All solid guitars and humidity control

Zonular · December 2021

Hey guys

I'm debating splurging on a higher end guitar than I've since had.....but I've no idea about the upkeep of a all solid wood guitar.

I understand you can get humidifiers and should keep them in a case but is that more talk in a climate like the states?

drofluf · December 2021

Yes, it seems the U.S. suffers from greater ranges of temperature and humidity than us so I’d be less concerned - assuming you’re in the U.K.?

BigPaulie · December 2021

I think people worry too much about this issue.

I've had several all-solid acoustics over the years. I live in the West of Scotland where the average humidity is 70-85% all year round. I've never made an effort to control the humidity around the guitars and never had a problem.

Anecdotal, I know. But it's my lived experience.

Zonular · December 2021

Dublin here current humidity is 87% I think it gets higher in the summer

digitalkettle · December 2021

87% indoors?!!

It's been sat around 50% all week in my room (Lincolnshire, UK).

Zonular · December 2021

Well both weather app and met is saying it's gone up to 90% but it has started to rain

digitalkettle · December 2021

Zonular said:

Well both weather app and met is saying it's gone up to 90% but it has started to rain

Doesn't matter what it's like outside...it's about where the guitar lives

You've almost certainly got nothing to worry about but a few quid can get you a thermometer/hygrometer which should be accurate enough to give you a feeling about what's going in in the vicinity of your guitars.

Quite rare to see anything outside 40-60%...and that range is fine...too little is worse than too much: if it starts dropping towards 40%, any acoustics go back in their cases.

Lewy · December 2021

Everything you ever needed to know about humidity and its effects, written by people who know a thing or two on the matter:

https://www.larrivee.com/pdfs/Larrivee Care Maintenance.pdf

thermionic · December 2021

Do some reading so that you know how to recognise the signs of a too dry and a too wet guitar and buy a £25 digital hygrometer for peace of mind. Then buy a nice guitar and enjoy it.

DavidR · December 2021

For what it's worth, Classical players say 40 - 70% humidity is optimal. As mentioned, humidity problems not generally perceived to be a problem in the British Isles and Ireland.

What do I do? I have a combination thermometer and humidity monitor on my wall in the room where I have my guitars and take a look at it - rarely. Try and get one which records most extreme readings in previous 24 hours. That's a useful feature.

Hope you find the instrument you're looking for - adh mor.

Zonular · December 2021

Thanks guys for the responses/advice.
Tbh I figured this side of the Atlantic wouldn't have as much issue.

Just wait till I manage to sell or some bits and my next move is picking brains on what to try out

usedtobe · January 2022

74% currently, in my Lincs gaff..

digitalkettle · January 2022

usedtobe said:

74% currently, in my Lincs gaff..

53% on my el-cheapo meter just south of Lincoln...depends on house particulars, heating, etc.

Supportact · January 2022

When I got a decent acoustic I did worry about this and bought a cheap meter to keep in the case. Readings were always within sensible limits so now I don't worry. May be a problem in very warm or air conditioned houses but wasn't a problem for me (Norfolk).

TINMAN82 · January 2022

BigPaulie said:

I think people worry too much about this issue.

I've had several all-solid acoustics over the years. I live in the West of Scotland where the average humidity is 70-85% all year round. I've never made an effort to control the humidity around the guitars and never had a problem.

Anecdotal, I know. But it's my lived experience.

It’s unlikely to be that high in your house. I live near Stirling and my guitar room hygrometer reads 43-53% pretty consistently most of the year. I try to keep the central heating minimal in that room.

bertie · January 2022

our "upstairs" dehumidifier usually reads around 60% when first turned on in the mornings - thats a 200yr + cottage with two humans sleeping, two dogs, no chimneys or ventilation other than windows (1 upstairs fanlight always open on "ajar" so to speak) - usually gets down to 55 by mid-day

Ive only had all solid wood acoustics for about 15 years, one is always left out of the case, never had issues (touch wood !! )

Zonular · January 2022

I feel the most important part of that post is either the 200 year old cottage or the two dog's. (What do you have,)

bertie · January 2022

Zonular said:

I feel the most important part of that post is either the 200 year old cottage or the two dog's. (What do you have,)

3 bed end of terrace..............................

boxing hounds, Wilf and Winnie

drofluf · January 2022

Zonular said:

I feel the most important part of that post is either the 200 year old cottage or the two dog's. (What do you have,)

Think it’s probably the age of the house; last year we moved from a slightly older house with solid stone walls to a modern, well 25 year old so relatively modern

house, and I would say the humidity dropped by almost 5%. As we moved about 10 miles within Oxfordshire I’d say the construction is the single biggest variable we changed.

Since then we also doubled the number of dogs on the property with no discernible increase in humidity

.

