I did the opposite. I came in late from a picking session so I left my 1970 Martin d-18 in the car. This was in August. About 3:00 pm I remembered my guitar was in the car. When I got it out it was cooked. The finish bubbled on the body and neck and the top cracked in three places plus the pick guard was wrinkled. The action was extremely high. I called Martin and told them what happened. They told me the warranty didn't cover that. I didn't have the money so I couldn't afford repairs. I traded it for a cheaper Yamaha. I still cry today. Sometimes we are our worst enemy. I have never owned another guitar that sounds as good as that one. I bought that guitar new in 1971. I now have a 2005 d-35, 2009 hd-28 and a Gibson j-45 but none of them has the tone the d-18 had.
Also in the age of “google” so many ppl talk and say nothing. Thank you for quality and thank you for “speaking” instead of talking and just causing noise. Hopefully that makes sense, but I do appreciate you making these videos.
didnt play my martin for literal YEARS during active addiction. got sober, missed my old friend and hes in just as bad shape as I am. trying to learn how to get that horrible buzzing under control but I cant even remember what strings i used. thanks for the video man helps a lot. beautiful video work.
Hi Jeremy, just watched your vid. Wanted to add info. In my experience, low humidity may cause a top to crack, the seam from the bridge to the base of the top. As I understand, high humidity may soften the glue, possibly causing braces to loosen. Felt I should share my obsevations.
@@crunxo4758 They call it a humifyer. It looks like a water cooker, but it measures humidity and adds water vapor to your house, and maybe it can also dry the air. Find out yourself what these things do. All guitar players should have one. And buy a humidity meter, so you can SEE it is okay.
I have found through working on guitars for 20 years that the less expensive “open pore” guitars move an awful lot through the seasons. I know everyone likes a “satin” neck, but there’s a price to pay for that type of neck.
I hate the fact acoustic guitars change so much with humidity. I live in Buffalo NY and we deal with high humidity in summer and super low in winter. I found using hard shell cases vs gig bags and leaving them in there helps. I still have hygrometer and d'addario humidity packs in each case with them. A few years back I wasnt playing acoustic much and in the winter everything changed. I sold them all. Now I only own a Taylor 214 CE SB DLX and keep it in the case... but you are right about having too many if you arent playing / seeing them enough to monitor stuff like humidity
Seen a carbon neck for Fender Strats and Teles. That would be great for acoustic, too. But that is why necks are often scorched, the guitar makers can do several things for guitars in hard climates. Ask the pro's, maybe they can help you.
I appreciate your "guitar passion" and obvious sincerity when sharing your info. Thanx!
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I have 20+ plus solid wood guitars plus the electric ones. And what I enjoy now us that there is no need for humidity concern here in Southern California. From November to April it's about 50% humidity. 30 miles from Malibu Beach. But in the dead dog heat of late summer/ early fall( fire season) 115f and low humidity as low as of 5% seriously!! The Humidpacks do a great job to keep the guitars safe! I just wonder in the 30's and 40's what Martin & Gibson owners did then. I guess nothing. They cracked and tossed away or those who lived in humidty good climates were fortunate to enjoy them longer. Some of them survive to this day!
My guitars leave my room here and there. Usually to the living room or down stairs. During the summer I'll bring em out when I'm comfortable with the heat. Kinda my rule.
Thanks so much for this Jeremy. I found it very helpful. I have a recently purchase used Martin D15 M and when I got it ... took it to my guitar tech. He assessed it as "needing a drink" so we humidified for 3 weeks and then he set it up. Six months later ... I started noticing intonation issues ... particularly up the fretboard or when using a capo. He reassessed and said it was dry again. I was humidifying it albeit not every day and I now realize that this is truly a high maintenance instrument. I have an old Aria that I've owned for 30 years and have never humidified it even once. I grab it and it plays great, sounds good and no intonation issues at all. I have been told now ... that because of possible previous neglect, the Martin will always need extra maintenance because wood "has a memory" and it will always want to naturally gravitate back to its driest state. Would you agree with that? Is the mahogany part of the problem? Do you think I should move on from the Martin or just tolerate its fussiness when it comes to humidity. Would really appreciate your thoughts. Oh and one more question Jeremy .... I am now faced, once again, with re-hydrating this Martin. Once I get it back ... do you think having the room humidified will keep it playing properly? I would still case it at night ... but because I am playing it a lot .. I was hoping I could keep it on its stand for the day. My tech says ... because of its history ... that will not be enough and it will dry out again. even in a humidified room. Thanks kindly .... Jackson.
