It’s not uncommon for musicians to occasionally store their instruments inside their cars. After all, lugging around your guitar while dining in a restaurant can be cumbersome. However, a car’s interior can get blisteringly hot, leading to peeling finishes and warped guitar necks.
Here are 6 ways to keep a guitar cool in a hot car:
- Keep your guitar in a hardshell case.
- Install a battery-operated air conditioner.
- Place a portable fan nearby.
- Use a portable dehumidifier.
- Put a sunshade on your windshield.
- Tint your car windows.
Fortunately, there are several ways to keep a guitar cool while it’s sitting in a hot car. This guide will explore all of your options, helping you choose a solution that fits your preferences and budget.
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1. Keep Your Guitar in a Hardshell Case
One of the best ways to keep your guitar cool while it’s in a hot car is to keep it inside a hardshell case. A durable hardshell case can also make it easier to travel with your guitar. Most also have storage pockets for picks and capos, which is a great organization tool for guitarists.
How a Hardshell Case Keeps Guitars Cool
A hardshell case with a tight-fitting clasp (or several) can keep cool air from escaping while also preventing hot air from entering. They do this in quite a few ways.
Firstly, hardshell guitar cases are made of several layers of materials. The exterior of a hardshell case is often made of hard plastic or fiberglass. Some also feature a thin coating of rubber.
The interior is typically a composite of shock-absorbing foams that are shaped to cradle your guitar. In addition, these foams are almost always covered in a thick velvet or felt fabric. All of these elements combine to protect and insulate your guitar.
The best hardshell cases also feature multiple locking latches. These mechanisms cause the sides of the guitar case to clamp down, pressing the interior fabric together to form a seal. This pressure helps prevent airflow between the interior of the case and its surrounding environment.
Features To Look For in a Hardshell Guitar Case
If you don’t currently own a hardshell guitar case, you’ll want to invest in one right away. Not only can these accessories help you keep a guitar cool in a hot car, but they’re also excellent storage and travel tools for guitarists.
Still, it’s crucial to choose a hardshell case that fits your guitar, budget, and preferences. Otherwise, you might neglect to use your guitar case, potentially leading to accidental damage to your six-string.
Some of the essential features to look for when browsing for a hardshell guitar case include:
- Durable materials
- Locking latches
- Compatible size
ABS plastic and wooden hardshell cases are some of the most common options, and they’re also relatively rigid. That said, ABS plastic can crack under pressure or when exposed to sustained heat. Wood can also warp when kept in hot, humid conditions.
Consequently, it might be best to choose a fiberglass hardshell case. This material is resistant to extreme heat and can withstand high temperatures.
Locking latches are also a vital aspect of choosing a heat-resistant guitar case. The more latches, the better the seal around the guitar while the case is closed. Guitarists that often take their show on the road may want to choose a case with TSA-approved locks and latches.
Lastly, you’ll need to choose a hardshell guitar case that’s correctly sized for your guitar. After all, guitars come in several sizes. Because most hardshell cases feature lined interiors shaped to gently hug your guitar, a case that’s too big might not keep your instrument cool.
Alternatively, a hardshell guitar case that’s too small won’t fit your guitar, making it useless to you. Always double-check your chosen guitar case before purchasing, as it’s only too easy to buy a half-sized case instead of a full-sized model.
2. Install a Battery-Operated Air Conditioner
Another way to keep your guitar cool is to install a portable, battery-operated air conditioner inside your car. These are often affordable, easy-to-use devices that fit neatly into vehicles of all shapes and sizes.
How a Portable Air Conditioner Keeps a Car Cool
Portable air conditioners work in much the same way as large household air conditioners do. They take in warm air and pass it across a cooling element (such as a condenser) or add a refrigerant to the air. Then, these devices output cool air, lowering the temperature of the surrounding environment.
Portable air conditioners come in several sizes, but most have a limited area of effectiveness. As a result, portable, car-friendly air conditioners can only keep a specific amount of space cold.
While this might not be a significant issue for those with compact cars or sedans, it can be an issue for SUV owners. That’s why it’s a great idea to consider strategic AC placement when using a portable air conditioning unit to keep a car’s interior cool.
Where To Place a Portable Air Conditioner
If your primary goal is keeping your guitar cool while it’s sitting inside your car, you’ll naturally want to place your portable AC unit near your guitar. However, setting this device too close to your guitar can be a bad idea.
