Humidity..

[Jesse]

Hey everyone.

Have a question regarding humidity.

So, I keep the axe between 40-45% humidity, although some days/nights it can fall to as low as 15%. (Not good, I know). The question I have is, is how does everyone cope with the change in humidity while traveling with it? Some days i'll be at a buddy's place where the humidity is atrocious (very damp and cold) Just had the axe set up for drop C, and would hate the thought of always having to take it back in to get it set up again everytime I go out someplace with it. My "remedy" for it, is to bring it back home, and have it come back to that 40-45% range.

 

[alphasports]

I always keep a couple of Boveda guitar-specific 49%-RH humidipaks in the case. These are 2-way humidifiers/dehumidifiers designed to maintain correct RH whether up or down, they last quite a long time before needing to be replaced, you can buy bulk boxes on Amazon. Make sure you look for 49% guitar humidifiers as the company makes all kinds, often at higher RH for things like cigars.

 

[Rider1260]

My PRS guitars don't seem overly bothered by Humidity , I do try for over 30% in the winter but mine seem really stable and they all hang on the wall all the time.

 

[bodia]

My PRS guitars don't seem overly bothered by Humidity , I do try for over 30% in the winter but mine seem really stable and they all hang on the wall all the time.

Same for mine.

 

[veinbuster]

I don't think you have to worry about a temporary humidity change while at a friend's house to play a bit having any impact to your guitar. The humidity content of the guitar isn't going to change that has.

If you left it there for an extended period, you might find you had to make some small adjustments.

 

[jfb]

Great name.

 

[Jesse]

Thanks for the feeback, guys!

 

[László]

I do what Alphasports does; the ones I use are by D'Addario/Planet Waves. I keep the full set of 3 in my acoustic guitar case, and a single pack in my electric cases.

I keep the guitars cased because I find they simply do better that way; the cases buffer temp and humidity changes.

Other guys hang 'em on the walls. That's why I never buy used. Well, that and I don't know where their hands have been before playing.

 

[rnodern]

Hey everyone.

Have a question regarding humidity.

So, I keep the axe between 40-45% humidity, although some days/nights it can fall to as low as 15%. (Not good, I know). The question I have is, is how does everyone cope with the change in humidity while traveling with it? Some days i'll be at a buddy's place where the humidity is atrocious (very damp and cold) Just had the axe set up for drop C, and would hate the thought of always having to take it back in to get it set up again everytime I go out someplace with it. My "remedy" for it, is to bring it back home, and have it come back to that 40-45% range.

I don't have a remedy, but i have experienced the woes of bringing guitars to a humid climate (Philippines) from a dry climate (Australia).. My CU 24 started to get some dead notes on the high E string around the 2nd and 3rd frets. Humidity actually made the fret raise enough to cause this. I just took it to an experienced luthier and he was able to gently get the fret back into place. Thank goodness, though. it made me not want to play my main axe

 

[Parralax view]

One of the joys of living in Hawaii guitar wise is the constant humidity levels. It hovers right around 60% year round, with the exception of Monsoon. Mine all stay out all year with absolutely no ill effects. My hands have been everywhere.....

 

[CVS]

I would move to the Southern Ca. coast (within 2-3 miles of the ocean) - You will have no issues with either humidity or dryness (or cold or heat for that matter)

 

[Big Eric Bee]

Another one of the "don't worry about it unless it's there a long time" crowd. Especially for electrics. For acoustics, I use a soundhole humidifier of some sort in winter.

If you want to, buy a plastic travel soap dish and sponge, drill holes in the top of the soap dish. Cut the sponge to fit in the dish then lightly dampen the sponge. Put it in the case. Even cheaper, use a plastic sandwich bag and paper towel. Same as above except otherwise. A New Mexico repairman I know does it that way. Works for him in the dry air.

 

[drdoom8793]

I live in the Southeast. What's dry air?

 

[dsenoj]

I live in the Southeast. What's dry air?

It can get pretty dry around here in winter though.

 

[watelessness]

I keep my room fairly consistent in the spring/summer and fall/winter, although the humidity values are drastically different between my two climates. Some of my PRS need a slight neck tweak when the seasons change but nothing drastic. The only things in the room whose frets pop out the sides of the fretboards are my custom shop strats. It's quite annoyong.

 

[shinksma]

I lived in Central Canada for a good chunk of my adult life. Winter humidity indoors was 35% if you were lucky!

I now live in FL, where humidity even indoors rarely drops below 50%. Right now, on a good "dry" winter day, it is at 53% according to my thermostat thingy. Usually closer to 75% mid-summer.

I've never done a dang thing for my guitars.

Yes, I will burn in hell for it.

So who's joining me?

 

[Bluesdog Paul]

Exactly.

 

[MrBollie]

I got my CE24 last week. What an amazing guitar, I fell instantly in love. The fun, however, was over rather soon: There are suddenly dead G# around the fretboard, especially on the G string, fret 13. What do you do, if something like that happens? Of course you search the internet. I've read a couple of times, that the environmental conditions affected dead spots and here I am now, hoping it's the same case with my guitar. When I got the guitar and collected my initial impressions, we had 25C with 40-50% humidity (daily average) in the room where I store and play my guitars. Over the last weekend, it went up to 28C and around 60% of humidity.

I'll keep my fingers crossed it is just that. The weather is gonna change next week to hopefully more comfortable levels.

 

[11top]

My HVAC guy was here Monday for cleanings. I had been keeping the whole house humidity set at 45%. He said that was too low for comfort, and he suggested 55%. May to a tad too high for guitars (?), but that’s where it’s now set.

 

[Roy]

Howdy,

Starting 3 months ago I moved my Humiditrak to various places in my house. The humidity has been pretty stable averaging 50% over a range of 46-54%. This is in the Brazos River valley of Texas (50 miles east of Houston).
I do have an open top 75 gallon aquarium that evaporates a few gallons per week. Seems to be a pretty good humidifier.