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Four months ago I moved into a house directly on the sea (I know, lucky me). I've never lived anywhere this close to a body of salt water before, but one thing I noticed real quick around here is that the metal on everything outdoors is in a state of rust, even though the climate is relatively arid and not very humid.
I'm used to leaving my guitar and bass guitar out on stands for easy daily access. I don't leave them out in a garage or cellar or anything. They're in my living room. But I'm thinking the salt air could corrode the metal parts more quickly than if I just kept them in their cases. Maybe even mess with the wood. I'd rather leave them out. I like looking at them whenever I pass by their stands. Makes it feel like home. But I'd also like to keep them in optimal condition.
Anyone have solid information about the effects of keeping guitars next to the sea & ideas for how to properly care for them?
Thank You
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03-10-2022 10:03 AM
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I lived right next to the ocean for years. The speed with which things rusted was stunning. Door knobs, window latches, furniture. All of it would look twenty years old in two summers.
Guitar hardware will rust, but not too badly. Most is non-ferrous alloys of copper, tin, and zinc. My non-scientific observation was that guitars in cases fared worse. I suspect because I was less likely to give them any maintenance. Wiping metal parts with WD40 (designed as a rust inhibitor before it was used as a lubricant) every time I change strings seemed to combat rust fairly well. You will likely change strings more often, as they will also rust.
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I guess you won't need that humidifier...
Interesting question. I wonder if cheaper guitars would oxidize more quickly because of poor quality plating. None of my Gibson metal parts show tarnish, but several of my Korean guitars do.
Life is a series of tradeoffs--like in the Midwest, suffer the vagaries of weather, heat, humidity vs dryness. On the ocean, you've got salt and water and wind. But I'm guessing the views make up for it.
Where do you live, if you don't mind me asking?
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WD40 isn't much of a lubricant. It was never designed to be. The WD stands for Water Displacement, and it was originally invented to displace water from equipment. It turned out to be useful in many other ways, including as a fish attractant, sprayed on lures. Why fish would be attracted to it is something I don't know, but it appears that they are. Wiping metal with it does seem to deter corrosion. Once a well-meaning mechanic apprentice wiped the entire inside of the cockpit of my helicopter with it. We flew over the Gulf of Mexico in support of oil and gas drilling and production, and the salt air was brutal. We flushed purified water through the turbine engines every night to try to prevent salt erosion of the blades. When I went out early in the morning to fly, I nearly killed myself. The cockpit was so slick I had trouble getting in. It took a long time to get rid of the traces of WD40. It's a good product, but don't use more than is absolutely necessary.
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Hi, V,
If you live in an air conditioned home, there is not a problem with corrosion. However, if you keep your windows open, it is a real problem. I have kept an inexpensive Classical guitar on my boat(s) for the last 33 years and it shows no signs of corrosion. Here's the trick:
1. When you're done playing, wipe all metal/wood surfaces with a paper towel moistened with distilled water. Then, wipe down the entire surface of the guitar with a polishing cloth.
2. Treat your strings with Dunlop 65 string cleaner on top and bottom and wipe with a paper towel.
3. I would never leave a quality instrument in a home that is not air conditioned because of potential salt intrusion into the tonewoods which will destroy the guitar.
4. If you're concerned, buy a sacrificial guitar. It worked for me and it's still in excellent shape.
Marinero
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I live by the sea on an island in the North Atlantic. The salt sea air eats away at metal objects in the great outdoors, but has never impacted my guitars….. except…. electronics. Specifically jacks and pots. Same with pedals and amps. Buy yourself some electrical contact cleaner, if you haven’t already.
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From my time on a NJ barrier island it was particularly hard on Gibson case hardware. Agree strings did not fare well at all, got a nasty feel to them as they were salt aged. I kept several guitars out on a wall, never had any problem but for one with nickel pup covers that got all cloudy. Humidity if the house has central HVAC forced air will be as much a problem on the mainland, had to use a humidifier pretty much year round.
But if you want to see some serious damage take a look at the underside of your car after a year or two! Also, the winds blowing sand effectively sand blast your windshield. Salts very hard on brakes too. Cost of shore living)))
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Hi, DK,
Originally Posted by darkwaters
There is damage that is not visual without a microscope: ingress of salt crystals into the unfinished wood/pores(inside) the guitar. This, in an acoustic instrument will affect its sound, eventually, and cause the wood to swell unnaturally when temperatures and humidity increase. It can even cause seams to split and bracing to loosen. I would never play a quality instrument in those conditions unless money was no object.
MarineroLast edited by Marinero; 03-10-2022 at 02:01 PM. Reason: deletion
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Never heard that before. I’d like to believe that it at least makes our sea shanties sound more authentic.
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I live two blocks from the ocean here in California. Salt air and metal combined are problematic. I keep my guitars cased, but I find frets and nickel parts need to be polished more often than when I lived inland. Chrome and gold do just fine. Strings also wear out faster for sure (plain steel and nickel plated).
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Anybody with bad maritime experiences on electronics? I've heard stories about rusted transformers and other amp components, and could imagine a lot more.
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Anybody from the coast want to trade their beachfront house--preferably at least 2000 square-foot home, midcentury style--with someone more inland hit me up.
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Hi, G, Originally Posted by Gitterbug
Salt deposits on radios, GPS, Autohelm, radar are endemic on boats which is why most marine electronic manufacturers only offer a one-year warranty on electronics costing several thousands of dollars. The salt encrustation allows moisture to remain in the instrument swelling components and disabling connections. A common emergency measure when they become inoperative, out of sight of land, is to bake them in your marine oven at a very low temperature. The salt still remains but the moisture dissipates and might just get you home. Ask any saltwater sailor.
Marinero
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