Confessions of a non-humidifier

[zeeway]

Repeat after me: car-bon fiber.

[Oldguy64]

If you own a guitar, particularly a nice guitar, you need to own a hygrometer.
You cannot address humidity unless you know what you are dealing with.
When it’s under 40% you should humidify.
If it’s over 60% de-humidify.

Humidipacks do both. But they are kind of pricey if you have more than a couple of guitars.

The perfect low cost humidifier is a travel soap container.
Drill a few holes in it.
Keep a moist sponge in it and put it in the case with the guitar.
Watch the hygrometer.
Check the sponge at least weekly. Re wet as needed.

[raysachs]

I used to be a non-humidifier and now I am a humidifier...

I had a beautiful 1968 BRW D-28 for about 25 years before I had a clue about humidity and guitars. Left it out on stands or wall hangers everywhere I lived, which included long stays in the AZ desert, the Colorado Rockies, the Olympic Rainforest (and then slightly less wet parts of the Puget Sound), and eastern Pennsylvania (very humid summers, very dry indoor winters).

It never suffered any catastrophic damage, but it got to be a beast to play, which humidity issues may have affected, but definitely wasn’t the only variable involved. I also didn’t know about nuts and saddles and there were very long stretches of that 25 years when I was barely playing or not playing at all, so any acoustic was a beast to play with no callouses...

Now I have a much less valuable but equally loved 000-15SM and it lives in its case with humidipaks when the humidity in my guitar room is less than 40 (which is a lot) or more than 60 (very rarely). I take it out to play it whenever I want no matter how dry it is, but I don’t leave it out when it’s really dry. Because it’s easy and it can’t hurt, and might help, and now that I KNOW about humidity issues, I’d think about it if I wasn’t doing anything about it...

I ALSO have a carbon fiber guitar which hangs on the wall in all conditions...

-Ray

[Slothead56]

My first good guitar was a Guild D-25 (or 35, can’t remember) that I bought new as a Freshman in college for $195. Played that guitar hard for 4 years, gigging, beaching, traveling, camping...that thing did it all.

I lived for 3 years in an old college dorm in the NE that had no A/C and radiator heat. Hot and dry...nosebleed dry. Knew nothing of humidification and it survived just fine til I sold it in 1978.

It’s only been in the past 5-7 years I even knew humidification was a “thing”. So, now I run a small humidifier and just yesterday ordered a 20 pack of Boveda Humidipaks.

I hate winter for a lot of reasons not the least of which is I have to put the boys away rather than hanging them up in my home office.

[Jim in TC]

When I was younger, less informed, not particularly careful I hung a D-18 on the wall of my farmhouse for years. Wood heat, so dry winters and humid (Michigan) summers that would warp a wood floor. The pick guard that peeled up just a bit may have been a result, otherwise no discernible (to me) change in the action, tone, gluing, etc. This was one of those older, 1970 hardy instruments.

Today I have only carbon fiber because I want to do that still, but don't think I can pull it off again...

[1Charlie]

Most of my guitars are really old, older than me by a decade or more (and I am 61).

For years and years, they went unhumidified in all sorts of adverse conditions, not to mention the fact that they were made in a facility that was not climate-controlled.

Some have cracks (repaired). Some don’t. All have a similar dry, woody, “old” tone. Is it possible that being subjected to seasonal changes in humidity over 70-80 years may have something to do with that?

PS: I do humidity them now!

[icuker]

I'v used soap dishes or any suitable plastic case that can be drilled and filled with a treated sponge (one that won't mildew) for my guitars. Wring out the sponge good and check it weekly. Worked great. I have a nice guitar, but quit playing for about 10 years due to hand issues once, guitar got put in the back of a basement closet and was forgotten, neglected. Anyway, once I could play again, it had issues, neck had shrunk side to side actually making the fretboard narrower. And it was already on the narrow side. Now i have issues sometimes when I capo, the high e string can actually pull over the edge of the fret. I've taken it in and no cure for what ails it without cramping the other strings still further. Still my favorite guitar, great sound. I have a number of solid wood instruments, the sponge worked great on them, that is until I replaced my furnace and got a whole house humidifier. Works like a charm, no more humidifying all my instruments except in the driest part of the winter, so for maybe a week or two in january. I have two monitors, one upstairs and one in the basement since they're scattered about. And I do leave some of them out of their cases for weeks at a time with no issues (except of course during those two weeks in january!)

