Storing Necks

[guitartom]

Just wondering how you store the necks that are not currently in use.  I take the tension off the truss rod and store them on a shelf in the room where my guitars are kept, so humidity is kept under wraps.  However, are they better standing or is laying flat on a shelf OK? 

and as I type this I think maybe the problem is not trying to store necks, but having too few bodies  :laughing7:

 

[MikeW]

... and as I type this I think maybe the problem is not trying to store necks, but having too few bodies  :laughing7:

This. Now that I think of it, the problem is really where to come up with all the money to buy bodies, bridges, pickups, etc...

 

[SustainerPlayer]

I wouldn't take the tension out of the truss rod. You wouldn't do that if it was on a guitar either. If there is a warp-risk in long term storage then it would be greater without tension methinks.

But I really don't have any experience storing parts that long. Only complete guitars.

 

[guitartom]

I can't remember where I read about detensioning the truss rod when storing necks - but I read it somewhere.  I think the theory is that there is no string tension to offset, so this would put the neck in back bow with the rod tight.

For guitars, I store them in the case with strings tuned to pitch and truss rod adjusted to keep the neck as I normally would play them.  I haven't had any issues.  I normally go through them twice a year to issue everything is OK.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

I wouldn't tighten the rod more than to keep the neck straight. I don't believe it would be possible for it to "grow into a back bow" like that. It will be in a steady state.