty curious about that sound myself, being arched rosewood back, a very very rare configuration for Guild.
Can only think of 2 other models using it:
The D5ce and some very early F50R's that had 'em.
 

beecee

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Yeah the rosewood was interesting as well to me. Hope to be able to get there today.
 

adorshki

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Yeah the rosewood was interesting as well to me. Hope to be able to get there today.
Being the rosewood version of my F65ce I'd anticipate good things.
There were however 2 versions of the "Fxxce's" (including your F4ce), the first one using a 24-3/4 scale with a true 2-octave 24 fretboard, and the later 25-5/8 22-fret version. Mine's a longscale.
By some accounts the shortscales just don't pack as much oomph as the longscales, I assume due to the lower tension of a shortscale.
If you got 2 dots at the soundhole end of your fretboard it's the shortscale.
Still, I think this is one of those designs where "the Indian's a whole lot more important than the arrow".

Look forward to some review on Monday!
 

West R Lee

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I bought a Collings a few years ago from Chicago Music Exchange. I asked that very question, as in my opinion, it was pretty cold at the time of shipping and maybe too cold for shipping. Temps were to get into the low-mid 20's in Chicagoland. CME said their policy at the time was NOT to ship in single digits or below. They recommended allowing the inside of the box to reach room temperature, which was common sense. I think I gave it about 18 hours and all was fine.


West
 

SFIV1967

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CME actually has special labels for shipping in cold weather:

full



Ralf
 

FNG

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I thought this thread was going to be about beer.
 

FNG

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You could have a beer popsicle in that case.
 
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