Acoustic guitars are made of wood, a material that’s infamous for warping when exposed to varying temperature extremes. It expands in heat and when exposed to moisture, but it contracts in colder environments.
A guitar in a hot car can crack if part of it is cold while the other part is warm. Therefore, it’s best to place a portable condition at least one foot away from your guitar. If possible, place multiple units around the guitar.
For example, you can store one portable AC unit in your trunk and place another in the space between the two front seats. This will create a small field of cool air that surrounds your vehicle’s back seat bench.
Features To Look for in Portable Air Conditioners
Are you wondering what kind of portable air conditioner might be best for your vehicle and guitar? If so, you’ll be glad to know that you can zoom through the browsing process by focusing on a handful of features.
For example, some essential factors to think about when choosing a car-friendly portable AC unit include:
- Unit size
- Condensation creation
- Power consumption
The first thing to double-check when buying a portable AC unit for your guitar is unit size. Smaller devices might be slightly less powerful, but they’re far easier to place. This notion is especially true when attempting to keep smaller, compact cars cool.
Condensation is another consideration. Some AC units produce condensation as they output cool air. This water can drip onto your car’s upholstery and add to interior humidity levels. Still, those living in naturally humid climates might not be able to prevent condensation.
Installing a dehumidifier near your portable AC unit (or placing it atop absorbent towels) can help keep moisture-related issues at a minimum. Cleaning your unit’s internal filter may also be an excellent way to prevent condensation.
Power consumption is yet another factor to consider, especially if you’re working with a tight budget. Portable units that consume an excessive amount of energy can cost you hundreds of dollars worth of batteries each year!
Energy Star certified units and those with low wattage requirements tend to consume the least power. That said, they might be too weak to keep larger vehicles cool. But rechargeable batteries are an excellent, reusable solution that may help you keep battery costs low.
3. Place a Portable Fan Nearby
Portable AC units can help lower your car’s interior temperatures while you’re away, but they can consume a ton of energy and produce unwanted condensation. That’s why you might want to consider using a portable, car-friendly fan instead.
These devices can help keep your car’s interior (and your guitar) cool and safe from heat damage. While they might not lower temperatures as significantly as air conditioners, they often use slightly less power. They also don’t produce any moisture.
Additionally, portable fans come in a wide range of sizes and designs. Guitarists can find suction cup fans that attach to windows, clip-on fans that can secure to headrests, and hooked fans that can hang on your car’s rear view mirror.
How a Fan Keeps a Car’s Interiors Cool
A fan doesn’t produce cool air in the same way that an AC unit does. While air conditioners often use refrigerants to keep air cold, fans rely on evaporation.
When a fan’s blades begin to spin, they force the air behind them forward. This air accelerates as it’s turned across the blades and out through the other side. The result is evaporation, a process that can naturally lower temperatures.
In fact, evaporation is the primary way that humans stay cool in hot weather. When our bodies get too warm, perspiration (sweat) forms across our skin. This mixture of salt and water then evaporates away, making us feel slightly cooler and more comfortable.
Portable circulating fans essentially do the same thing, creating a wind-chill effect that could lower the temperature inside a parked car.
How To Install a Portable Car Fan
The best way to install a portable car fan is to follow the manufacturer’s directions listed on your particular fan. As mentioned earlier, car fans are available in a wide array of designs.
You can install them nearly anywhere in your car, and they feature a ton of different attachment components and styles.
For example, the Koonie Portable Fan (available on Amazon.com) has a large clip base that can attach to headrests, seatbelts, and car seatbacks. The large flat clip base is also an ideal place to attach adhesive hook-and-loop strips. These can help you place a portable fan anywhere in your car.
But the WiHoo Handheld Fan (available on Amazon.com) features a different type of attachment system. It uses flexible, tentacle-like rods to stay secure. These can wrap around headrest extension bars, seatbelts, and rearview mirrors. As such, you can also place this fan almost anywhere.
The right portable car fan for you depends on your preferences and budget. There are thousands of worthwhile options, and all of them can help keep your guitar cool while it’s sitting inside of a hot car.
4. Use a Portable Dehumidifier
Heat and humidity often go hand-in-hand, as high temperatures cause water to evaporate. Exposing this warm, moisture-filled air to cold temperatures can cause water droplets to form as the gaseous water condensates.
As you might expect, this process can cause significant damage to both acoustic and electric cars. Consequently, guitarists looking to store their instruments in a hot vehicle should consider installing a portable dehumidifier.
