Concerns about Shipping to Cold Climate

[Ian Cunningham]

So this March I'm planning on purchasing an IV A5 kit. My only concern is here in North Dakota it will still be hovering around 0F and the humidity will be relatively high. Will the fragile components of my kit warp, twist, explode etc. or will I be okay? Thanks for your help.

[kjbllc]

I don't think you will have any problem but others may know a lot more than I do.

[Timbofood]

Let parts acclimate before beginning construction, there shouldn’t be any problems. Maybe open the box and let things sit for a week or so before starting?

[pops1]

Let it warm up slowly in the shipping box and you should be fine. It won't be humid in your home. Keep it overnight before opening just like you might do for a mandolin.

[Tavy]

+1 on let it warm up slowly - it's not the cooling down so much as the warming up that can cause issues, though mainly on completed instruments (finish etc). Parts should be just fine. If the tree can survive 0F, so can the lumber.

[Ian Cunningham]

Thanks so much for the encouraging replies! I have another question. Does anyone know if I can fit Schaller tuners on the iv kit? The spacing is 23mm.

[pops1]

Yes most modern tuners should fit.

[Pjones3]

Remember, at 0 degrees F ‘relatively humid’ is still pretty darn dry!!! Cold air does not hold much moisture and your kit will contain bare wood which can dry out pretty quickly.

[pops1]

We will be at 8 degrees tonight, last night -10. Weather says outside 72% humidity. I wouldn't worry about it drying out until you get it into a heated area. Humidity here in the midwest is from mid 60's to 80's, a little drier as it warms up.

[Pjones3]

Guess I was trying to caution that getting the relative humidity level from the local weather station and seeing 72% humidity when the temperature is 0 degrees could cause someone to believe that their instrument is safe because the humidity is high (72%).
While 72% is a high RELATIVE humidity, in 0 degree air it is not enough moisture to properly humidify an instrument properly. Almost all dryness related instrument problems I have ever seen have occurred during winter/cold months. Obviously, the only real important humidity level is the one inside the instrument case or in the music room.

[pops1]

While the outside humidity is higher, inside our house it is much lower due to the heat drying the air. I run a humidifier to keep it between 40-50%. While things seem to gain moisture fairly fast they give it off much slower. Drying during the week it may take to ship, it should be minimal, especially when riding in the back of a cold truck.

[Russ Donahue]

Maine gets pretty cold, and during my active "catch and release" phase, we had plenty of instruments shipped here between December-April. As others have stated, let the boxes get warm and acclimatized before you open them. I had no problems with any of the instruments following this procedure. (Though I did have problems with my patience!)