[Ed66]

The only guitar I keep cased is my traveler - that way I can grab and go when needed. All my other guitars stay on hangers or stands for easy access. To date I've never had any humidity related issues. I do monitor the humidity, but I live on the water in southeastern NC so I tend to have to worry about high humidity more than low. Over the past few years I've seen it drop to 35% for a couple of brief periods. At that point I just open the door to my office and let some humidity roll in.

[Dbone]

My 100 dollar Aria has a subtle crack in the fretboard towards an edge. I can only assume it is from the 10+ years it sat in the back of a closet here through Canadian winters. The rest of the guitar is fully laminate And quite hearty. Been trying to treat it a little better in recent times humidity wise.

My new more pricey gear that’s on the way will have nothing but ideal humidity and temperature conditions presented to it...with the exception of the carbon fiber guy that will sit in a snow bank if I choose to do so...just because I can

[Beakybird]

Someone mentioned a dehumidifier. I live in the Chicago suburbs. Are there levels of humidity that would harm a guitar?

[tubeamps]

I think the basic rule is anything north of 60% RH for an extended period could cause problems.

Today it’s raining, mild temps, inside RH is 48%, good day to have all guitars out.

[jim1960]

I'm not sure as to the point of this thread. If the OP is trying to say that maintaining proper humidification is over-hyped or unnecessary, he's as wrong as someone would be if they argued that fire insurance is unnecessary. Not every guitar will suffer to the same degree from a lack of humidification just as not every house will catch fire. But in the event that you want to avoid the out-of-pocket expense that could come from not maintaining proper humidification on a guitar or from your house burning to the ground, it's sensible to maintain proper humidification and pay for fire insurance.

[Jim in TC]

Originally Posted by Beakybird

Someone mentioned a dehumidifier. I live in the Chicago suburbs. Are there levels of humidity that would harm a guitar?

If you poke around the thread I bought a lemon https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...=564311&page=4

you will find a few references to excessive humidity (I think especially over 80%) and potential effects.

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I'm not sure as to the point of this thread. If the OP is trying to say that maintaining proper humidification is over-hyped or unnecessary, he's as wrong as someone would be if they argued that fire insurance is unnecessary. Not every guitar will suffer to the same degree from a lack of humidification just as not every house will catch fire. But in the event that you want to avoid the out-of-pocket expense that could come from not maintaining proper humidification on a guitar or from your house burning to the ground, it's sensible to maintain proper humidification and pay for fire insurance.

I too kinda wonder what the point is...I suspect he was just having a little fun?

He did answer a direct question about whether he would feel the same way about a high end guitar and he said no...

You are right. People are playing with fire if they don't follow the conventional wisdom around protecting wooden guitars. How badly they get burnt depends on where u live and how that particular guitar is constructed.

If you live where I live and leave a light built guitar out on a stand all year round with no environment control efforts you will have a piece of garbage on your hands in no time. Some people care about their guitars and some don't.

What are we even talking about here? How hard is it to do some basic humidity control...geez...

If for any reason, just to have your instrument playing and sounding the best...cracks aside...

For anyone who hasn't looked at the Larrivee care and maintenance guide I linked in that other humidity thread referenced above, I would suggest that you do....assuming u care about your instrument...if not, ignore...

The reality is not a lot of people care for their guitars properly...these same folks will be posting threads asking why they are having to reset their next so soon, why my guitar is playing like poo etc

[ManyMartinMan]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I'm not sure as to the point of this thread. If the OP is trying to say that maintaining proper humidification is over-hyped or unnecessary, he's as wrong ......

Additionally, it voids one's warranty for failing to properly care for the instrument. So, if/when damage does happen - you're hosed.