Excellent video. I'm glad you shared the detailed, emotional, costly (financially and historically) story with us. I live in Alaska. If I shared my guitar stories with you, your mind would be blown. I'm the 0.001% that has gotten away with breaking the rules. That said, I strongly encourage you to follow Jeremy's advice or that of Martin. Electric guitars go through the same process. Currently, my guitars are stored in the same room. There is a heating vent not far from them. I put a plastic bowl over part of the vent. I fill the bowl with water to about 2/3 full. I check the water level regularly. The heat helps put the humidity in the air and so far no problems in winter. At a different home, I tried the in-case-humidity techniques. For me, they didn't work. Oh, here in Alaska, on Basses particularly, the necks need adjusting after we go from winter into spring. Actually here, spring is summer. There is no spring. - Chris
Never leave your guitar(s) in a hot or cold car (acoustics or electrics). You risk damaging them of having them stolen. When I was gigging during cold weather, my acoustic guitar was the first thing taken inside. After it warmed up for a while, I'd lift the case lid and let it slowly come to room temperature. It must have served me well. It's 47 years old and still kicking.
Hi, I retired my 39 year old acoustic today... replaced it with a brand new one (after five long years of waiting...). I though my acoustic died just from old age but only after now, looking into how to take care of my new baby, started to realize that it probably got too much humidity, causing the top to lift to the point where the action became unplayable... So, I've started the process of trying to 'dry out' my old love, while enjoying my new lady! What 47 year old girl are you playing?
Great video. I have a 2009 HD-28V I bought earlier this year and noticed string buzzing starting in October. I live in So Cal so weather is not so severe. I suspected weather related neck issues, so its good to get this confirmed. Also, I had never heard of Stringjoy - what an awesome find! I've been on a string hunt for months, trying every string I can find. The strings I really want are no longer made, D'Angelico. Excited to try Stringjoy as soon as I get through the 2 sets of Martins I just got yesterday from Sweetwater. You have a new subscriber, great job Jeremy!
Hey Jeremy, off all the 100's guitar TH-cams I've watched you are the first I see to make use of B-roll... awesome dude!!! Your B-roll is rocking and just add so much 'colour' to the experience of following your content. The 'still' of the tuners with the reflection of you with the camera is a dead giveaway that you have another passion also... I love it! Keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to digging through more of your content!
thanks Jeremy, very informative video you made. Indeed i have problem with my guitar action all the time, in my country malaysia, its average indoor humidity is around 70%. I think i might need to get a dehumidifier.
This is a pretty good, calming video on how to slick your guitar up. The only thing I would add is that people may wanna occasionally check their truss rod nut to make sure its not "freezing up". A tiny oxide layer can really make the first turn daunting if you don't know how to wiggle it loose.
In East TN - My basement has a vent open to the main floor, so it generally maintains a temp within 2 degrees of the main floor, so about 66 F in the winter to 75 F in the summer. Winter I don't run the dehumidifier so it stays in the 30s% in humidity, but I only keep electrics in the basement anyway on wall hangers, acoustic stays upstairs in its well padded gig bag. Summer I have to empty the dehumidifier every day or two to keep it in the 45 to 55% range.
