Humidity

[Bytor1975]

I'm curious about how you guys, mainly you acoustic players, handle humidity (or lack of) in your music room?

Living down south, we have more than our share of humidity, and I've never really worried about a lack of. However, I've never bought a hygrometer to be really sure. Do any of you have any recommendations for a hygrometer? I was wanting to get a little digital one to set near the acoustic, and they look like I can get them varying between $15-$35. I see many for humidoors, but I wonder how they do in a large room?

I have been keeping a Dampit in my Taylor, but my Dean, Alvarez, and Martin have been winging it.

I'm tired of playing Russian Roulette, and I really need to take this more seriously... so chat away!

[Justpickin]

I'd like to hear some feedback on this myself...we don't really get the humidity up here in Buffalo, but in the winter it can get quite dry with the heat running for 5 months...I do run a humidifier all winter to keep it at normal levels, so far so good....and always keep my acoustics cased. But, I'm sure there are those with experience who can recommend............. :music-smi

[vintage_brat]

Hey guys. Damp its work well... Silica GEl packs work well.. I have the same system at home that we do at work. Its a humidistat thats on the HVAC system. it controls the humidty by either removing moisture. or adding via waterline to the exchanger to keep a constant humidity.
Any digital or analog hygrometer will work. It never hurts to have extra protection in a case , especially with acoustics.. They have a tendency to tighten themselves and snap necks, pull off bridges, etc. Thats the main reason I dont have alot of acoustics around the house, and if one comes in for repairs. i let " settle in" to its environment. It took me about 6 months to get the humidity here adjusted to my collection. it seems between 27 and 30% works well for me.. my area stays a constant 76 degrees year round. Im lucky though. Im in a finished basement. and climate controlled.

I'll check into some brand of portables and home units and see what i can find.. If all else fails. the remote units for home installs would work. Just put the sensor/sending unit in the room where you are, along with the Reciever.
These are about 22 bucks at most DEPT stores. and tell time temp and humidity. Temp is just as important as Humidity.

And for those guys in the basement.... dont vent your dryer inside. thats the biggest cause of humidity in a house.. I know its cheap heat. but can play hell on climate control.

[Bytor1975]

What? Come on... anyone else want to comment? You guys just leave your guitars to weather the storm... eh humidity? LOL

Here are some humidity related links from Taylor Guitars I thought you all might find interesting:

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/features/woods/humidity.aspx

http://www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/guitar_humidifier.pdf

http://www.taylorguitars.com/global/pdfs/dry_guitar.pdf

[Jossy]

Well, since i live in a very hot place, i have no problem with lack of humidity. During winter it does not get very dry either, so no problems there...i can leave my acustic "to weather the storm" and not suffer about it.

On the other hand, my classical guitar playing brother, always carries with a humidifier...he doesn't need it here, but i think it's just in case...since he lives in Arizona, i think weather conditions may be more extreme there...perhaps Old Wannabe or Ray can comment on that kind of weather...

Saludos.

[SinnerBoy]

While Ireland is a very wet country in terms of rain our humidity is surprisingly stable so I don't worry about it. Central heating probably has the biggest effect on guitars over here.

[nothin but the blues]

Well here's my take on humidity.

I find the best way to control it, keep track of it etc. Is to get a digital Hygrometer, and if you don't have a Humidifier system built into your home heating, then just get a good or decent room humidifier.

The damp its (sound hole humidifiers, or case humidifiers) are effective when your guitar is out and about with you, but I personally don't like to rely on them for everyday situations, for it is easy much easier to over humidify your guitar with a damp it than it is with a humidity controlled room. It's also much more of a pain checking the humidity inside the case all the time rather then checking a rooms over all humidity. If you do a damp it in the case, I would suggest putting a small Hygrometer in the case as well to help monitor the levels. Because remember, over humidifying can just just as leathal to your acoustics as under humidifying it.

The "ideal" humidity levels for an acoustic are typically in between 40% to 50%. Most will usually say right smack in the middle at 45%. Tempature is an issue, but mainly in regards to rapid tempature changes. If you are bringing your acoustic into a place where the tempature is dramatically different, or your acoustic went from a warm room, to a cold car, back to a warm room, you absolutely want to let your guitar sit in the case and let it come to tempature before opening the case. Of course, common sense plays a big part in the tempature portion of this, as if you play your acoustic while sitting atop a snow bank in the middle of winter, then well... you probably shouldn't have one :lol:

These are some of the biggest pains about acoustic guitars. The best part is the majority will crack over time no matter what the humidity is. Cracks very rarely affect tone however, just the cosmetics. But, humidity is something you certainly want to pay attention to, specifically if you have some higher end stuff in your stable.

