guitar humidifier image
null
I leave my guitar on a guitar stand, not in a case. I live in northern California if it matters.
Also, I leave my ukulele in a very thin case on top of my dresser. I don't fully zip up the case. I crack open about 5 inches for my ukulele to get some air.
Do you think I need a humidifier for either of them?
Answer
Guitars (and ukes) were made and like to live at a humidity level of around 40%-50%. In colder weather, the air loses it's ability to hold as much moisture and the humidity (even indoors) falls. If the humidity in your house is within that 40%-50% range, you don't need to humidify your instruments. I live in VT and during the winter, the indoor humidity falls to 10%. I have humidifiers in each acoustic guitar case.
Wood expands and contracts as it absorbs moisture from the air. In low humidity, the wood shrinks. This can cause problems because the different parts of the guitar don't shrink at a uniform rate. In extreme cases, the wood can crack, or the interior bracing can fail. Laminate guitars (the cheaper ones) are less prone, but not immune to humidity issues.
There are a couple of signs that your guitar might need a humidifier. On a solid wood top, you can see that the surface develops small ripples that correspond to the lines in the grain. Normally, the top should be mirror smooth. The neck also shrinks, but the frets don't. If you run your hand up and down the edge of the neck and the frets feel sharp, you need to humidify.
You don't need to buy a humidifier. A slightly damp sponge inside a zip-lock baggie with a few pinholes will work fine. Put this in your case along with your instrument and keep the lid closed. BTW, even if the humidity isn't an issue, it's not recommended to leave your guitar on a stand. Stands are intended to hold your guitar while you take a short break from playing....not for long term storage. Aside from the dust issue, it's just too easy for stands to fall over, or something knock into them. It only takes one accident to learn the value of storing the guitar in the case.....
Guitars (and ukes) were made and like to live at a humidity level of around 40%-50%. In colder weather, the air loses it's ability to hold as much moisture and the humidity (even indoors) falls. If the humidity in your house is within that 40%-50% range, you don't need to humidify your instruments. I live in VT and during the winter, the indoor humidity falls to 10%. I have humidifiers in each acoustic guitar case.
Wood expands and contracts as it absorbs moisture from the air. In low humidity, the wood shrinks. This can cause problems because the different parts of the guitar don't shrink at a uniform rate. In extreme cases, the wood can crack, or the interior bracing can fail. Laminate guitars (the cheaper ones) are less prone, but not immune to humidity issues.
There are a couple of signs that your guitar might need a humidifier. On a solid wood top, you can see that the surface develops small ripples that correspond to the lines in the grain. Normally, the top should be mirror smooth. The neck also shrinks, but the frets don't. If you run your hand up and down the edge of the neck and the frets feel sharp, you need to humidify.
You don't need to buy a humidifier. A slightly damp sponge inside a zip-lock baggie with a few pinholes will work fine. Put this in your case along with your instrument and keep the lid closed. BTW, even if the humidity isn't an issue, it's not recommended to leave your guitar on a stand. Stands are intended to hold your guitar while you take a short break from playing....not for long term storage. Aside from the dust issue, it's just too easy for stands to fall over, or something knock into them. It only takes one accident to learn the value of storing the guitar in the case.....
Powered By Y! Answer Blogger Poster
No comments:
Post a Comment