'' So, if you have more guitars than you can see regularly, you probably have to many guitars.'' I keep my Martin 00018 mostly in her case in Fall, the humidity is really high here in The Netherlands in this time of the year. I use the D'Addario humidipacks to regulate the humidity in the case itself, with a Hygrometer which gives me a alarm the there is something wrong with the humidity and temperature in the case. The humidipacks have a limited lifespan, but that's okay to me.(which reminds me to get me some new ones.) Off-course the guitar gets still a belly with these humidity levels between 65% and 70% but the case works like a protection-shield for the guitar. Although, I do have I winter and a summer-saddle for both my acoustic guitars. I try to play on a daily base on my Martin, so I can check her out, make sure everything is okay. And of course enjoy the sound of that small OM-beast (she sound's almost as big as a D18).
Jeremy. You mentioned string action and how it’s measured. How many times have you seen sellers who use a lot of guitar jargon on Reverb for example and then show their ignorance by showing a close up of them holding a quarter vertically in the space between the eleventh and twelve frets. I know we used to place two quarters horizontally over the twelfth fret as a loose gauge of the action? Is that correct? Is your Gibson 45 2016 actually built in that year or are you referring to the model 2016? Finally, do you perform guitar repairs in addition to being a hunter? I enjoy your videos. Especially the hunting stories. I know so-called “Barn Finds” are popular topics for antique people and car folks so do or have you had similar finds? One more? How much startup money do you need or recommend to begin a business like being a guitar hunter?
Same thing happened to a friend of mine. It was in the trunk of a car. Brought it inside opened it up and bam. This was a es335 that used to belong to Arthur Smith.
New sub here and I'm a new owner of a J-45 Gibson and I'm freaking out about taking care of it. I check the humidity daily on my nest thermostat and I have humidity controlling packs. I live in Los Angeles 👀 this video helped a lot
The finish on my old Martin D18 is all crazed everywhere from being frozen in Alaska, but it sure does sound beautiful. I love it like an wrinkled old friend.
in florida its the opposite....in the warmer months when people run AC all day, guitars dry out badly. In winter with heat on, relative humidity stays around 45%. Took me two summers to realize this. So in summer I use soundhole humidifiers and hygrometers, just like I did in winters up north.. Instead of adjusting the guitar I make sure it has enough to drink.
Best thing i ever did was get a whole house humidifier. It didn’t cost much and now I can keep my guitars out all the time all year round. It installs right into your furnace and really makes life easier, particularly if you have multiple guitars. Theoretically this is a set and forget solution, but just in case, I monitor my humidity with a little Bluetooth temp/humidity sensor that sends me phone notifications if something is out of range.
I would add, with respect to the truss rod adjustment, that one should measure the relief at the 7th fret using a simple, cheap feeler gauge. I generally use a 0.012 gauge for this measurement. Capo the first fret and with one hand, press the 6th string down at the fret where the string meet the body. Use the other hand to measure with the gauge. This way I know my relief is set the way I like it and don't have to rely on sighting down the neck to 'measure'. When I do guitar maintenance this is generally the first measurement and adjustment that I will make. After this comes action measurement and perhaps, adjustment.
I had an old Harmony acoustic that I was given by a couple at my church that moved away. It was quite beat up but it worked. I didn’t have space in my bedroom (i was 15 at the time), so I put it in my basement. But I forgot a simple thing: my basement is so humid, it almost felt like the air was literally wet. So it sat down there for a good while, and when I pulled it out, and the neck was a ski slope. And of course, like most Harmony style guitars, it had no truss rod. I gave it to friend who had the money to get it fixed. Now, I have vowed to buy another one someday, and treat it right, to make up for the terrible thing that happened to it because some idiot teenager put it in a bad place.
Great video man. Happy holidays to you and your family. I actually like some finishing checking on vintage guitars, but not so much on new guitars. The only time I have to worry about humidity in California is during the Summer months when it drops to around 20-30%. The rest of the year it stays around 40-50%. I keep humidipaks in my cases year round and this upcoming year am going to finally invest in a room humidifier for my guitar room for those Summer months.
Great informative video. Love "over the hills & far away" something about that arrangement just sounds cool. That's a besutiful Gibson you have there. Keep up the fine job and stay safe !!
