Do I need to humidify my J45 Standard if I live in permanent 85-90% humidity? (I live in Peru)

[LeoVannucci]

Hi guys!

Just bought a brand new J45 Standard and it came with a few Humidipack packs... I live in Peru where is very humid year-round.

I’ve never owned a high-end acoustic and I know nothing about humidify it. Any help would be great!

Thanks!

[kidblast]

no!  the opposite.  You need to try and keep around 50% RH%

btw: check this link for some insight

https://www.taylorguitars.com/support/maintenance/symptoms-wet-guitar

Edited May 29, 2020 by kidblast

[LeoVannucci]

So I shouldn’t use those packs that came with the guitar?

[kidblast]

You mean silica packs?  in your situation yea,   but at that RH you say you live in, they likley wont be enough. 

I would keep the guitar in the case when ever not being played to protect it as much as possible from the moisture and keep the case closed at all times.

(eg: Don't leave it opened when using the guitar,  Close it..)

Check out the  D'Addario Humidpak system.   Those are two way systems for moisture control.   They will  absorb extra moisture, like in your climate, or add in dryer regions, like desert climates etc...    This may be your best bet if you can get them

Edited May 29, 2020 by kidblast

[LeoVannucci]

40 minutes ago, kidblast said:

You mean silica packs?  in your situation yea,   but at that RH you say you live in, they likley wont be enough. 

I would keep the guitar in the case when ever not being played to protect it as much as possible from the moisture and keep the case closed at all times.

(eg: Don't leave it opened when using the guitar,  Close it..)

Check out the  D'Addario Humidpak system.   Those are two way systems for moisture control.   They will  absorb extra moisture, like in your climate, or add in dryer regions, like desert climates etc...    This may be your best bet if you can get them

the guitar came with those D’Addario Humidacks, that’s exactly what I was asking about. Should I use them on my kind of weather?

Also, should I keep the guitar on it’s original case all the time? I’m asking since I’ve also bought a MONO M80 Case for gigging and was thinking about keeping it there... what do you think?

[dhanners623]

Keep it in the original case and if you go to a gig, use the Mono M80 if you want something easy to carry. That said, I hate gig bags; they are a guitar repairman's best friend.

For day-to-day storage, the original case will give you better control of humidity. And if you don't have one, buy a hygrometer so you can monitor the RH.

It is important to remember that too much humidity can do just as much (albeit different) damage as too little.

[LeoVannucci]

29 minutes ago, dhanners623 said:

Keep it in the original case and if you go to a gig, use the Mono M80 if you want something easy to carry. That said, I hate gig bags; they are a guitar repairman's best friend.

For day-to-day storage, the original case will give you better control of humidity. And if you don't have one, buy a hygrometer so you can monitor the RH.

It is important to remember that too much humidity can do just as much (albeit different) damage as too little.

Will do! What about using the Humidipak with my weather type 85% humity year round...?

[olie]

Just by coincidence,a few moments ago,I placed new D'Addario packs in my guitar as the RH in my home reached ~72%.

After about an hour (or less) I checked the hygrometer in my case and already the RH has gone down to 55%.

The system works in both directions.

[Sgt. Pepper]

19 minutes ago, olie said:

Just by coincidence,a few moments ago,I placed new D'Addario packs in my guitar as the RH in my home reached ~72%.

After about an hour (or less) I checked the hygrometer in my case and already the RH has gone down to 55%.

The system works in both directions.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D0QUBfEOGJ3g&ved=2ahUKEwir7rb059npAhVqhXIEHaHmDM4Qt9IBMAt6BAgTEDk&usg=AOvVaw2atgm_hfTNme1EcG2wZnub

I used em.

Edited May 29, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper

[slimt]

Back in the early days.  Gibson used to spray clear on the insides to prevent high humidity from entering . It just acted like a barrier.     

[BoSoxBiker]

Check early and check often with those humidi-paks. 

[j45nick]

4 minutes ago, slimt said:

Back in the early days.  Gibson used to spray clear on the insides to prevent high humidity from entering . It just acted like a barrier.     

My 1947 was clear-coated on the inside.  It does offer some protection, as it slows down the impact of humidity changes on wood, but doesn't completely prevent them.

[dhanners623]

2 hours ago, LeoVannucci said:

Will do! What about using the Humidipak with my weather type 85% humity year round...?

As others have noted, yes, use the Humidipak.

The important thing in extreme wet or dry environments is to check the guitar DAILY. You need to stay on top of the situation. I lived in Kuwait for five years, and it could alternate between very dry (it is desert, after all) AND wet since the Arab Gulf was only a couple of miles away.

[ratherbwalkn]

"Will do! What about using the Humidipak with my weather type 85% humity year round"

 

Yes,   but keep eye on the guitars humidity  daily!!

