Is it bad to hang a guitar by the neck with a wall mount?

Question

My guitar teacher told me it's bad to hang them by the neck since they're supposed to sit on the body.

He actually bought one that was hanged for a long time and it didn't sound right, he took it to a guitar technician and he told him hanging them damaged the guitar.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I agree with John W. But just in case, especially if it is an expensive guitar, just add a bit of support from the bottom.

Answer 2

That is a myth. There is nothing wrong with hanging a guitar by the neck. I would get your teacher to back that statement up with some facts, more than just the opinion of that one technician. There are museums that display guitars hanging by their necks. If you want to hang your guitar by the neck just make sure it's a nice support that cradles the neck at the headstock well.

I would suggest not hanging a guitar on an exterior wall as sometimes these walls are colder or hotter than the ambient indoor temperature and might collect a little  condensation. If you can avoid it, I would suggest not hanging a guitar on an outside wall.

Answer 3

Yes, hanging a guitar, or any stringed instrument by the neck is bad for it.  What happens is gravity acts on the instrument.  It can stretch out the neck (the smallest amount will do it) and permenantely throw off the pitch of the instrument.

Answer 4

There's nothing wrong with hanging a guitar by the neck. Using the traditional stands where the guitar body sits on it is not recommended for solid body electric guitars, though. The guitar sits at an angle between the neck and the solid body and in the long-term it can affect the curvature of the neck (it can be fixed easily)

I wouldn't recommend leaving a good instrument sitting outside its case all the time (using a stand or not) unless you have a room where humidity and temperature are strictly controlled, which in most cases that doesn't happen.

If you have an inexpensive instrument, it doesn't make much of a difference. Use the stand you like and keep your guitar handy for a quick grab. I can guarantee you'll practice more this way.

Cheers,