A truly sad story. I had the same thing happen to me in 1976 with my first Martin D35. Only my guitar was kept in my bedroom in an old cold house. I have a great ideal for a guitar case. But I'm not sure how to build it. Can anyone help me? I want to build a guitar case that will keep my guitar at the perfect temperature and humidity at all times. This can be done. You can have a small motor and blower built into the case. Then plug the case into a wall outlet. Or hook it to a small battery of some type. Can anyone help me build this? It's my ideal. So don't take it and run. lol.
Good advice! I've had a few guitars that were pretty dried out when I got them. I played a J45 at guitar center that was so dry the action was, horribly low and buzzy.
My HD28v also crackled like that, KEPT IN MY HOUSE, with our temp fluxs here... But it looks cool!! And sounds amazing. So I kinda like the relic effect. That said, dryness has split a few of my other guitar tops... it kills me!!
I've had a lot of mostly acoustic guitars crack, right where the neck joint meets the body. And it always happens from the humidity change. Usually when I go from low humidity too high? I'm okay. When I go from high humidity too low humidity quickly? That's when I have cracks occurring.I've compensated for them problems by keeping everything I have in a controlled environment. Very nice HVAC system installed. Propane heatertank buried in the backyard with a digital thermostat on the wall set on a timer. I noticed any changes in the way things feel I immediately do something with the thermostat. If a guitar is built really well, usually it's okay. But if I'm not careful cheaper guitars will crack quick. Even electric ones like Paul Reed Smiths are prone to cracking if your environment isn't properly set up.thank God for my 1974 Yamaha acoustic because that thing has been through the war and back and there's not a crack on it...lol
Took me ages to get Over the hill & far away right there's that little bit that trips me up, i expect you know which couple of chords i'm on about? That bit on the second lick right at the beginning of the song. Got it now though. I play in a tribute band 'Dire Rush spy plane' can you guess who we cover lol? I have a selection of Acoustics because as i'm sure you know there are somethings other guitars can sound like whilst the others fall by the way. I have a 64 Gibson J160E, i love it, it was my fathers and i'm emotionaly attached to it. However say if i was going to use it to play The Mans to strong there's only the Ovation i can get to sound right it seems to have a more Banjo type sound than the 160e. Were all Jeremy's hunting for them guitars and for every reason you said. I love Guitars.
I can’t imagine getting so upset about lacquer checking. Many people pay good money to fake such a thing with coolant or a razor blade. Imo, this is why player guitars should never be seen as “investments” where their eventual value is always at stake. Just enjoy them for what they are and if the guitar develops wear and you eventually decide to sell it, the loss of value is simply the price you paid to enjoy playing the instrument for however long you owned it. Also, side note: my experience is that vintage guitars are far more resistant to changes in temp and humidity.
What this guy is saying is true if you live in the east. If you live out west like in the rockies don't follow this advice. Maintaining humidity is very important in dryer climates. I recently moved from Pennsylvania to Idaho. I never worried about humidity in PA and my guitar was fine. Since living in Idaho it's been a whole other animal. I play multiple times a week and I could hear and feel my guitar getting worse month to month. I am currently in the process of bringing the wood back to its intended moisture level.
Thanks for the video, it was very helpful. I have a 000-15m I bought about 9 months ago in January and I have had to get it setup twice already, I’m hoping it settles in soon.
I have a D18 and it seems pretty stable if I follow the guidelines. However, I have an ESP E-II Horizon III that moves quite a bit. So bad that it was fretting out after one evening in the basement. No more basement for that guitar. I dislike relief on my necks. Flat is where it's at for me. I do all my own adjustments, been doing so since the early 80's.
Weird. I never had any issues with humidity changing my guitar... Until once. My Maton Messiah got sharp fret ends during winter and the high E string couldn't ring out anymore as it hit a fret somewhere around the 14th fret. This was a few months after I had a setup including fret dress done! The setup is so, so damn sensitive that I noticed the humidity change
13s on a j45 that's a no no in my book. I used 13s for years cos I wanted more volume, not understanding what that in turn was doing to my guitar, ended up cracking the bridge plate . I can hear in you're playing the strings crying for relief.
