Leaving a guitar at college over winter break

One of my kids is at college in New England and is coming home for a long winter break. He is not a music major but does have a guitar (sentimentally valuable) in his dorm that he plans to leave there over the holiday. I just realized that the dorms likely won’t be heated over the break (but due to risk of freezing pipes probably won’t get super cold either).
The guitar is in a good-quality case. Any advice for keeping it safe over the break? Wrap the case in a quilt?

Does his university have a storage facility? Two out of three of my children’s colleges provided storage for a minimal fee.

Or a friend who lives locally who might be willing to take the guitar home?

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Generally speaking, cold won’t hurt a string instrument made of wood.

Exception to that is rapid temperature change, especially combined with rapid humidity change.

For example, wouldn’t want to take a guitar out of a sauna and drop it in a freezer.

Gradual cooling, as in heat turned off in a dorm, shouldn’t hurt a guitar.

Sadly, no. Looked into that and the answer was no.

That’s possible. I’ll suggest it to him.
Thanks!

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That’s reassuring, if he can’t find a better option. Thank you!

A guitar will be fine inside a building, as I’m sure it will be kept well above freezing. If it’s a nice case then all the better. I always worry about guitars getting stolen, but that’s a different issue.

It’ll be fine as long as it doesn’t freeze, which it won’t. I’d be more worried about it getting destroyed by drunk friends. It’s why our son’s concert guitar never went to school with him. :rofl:

Thanks. Drunk friends are definitely not a concern!

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Thanks. The dorm will be locked over break, so I think it will be okay that way.

He should ask, but I doubt the temperature will drop where it could be a problem, or at a rate of change that would cause concern. I’d be shocked if it’s below the mid 50s, likely higher.

My older daughter always left hers at school, in a case, with a humidifier.

It should be fine. My DD did not bring her violin home during breaks. I did have it insured though.

He should buy a small guitar humidifier if he doesn’t have one, especially if it is a quality guitar. I would worry more about dryness than temperature.

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My D kept her violin in a storage facility at the music department (she played in the school orchestra).