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Humidity & Action


Ciccseven

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Odd in what way? Fall I think around New York gets Wet, lots more rain. So I assume the humidity goes up. The internal humidity of the guitar is 69%. (taken with a Hum Gauge put inside the body and closed in the case) Would you think 69% would raise the 12th fret action to about 3/16ths - 1/4 inch?

 

Thanks

 

- J

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69% is too high. You should be around 45-50%.

 

Are you keeping the guitar in it's case?

 

Get yourself the planet waves Humidipak, they work great at adding and taking away humidity. I have them in all my acoustic guitar cases. Never an issue

 

http://www.planetwaves.com/pwProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=4115&productid=523&productname=Humidipak

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If humidity is high you might want to try d'addario 2-ways humidifyer if you have no device inside your case yet, and keep case closed when not playing...

70% seems rather high. Action increase that you describe seems a lot to me, but i have no idea wether humidity could cause such an increase.

How is neck bow, did you check with a rule? Did you change strings gauge lately?

 

edit : djw kinda beat me at it [thumbup]

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Yes, the Guitar in its Case! What? ...hehe

 

I know. 69% too high. I am getting the hang of this humidity thing. I never thought about it until I got a "nice" guitar.

 

Ok, I will try that Humidity pack device. I have heard about that.

 

One thing: make up your minds...D'Adario or Planet Waves>? [thumbdn][thumbup]

 

Thanks - j

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Yes, the Guitar in its Case! What? ...hehe

 

I know. 69% too high. I am getting the hang of this humidity thing. I never thought about it until I got a "nice" guitar.

 

Ok, I will try that Humidity pack device. I have heard about that.

 

One thing: make up your minds...D'Adario or Planet Waves>? [thumbdn][thumbup]

 

Thanks - j

 

One in the same, just different packaging..and actually manufactured by Boveda

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Yes, the Guitar in its Case! What? ...hehe

 

I know. 69% too high. I am getting the hang of this humidity thing. I never thought about it until I got a "nice" guitar.

 

Ok, I will try that Humidity pack device. I have heard about that.

 

One thing: make up your minds...D'Adario or Planet Waves>? [thumbdn][thumbup]

 

Thanks - j

 

They are the same thing. Planet Waves is a product line of D'addario

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Before I started guessing at humidity I would have the neck angle looked at and truss rod position finalized. I have very old acoustics, never cased (except for travel) and hanging in a room whose humidity varies with the season, though I keep them in air conditioned comfort when the real summer heat arrives to stay. In winter the house stays (I live outside of Cooperstown in upstate NY) in the 30-40% humidity range. Never have trouble with the kind of string height variations you describe. It should drop in pitch slightly if the neck is arching with the humidity, but it's a complex relationship so you should be starting at a good set up baseline first.

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I'm confident it's high humidity. I simultaneously check three other guitars, putting gauges in the bodies and closing the case for a couple of days, and their humidity was also above 60%, on being 59%. Over the summer the neck was fine on the SJ200. Also I have Light strings, (12g) on it, so there isn't a lot of tension. We will see.

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Odd in what way? Fall I think around New York gets Wet, lots more rain. So I assume the humidity goes up. The internal humidity of the guitar is 69%. (taken with a Hum Gauge put inside the body and closed in the case) Would you think 69% would raise the 12th fret action to about 3/16ths - 1/4 inch?

 

Thanks

 

- J

 

Odd because the problem is usually low humidity due to heating in the fall and winter. If that is not what is going on, then all bets are off.

 

Good luck.

 

-Tom

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Right! Either the neck is soft and the head is lifting or the belly is lifting. There aren't any other ways for the action to rise. That's a hefty instrument and probably needs a heavier string and less neck relief. If your luthier can get that truss rod back further in the stiff position you'll be less likely to have drastic action changes due to atmospheric conditions. I'd give that sucka' a 1/4 turn clockwise and play it for a while.

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Not sure where in NY the OP is, but here in Southern Ontario,Canada the temperature has dropped this morning to -8 deg C, feeling like -13 deg C with the windchill.

 

I always keep my guitars, both Electric and Acoustic, in their cases (as much as I would like to keep them out on display and quick reach)with the humipaks in the cases and a constant room temperature in the colder / winter months. I also have a in room humidifier as my finished basement is very dry.

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I have been keeping my 1965 J-50 and 2008 J-50 on a stand in my room for the past two or three years and never noticed a seasonal change in action. During the summer the humidity in the room is typically between 50% to 60%,. In the winter I use a cheap whole room humidifier and levels are usually in the 40% to 50% range. Since this seems to work so well, I have just stopped worrying about humidity and don't have a case humidifier or any fancy gauges - just a $10 digitial humidity/temperature meter from Lowes. I like to look at my guitars and can't do that when they're in the case. :)

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I am in the same camp w/ Boyd.

I'm not 'lazy'. I just look for the most efficient and effective course of action. And using cases would seriously get in the way of playtime.

CIC7 - is this the first Fall season your SJ200 has seen? Did it happen last year?

If I were me - given it's November in NY (lived there in my salad days) - I'd turn on the heat, even if only to take the chill off. That'll suck the excess humidity out of the air.

I would try that before i had a luthier adjust it, only to turn on the heat a week later and have the face / bridge all some more.

My guitars are like Old School hygrometers. The go flatter or sharper in direct relationship to what my little Walmart humidity meter reports.

Always within the 40 - 60% range, but day to day changes not more than 5%. Never need more than 1/4 turn on the Grovers.

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Wow Guys!!!!! Such attention. I feel like a chick in a lonely bar....

 

Honestly you all have great ideas. "fourtyyearspicken" you have a point too, Yes, it happened last year, (that's why I think its humidity and not adjustment) and the temp has been in the 60-70s(F) and a lot of rain, I have not had any heat on at all. I keep the Gibson in the case all the time. I like to keep the others out cause they aren't as expensive and I feel less protective of them. I have wall hangers that hang them from the neck. I'm not sure whats better, neck hanging or stand hanging. Usually I play my guitars a lot and gig and open mic a lot, but I had some stuff happen and couldn't play as much as I like, so I kept the SJ200 in the case for about a month and that's when it happened, I opened the case one day and the action was high! so I took the humidity % and it was at 69%. Guaranteed, once the heat comes on and the air drys the bridge will subside. (I hope) I did contact my luthier and he agreed, give it some time to even-out and if it doesn't come back then he can adjust. I have some Boveda packs on order and I don't think they can hurt. Great discussion. Great Forum. Thanks - J

post-88558-078298100 1510329731_thumb.jpg

post-88558-044373600 1510329806_thumb.jpg

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once the heat comes on and the air drys the bridge will subside.

 

You shouldn't have to wait long. Don't know where you are in New York, but it's supposed to drop to 23 degrees tonight in the city and only 16 degrees at my place at the Southern end of New Jersey. :)

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Nice axe :) beautiful back.

By the way if you ever get the 2-ways hum., keep case closed when playing, with the 2-ways inside the case.

It will keep case at right humidity and most importantly, save your 2-ways as well. Mine lasted about 1 year (instead of the 3 months advertized), but where i live there is no much humidity changes.

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  • 1 year later...

Hello all,

So, its been two years about since I last posted regarding Humidity. The guitar is still great, nice feel, action is rock solid. I keep it in the case, and have given up any additional humidification. I just keep it in the case and play it as much as possible. It is great at live PA shows, and a joy to own.

I thank you all and look forward to posting my next Gibson!

- J

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