The finish on my old Ovation cracked from the sound hole all the way under the bridge down to the bottom because of the low humidity here in the middle of California. I couldn't adjust the neck until I increased the humidity in the room for a month. Now it's playable but just isn't the same guitar anymore.
@@JeremySheppard It’s a old one with the big round back but plays well, it still plays. Just a finish crack, it’s not cracked inside, only on the finish. If it was a nice Martin, I’d be upset. I was upset when it first made that snap sound
Great video!! its pretty reassuring to know that maybe my guitar is just going through a season change for the first time in its life...... at the 12-14th frets i have the most dead notes i have ever heard. i play bluegrass so its not always a problem, but it kinda is ( i find myself almost always thinking about it when im playing lol)
The finish cracking on Bill's guitar was not caused by humidity, but by the temperature changing too quickly (for a guitar with nitro finish). This only happens on guitars with a nitro finish. The finish does not react to changes in temperature as at the same rate as the wood. If your nitro-finished guitar was left in the cold, you need to leave it in the case for several hour after bringing it inside. The case will act as a buffer, allowing the guitar to slowly come up temperature.
Awesome video thanks for sharing. You can mess up a guitar if you are not careful. My brother always said if I'm comfortable my guitar should be ok. He never had problems with one. Was he just lucky? Stay well and safe. I think if a person hardly ever play's his guitar he should buy one made from lamented wood. Seems like they have very little problems. What do you think?
While it is great having some fretboard relief a flat fretboard with a properly filed bridge and nut will play without affecting tone. It’s stated by reputable luthiers that you want a straight or slightly relieved neck. While your opinion is that you want neck relief. In a climate more extreme than where you are sometimes my neck is perfectly straight.
Nice video man! I have a 2018 J-45, such an amazing guitar! I'll never get rid of it! I noticed this winter that I love how it sounds when the humidity is low, just seems to have more punch and crunch! She always sounds wonderful, but right now it's so awesome!
Ive got an old martin 000 with lots of tiny cracks (thanks mahogany) and signicant bellying. Its structurally sound but totally needs a neck reset as a result. That one is very old so its obvious but Ive recent noticed most of my newer acoustics have about the same amount of bellying per year. Im not sure theres any way to avoid it. Guitars do best when theyre strung at the correct tension but even then the tension + repeated year round humidity changes = bellying
Hey Jeremy! I live in Iowa. It's really cold currently. If the room I keep my guitars hanging in drops to 35 to 40 percent humidity during the really cold months, do I need to stick them all in a case and humidify the cases? I hang them up because that keeps me playing them every day. Some of them are expensive. Some are not. It doesn't matter. I just don't want to tuck them away if I don't have to. A very Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I'm in Southern California (condolences appreciated). It's been dry dry dry here lately. I had my two Taylors set up a few months back. They are now buzzing like crazy. I have never used a humidifier before. Never seemed to need one till now. Weird. Can't be global warming, can it? Wouldn't it be humid? ha! Anyway, somebody in another video suggested one of those cheap travel soap dishes with holes drilled in them (one side only, and a wrung out sponge in it. Hummm I think I'll buy a real one. Think the buzz with fix itself? My luthier usually sets the action nice and low and they play like butter. Thoughts?
I heard you say hydrometer...but you mean hygrometer...A hydrometer is used to measure buoyancy of water....where a hygrometer is used to monitor humidity in air or gas. I will shut up now.🤐
I was looking for a good acoustic for the last 6 months did a lot of research. I was looking for a guitar with a 1.8 " nut width, so considered everything from a Collings 0002H to an Eastman E20P and then even an old martin. Finally, I settled for a new Seagull SWS Maritime, what do you think? Also, we live in Toronto Canada and we have central heating and cooling throughout the year. The humidity is a constant 63%. Is that OK? Thanks for your help.
