Shipping guitars in cold weather.

[Saxopwn]

I found no advice on this with the search option and was not sure where to post, but I'm sure someone who knows better than me will see it.
When having a guitar shipped in cold weather, how long do you wait to open the box and how long do you wait to open the case? This is an Ibanez solidbody guitar from 1997 if any of that matters. I kind of figure I'll let it sit in the box in the house for 8 hours or so and then let it sit in the case overnight. Or is that not enough time? I assume it's not nearly as big an issue as with hollow bodies or nitro finishes, but I want to err all the way on the safe side and not ruin my new guitar. Thanks!

Edit: I suppose I should mention that the difference in temperature between outside and inside the house should be around 30 degrees Farenheit tomorrow.

[Swirltop]

Seriously 30 deg is nothing. There won't be any problems if you opened it up as soon as you got the package.

[Saxopwn]

Thanks, it was actually 37 degrees when it showed up, about 6 hours ago. Just waiting for the girlfriend to get off work before opening it as she likes the ritual of opening things and such. Expect an NGD thread tonight or tomorrow.

[Swirltop]

Cool man... 6 hours inside and it should be room temperature by now!

[Saxopwn]

Yep yep! About an hour and a half until the GF gets off work now, the anticipation is surely a test of the vastness of my patience.

[CosmicDebris]

Originally Posted by Saxopwn

she likes the ritual of opening things and such.

You get her to open the guitar first your priorities are wrong

[Saxopwn]

Originally Posted by CosmicDebris

You get her to open the guitar first your priorities are wrong

Oh I'm surely going to offer that honor to her. I figured that was implied. :P

[Takin' a Ride]

I let guitars that are shipped in the winter sit for at least 24 hours if not more.

The temperature is only part of it. The humidity needs to stabilize as well. The neck will often go into back bow when it's shipped in cold weather.

[Swirltop]

Originally Posted by Takin' a Ride

I let guitars that are shipped in the winter sit for at least 24 hours if not more.

The temperature is only part of it. The humidity needs to stabilize as well. The neck will often go into back bow when it's shipped in cold weather.

I've received and shipped over a hundred guitars over the years and I've never seen that happen...

I just received an RG2750 last week when the temp was -15F and the neck never moved one bit. There was no difference in humidity inside to out though and my house is kept at 63F in the winter. Sometimes there can be condensation when bringing anything inside from cold like that so I don't plug anything in or mess with any neck adjustments for a few days just in case to let everything settle. There is absolutely no harm in just opening a box up and checking things out right away though... It's actually better to open it right away so any condensation can dry quickly and not sit inside the case wet

Not saying it can't happen only I've never seen it before

[The Euphor]

You live in New York, it's never cold there.

[Swirltop]

Originally Posted by The Euphor

You live in New York, it's never cold there.

HAHAHA!!! -15F is just your average sunny summer day in Norway

[wilch]

I've only ever really noticed unfinished necks moving, and only during humidity changes (not temperature).

I know necks move with temperature changes. I'm just saying I only really notice sudden/abrupt changes in intonation with humidity changes and unfinished necks.

[Wolfram]

Put a coat on the guitar and it should be fine )

-Wolfram

[Takin' a Ride]

I guess my feeling is that the guitar will need some adjustment to be played after I receive it, so I might as well wait until it's adjusted to the room conditions before messing with it.

[GUITARMAGEDDON]

if the box is at my house, its getting opened. I don't care if its below zero. I have no patience.