Humidity, heat and cold
Extreme temperatures and thermal shocks can affect your instrument. Like most materials, wood expands with heat and contracts with cold.
Excessive heat in particular can irreversibly damage varnish or cause seams to open. Never leave your instrument in direct sun or near a radiator or any other source of heat, never leave it for long periods in a car, particularly the trunk.
When changes of temperature are unavoidable, allow the instrument to adapt gradually by waiting ten minutes before opening the case.
Humidity is an important factor in the health of a stringed instrument. When the air is humid, wood swells, and when it is dry, wood contracts. Some types of wood are more sensitive to humidity than others.
Because a stringed instrument is an assembly of different woods having different densities, any sudden change in humidity may cause various problems. Problems caused by variations in humidity may be prevented by using a hygrometer. A hygrometer measures relative humidity or the percentage of water vapour in the air at a given temperature.
The air in the room where the instrument is usually kept can be regulated. In summer, air conditioning acts to lower the humidity.
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