Humidity and guitars

[ozigor]

I am quickly coming to understand the extreme effects that humidity can have on my instruments from the discussions I

see on this forum.

Where can I get some information on this subject as some basic questions come to mind.

Should I leave my guitars in their cases as opposed to on stands? (which makes it easier to pick up and play).

I have seen those little 'bags of silica balls' (not sure what they're called) inside guitars. Is this a good idea??

How do I now if humdity is right in my home?? etc etc.

Would appreciate some direction here.

Thank you,

[Bigsound]

Hi ozigor,

there are lots of articles about humidity on net, search oficial websites of best guitar makers.

For start, buy yourself a simple hygrometer, digital is much better, and look for numbers 45-55% (even 40-60 is usually no problem).

Silica gel is used when humidity is very high, it is bad at winter heating when humidity is already low! At low humidity time use a humidifier, at least a sound hole type.

About your question: At high humidity time it is best to put guitar on stand, because of better air circulation. At low humidity time you can make better control in a case. But it's just an opinion, not a 100% rule.

 

Little of topic, but - I really don't understand why I got my brand new Epi guitar filled with silica AND soundhole humidifier full of water - both at the same time..?!

[ozigor]

Thanks Bigsound,

I will start looking for articles and will buy myself a hygrometer.

What is a sound hole humidifier??

[Bigsound]

Thanks Bigsound' date='

I will start looking for articles and will buy myself a hygrometer.

What is a sound hole humidifier??[/quote']

 

It is very simple device. Usually made of plastic with holes, and has some kind of foam inside. You put little water inside, so device is kind of natural humidifier. Just make sure no water touches guitar wood.

 

There are other simple possibilities you can make yourself, like a wet sponge in plastic box with holes which you put in a case, use google and little imagination..

If U live in France, I could guess - you probably won't need this until next winter...

[ozigor]

Thanks again bigsound

Yes I do live in France.

At the moment however we are experiencing a cold snap with some areas not so far away getting 50cm of snow overnight.

I have just bought a hygrometer on line and will look at the sound hole humidifier problem a little more in depth.

[Ship of fools]

Ozigor I had posted this on the Masterbuilt with the crack it is important that you make sure that yours is working properly.

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/herpresources/ss/hygrometer_8.htm

They are never truely calibrated properly when they make them its just an approximation from the factory so check and make sure yours is calibrated as close as possible.Ship

[ozigor]

Thanks for that Ship

I would never had thought that you would need to do that but I will certainly give it go!

[teegar]

My favorite humidifier is the Dampit, a long rubber tube with holes and a sponge inside, you dunk it in water, then just be sure to wring out the excess water, and pat the outside dry, before putting it in the soundhole. Don't want it dripping inside your guitar. The ultimate solution is to humidify the room in winter, and dehumidify in summer, but absent that just be sure to humidify whenever your hygrometer goes below 40%. And I check the dampits every few days during real dry seasons. I've never heard of or seen a guitar damaged by excess humidity - in the air that is - I'm sure it could happen, but generally much less of a concern than low humidity.

[ozigor]

Thanks Teegar,

Have you tried OASIS?? They look pretty good too??

[Red 333]

My favorite humidifier is the Dampit' date=' a long rubber tube with holes and a sponge inside, you dunk it in water, then just be sure to wring out the excess water, and pat the outside dry, before putting it in the soundhole. Don't want it dripping inside your guitar. The ultimate solution is to humidify the room in winter, and dehumidify in summer, but absent that just be sure to humidify whenever your hygrometer goes below 40%. And I check the dampits every few days during real dry seasons. I've never heard of or seen a guitar damaged by excess humidity - in the air that is - I'm sure it could happen, but generally much less of a concern than low humidity.

 

Dampit -

 

http://www.amazon.com/Dampit-Guitar-Humidifier-Super/dp/B000AC6DVS

 

[/quote']

 

Ozigar:

 

Good advice from Teegar, Ship, and Big Sound.

 

Teegar mentioned humidifying the room: you can use the same kind of humdifier some people use in a baby's room, which is sometimes called a vaporizer here. In an otherwise dry environment, you can leave your guitars out on stands in a humidified room.

 

In constantly humid environments, some people use a dehumidifier, to suck water out of the air if they leave their guitars out. While Teegar is right, excess humidy creates few damaging problems to the structure of the guitar, some people say thier guitar sounds dead when it's too humid.

 

Big Sound mentioned something important in passing, so I thought I'd point it out to you again, Ozigar, in case it was lost in transalation: you use the humidifier when the guitar is in the case with the cover closed, and not when it is on a stand; the case creates a sealed environment that traps the humidity, so the guitar can absorb it.

 

He also mentioned making a humidifier. You need a small, plastic container you can seal and unseal (something that will fit in the headstock area of the case, or better, in the guitar's soundhole). Here in the States, many department or grocery stores have a section where travel-size items and small empty bottles and cases that travelers can fill with bar soap, cosmetics, medicines and the like are sold. That's a good place to look. The ladies' cosmetics section often have such continers, too.

 

Speaking of ladies' cosmetics, the wedge-shaped sponges sold to apply and remove make-up are a great material to fill the empty case with. These sponges are very dense and hold a lot of liquid. Floral foam (what a florist may arrange fresh, not dried flowers in) is also good. You can also use a regular household sponge (like cellulose), but they dry up fast, and you will have to check them more often.

 

Drill a pattern of a dozen or so very small holes in the lid on one side of your plastic container. Cut the sponges so they fill the container (or use several pieces if they are small, like the make up sponges). Take them out of the container, wet thm, squeeze out the excess water so they are still wet but do not drip, and put them back in the plastic case and seal the lid. Put the case in a plastic bag (so it catches any dripping water), but do not seal it (so the water vapor can pass through the holes you drilled in the case and into the guitar).

 

If you place the case/bag near the headstock, you should be able to store the case upright with no ill effects. This is a good spot to humidify fingerboard (which can shrink, resulting in sharp, protruding frets).

 

To humidify the top, it's better to get the bag into the soundhole and open it up, but you have to leave the case lying down this way (closed). You'll be able to easily pull your home made humidifier out of the soundhole by grabbing the edges of the bag.

 

Store-bought humidifiers often are suspended in the soundhole by the strings, so you can stand up the case.

 

Good luck,

 

Red 333

[ozigor]

Thank you all kindly.

I had absolutely no idea about how humidity can damage guitars.

I feel better informed now to be able to protect my instruments.

So to resume

Summer when humidity is higher I can leave on stands unless of course the hygrometre gets over 55%.

Winter when heating the house if hygrometre gets under 45%(40%max) I need to re humidify so to speak by adjust humidity either in a room or in the case.

[ozigor]

Ozigar:

 

To humidify the top' date=' it's better to get the bag into the soundhole and open it up, but you have to leave the case lying down this way (closed). You'll be able to easily pull your home made humidifier out of the soundhole by grabbing the edges of the bag.

 

 

Red 333[/quote']

 

Thanks Red,

 

Here you describe pulling the bag out. I imagine there are no strings on the guitar, no??

[Red 333]

Thanks Red' date='

 

Here you describe pulling the bag out. I imagine there are no strings on the guitar, no??[/quote']

 

Keep the strings on. They are (or should be) flexible enough so that you can move them aside to take the humidifier in and out.

 

Red 333