to dehumidify or not to dehumidify - that is the question

[rguagenti]

I ahve recently become obssesive about huynidity levels in my music room, something I never paid attention to. Until I realized that my acoustics keep going out of whack in terms of intonation, action, etc.

I keep my acoustics on a stand or hanging on the wall(supposedly a no no, but they are only hanging eye level). I also know that the proper humidity level for acoustic gits is 40 - 50%.

I recently purchased a hygrometer and found that the humidity levels in my music room(during the summer anyway) was approaching 67%. I quickly purchased a small room dehumidifier, but this only reduced the levels to approx 61%.

Short of buying a larger dehumidifier or an air conditioner for the room(It's in the basement) what are my options to decrease the humidity level.

Someone suggested putting the guitars in their cases with silica gel packs, but this is not practical. Besides, I still won't know what the proper humidity levels are with the silica gel, will they dry the git out too much??

Am I getting neurotic over this or what??
Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Scottgman]

Those are some good questions. I live in Oklahoma and it's humid most of the year. In the middle of winter, inside a house, with a gas heater cranked-up, it can get a little dry. But the rest of the year, we aren't in short supply of humidity. I always thought not enough humidity was more harmful to guitars than too much humidity. Needless to say, I've never really worried much about humidity levels-- that is... until last summer.

Every year a group of friends goes on a camping trip and every year I bring my acoustic guitar-- I've brought it at least the last 5 years. Well, after the trip last summer, I got home and unpacked my guitar and was shocked to find the neck so bowed that I could've used it to shoot an arrow. I've always worked on my own guitars and have adjusted the truss rod many times. This time was different. I've never had to crank a truss rod so much. In fact, it took a couple hours because it needed so much adjustment that I would just do a little at a time and then let it stabalize.

Anyway, this year (next week actually), I'll be bringing some silica gel to put in the case when I'm not using the guitar. I'll let you know how it goes when I get back. Hopefully the gel will be enough to control the humidity.

 

[rguagenti]

Thanks scottgman.

Yeah, I wonder if the silica gel is a self regulating thing in terms of the moisture it soaks up.

You might want to purchase a hygrometer to stick in the case. I just bought one last week at Radio Shack for 20 bucks. This thing measures the temp and humidity. Since you are putting the silica packs in the case as well, you may get a decent reading.

Have fun on your trip next week.

 

[Light]

Unless you live in a swamp, you NEVER need to dehumidify for your guitars. 67% humidity will not cause any damage, though it MAY start to sound a little tubby.

Basically, don't do it.


Light

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

 

[rguagenti]

REALLY!

True, there IS very little info out there about too much humidity. All of the information seems to be about humidifying your guitar, BUT, by the same token all of them say that 45 - 50%(some say up to 60%) is the optimal humidity reading. It seems to me, if I'm over 20+%(60+% vs 50%), that ain't good.

 

[Light]

Don't worry about overhumidifying, worry about underhumidifying. Out of 2000 guitars a year, we do about 600 which have been underhumidified. We do a grand total of NONE which have been overhumidified.

I like 50-60% for my guitar room, but anything from 45% on up will keep them from having problems. Going higher than 60% CAN cause them to sound a bit tubby, which I think is where that number comes from.

The other issues which need to be considered are the amount of time they are in the said conditions, the temperature of the air, and the suddeness of changes. The summer is just a lot nicer to guitars than the winter, in all of these reguards.

Don't worry about it. At least, not in New Jersey. If you lived in Louisiana or Florida, then that might be a different issue, but not up in Jersey.


Light

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

 

[rguagenti]

Thanks for the info Light.

Just curious, what do you do with 2000 guitars a year?

 

[Dani Pace]

You might want to keep in mind that dryer air will contribute to dust problems. Slightly higher humidity (around 60-65) will reduce dust and also keep static to a minimum. If you use the same room for recording the higher humidity is beneficial for vocalists, dry air is hard on singers.

 

[TheRockDoc]

A short humidity saga

I recently had the opportunity to record a CD with a (former) friend who had a deal with a very major label. I truly thought this was the break I had waited a lifetime for. I called a friend of mine who was, in a former life, an authorized tech for Gibson and Martin. Get 'em all ready (about 10 of them), I'm going in. All guitars ready to go- perfectly set up and intonated. I took all of them to the studio the night before so they would have time to acclimate. I went in the next night ready to make history

2.5 hours into the session, I still couldn't get one of them to be in tune. Long story short- I lost the gig, lost a friend, and cost someone lots of money. Even the studio owner's arsenal was useless. Virginia Beach is not Tampa, but it does an awful lot of sticky/dry/sticky/dry. My tech friend gave the look- the I ToldYouSo look...

My $30 humidifier has rectified the problem. Need to know any more?

sighned,

TheNeverWasBeen

 

[rguagenti]

I think I get it. Don't worry about overhumidifying. A lot more damage is done underhumdifying.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm a little less neurotic about all this stuff now. I am on the lookout for if it ever gets to dry, like under 40%, in which case I humidify.

Later.