[fortyearspickn]

Didn't want to attempt to add anything without understanding a little about your climate.  Seems to be one of the most 'diverse' in the world.  Mostly dry except around the Andes.  But can get very cold and very warm.  If you have  a central heating/air conditioning system in your home - that will significantly cut down the humidity.  I would be sure I had a reliable hydrometer in the room where you keep your guitar. You don't want to dry it out more than necessary.    I keep mine out of their cases and just make sure the room stays between 40% and 60%.  If the central air and heat can't keep it within that range, I use a small room humidifier of portable heater for a few hours to adjust it, with the doors closed.   As you can see, many others feel it's important to stay right around 50% and keep your guitar in the case.   G'Luck, and Congrats on your brand new Gibson. 

[LeoVannucci]

4 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

Didn't want to attempt to add anything without understanding a little about your climate.  Seems to be one of the most 'diverse' in the world.  Mostly dry except around the Andes.  But can get very cold and very warm.  If you have  a central heating/air conditioning system in your home - that will significantly cut down the humidity.  I would be sure I had a reliable hydrometer in the room where you keep your guitar. You don't want to dry it out more than necessary.    I keep mine out of their cases and just make sure the room stays between 40% and 60%.  If the central air and heat can't keep it within that range, I use a small room humidifier of portable heater for a few hours to adjust it, with the doors closed.   As you can see, many others feel it's important to stay right around 50% and keep your guitar in the case.   G'Luck, and Congrats on your brand new Gibson. 

Thanks man!

I just installed the included Humidipak system and ordered the Humiditrak Bluetooth kit to be safe.

Quick question. I’ve placed the guitars warranty card under the Humidipak that goes under the headstock area... will it get “wet”? I mean, do these packs actually exude moisture? I wouldn’t want my warranty to get wet...

[kidblast]

17 hours ago, dhanners623 said:

As others have noted, yes, use the Humidipak.

The important thing in extreme wet or dry environments is to check the guitar DAILY. You need to stay on top of the situation. I lived in Kuwait for five years, and it could alternate between very dry (it is desert, after all) AND wet since the Arab Gulf was only a couple of miles away.

I would use the packs   yes,, absolutely.

and....This guy would know...   Listen to him...

[ALD323]

Keep the guitar in a  small back bedroom, with door closed, invest in a proper sized window air conditioner for that room, keeping it running till you reach 50% or lower.  Do not place the guitar directly in front of the stream of air...and keep it in its case sealed shut. Then play as needed, and return to its room. It will actually cost you less in electricity than some of those in case humidifiers do. Good luck. Also get an accurate hygrometer such as an Oasis hygrometer (Guitar Center or many other places) Get two of them, one for the small room...and one for inside the case. This is how I maintain all six of my Gibsons and Epiphones. It has worked for years.

[bugsy]

Hello Leo,

I live in Indonesia with the same issue as yours. we have 80-90 % of humidity throughout the year.

your best way to keep it is to store it in a room with the air conditioner. you can also keeping tracks of your Rh % with hygrometer and de-humidifier.

if that option is too much pricey for you, i suggest you can just keep your guitar in the case every time you are not playing. in addition, put some silica gel inside the case too, and track the Rh level of your case.

i have tried the humidipak system from daddario, or taylor dehumidification system with their charcoal bamboo method. both of these thing not really working well for me. it does lower the Rh level. but not much into certain point you need (45-55%). my best choice is using silica gel, and keep your guitar in the case every time you r not playing. dont forget to alwys keep track of your humidity level.

Goodluck and congrats on your new gibby, cheers

 

[Lou Theeur]

So I've seen a couple examples of the effect(s)  of extended periods of too low humidity on an acoustic guitar but, what can happen when an acoustic guitar is subjected to too high humidity for an extended period of time??

[Lou Theeur]

So how significant could the damage be, if, a guitar was kept in a 60-65% RH for a couple of weeks?

[Larry Mal]

Leo, I think the strongest advice is for you to invest in a quality in case hygrometer, so you can keep an eye on the humidity level of the guitar. Any dehumidifier will work, but they all need monitoring in case they become saturated and quit working or even worse, leak. 

So, do you typically need air conditioning? It gets very humid where I live in the States during summer, but it is also so hot that we have to run air conditioners, an essential component of which is the removal of the excess humidity (that's the "conditioning"). 

I wonder if maybe something like a window unit air conditioner might work, of course, I have no idea what kind of place you have. But unlike a lot of things, those are kind of set and forget. 

[LeoVannucci]

Hi guys!

Its been a while since I started this thread (almost 6 months) and I need some more advice. I’ve been using the Humidipacks and been monitoring with the Humiditrak unit. My case stays at a constant 68 to 70% humidity with the packs. No, I don’t use air conditioning unfortunately where I keep my guitars and summer is coming next month. In Peru we have a constant 90% humidity weather.

Should I remove the packs or keep them in?

Edited November 17, 2020 by LeoVannucci

[olie]

You definitely need to remove moisture from your guitar's environment.

Humidity may not harm your guitar as much as a lack thereof but it will create swelling and that could end up being a problem for the bracing and any connected pieces.

Do whatever you can (within reason) to maintain an RH of ~ 50%.

Stability is your friend.

Good luck, Leo.

[LeoVannucci]

Big question again is though... should I keep the packs in the case or get rid of them ?