How a Portable Dehumidifier Keeps a Car’s Interiors Cool
A portable dehumidifier won’t technically keep a car’s interior cool. Instead, it can remove moisture from the air inside a vehicle’s interior. This function makes it a great companion device for portable AC units.
If your car’s AC produces a ton of condensation, you can use a portable dehumidifier to remove this moisture. Both acoustic and electric guitars suffer when kept in humid climates. Adding a dehumidifier to your vehicle could help prevent moisture-related damages resulting from high temperatures.
Where To Place a Portable Dehumidifier
There’s a little bit of an art to placing a portable dehumidifier in a car.
For example, you won’t want to place it too close to surfaces, as these can block the device’s intake. But you also won’t want it sitting precariously in the middle of a floorboard or seat, as it could tip over and spill water everywhere.
Consequently, the best places to place a portable dehumidifier in a car include:
- A plastic middle console
- On the vehicle’s dashboard
- The rear deck/ back dash area
You can use a strip of adhesive velcro to keep the humidifier stable while driving. The Melsan Hook and Loop Strips (available on Amazon.com) are great options, as they’re affordable, easy to place, and surprisingly strong. They also won’t leave a lasting adhesive stain on your car’s interior fabrics or plastics.
Potential Disadvantages to Consider
A portable dehumidifier could be an excellent tool that helps keep your car’s interior mold-free and dry. In addition, it’s a practical companion device for mobile AC units and car-friendly fans.
However, these machines typically absorb and store water.
While this function is the primary point of a dehumidifier (removing moisture from the air and tucking it away safely), it can be problematic when operating a car. After all, a device that’s full of water can easily tip over and leak over your vehicle’s seats or floorboard.
Those looking to install a portable dehumidifier in their car should take extra care to empty it every time they return to their vehicle. Or, they can create a safe and stable area within their vehicle to keep the dehumidifier.
A plastic crate with an absorbent towel placed inside could work for smaller vehicles, but drivers may need to get creative when using dehumidifiers in larger cars like trucks or SUVs.
5. Put a Sunshade on Your Windshield
Another way to combat high temperatures inside your car is to install a sunshade. These are temporary, easy-to-remove accessories that fit snugly against the interior of your vehicle’s windshield.
How Sunshades Keep a Car’s Interiors Cool
Sunshades keep car interiors cool by reflecting sunlight into the vehicle via the windshield. Because the largest window in nearly every car is the windshield, blocking it could significantly reduce the temperature inside a parked car.
That’s because sunlight carries a ton of energy, much of which we experience as heat. So when your car lets light in through an untreated window or windshield, it’s also allowing warmth to flood into the car’s interior.
Sunshades are made of reflective materials like aluminum and insulative materials like mylar. This combination allows them to block heat while also reducing cool airflow from escaping through a car’s windshield.
However, sunshades aren’t as effective as other solutions. Unlike portable air conditioners, sunshades don’t actively produce cold air. And unlike hardshell guitar cases, these accessories don’t directly protect guitars from high temperatures or harsh sunlight.
How To Install a Sunshade
Installing a sunshade in your car is exceptionally easy. Most fold out to fit the length of the windshield. In addition, they feature elastic bands or velcro straps that wrap around a vehicle’s sun visors, holding the shield in place.
6. Tint Your Car Windows
Though it might seem like a drastic solution, guitarists can also choose to tint their windows to keep their car’s interior a little cooler. This option incurs few long-term costs and could be a smart way to improve your vehicle’s climate control.
How Tinted Windows Keep a Car’s Interiors Cool
Tinted car windows are treated with a UV-resistant type of plastic that reflects UV rays. This ability helps keep drivers and passengers safe from ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
This is the type of radiation that can increase a person’s risk of developing skin cancer. It’s also a type of light that produces heat. Consequently, keeping it from entering your car is an excellent way to keep your vehicle’s interior cooler and more comfortable.
Still, not all types of window tints block UV rays. Therefore, guitarists interested in tinting their vehicle’s windows might want to look for tinting services and products specifically designed for UV protection.
Car Window Tinting Costs
The cost to tint a car’s windows vary depending on the number of windows to be tinted, the chosen tinting product, and whether it’s a professional or DIY project. The type of vehicle (sedan, pick-up truck, SUV) can also influence the final price.
