How much humidity is too much?

[andross182]

I know that PRS states 40-45% relative humidity, but I recently moved and went from refrigerated air (with a humidifier I would max out at low 30s, back to swamp cooled where my digital gauge reads 55-66% humidity for the day.

I am sure my guitars are loving being in a humid climate but now I am concerned that that is too much....

First World Problems amirite?!

 

[goat-n-gitter]

My studio goes from 40%ish in the winter (running a humidifier) to 50-56% A/Cing the heck out of it in the summer. Sometimes as high as 60% if I don't freeze the room out. Worst problem I've had is having to tweak my trussrods seasonally, and I've lived in the house for 16 years now.

 

[shinksma]

Living in FL with AC on 10 months of the year, and heat on for two weeks randomly, my house stays pretty evenly at 50% humidity, +/- 5%, IIRC (could be 55% +/- 5%). I think as long as you aren't above 80% and/or condensing, the guitar should be fine. Humidity swings will be more of an annoyance, as experienced by goat-n-gitter.

Extra dry conditions are what can plague a guitar, especially an acoustic.

 

[László]

The D'Addario/Planet Waves humidipaks designed for acoustic guitars also work nicely stuck in the case of electric guitars.

What's great is that they're designed to keep the case's interior at 45% RH or so; they release moisture in the winter, but here's the cool part -- they absorb moisture in summer if the RH is over 45%.

I use the pack of 3 in my acoustic as recommended, but I use one pack in the cases of my electrics (I simply stick the little cloth bag holding it in the neck or headstock cavity). So one kit will do for 3 electrics.

Michigan winters are very dry, and summers are humid. I've needed no adjustments since I started using these a few years ago. The necks stay stable. On the acoustic the top doesn't sink in winter or bulge in summer.

Obviously, they only work when the guitars are cased when not being played. There is no leakage, and they don't smell at all. They simply work due to smart chemistry.

The only drawback I can see is that they have to be changed out after 3-4 months. Refills come in 3-packs.

 

[Tucson Thump]

The D'Addario/Planet Waves humidipaks designed for acoustic guitars also work nicely stuck in the case of electric guitars.

What's great is that they're designed to keep the case's interior at 45% RH or so; they release moisture in the winter, but here's the cool part -- they absorb moisture in summer if the RH is over 45%.

I use the pack of 3 in my acoustic as recommended, but I use one pack in the cases of my electrics (I simply stick the little cloth bag holding it in the neck or headstock cavity). So one kit will do for 3 electrics.

Michigan winters are very dry, and summers are humid. I've needed no adjustments since I started using these a few years ago. The necks stay stable. On the acoustic the top doesn't sink in winter or bulge in summer.

Obviously, they only work when the guitars are cased when not being played. There is no leakage, and they don't smell at all. They simply work due to smart chemistry.

The only drawback I can see is that they have to be changed out after 3-4 months. Refills come in 3-packs.

I've used these also in the same way Les describes and have had no problems with acoustics or electrics. If the guitar case seals well you may not have to change them for five or six months. When you first use them they feel like they are filled with liquid and as they age go to feeling like pebbles. This happens fairly quickly with the first set because you are bringing the interior of the case to a humidified level also, but once that stabilizes they will last longer. Sometimes they will age at a different rate and one may still feel pretty squishy, in which case I save it and put it with other similar ones in their zip bag and they seem to regenerate a bit so that you can use them again (although for a shorter period of time). The easiest way to buy is when vendors have seasonal 15-20% off sales and then I buy bulk.

 

[Casi1]

I know that PRS states 40-45% relative humidity, but I recently moved and went from refrigerated air (with a humidifier I would max out at low 30s, back to swamp cooled where my digital gauge reads 55-66% humidity for the day.

I am sure my guitars are loving being in a humid climate but now I am concerned that that is too much....

First World Problems amirite?!

My guitar room ranges from about 40% in winter with humidifier to about 65% in all other seasons.

I use those boveda packs in my cases.

I found out the hard way this past winter that while my PRS guitars are less likely than my Fender and Gibsons to suffer from humidity issues, all wood can be impacted. I forgot to put the boveda in two of my cases: one for a Gibson Les Paul and one for my PRS SAS NF. The guitars were in the same room with almost 0% humidity for several months during the winter. The Les Paul had 100% of its frets jutting out all along the rosewood neck. The SAS had about 50% of its frets sharp along its maple neck. The Les Paul had to be professionally filed because a week in the shop humidity room did nothing for it. The SAS only needed a 72% boveda pack in its case for a week before it returned to normal all by its little self.

I definitely learned my lesson about humidity.

 

[garrettb]

This much: http://www.prsguitars.com/index.php/blog/post/santana_iii_goes_swimming

 

[grausch]

It would be interesting to know what can happen when at excess humidity levels and also at what levels I should be concerned. In Europe, air-conditioning for houses tends to be pretty rare, so during summertime humidity can spike to 80% or 90%. Highest I measured this summer was 74%, but during a 65%-70% period I had rust spots on 2 frets on a Gibson. Fixing rust is pretty easy so that is not my biggest concern. Wood warping would be a much bigger problem.

Should I worry about wood warping? When should I start to be concerned? The guitars in cases have gotten one of the Planet Waves Humidipaks each, but there would be no benefit to doing this with guitars in gig bags.

 

[andy474x]

Thankfully my basement has a strange tendency to stay at good humidity levels throughout the seasons. I haven't had any related guitar problems in 3 years of living there.