String tension for humidifying dried out Acoustic

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Problem to your solution
Ive got an acoustic that's in need of some moisture. The lower bout is bulging out a little which in turn is effecting the bridge and action. If I'm using an in-case humidifier should I be detuning the strings at all to allow things more freedom to adjust? If so, how much should I loosen them?

Thanks
 
Lots of variables could be at work. Assuming the instrument is going to be used from time to time, either leave it at pitch or detune it just off pitch when storing in its case. The greater issue is humidity and stability of the humidity. If the instrument is not going to be played for a long while, detune it until the strings do not ring, leave it in the case and monitor humidity, shooting for 40 % - 50 % relative humidity.
 
A couple of things to consider.

Some bulging in the lower bout is normal on any acoustic. What you have over time and the pull of the strings is the back of the bridge going up and the front dipping down. Look across the soundhole and see if you have the opposite going on?

If your sure that it's an abnormal amount of bellying, have a think about the correct course of action. Why do you think that humidity is to blame. Do you live in an area where changes in humidity are frequent and rapid?

Introducing moisture to any timber will normally cause the wood to swell but only across the grain. On an acoustic bridge you have quite a few timbers with grain running in different directions. belly, bridge, bridge plate and braces. All different timbers and all pulling in different ways. Is that going to make the scenario worse.

I'm not saying you don't need to consider the possibility that humidity is the problem it may well be but it also may not be the cure.

More details would be helpful. What guitar? How old? Extent of the bellying and where? Has it just become apparent of has it been like it for a while?

In general terms you don't need to relieve string tension to correctly humidify a guitar. I would qualify that by saying that it would depend on why I was doing it and what I hoped to achieve as a result. If the guitar is structurally sound in other ways I wouldn't.
 
Don't worry about string tension (unless your bridge is starting to pop off), string tension isn't the problem you are having, JUST GET THAT THING HUMIDIFIED!!!


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
muttley600 said:
A couple of things to consider.

Some bulging in the lower bout is normal on any acoustic. What you have over time and the pull of the strings is the back of the bridge going up and the front dipping down. Look across the soundhole and see if you have the opposite going on?

If your sure that it's an abnormal amount of bellying, have a think about the correct course of action. Why do you think that humidity is to blame. Do you live in an area where changes in humidity are frequent and rapid?

Introducing moisture to any timber will normally cause the wood to swell but only across the grain. On an acoustic bridge you have quite a few timbers with grain running in different directions. belly, bridge, bridge plate and braces. All different timbers and all pulling in different ways. Is that going to make the scenario worse.

I'm not saying you don't need to consider the possibility that humidity is the problem it may well be but it also may not be the cure.

More details would be helpful. What guitar? How old? Extent of the bellying and where? Has it just become apparent of has it been like it for a while?

In general terms you don't need to relieve string tension to correctly humidify a guitar. I would qualify that by saying that it would depend on why I was doing it and what I hoped to achieve as a result. If the guitar is structurally sound in other ways I wouldn't.
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Its a 2005 Martin OM-28V (Stika, IER, and Ebony). Ive always kept it humidified w/ a room humidifier but it broke and I haven't been humidifying it this winter. I live in Vermont and having the heat on all the time in the winter really dries things out. I know that a little bulge is normal from string tension and the bulge right now isn't too dramatic but over the past few months I notice the action is getting pretty high and is becoming exhausting to play. It hasn't had a set up since 2006 so it probably could use one but I know that its gotta be pretty dry as far as moisture goes and just wanted to have it humidified before sending it in for a set up.
Its a daily player.
So, Muttley, if I'm hearing you right - I should'nt worry about string tension when It in a case and humidify it for a few days? Nothing drastic is going on w/ the guitar other than action, slightly increasing bulge below the bridge, and I know the guitar is dry.

Thanks!
 
Light said:
Don't worry about string tension (unless your bridge is starting to pop off), string tension isn't the problem you are having, JUST GET THAT THING HUMIDIFIED!!!


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...



Thats what I thought - Thanks Light!
 
Yep all else being equal introduce some humidity control to it ASAP. It may take a while for it to settle back to where it should be. Once thats done you can re-evaluate the need for any work on it. I'm not familiar with the climate of various US regions but if it's dry in winter because of household heating you need to attend to the humidity.
 
As a basic rule of thumb, if your heat is on, you MUST humidify your guitar.

If the temperature is below 30 degrees, use two humidifiers in the case.

Unless you live in a swamp, you quite simply can not over humidify it.

Oh, and I would strongly suggest that you never trust room or whole house humidifiers. In a typical house during a real winter, they can not get the humidity high enough for your guitars without causing damage to the house. The water starts to condense out on your window sills at about 35%, and will rot out your wood windows, and it will also condense and then freeze on your framing members, which will cause your framing to rot come spring and summer. It will also cause the exterior paint on your house to loose come loose. Room and furnace humidifiers are great for making you more comfortable, but lousy at making your guitars comfortable. When you aren't playing it, keep your guitar in the case, and use good humidifiers with larges sponges that are easy to fill. Soap dish humidifiers and the Kyser Lifeguards are the best, hands down, you should be using both, and I never recommend any other products. Everything else I've seen is either too hard to fill, too small, or has a hard plastic case that can damage your guitar (or in at least one case, all three).


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
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