That said, average prices tend to fall somewhere around $500. If you’re looking for budget-friendly window tinting services, be sure to contact your local tinting technicians and compare quotes and estimates.
Although this shopping process might take a few hours (or days, if you’re communicating with companies via email), it’s one of the best ways to get the best service at the lowest price.
Car Window Tinting Laws and Restrictions
Every state has specific window tinting laws and restrictions, and vehicle owners must stay informed about these regulations. Otherwise, you might incur a hefty fine from your local police department.
Before you pay for a tinting service, be sure to look up your state’s tinting laws. Doing so could save you hundreds of dollars in fines and service fees. Besides, if your state doesn’t allow tinted windows, you can try one of the many other solutions outlined in this guide!
FAQs
How do you keep a guitar safe in a hot car? ›
Don't leave your guitar in the hot car.
In extreme cases, other guitar components can even begin to separate. If you must keep your guitar in the car on a hot day, try to find a shady parking spot or use windshield shades and crack the windows.
Leaving the guitar exposed to extreme temperatures can cause permanent damage that is not easily fixed. Whether you leave it in the sun, near a heater, or in the car (or trunk), it is possible that the glue tying the wood will come loose.
How long can I leave a guitar in a hot car? ›It's very bad practice to leave a guitar in a hot car for any amount of time, but the longer the time, the worse off your instrument will be, especially when the weather is hot. Five hours is absolutely too much.
How do you store a guitar in hot weather? ›Humidifiers will work well in harsh winters, and dehumidifiers should do the trick in sweltering summers. A good rule of thumb is that the 'sweet spot' for guitar storage is 70 degrees Fahrenheit (or just over), with humidity at around 45 and 50 per cent. Keep it in the case.
What temp is too hot for guitars? ›Electric guitars are generally considered to be resistant to temperature changes, but there is a point at which the temperature can become too hot for the instrument. At temperatures above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the wood of the guitar can begin to warp and the strings can start to loosen.
What happens if a guitar gets too hot? ›When the weather changes to warmer climates, remember this, the extreme heat, such as leaving your instrument in a car during the summer months can melt the glues and soften the finish of even the best guitars. Also a rapid decrease in humidity can crack the wood of an acoustic or electric guitar.
Is 90 Degrees too hot for a guitar? ›What Is A Safe Temperature For A Guitar? In general, you should try to keep your guitar within a 'safe' temperature range of 32-95 degrees Fahrenheit (0-35 Celsius). However, the ideal temperature for a guitar is somewhere between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-24 Celsius).
Does sweat damage a guitar? ›Not only will your playing be affected by sweat, but also your guitar: the salts contained in the sweat will erode your strings and can even damage the neck of your guitar.
Can a hot room damage a guitar? ›Excessive heat expands the wood and melts the glue that holds the joints together. It is common for parts such as the bridge, neck, or seams of a guitar to come undone when the guitar is exposed to high temperatures.
Are guitars temperature sensitive? ›Cold temperatures with cause the guitar to shrink, whereas the high temperatures may warp the wood leading to cracks. In addition, an overly warm room may cause the glue on a guitar to melt which could result in your guitar falling apart.
Will a guitar warp in a hot car? ›
Leaving your electric guitar in a hot car can have disastrous consequences. The heat can warp the wood, cause the glue to loosen, and potentially damage the electronics. If you must leave your guitar in a hot car, make sure to take it out of the case and put it in a cool, dry place as soon as possible.
How do you store a guitar in a car? ›The safest place for your guitar when traveling by car is on the floor of the back seat. Leaving it in the trunk or locking it up in an unventilated or unheated car is not recommended. Avoid accidental damage to the guitar by always returning it to the case or bag when you are not playing.
Can you leave an instrument in a hot car? ›Heat can soften the varnish on an instrument and extreme humidity can weaken the glue joints and soften the wood causing deformation. Bows can easily bend or snap if they go from a hot car trunk to a cool air conditioned room. Damage to an instrument can be expensive to repair but is easily avoidable.
What can damage a guitar? ›Extremes in temperature and humidity can be devastating
When this happens, the strings can rip the bridge off. Extreme cold can dry the air and cause humidity problems. Extreme humidity can cause the guitar to warp, though most warping seems to come from extreme dryness.
“It's negligible,” says Fender Acoustic Product Specialist Rodrigo Ibieta. The basic rule is that anything that can dull the vibrations of the wood could have a negative affect on tone, but, per Ibieta, “unless you're layering the guitar in stickers 99.9% of people won't notice much of a change in sound.”
