Advice Needed

[KrisKunisch]

I just accepted an job offer to transfer to Henderson, Nevada. Although, the excessive housing seems to be my major concern (currently reside in Louisville, KY), I also am concerned about my equipment. Obviously, with the hot, dry desert air a Humidifier may be in order. Any suggestions on appropriate settings to accomadate all my music boxes?

 

Side - Story:

While on a business trip, I decided to stop by the ever heady "Ed Roman's World Famous Guitars". What a surprise, a huge selection of atrocious, "Metal Influenced" electric guitars and several acoustics taking in the dry air (mainly Seagull, Ovation, Alvarez, and a few Blueridge)...they had a separate room that seemed to be mildly controlled, filled with Larrivees, a few Gitanes, and a lovely McPherson.

 

One thing I will miss about KY, the music stores were a "Bluegrass & Acoustic" players first, separate controlled and sound proof rooms, with salesman that doubled as repairmen, not a bunch of pimply faced kids with braces sweep picking their Jacksons.

[Cripes]

I bought a couple guitars from Guitar Emporium in Louisville. That store they were in dated back to 1910 - old Woolworths - with original wood floors and pressed tin ceilings. Bardstown Road, wasn't it? I left that area last year for Orlando, Florida.

You are definitely going to need a controlled environment out there. If you can, dedicate one room for your instruments under humidification. 47% seems to be the factory-touted magic number and temp around 72-75. When I moved here to Florida I dedicated a room for my instruments under de-humidification. If you can, hermetically seal the window in the room so moisture doesn't leach out. Hot, arid air is like a vacuum to moisture.

Good luck with the trip.

[DonK]

A humidifier is probably in order, but having spent some extended business assignments in Phoenix and Tucson, AZ, and Las Vegas, NV, with a guitar in tow, I'll say this: the problem is a bit different from trying to keep your guitars humidified during the winter in places like the midwest and northeast. In typical midwest and northeast winter conditions you've typically got very dry forced-air heat blowing constantly. Everything in Arizona and Las Vegas is air conditioned, so I found the humidity to be a lot better than I expected. A humidifer's a good idea, but you can also use special devices like the Damp-it, though they'd be a pain having to use them all year-around.

I live in Maryland, and I installed the largest whole-house humidifier I could find a few years ago, and it does a poor job overall because the house is just too large for it. I still have to use Damp-Its, and a room humidifier for my basement "studio".

[KrisKunisch]

I purchased a few Frantone effects and my Blueridge from Guitar Emporium. It's a wonderful business and the people behind the counter are knowledgable, witty, and extremely helpful! It's always nice to step into an establishment that deals in fine instruments, hardly a beginner grade in sight and all the guitars are setup wonderfully.

[KrisKunisch]

A humidifier is probably in order, but having spent some extended business assignments in Phoenix and Tucson, AZ, and Las Vegas, NV, with a guitar in tow, I'll say this: the problem is a bit different from trying to keep your guitars humidified during the winter in places like the midwest and northeast. In typical midwest and northeast winter conditions you've typically got very dry forced-air heat blowing constantly. Everything in Arizona and Las Vegas is air conditioned, so I found the humidity to be a lot better than I expected. A humidifer's a good idea, but you can also use special devices like the Damp-it, though they'd be a pain having to use them all year-around. I live in Maryland, and I installed the largest whole-house humidifier I could find a few years ago, and it does a poor job overall because the house is just too large for it. I still have to use Damp-Its, and a room humidifier for my basement "studio".

 

 

I'll certainly have to look into making a "walk in closet" my personal Guitar room. Thank you so very much for providing me with the pointers! As much as Kentucky's temperature changes throughout the day, the area is quite friendly on guitars.