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humidity control for finished guitar
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=25653		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  jncllc [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  humidity control for finished guitar
I recently did a thread on my top collapsing and was told to humidify it. Well that seems to have worked well, the guitar is back to normal. Thanks to everyone for the help on that. My question now is what do you all recommend to keep proper humidity levels to a finished guitar?
Author:  Hesh [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
John if you can't humidify a room or your entire home to around 40% RH or above in the winter and checked with a reliable method such as a wet bulb type test keeping the guitar in it's case with a case humidifier such as what Planet Waves (a sponsor with link above) makes works well. You will have to recharge the case humidifier as needed (fill it with water) but these devices do work, they are inexpensive, and widely available.
Author:  WilliamS [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
Filippo, I think you misread his location. Looks to me like John is in Arcadia, Oklahoma not the better-known Arcadia California. I believe OK gets cold enough for humidity to be an issue in the winter.
Author:  Hesh [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 7:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
... yep Ok can have brutal winters.
Author:  jncllc [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
Yeah. We just had a record breaking blizard at christmas. I believe that I over scaloped my top x braces and my humidity may have been to high when I Put it together. I don't have a gauge in my shop yet so I really don't know. I also don't know what my house RH is but I think it's low because I have some dry sinus problems. Some day I'll put in a hole house humidifier. I was just wondering what you pros advise your customers and are your custom built, voiced guitars more suseptable to humidity changes?

Thanks, John
Author:  Hesh [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
A custom built guitar is no more susceptible to RH changes and damage from same than a fact*ry guitar provide that the builder had decent humidity control in place in the shop during the build. In some cases a custom guitar, depending on the builder, may be able to withstand far greater abuse than a fact*ry guitar....

On no you say - it just isn't so..... :) Would you take a Martin to Antarctica? Rick Turner built a custom guitar that went to Antarctica, performed very well, and is at trade shows these days for all to see and play.

Even though no one wants to hear this not putting RH control in place when you are building a guitar is asking for failure and disaster... Which I would never want to see happen to any OLFer... Also know in advance that all digital hygrometers suck..... A wet bulb test is easy to do and inexpensive as well as accurate.
Author:  Hesh [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
I forgot - with our winters John yours in OK and mine in Michigan maybe we should move to the LA area.... :D
Author:  jncllc [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
Hesh, most of the time our winters aren't anything like yours. We get some bad spells but also good ones.We do get a wide range of humidity during the year so I need to get some control in the shop before I start my next one. What is the wet bulb test and how do you control your humidity through out the year? I do have an old dial gauge but I don't think it works right.
Author:  Hesh [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
John buddy a wet bulb test is very simple and easy and all you need are two thermometers and some wet gauze and an air source which can be your shop vac hose or a fan. Readings are taken of the dry thermometer and the one with damp gauze over the bulb and then a chart (available lots of places on the Internet) is referenced and you will get a very accurate reading of the relative humidity.

Although this sounds like something that you and I do not wanna have to do when ever we want to know the RH you can use this test to see how far off a physical hygrometer is, note the error and then use the physical hygrometer for readings at a glance.

I did a thread on this topic and will go find it and post a link for you.

In my shop I have to run a dehumidifier and a humidifier but not at the same time.... :D depending on the time of the year. I try to maintain a 42 - 48% range which is one of the ranges that is generally accepted by builders as being good for guitar building.

Be back in a few with a link for you.
Author:  Hesh [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
OK here you go: http://www.anzlf.com/viewtopic.php?t=2116&highlight=hygrometer
Author:  jncllc [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
Thanks Hesh
Author:  Hesh [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
You are very welcome!
Author:  Flori F. [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 12:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
Just for the record, Arcadia, CA can be dry as a...it's the desert. The humidity drops precipitously as one moves inland from the coast here in socal...well, usually - not when it's been raining like crazy (like now) but usually.
Author:  Hesh [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
laughing6-hehe laughing6-hehe good point Flori!
Author:  Darryl Young [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: humidity control for finished guitar
I live in NW Arkansas......20 miles from Oklahoma and 15 miles or so from Missouri. During the cold weather spell around Christmas time (the storm John was referring to) the humidity was in the 20's her inside my house for most of 3 weeks. My top and back weren't glued to the rim yet and both bowed backwards (in the direction they were concave, they were now convex).

Now, humidity is more normal for this time of year.......currently in the 40% range inside my home.
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