Question for the acoustic guys

Reinhard

I am in Cape Town and my Hummingbird and ancient Epi are in their cases when not being played. Do I need to worry about humidity control down here? Also, what is a good way to measure and control humidity. I've checked humidifiers and testing devices etc at StewMac, so do I need them?

Bob-Dubery

Depends on the RH where you live.

RH is not constant throughout the year - it will be lower in the winter. Lower RH = drier conditions

Depends on the guitar as well. All laminate guitars are not particulary bothered by low RH. If your guitar has a solid top it's more vulnerable. If it is all solid wood (IE no laminates) then it's more likely still to have problems.

Too high RH can also cause issues, but AFAIK it is low RH that is the potential wrecker.

Your guitar will talk to you if it is getting too dry. The action will drop and the guitar will start buzzing. The guitar is the best indicator - if you play it regularly. If the action drops then probably you should be humidifying.

Ask your neighbourhood repair guy for an opinion.

Mild humidifying is unlikely to damage anything - so maybe play safe in the winter.

Reinhard

Great info, thanks Bob! +1

Keira-WitherKay

X-rated Bob wrote: Depends on the RH where you live.

Mild humidifying is unlikely to damage anything - so maybe play safe in the winter.

i imagine Bob intended to say in the summer not winter as cape has long wet winters but the summers are dry ....

but yes +1 to what Bob said

and i know a lot of coastal muso's who don't humidify at all..... and do NOT have problems with their acoustics... but if i owned somehing rare or hellishly top end i would just buy a humidity gauge and if it shows the humidity falling then i would humidify ...... wood can be very temperamental ...... and if you own an ibanez/takamine/yamaha /cort i would not stress in a coastal area but a ramirez or some luthier built instrument i would be careful and monitor it .... no matter where i live

Bob-Dubery

RH is nearly always lower in the winter because cold air can't hold as much moisture.

Also your own personal at-home micro climate can be drier in the winter because people use heaters.

I'm no climatologist, but I don't think there is a direct correlation between RH and rainfall.

Keira-WitherKay

X-rated Bob wrote: RH is nearly always lower in the winter because cold air can't hold as much moisture.

Also your own personal at-home micro climate can be drier in the winter because people use heaters.

I'm no climatologist, but I don't think there is a direct correlation between RH and rainfall.

wow i didn't know that ...... i always thought when it's raining it's cool for guitars ....... but the use of heaters makes perfect sense
bob now you changed my whole way of thinking about it ..... so i guess keep checking the gauge .........