Members LittleBrother Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Well I just went by my friends house and is old Gretsch flattop has all of the classic symptoms of a guitar in some danger. I tried to explain that bringing it to a setup guy is moronic since it needs to be humidified and fully normalized before a luthier even touches the setup such as truss rod, saddle height and other adjustments. My office has been 30% for a few weeks and my humidifier is working 24x7 to keep my office up to 45% relative humidity. I don't trust the hygrometer reading on my humidifier so I also bought one of those little Planet Waves digital hygrometers. I can now see that they both agree. So I know my room would be damaging my guitars if I were not running the humidifier 24x7 This is the first time in years I have had to battle this so hard. My heater in my house is making my office much more dry or this is just a bad year. Either way. People that visit this forum with fine guitars might want to own a hygrometer for 15-30.00 so you can monitor your house. A case humidifier system is looking aweful good right now. That would be alot easier than hauling these containers of water up to my office every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thisllub Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 I feel for you LB, I have the opposite problem. Humidity is more likely to be high here. That is much easier to control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cams Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Thanks for the heads up LilBro. I've got one of those Planet Waves hygros and, to be honest, don't really look at it that often. I'll check it when I'm home at lunch time just to be sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members S~R~O Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Yup ~ about 59% Hum. Here it's been a kinda moist around here,also....Thanks LittleBrother for the Heads up,cause next week I'll be up in colder country...for a couple three weeks and I'm sure with theheaters kicking it will be Dry.....SO I'll Keep an Eye out for this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cstime Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Never had to worry about this with tubas... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cams Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 MeThanks for the heads up LilBro. I've got one of those Planet Waves hygros and, to be honest, don't really look at it that often. I'll check it when I'm home at lunch time just to be sure. Just checked - it's 38%, perhaps a tad on the low side. I'll be shifting the music room/office up into the attic over the Christmas hols so shall take any steps required once I'm up there. Chances are it'll be ever drier, particularly if I have to use a fan heater. Hmmm, hadn't thought of that. One of those would be sure to dry out the place, right? Can one run a heater AND a humidifier at the same time? Guess it would be a real power eater though. Maybe case humidifiers are the answer then - anyone know of such things? I'd rather not go messing around with one of those soundhole jobs if at all avoidable. Cams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J. Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 I just started running my humidifier last night. I never have run a humidifier just for my guitars in the past since I haven't really owned any decent ones. Now that I have my Taylor Big Baby- my first semi-decent, non-piece-of-crap guitar, I decided to get on the ball with it. I grew up in Wisconsin and now live in Minnesota. Both are horrible places for humidity and dryness. In the summer it's sweltering, and in the winter it's so dry that my nose bleeds. Oddly enough, my $100 Oscar Schmidt all-laminate guitar has never been bothered by the weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 54merk Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Originally posted by J. IOddly enough, my $100 Oscar Schmidt all-laminate guitar has never been bothered by the weather. No wonder God created laminate trees. They make stronger guitars. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guit Fiddle Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Originally posted by LittleBrother Is your guitar dry ? Sinking tops ? Rough fret edges ? Buzzing strings ? Nope. I have a CA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dean Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 I've seen two types of guitar humidifiers - one is "snake like" that you soak in water and is inserted in the sound hole. The other is a small 2" circular plastic case with some type of hard sponge material in it, that you have to soak every two weeks for 5 minutes, and keep it in the case. I have the latter. I wonder though when I put it in the little compartment that the Martin cases have (under the neck) whether the guitar will receive the "moisture". Martin cases are form fitting to the guitar so I wonder if putting it in the compartent does any good. Maybe I have to get one of those "snake" like ones. I live in a condo in Toronto and in the winter time it's about 30% if I'm lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fatnforty Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 I've been struggling to keep my guitar room (also known as the bedroom) at 45%+. Talked with a friend recently that has installed the no-fuss solution - a whole house humidifier - http://www.aprilaire.com/. I know these are some bucks, but what did you pay for your collection? Too much to let them go down the crapper due to low humidity! I've seen ads locally that have one of these installed for around $400 -- less than the cost of your Taylor or Martin for sure -- or if you feel adventurous, buy the unit for around $200 and install it yourself http://www.sheridanhvac.com/Aprilaire%20600%20Installation.htm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WGH Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Originally posted by Guit Fiddle Nope. I have a CA. Me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J. Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Pfft!!! Don't listen to these fools! Humidity don't mean jack to an acoustic guitar. I just inherited a mint prewar Martin D-45 from my uncle. I live in Arizona and I keep it out on the porch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LittleBrother Posted December 10, 2003 Author Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 LOL, I like those case systems better. They do spread through the case and get more of the guitar than the sound hole kind IMO. I really have not proven this scientifically but many experts think the sound hole models are a joke and many dealers just toss them in the trash and include a case system. Use distilled water because apparently tap water eventually makes the sponge rotten or ruined. I would simply think about a plastic soap dish with a sponge cut to fit and holes drilled in top. Or the small containers they snap open/closed and use with the case systems. It shouldn't cost more than a few coins to make on yourself. www.jpstrings.com sells a pretty good one but I have seen some others. I think the planet waves model might be okay but I have only read about them and seen the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sevenup Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Hey guys, quick question about humidity fluctuation. My room humidifier is also battling right now especially at night time when the central air turns on and on and on. Right it it fluctuate between 40% to 50% through out the day. Does anyone know if this is bad for the guitar? as in fluctuating humidity? Also question about temperature. Is it bad if the room temperature flucturates 10 degrees F through out the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orsino Posted December 10, 2003 Members Share Posted December 10, 2003 Rainy day in Fl. I'm at 66. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LittleBrother Posted December 11, 2003 Author Members Share Posted December 11, 2003 Originally posted by sevenup Hey guys, quick question about humidity fluctuation. My room humidifier is also battling right now especially at night time when the central air turns on and on and on. Right it it fluctuate between 40% to 50% through out the day. Does anyone know if this is bad for the guitar? as in fluctuating humidity? Also question about temperature. Is it bad if the room temperature flucturates 10 degrees F through out the day? Nah, I can see the guitar changing a little but if you want to control those fluctuations there is nothing better than a case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carle Posted December 11, 2003 Members Share Posted December 11, 2003 Hey LB, all you need to do is take a garden hose and sprinkler up there in your office ya see and just set it on a slow oscilating setting. that should get the humidity up:D . Last week I noticed the hum was about 40% in my 'puter, guitar, spare bedroom, retreat area. I have it back up to 48 to 50% now. Now I think I'll grab Marcie and get real personal with her. She likes it when I play a tune on her G string:eek: Well, as long as it's the blues she don't mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members frankentele Posted December 11, 2003 Members Share Posted December 11, 2003 I'm having humidty issues as well....gas wall-mounted radiators for heat, almost like having a BBQ grill turned up on high Anyway, I bought one of those $12 Radio Shack hygrometers to sit on top of my computer monitor, near my guitars. It's reading 34% right now, but it has read as low as 25%--and I could FEEL that 25%. I have a humidifier, but it's a fairly cheap one--only control is an on-off switch and the mist spout rotates open and closed to regulate (to some extent) the mist output. If I leave the humidifier running, I come home to a nice large puddle on the hardwood floors and a hygrometer reading in the low 70-percents. If not, the reading hovers around the high 20s-low 30s. How do I reach a happy medium? Is there a reasonably-priced humidifier that allows you to set the desired humidity range and walk away? If so, how much and where? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greystoke 2 Posted December 24, 2003 Members Share Posted December 24, 2003 Well, I had to check the posting Lil Bro cause of the sinking top remark [never mind all you hydroponic freaks] This latest aquisition from ebay has all the earmarks of a 'sinkingtop' to wit - above soundhole and between upper bout that 'pulls' the fretboard down from 14th fret where it joins body to a ridiculous extreme; A classic 'dish' effect that needless to say-makes setup and playability impossible without some major luthier work. My question is - can this be attributed to humidity alone or simply a case of poor workmanship? Seller swears it was"playable" when sent and the packaging was not a consideration...It was excellent. A 'hand built effort' might be a consideration EH?Greystoke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PapaTom Posted December 24, 2003 Members Share Posted December 24, 2003 I also fuss over my guitars during humidity extremes, using an in-case humidifier plus a sponge in a baggy under the headstock. Sometimes when the humidity gets low enough to annoy me I once again consider getting one of those Art & Lutherie all-laminate cherrywood guitars for wintertime use. They are the best non-solid wood guitars that I've played, and they should be able to stand up to humidity extremes too. One of these days..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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