How long to wait....

[Aahzz]

So my Vela is out for delivery (yippee!!) - it came from sunny Florida, but is arriving in a rather snow-covered, 28 degree Kentucky. It's a 2019, so it may or may not have a nitro finish according to PRS. I'm not waiting overnight to open it, but thinking I should probably wait a good 2-3 hours...thoughts?

I will say that I once received a beautiful McInturff guitar on a sub-zero day at my office, several years ago. I decided to open it immediately. I had about 2 seconds to admire the beautiful, pristine finish before I heard a very audible "crack!" and saw the finish check into dozens of tiny pieces. Took a rather big loss on that one when I sold it, and it was heartbreaking, so I don't want a repeat...

 

[jxe]

be more ‘90s once it’s ruined.

 

[RC Mike]

What’s a day? 2-3 hours isn’t going to do much in terms of slowly bringing it up to temp. Ever set a large hunk of frozen meat out to thaw?

 

[docteurseb]

Sorry, I'll be frank: I'm puzzled.
28F is pretty damn cold if it's 70F+ in your house and 2-3hours is going to be way too short to acclimate.
I received a PS recently, it was maybe 45-50F outside, and even after 3hours the guitar was still colder than ambient temp.
You already had a terrible experience opening the case immediately with one guitar, unless you want a repeat just wait overnight. Surely it's not the only guitar you can play while it acclimates ?

 

[Aahzz]

OK, you've convinced me, I can be patient and wait until morning.

 

[docteurseb]

No worries, we can be patient waiting for NGD pics.

 

[11top]

OK, you've convinced me, I can be patient and wait until morning.

I have to confess. When I get a guitar in cold whether, I often take it to my back unheated porch, open the box and case, and take a quick sneak peek. Then I close the case and slide it back in the box and let it acclimate before taking it out. I’ve never had a problem doing so.

 

[Tosca]

I have to confess. When I get a guitar in cold whether, I often take it to my back unheated porch, open the box and case, and take a quick sneak peek. Then I close the case and slide it back in the box and let it acclimate before taking it out. I’ve never had a problem doing so.

Did the house come with the porch or did you have it built just for this purpose?
Asking for a friend....

 

[11top]

Did the house come with the porch or did you have it built just for this purpose?
Asking for a friend....

LOL!

It’s actually the back of my office building built in the 20s, but I like your thinking.

 

[pac90]

I would totally just open it right away, but wait a couple of hours if you want, its not going to stay at -2deg C unless its in a thermos flask

 

[jxe]

 

[tbp0701]

For some reason I tend to buy guitars in early February and live in a place that's often pretty cold then. It's tough to wait, but I do. I've not managed 24 hours, but I usually wait 12. I'll let the entire package set for a couple hours, then open the box flaps and let it sit that way for a while. Some time later I'll take the case out of the box but not open it. It'll be tempting, and I'll feel how cool the case is, but I'll wait. After around 12 hours, and making sure the case feels acclimated, I'll open it and hear the angelic choruses as light takes on a golden hue, and I marvel at the awesomeness.

Okay, so that's probably all unnecessary, and I should just either wait 12 or 24 hours, but it's tough to not check on it throughout the day.

 

[RickP]

I’m with totally with @11top on this one! If it’s cold out, open it outside and handle it with gloves on. You can’t play it yet, but you can at least see it and check condition. Re-case it, and let her sit to acclimate.

 

[Wolfhound]

I’ve only been playing for a little over two years and my first guitar was a used Rick Turner Model 1, as I am a huge Lindsey Buckingham fan and knew that in addition to loving its looks, that having such a nice instrument would make me practice daily. Anyway, when I received it, it had ‘do not open for 24 hours’ written all over the box - I’m in San Diego and while I managed to wait until the next morning, I did get up even earlier than usual!

 

[bodia]

I'm a waiter, which goes against my entire being

 

[veinbuster]

OK, you've convinced me, I can be patient and wait until morning.

I've received a guitar in the afternoon and driven to another country for the weekend while it got used to the temperature in my apartment. So overnight isn't so bad.

 

[alantig]

I'm confused. Don't you have a microwave?

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Looking forward to your NGD thread! Be patient brother.

 

[Aahzz]

She has arrived, and here she shall sit until tomorrow morning....

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

It never gets cold down here. Heck I already have grass shooting up and a few strawberries already.