Dude, where are you in the Shenandoah Valley? I'm from Boston. I've been playing guitar for 25+ yrs. I moved down here to Lexington VA almost 10 yrs ago. I'm between Lexington and Roanoke/Salem all the time for work. I've yet to find a good guitar shop to work on my guitars, but I've found many horrible ones. I'm in dire need of a good shop, and my guitars are too. I can do the basic setup stuff, but I don't feel comfortable doing anything beyond that. I'm willing to travel if need be. Hope you can help.
@JeremySheppard omg dude, I've been to Kelly's a million times looking sround and getting work done. Their acoustic/main tech is awesome. Top notch. Brought an old Taylor back to life for me. But I had an electric setup by someome else there and didn't like the outcome. But they're great guys in there. As as far as Fret Boss (Danny), we've actually just spoke the other day. We're gonna schedule an appointment for after Thanksgiving. I've heard good things about him. We'll soon see. Thanks man! Happy holidays! Cheers!
Useful info. I've been planning to buy my first 'proper' solid-wood acoustic guitar, but I live in the tropics (SE Asia) where the weather is hot and humid year-round. I bought a hygrometer a few days ago and it shows that the humidity usually ranges from around 60-70% RH but it gets up to 80% RH when it rains. Hmm, what to do?
How much worry is there about outside shows…say you have a hot high humidity day to play a show outside 2 or 3 hours can it hurt the top or neck that fast?
You're okay doing that. Long exposure is the problem. It's worse to have a super humid or dry studio space where the guitar stays than being exposed to high temps. Avoid abrupt changes in temp though.
High, Jeremy! Did you replace your nut-saddle-pins? Why don't you ever talk about these pieces shaping the sound? Changing heavy Grover Rotomatics to open tuning machines will open your guitar noticeably, as former weigh 130-150 grams more than the latter. Not even talking about reduced neck-dive and reduced probability to snap the headstock off. :D
I talk about them in the first video I had with this guitar. These are tusq and add good clarity and brightness. I don’t know about the tuners changing tone, I love nickel grovers.
@@JeremySheppard I've brought up most points about open vs close, but you don't have to trust my word. Though, I'm sure you've heard of Bryan Kimsey. He explains the topic in depth: th-cam.com/video/K-_MSBGCC-g/w-d-xo.html www.bryankimsey.com/tuners/ I urge you to check it out someday!
I have a d16rgt that has some checking in the finish I bought it that way I saved about a thousand dollars but I'd really love it if it was not so much checking
My old fender grand auditorium cracked at random up in summit county about a month ago. The back is toast; really glad electrics are all ok; I may actually get it fixed with the prices the way they are; should've tossed it in a case with humidity packs.
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I did the opposite. I came in late from a picking session so I left my 1970 Martin d-18 in the car. This was in August. About 3:00 pm I remembered my guitar was in the car. When I got it out it was cooked. The finish bubbled on the body and neck and the top cracked in three places plus the pick guard was wrinkled. The action was extremely high. I called Martin and told them what happened. They told me the warranty didn't cover that. I didn't have the money so I couldn't afford repairs. I traded it for a cheaper Yamaha. I still cry today. Sometimes we are our worst enemy. I have never owned another guitar that sounds as good as that one. I bought that guitar new in 1971. I now have a 2005 d-35, 2009 hd-28 and a Gibson j-45 but none of them has the tone the d-18 had.
Also in the age of “google” so many ppl talk and say nothing. Thank you for quality and thank you for “speaking” instead of talking and just causing noise.
Hopefully that makes sense, but I do appreciate you making these videos.
didnt play my martin for literal YEARS during active addiction. got sober, missed my old friend and hes in just as bad shape as I am. trying to learn how to get that horrible buzzing under control but I cant even remember what strings i used.
thanks for the video man helps a lot. beautiful video work.
Good for you !!
Dont be discouraged, you can do anything you set your mind to, and then some !! lol
How's that Martin coming along ?
