I recently received my Stratocaster from the dealer with the solid case and everything and I was wondering if I should keep it in it's case or put it on a stand.

Also, I've waited 7 months for it to arrive from USA, is this normal?

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I live in Canada, Quebec.
They had to make another guitar as I wanted pearl blizzard and they didn't have any of that color anymore.
The case is a solid one that comes with the Fender Stratocaster American Standard, I've got a stand on the wall and one on the floor, currently having an air conditioner (if it helps, with the wood or anything lol?).

I'm french so my English might not be perfect and its the first time I even post here so..

Thanks.

Il n'y a aucune raison de ne pas mettre votre guitare dans le stand. Conserver mes guitares dans le cas si je ne vais pas pour les lire. Votre anglais est fine!! Je suis dans l'armée et sera bientôt être retraite pas trop loin de vous. Nous sera opérationnel dans les montagnes Adirondack à New York ! S'il y a tout ce que je peux faire pour vous aider à juste me donner un yell.

ABS

Ok merci / thanks.

Tho' the dealer said I should keep it on a stand so it could take the house's temperature and etc, what to do ? O_O

The dealer probably meant when you first take the guitar home take it out and let it get acclimated to its new environment. But think about this, wouldn't the temperature outside the case still be the same as inside the case? The guitar will get acclimated to the difference between the store and your house no matter if it is in its case or not. After a couple of days you might want to give it a good once over and a setup to your preference.

When I'm not playing my guitars, they are in their cases. The only time my guitars are on a stand is during breaks between playing, either at home or on stage.

Leaving your guitars on stands or wall hangers ALL the time is a recipe for disaster if you live in an area with wild variations in temperature/humidity, have pets, have kids, have roommates with shady friends, have a dusty home, or are just plain clumsy.

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Obligatory gear list: Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch, Vox, Martin, and more Fender.

Personally, I didn't pay 1200 bills to look at a $100 case. Granted, I have none of the above mentioned issues other than a heap of dust.. Part of life when you have computers, TVs, amps, etc... Neither way is perfect, though the case will offer more protection, I find I play more when I can walk past a stand and pick up a guitar. There weren't meant to be in a cage!

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

Here's what to consider about how to store your guitar.

Do you live alone, or only with adults? if so a stand, or better a good wall hanger are a great option.

Do you live with lots of people? or are there children or say pets like dogs running amok? All these increase the chances of your guitar being knocked over, or meeting with any number of other calamities.

Basically if your home is safe then you can easily store your guitar out of it's case. but if there are people/things that can cause accidents, then you need to find a safe place for it, and/or store it in the case.

Whenever you transport a guitar, and there is a difference in temperature and/or humidity, it is a good idea to let it slowly come to temperature with the new environment before handling or playing it. In the winter (also Canadian,) if i have to transport a guitar i always let it sit a while in the case with the lid latched, then after it warms a bit open the case. But I always let it find room temperature before hauling it out and playing.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Electric guitars are not nearly as sensitive to humidity changes as acoustic guitars so returning them to the case after each use is not a necessity like it can be in some climates with acoustics. As far as temerature goes, if you are transporting the guitar in the middle of winter let the guitar sit inside the closed case for an hour or two after you bring it in from the trunk of your car. That will let the guitar warm up to room temperature a little more slowly. You don't want to expose a guitar at -20°C to a room at +20°C without some time to acclimate.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Bonjour et bienvenue Zest.I suggest that you keep the guitar in the case if you aren't playing it daily or especially if you have pets or kids that may run into a stand and knock it over,the air conditioner is a great idea. Enjoy your guitar and post pix please.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Agreed on all counts! The past 30-odd years of poly finishes do a lot to seal out the effects of humidity. Fender's maple necks are practically dipped in polyurethane, and rosewood is a moist wood that when regularly conditioned, should stand up to normal handling excepting of extreme climates. The case is a good place to rest the guitar so it doesn't gather condensation while the moisture stabilizes, but for the most part I don't worry about going to and from as I always need the heat or cool as bad if not worse than my guitar! Indeed, kids and pets can be murder on a lovingly displayed guitar, but for my money it's a full-sized Hercules stand rather than a wall hanger - Acts of God like earthquakes dish out fewer consequences to a guitar that's near the floor to begin with.

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

Apart from storing your guitar to keep it out of harms reach.

In Montreal the humidity outside goes on average between 70% and 85% RH throughout the year. Guitars are best at 45-55% RH but that's perfect and an average as the humidity will fluctuate constantly.

Air-conditioning will normally dry out the air inside so its hard to guess what your actual room humidity is like at the moment.
If its regularly above 70% RH (relative humidity) or so and below 35% RH then it will eventually effect an electrical guitar. An acoustic is a bit more sensitive as thinner and unfinished woods are exposed to the air.

Get a small Hygrometer as see how bad it is. Something like this is perfect.
http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/ ... sku=420984

If its too dry you can use a room humidifier and keep your guitar out.
If its too wet you can use a dehumidifier (ever get mold there?).
Plants that require regular watering are natural humidifiers.

In my experience of forty years playing, I've used guitar stands for long periods and have never had any issues with them. I do keep most of the ones not being played on a regular basis in their cases though.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!