Dried sticky glue?

[catzodellamarina]

In the winter, I store my guitars in cases, standing vertically. I have 3 guitar cases that appear to be "leaking" on the inside and leaving a dried syrup-like substance on my guitar bodies. It has happened for years but I do not discover it every time I open the case. Today I removed one of my cases to vacuum the carpet underneath. It was leaking so badly that it left a line of the dried "glue" on my carpet. I opened the Jackson case and the lids were stuck with the stuff on the end that sits on the carpet. This happens to all my SKB style cases. The others are not affected. The inside of the cases clean up with scrubbing and soap/water. I clean the guitars with my spray cleaner. It will be fine for a while, then happens again.

Anyone else experience this? Should I be checking for Aliens?

[Vass]

Sounds like someone in the house has a guitar kink and isn’t cleaning up appropriately.

[catzodellamarina]

A hard plastic with fur around it fetish!

Fifteen years ago we had cats. Those gross bastards would puke or spray occasionally on stuff, especially if it came from a home that had cats or dogs. That would stink. This sticky crap does not smell like anything. At one time I thought it was a spilled Jager accident at a bar. Then when it occurred in different cases, some never even seeing a bar, the mystery became more puzzling. It never happens to my other cases: G&G, Ibanez, Washburn, Fender gig bag, or 20-yr old cheap Musician's Friend case. Only my high-impact plastic SKB style cases. When I clean it up, the dried crap is similar to the sticky outside of a maple syrup bottle. It's gotta be glue. But why?

[DonP]

Pictures? I keep mine in cases and now I am worried.

[TommyD]

I've never heard of this before,but I have a possible cause. Maybe the temperature inside the case is building up and softening the glue that hold the padding and fur inside,and that is your residue. Tommy D.

[catzodellamarina]

I've never heard of this before,but I have a possible cause. Maybe the temperature inside the case is building up and softening the glue that hold the padding and fur inside,and that is your residue. Tommy D.

One possibility I can think of: I DO use small plastic soap containers, with holes drilled in the lids, and damp sponges inside, placed in my cases to keep the wood happy in dry winters. Every case has one of these soap container "humidifiers", yet only SKB cases are leaking junk. Perhaps these cases use water-based glue? Moisture gets to the glue and causes it to soften? But wouldn't you think that much moisture or hot humidity would cause strings and hw to rust and I would see or feel signs of moisture on the guitar body?

I will get my daughter to take pics next time this phenomenon occurs.

[pianoguyy]

I had this happen to me fairly recently. A Charvel with a grey chainsaw case. But it is only leaking internally.
I have been away a lot the last few years, so some guitars aren't getting touched for long stretches. All stored standing up on an inside wall.

I open it up one day. And there was something sticky on the back side of the lower horn.
Whatever it is, it is all over that section of the case. It's a yellowish-brown sticky substance.

[catzodellamarina]

Exactly! Most of the time the leak stays inside. Only this last time did I see evidence of it on the carpet.