Is it OK to hang your guitar? ›Part of your question is purely mechanical—will the guitar suffer at all from hanging by its headstock? The answer is no. It's generally accepted as a safe way to hang a guitar because the downward exertion from the weight of the guitar isn't nearly as strong as the pull of the strings in the opposite direction.
Do guitars get worse with age? ›In the case of acoustics, age improves sound as the wood becomes drier. As for as electric guitars, age has little to do with it. A well made new instrument can sound just as good, provided it is made with quality tone woods.
Do guitars sound worse with age? ›Older guitars often sound better than newer ones as they dry out over time which causes them to become harder leading to a more resonant tone with better sustain. The increase in age affects the tone more in acoustic guitars than electric ones.
How hot is too hot for instruments? ›After a few 90° -105° days, most people have a personal appreciation that heat might damage an instrument.
Can guitar ruin your hands? ›But if you keep playing without letting the skin grow back, you can do real and permanent harm to your skin, nerves, and blood vessels. In extreme cases, you can lose sensation in your fingertips completely. If you let these injuries heal, they'll eventually turn into calluses and allow you to play without any pain.
Will rubbing alcohol damage guitar? ›
We don't recommend it. Rubbing alcohol may dry out the wood of the fingerboard, and may damage certain plastic materials on the guitar, and in some cases, even damage the guitar's finish. We've found that it can even make your strings squeak more!
Why do musicians destroy guitars? ›As random and pretentious as it may seem, it was actually a form of protest against the destruction of human life and landscapes, caused by the Vietnam war. Of course, there are a lot more trivial reasons to destroy a musical instrument.
Can the cold crack a guitar? ›If you live in an area where it gets freezing cold in the winter, this change in winter and fall weather could damage your guitar's finish by causing cracks. You must protect your instrument from freezing cold at all costs. The best thing is to keep it in its case, especially if you have to carry it with you outside.
Do hard cases protect guitars from heat? ›Hard cases, on the other hand, provide excellent protection against temperature, humidity, and physical damage. Hard cases are also essential for taking a guitar on an airplane or on long journeys. Be sure to give your guitar some time to adjust to the environment before you take it out of its case.
What weather is bad for guitar? ›In short, winter weather and guitars don't mix well at all. Winter weather causes humidity to fluctuate, which can cause all sorts of problems with your guitar. Cracked finishes are common in extremely cold temperatures, but other issues include neck warping and twisting.
Does humidity hurt guitars? ›The ideal humidity range for your guitar is 45-55% relative humidity (RH). Extended exposure to high humidity can lead to guitar damage.
How cold is to cold for a guitar? ›1. Keep your guitar in a moderately cool place from 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit (5-10 degrees Celsius). You should ensure that you keep your guitar in a moderately cool place from 5-10 degrees Celsius if you want to increase durability.
Is it OK to leave a guitar in the car? ›It is not a good idea to leave a guitar in a car. If the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius), the glue that holds the joints of a guitar together can become brittle. It is possible for a guitar to warp due to temperature shifts.
Is 90 degrees too hot for a guitar? ›What Is A Safe Temperature For A Guitar? In general, you should try to keep your guitar within a 'safe' temperature range of 32-95 degrees Fahrenheit (0-35 Celsius). However, the ideal temperature for a guitar is somewhere between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-24 Celsius).
Does playing guitar damage your fingers? ›Sore and exposed fingertip tissue is only one type of injury guitar playing can expose you to. The repetitive movements you make to play the guitar are called isotonic movements. Performing these isotonic movements a lot for a long time can put strain on the tendons in your fingers.
Do guitarists boil their strings? ›
Moreover, boiling new guitar strings before you string them on your guitar will help with the stretching process as well as allow better tone and tension. Boiling your old, used strings can cause them to produce a much sharper, crispier, and springier tone.
How do you keep electronics in a hot car? ›Keep your devices turned off, out of direct sunlight and as low in the car as possible. Lower areas of the vehicle do not heat as fast while temperatures rise, Wright says. “If you must use it in a high-temperature environment, make sure the cooling vents are kept clear of any blockage,” Motz says.
Is it OK to leave guitar in trunk? ›The extreme heat or cold and going from one extreme temperature or humidity to another will damage the guitar finish. It can crack the wood and warp the neck.