Humidity in basements, guitars

[zinzin]

i have a new basement and want to make a rehearsal room out of it - it's constructed brand new and the humidity is like 70% right now. would it harm my guitars? should the humidity be lower? what's ideal?

[roners5]

a dry environment is potentially more damaging than a humid one- I read that optimal is like 55% but I think you'll be ok- if you keep your guitars in cases when you're not playing I wouldn't worry about it

[zinzin]

i don't have hardshell cases for all my guitars ... i may have to buy something solid for each one.

[soundcreation]

I live with 70+ % humidity nearly every day. I have a dehumidifier in my small guitar room that stays on nearly constantly...usually keeps it around 55 or so. That's about as low as I can get.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's only a pain in the ass because uncoated strings rust in a week, and metal parts and frets corrode fairly quick. Aside from that the guitars themselves don't seem any worse for wear.

[Doctor49]

guitars worry about change more than absolute.

[mrbrown49]

I think you are fine.

 

I'd look into a back up system for your sump pump though if you are leaving gear in the basement.

[WRGKMC]

In an unfinished basement, the main problem is mold. Mold can attack amps, speakers, Tolex and glues more than guitars. Plywood and particle board can soak up moisture over a long period and destroy the cabs. You can always tell when an amps been in the basement for a long time if you know what to look for.

 

The main thing you'll see with the guitars in a basement is the strings wont last very long and pots tend to get scratchey. You can protect the strings from moistire by using some WD 40 on them. It was originally made as a moisture preventitive for the military. Just dont get it on any gold hardware because it removes gold plating. Any other finish is fine, but you are just doing the strings.

 

Humidity collects where theres a quick temp change going from cool to warm, not so much from warm to cool.

[mrbrown49]

 

In an unfinished basement, the main problem is mold. Mold can attack amps, speakers, Tolex and glues more than guitars. Plywood and particle board can soak up moisture over a long period and destroy the cabs. You can always tell when an amps been in the basement for a long time if you know what to look for. The main thing you'll see with the guitars in a basement is the strings wont last very long and pots tend to get scratchey. You can protect the strings from moistire by using some WD 40 on them. It was originally made as a moisture preventitive for the military. Just dont get it on any gold hardware because it removes gold plating. Any other finish is fine, but you are just doing the strings. Humidity collects where theres a quick temp change going from cool to warm, not so much from warm to cool.

 

 

good point about mold. I've seen more than a few nice amps and guitars ravaged by years of moisture and mildew, and that smell never goes away. Always give a good whiff in the guitar case or back of the amp when you buy a used vintage piece.

 

Anyway, it's a good idea to monitor the humidity and have a dehumidifier just in case you get a damp spell. Here in the NE US it's a big concern especially this time of year.

[artiem]

Hint: Buy multiple digital hygrometers--you'll find they often vary by 5 percentage points or more--and place them in various spots around your basement. It's good to know what "normal" is.

[mrbrown49]

It's good to know what "normal" is.

 

I've been trying to figure that out my entire life.

[artiem]

I've been trying to figure that out my entire life.

LOL...the only thing I know about "normal" is that my basement office is a pretty consistent 45% RH this time of year. The rest of the world remains a big effing mystery.

[SnowViking]

I used to practice in a humid basement place and it took months to get the smell from the guitar case. Best advice would be to get some humidity and mould control set up, if you don't want your gear to gradually disintegrate.

[Inazone]

A local luthier told me that he kept his shop as close to 40% humidity as possible, and I've noticed a huge difference since putting a dehumidifier in my music room and keeping it at around that level. That's a pretty normal level for fall and winter here, while spring and summer weather often get ~70%, and it's the fluctuation that causes problems. I rarely have to make truss rod adjustments since buying the dehumidifier, which is a considerable help since I have several guitars on stands rather than in hard cases.

[Wyatt]

70% relative humidity is high. Too high for acoustics, and not the friendliest to electrics, especially their hardware.

 

45-55% is considered optimum. Below 40% is too dry, above 60% is too wet. Just about every guitar company in the US is climate controlled to be about 47% relative humidity. Import guitar companies only ship guitars during two points of the years because they rely on natural temperature and humidity in the shipping containers; if the guitars sit on the boat or in port too long, and fall out of their humidity/temperature range, they are scrapped as "spoilage," that's actually cheaper for the guitar company (especially since they insure the shipment) than paying for climate-controlled containers.

 

I'm actually surprised it's that high, usually basements, because they are mostly underground are more stable for humidity and temperature, rarely over 60% relative humidity, but I guess it depends on the area of the world.

[PrawnHeed]

 

i don't have hardshell cases for all my guitars ... i may have to buy something solid for each one.

 

 

Cases will not make any difference.

[michaell]

Reconsider. Basements flood. Make your studio upstairs!

[whataracket]

New concrete releases a lot of water vapor in the first several months. It might settle down after several months. However, if it was installed without a moisture barrier on the outside, it will put out some water vapor continuously if it is in contact with moist soil. If you really want to have good control over the humidity without constantly running a dehumidifier, you need to somehow seal the room from the concrete. A concrete contractor's supply company will have suitable coatings, and it's something a homeowner can do easily if the concrete is still exposed.