Humidifying guitars during the dry winter months

[charjo]

I have been careful to keep my guitars in cases and even, when I remember, to add humidifying devices for further protection.
As a little experiment I kept a hygrometer in my strat case with 2 Oasis humidifier units. Each day for the last several days I was disappointed to find no significant difference within the case to the ambient room humidity. Both hygrometers generally agree when in the room together and I can only achieve about 35%, ideal might be mid 40’s.
I have tried room hunidifiers as well. The one I have isn’t large enough to move the needle and leaves an unsightly and sticky powder residue around it.
Do you take precautions humidifying your guitars? Have you ever tested? Have you found a solution?

John

[Dave O]

I have an all house steam humidification system. In Colorado the humidity gets very low in winter and with central air heating. However, due to cold temps outside sometimes, etc., the best we can achieve in the room is about 35%-40% without condensation forming inside windows (don’t want that). So, I think 35% is good enough as long as it is fairly consistent. Don’t want to be down below 20% and certainly not single digits. It is the large changes in humidity and temp that cause problems. I have never had an issue with both acoustic guitars and acoustic pianos, etc. Also helps with any wood furniture.

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[Michael L]

I live very near the coast in California. I keep my acoustic in its case all the time when I’m not playing it. I’ve not had issues, but I don’t measure the humidity either. I lived in Arizona for about 9 years at one point and also kept my guitar in it’s case. It was in the case most of the time as I didn’t play much back then. No issues there, and I only occasionally added a wet-sponge-in-a-holder type of humidifier. I think the case is pretty tightly sealed. Wet towels dried in about 90 minutes hanging on a hook in Arizona, so it’s pretty dry. Here in CA it takes at least 24 hours. I hesitate to use the humidifier in CA… it creates a lot of mildew on the sponge within a week or two. I’m glad my case seems to do the trick. It would be interesting to actually measure the humidity sometime.

[Bill]

I’ve been keeping some of my guitars in cases with Boveda instrument packs. I did this when I lived on my boat last year and barely had to tune my Grez at all when it came out of the case, which to me indicated the neck was staying put. The couple guitars I have out right now, seems I always have to tune a bit after sitting for a day or two.
Not very scientific, I know 🤨😬

[charjo]

Thanks, Bill. The Boveda seem much more affordable than the D’Addario packs I have tried and much easier than refilling an Oasis every 7-10 days. I see they offer different humidity levels. I’d love to know how effective they are. I should do my experiment with the D’Addario variety.
John

[San Luis Rey]

Hey John, I also use the Boveda packs for my guitars. The 49% seems to be the sweet spot. Thanks for reminding me to reorder. 😊

Mike

[GnLguy]

Hey Mike

Your response reminded me of statements made by Jean Larrivée concerning his factory and what he’s learned in building guitars

As we all know, the acoustic guitars made by Jean Larrivée are some of the best in the world. Beginning operation in Canada, he closed all Canadian operations in 2013 and his guitars are now made solely in California. Vast difference in the temp/humidity of those 2 areas.

I’ve read that Jean Larrivée believes that temp & humidity is vitally important at all stages of a guitar’s life, not just the finished products but beginning with the raw materials before they are being shaped and assembled. Larrivee Guitars are built in a strictly controlled relative humidity from 37% to 42%, relative to 24° Celsius (75° Fahrenheit) as Jean Larrivée believes that will result in a more stable guitar that will last a lifetime

On the page that I’ve linked below, Larrivée Guitars has provided a chart that details the changes that a guitar in particular (and could be applied to wood in general) will go thru at various stages of humidity,
The guide is in a downloadable pdf file that is very practical info to have available

Humidity Range Guide
Use the following guide to see the healthy zone and damage that can occur outside of the normal humidity range.

https://www.larrivee.com/pdfs/Larrivee%20Care%20Maintenance.pdf

[GnLguy]

Here’s a lengthy article by Jean Larrivee that is worth the time to read

https://www.acousticfingerstyle.com/humdity.htm#:~:text=With%20the%20introduction%20of%20excess%20moisture%2C%20the%20guitar,to%2042%25%2C%20relative%20to%2024%C2%B0%20Celsius%20%2875%C2%B0%20Fahrenheit%29.

[San Luis Rey]

Thanks Keith,
I still regret not pulling the trigger on a used Larrivee at Sam Ash years back. When you pick up a guitar and it sings to you, buy it or someone else will.
That’s good info about humidity in the article.

Mike

[San Luis Rey]

John,
The boveda packs are good for inside a case. I was thinking about getting an Oasis for the Taylor to put in the sound hole when hanging on the wall. You recommend? I have also been using a hygrometer to check humidity. There is a four pack online for about 10 bucks and they are small enough to put in a case or anywhere you want. Temp is also displayed.

Mike

[charjo]

Not impressed with the Oasis humidity levels even within a case, Mike. I don’t think it would be effective outside a case.
John

[Dave B]

I live in Nevada and we have extremely low humidity here year round. I took the cheap, DIY route for humidifiers. Each guitar (three electric and one acoustic) stays in its case when not being played. Each case has a small plastic container (about 3.5″ x 5″) with holes drilled in it and a damp sponge inside. I check the sponges every other week. Six years living in the desert and no issues.

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