Watch Yer Humidity.....

[Murph]

Winter came a bit early here in Southern Illinois. I noticed my music room is at 41% this morning which is low for that room. The heat has been up throughout the house for the last week or so.

[Murph]

P.S.

 

It won't bother "plywood" guitars so much......

 

[EuroAussie]

Yep, thats why my room humidifier is working over time, doing great job too must say keeping humidity at the right level.

[Spot]

What's the right level again guys?

 

Mines jumping from 33 to 38%

 

[EuroAussie]

What's the right level again guys?

 

Mines jumping from 33 to 38%

 

 

I found that when the window is open and 'natural' humidity comes in then 45% is ideal, but when i use the humidifier i keep it between 37-40%. When it gets to 45% + i find that the SWD starts to sound a bit 'swampy'.

 

I found this 'humidity chart' sometime ago on the AGF ...quite funny and a good guide.

[bjb5228]

yeah, you probably shouldn't play guitar out in the rain

[Red 333]

yeah, you probably shouldn't play guitar out in the rain

 

Or while scuba diving--even if you learned "Octopuses Garden" for the occasion.

 

Red 333

[Spot]

That's geniuuuus Euro Aussie

 

Cut and Paste below:-

 

The figures below represent RH (Relative Humidity):

 

100%; You shouldn’t really be playing your new guitar out in the rain

 

95%; This is dangerous for your instrument; glue joints are compromising right now and the thin wood plates are highly stressed and buckling due to their swollen condition

 

90%; This is far too humid for your instrument; the action of the strings is very high; maybe it’s time for some air conditioning for both of you? Bad things are possibly going to start happening to your instrument

 

85%; Too humid; your wood plates are beginning to swell with the moisture; this isn’t good

 

80%; A little too humid I think (plus, aren’t you getting uncomfortable?); soundboard movement is starting to affect the action (making it higher over the frets)

 

75%; Probably getting too humid; if it keeps up you may actually notice the soundboard movement; sort of OK for awhile

 

70%; OK for awhile but don’t let the guitar get too warm; more wood movement with the soundboard bellying out somewhat perhaps

 

65%; A little too humid; there might be a small bit of wood movement but don’t panic

 

60%; Still sort of OK

 

55%; Not too bad

 

50%; OK

 

45%; PERFECT

 

40%; OK

 

35%; Time to think about humidifying your guitar; the soundboard is starting to sink in; probably will be OK for a few days so don’t panic (yet!)

 

30%; It is really time for humidifying your guitar, (a few days might be ok); action starting to get low; maybe you can start to feel the ends of the frets beyond the edge of the fretboard (which has shrunk back due to moisture loss); install the Planet Waves Guitar Humidifier when you are not playing the instrument

 

25%; Time to be really concerned; time is not on your side; take corrective action now; use the Planet Waves Guitar Humidifier and put the guitar in the case until the dry conditions are over; cracks are planning their assault; frets are hanging over the edge of the fretboard now

 

20%; Danger Will Robinson!!! You are living on the edge now; huge stresses are building up in the plates of your expensive instrument and; cracks may start to appear at any moment; the soundboard is sunk in and you have string buzzes

 

15%; Give me a call and we can discuss a time slot for your repair

 

10%; Now we need more time to fix all those cracks and glue the thing back together

 

5%; It’s over!

[gijs]

I live in the netherlands where humidity most of the time it is at about 60-70%. In its case I can usually keep the guitar at about 60. Now with the heat on it drops to about 45%. All these conditions have turned out to be fine for the guitar, altbough it seems that it is now a bit better sounding than when we had wetter wheather.