Ok, I'm done. :lol:

[Bytor1975]

Wal Mart has a little digital Hygrometer with a temp. Gonna compare it to what Radio Shack has.

[nothin but the blues]

Wal Mart has a little digital Hygrometer with a temp. Gonna compare it to what Radio Shack has.
I got mine at Radio Shack, was only like 25 bucks or something... well worth it

[Bytor1975]

Picked this guy up at Home Depot today.

http://www.homedepot.com/cmc_upload/HDUS/EN_US/asset/images/eplus/161341_3.jpg

I'm relieved to find my music room is going around 40-43% humidity, and the temp is at 73.7 f as of nearly 10pm tonight. I'm pretty close to Taylor's factory specs, so I will rest a bit easier now. :)

[SinnerBoy]

Yeah, now you can relax Jason, take a few deep breaths, but make sure to exhale outside your music room so as not to affect moisture levels :lol:

[Bytor1975]

Yeah, now you can relax Jason, take a few deep breaths, but make sure to exhale outside your music room so as not to affect moisture levels :lol:
Why do you think I wear the helmet in here?

[T Blade]

Being from the North East, (Rhode Island) humidity isn't a problem in the summer. During the winter it gets mighty dry up here, but my house has steam radiators, so I have ample humidity in the winter. Though last winter my Martin D18 did develop a slight buzz on the 3rd string :yikes: , but it's better now.

[clapton101]

So what should i have the humidty set on in my guitar room i have my historic SJ-200, all my les pauls and my es-335 in there with my 59 bassman?

[Bytor1975]

40-45% humidity and 75 degrees F.

[ldelo]

There's basically three problems with humidity: Too little and the wood'll shrink and possibly crack; too much and the wood'll swell and possibly force joints etc apart; and also with too much humidity metal parts start to corrode, various finishes/glues/etc will start to soften or release, etc.

I think Taylor has taken the art/science/mystique/marketing-spiel about humidity to extremes. They do use very high grade woods and tend to be thinner/lighter/etc, in an effort to maximize tone.

I keep a small humidifier thingie in my Taylors' case. Unless one lives in a very humid climate to begin with, it'd be hard to get enough moisture/humidity into an acoustics' case via a smallish humdifier thingie to do any damage.

IME the bigger risk is from thermal/humidity shocks, overheating from being left in vehicles or placed to close to heating registers or appliances or whatever, and physical damage.

With electrics and outside of guitars that were stored in store rooms or unheated garages or what have you or were clearly abused, I've never seen or heard of a guitar being damaged from lack of or too much humidity. Most electrics are pretty hefty chunks of wood, and they are both thick and dense enough to offer a lot of thermal/humidity buffering in and of themselves, and because they are so thick/dense/chunky, the effects are minimized.

I *have* seen more than a few acoustics with cracked or glazed wood or finishes that were rather clearly damaged by leaving them in the blazing sun, or allowing them to experience thermal/humidity shocks, etc. :drool2:

[Jack Gilvey]

Well, I had to kick on the heat for the first time last night, and it's got me thinking along these lines again. What room humidifiers do you guys like?

[Justpickin]

go big or stay home;

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/2753/humidji0.jpg

[stingx]

I have a Honeywell Humidifier connected to my heating system. There is a knob with numbers in a range to control the humidity right below the thermostat for heat/ac in the central unit. I have yet to play with it in the years i have lived there. I need to look online for a manual so I can use it and control the humidity in my home.

[Jack Gilvey]

I have a Honeywell Humidifier connected to my heating system. There is a knob with numbers in a range to control the humidity right below the thermostat for heat/ac in the central unit. I have yet to play with it in the years i have lived there. I need to look online for a manual so I can use it and control the humidity in my home.

That's handy, but this house is much too old old for that fancy stuff. Big ol' radiators all over, and my music/theater room gets warmest of all. Honeywell makes some nice stand-alone models with digital readouts, etc., that I might look into today. Just wasn't sure if there was anything special I should look for with this purpose in mind.

[Bytor1975]

All winter I just added water to my Dampits in each acoustic. It was my little Sunday morning ritual, and gave me a good excuse to get each out and strum a little.