Lewy · January 2022

Zonular said:

I feel the most important part of that post is either the 200 year old cottage or the two dog's. (What do you have,)

Bertie got it as a new build….

bertie · January 2022

* crosses mr C off the xmas card list *

bertie · January 2022

drofluf said:

Since then we also doubled the number of dogs on the property with no discernible increase in humidity .

try having slobbery, constantly playing / panting boxing hounds, one of which , when he drinks disperses more water around the property from his jowls, than is actually ingested

but you're right, its the lack of "adequate" ventilation that is the biggest impact (that and drying clothes indoors, fixed by a second dehumidifier downstairs

)

Mellish · January 2022

What I do (and this is just in case anyone's interested

!) is use a hygrometer to monitor winter humidity (Oasis Caliber lV) and a dehumidifier in summer

BigPaulie · January 2022

TINMAN82 said:

BigPaulie said:

I think people worry too much about this issue.

I've had several all-solid acoustics over the years. I live in the West of Scotland where the average humidity is 70-85% all year round. I've never made an effort to control the humidity around the guitars and never had a problem.

Anecdotal, I know. But it's my lived experience.

It’s unlikely to be that high in your house. I live near Stirling and my guitar room hygrometer reads 43-53% pretty consistently most of the year. I try to keep the central heating minimal in that room.

I am aware that the RH% inside will be different than that outside.

That's kind of my point. In spite of living in an area with less than ideal RH for acoustic guitars, it's never caused a problem where I keep them even though I make no effort to mitigate its effects whatsoever.

BigPaulie · January 2022

bertie said:

Zonular said:

I feel the most important part of that post is either the 200 year old cottage or the two dog's. (What do you have,)

3 bed end of terrace..............................

boxing hounds, Wilf and Winnie

Are "boxing hounds" boxers? I've never heard the term before. Boxers aren't actually "hounds" by definition.

bertie · January 2022

BigPaulie said:

bertie said:

Zonular said:

I feel the most important part of that post is either the 200 year old cottage or the two dog's. (What do you have,)

3 bed end of terrace..............................

boxing hounds, Wilf and Winnie

Are "boxing hounds" boxers? I've never heard the term before. Boxers aren't actually "hounds" by definition.

LOL - no its just me being stupid

Ive/we've had 10 in 30 years !!

BigPaulie · January 2022

bertie said:

BigPaulie said:

bertie said:

Zonular said:

I feel the most important part of that post is either the 200 year old cottage or the two dog's. (What do you have,)

3 bed end of terrace..............................

boxing hounds, Wilf and Winnie

Are "boxing hounds" boxers? I've never heard the term before. Boxers aren't actually "hounds" by definition.

LOL - no its just me being stupid

Ive/we've had 10 in 30 years !!

I'm still none the wiser. I've never heard the term "boxing hound" and am genuinely intrigued...

bertie · January 2022

BigPaulie said:

bertie said:

BigPaulie said:

bertie said:

Zonular said:

I feel the most important part of that post is either the 200 year old cottage or the two dog's. (What do you have,)

3 bed end of terrace..............................

boxing hounds, Wilf and Winnie

Are "boxing hounds" boxers? I've never heard the term before. Boxers aren't actually "hounds" by definition.

LOL - no its just me being stupid

Ive/we've had 10 in 30 years !!

I'm still none the wiser. I've never heard the term "boxing hound" and am genuinely intrigued...

they're boxers, its me being stupid about their name

BigPaulie · January 2022

bertie said:

BigPaulie said:

bertie said:

BigPaulie said:

bertie said:

Zonular said:

I feel the most important part of that post is either the 200 year old cottage or the two dog's. (What do you have,)

3 bed end of terrace..............................

boxing hounds, Wilf and Winnie

Are "boxing hounds" boxers? I've never heard the term before. Boxers aren't actually "hounds" by definition.

LOL - no its just me being stupid

Ive/we've had 10 in 30 years !!

I'm still none the wiser. I've never heard the term "boxing hound" and am genuinely intrigued...

they're boxers, its me being stupid about their name

Gotcha!

Love boxers. Such charismatic dogs.

bertie · January 2022

BigPaulie said:

Love boxers. Such charismatic dogs.

thread hi-jack alert (big apologies to OP @Zonular ;;)

8 and a bit year old Winnie

Image: https://scontent-lcy1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/193536264_10225943737441824_3589984443478721337_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=e3f864&_nc_ohc=AfbyhNmxIX8AX9gIACL&_nc_ht=scontent-lcy1-1.xx&oh=00_AT-5IJ2073fvUaGuLrvyMhfKycWJSIORLhtDiNSiJ0oe3A&oe=61F7DB07

and 7 month old Wilf

Image: https://scontent-lcy1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/269830550_10227322115180406_8065712185293116394_n.jpg?_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=_xXChDpYSVEAX8rNEI7&_nc_ht=scontent-lcy1-1.xx&oh=00_AT-W_9nha3QxPmH1mPddF0kLB7IIxYh0I-EFlVCTUf2-Dg&oe=61D7B460

BigPaulie · January 2022

Absolutely beautiful!

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All solid guitars and humidity control

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