@@SmiTTyy-sh8nc i actually just got it perfect! crazy timing on the reply haha still sober and still playing.
thanks for the comment* .
@@denyel_ Great to hear my friend !!!
Hope you are well my friend. Also hope your martin is a happy guitar now as well. Don't give up on staying sober or your guitar!
My favorite TH-camr that actually inspires me to be a guitar Hunter. Thank you. I love guitars with a passion but have never thought about it like him
Hi Jeremy, just watched your vid. Wanted to add info. In my experience, low humidity may cause a top to crack, the seam from the bridge to the base of the top. As I understand, high humidity may soften the glue, possibly causing braces to loosen. Felt I should share my obsevations.
I just regulate the humidity in my house and I don't have to do any setup changes at any time of the year.
to 40%-50% humidity ?? and how do you regulate the humidity in your hause ?
@@crunxo4758 They call it a humifyer. It looks like a water cooker, but it measures humidity and adds water vapor to your house, and maybe it can also dry the air. Find out yourself what these things do. All guitar players should have one. And buy a humidity meter, so you can SEE it is okay.
I have found through working on guitars for 20 years that the less expensive “open pore” guitars move an awful lot through the seasons. I know everyone likes a “satin” neck, but there’s a price to pay for that type of neck.
high end martins have satin necks...
@Kepler 186-F do i know u?
I hate the fact acoustic guitars change so much with humidity. I live in Buffalo NY and we deal with high humidity in summer and super low in winter. I found using hard shell cases vs gig bags and leaving them in there helps. I still have hygrometer and d'addario humidity packs in each case with them. A few years back I wasnt playing acoustic much and in the winter everything changed. I sold them all. Now I only own a Taylor 214 CE SB DLX and keep it in the case... but you are right about having too many if you arent playing / seeing them enough to monitor stuff like humidity
Seen a carbon neck for Fender Strats and Teles. That would be great for acoustic, too. But that is why necks are often scorched, the guitar makers can do several things for guitars in hard climates. Ask the pro's, maybe they can help you.
I appreciate your "guitar passion" and obvious sincerity when sharing your info. Thanx!
I have 20+ plus solid wood guitars plus the electric ones. And what I enjoy now us that there is no need for humidity concern here in Southern California. From November to April it's about 50% humidity. 30 miles from Malibu Beach. But in the dead dog heat of late summer/ early fall( fire season) 115f and low humidity as low as of 5% seriously!! The Humidpacks do a great job to keep the guitars safe! I just wonder in the 30's and 40's what Martin & Gibson owners did then. I guess nothing. They cracked and tossed away or those who lived in humidty good climates were fortunate to enjoy them longer. Some of them survive to this day!
My guitars leave my room here and there. Usually to the living room or down stairs. During the summer I'll bring em out when I'm comfortable with the heat. Kinda my rule.
Thanks so much for this Jeremy. I found it very helpful. I have a recently purchase used Martin D15 M and when I got it ... took it to my guitar tech. He assessed it as "needing a drink" so we humidified for 3 weeks and then he set it up. Six months later ... I started noticing intonation issues ... particularly up the fretboard or when using a capo. He reassessed and said it was dry again. I was humidifying it albeit not every day and I now realize that this is truly a high maintenance instrument. I have an old Aria that I've owned for 30 years and have never humidified it even once. I grab it and it plays great, sounds good and no intonation issues at all. I have been told now ... that because of possible previous neglect, the Martin will always need extra maintenance because wood "has a memory" and it will always want to naturally gravitate back to its driest state. Would you agree with that? Is the mahogany part of the problem? Do you think I should move on from the Martin or just tolerate its fussiness when it comes to humidity. Would really appreciate your thoughts. Oh and one more question Jeremy .... I am now faced, once again, with re-hydrating this Martin. Once I get it back ... do you think having the room humidified will keep it playing properly? I would still case it at night ... but because I am playing it a lot .. I was hoping I could keep it on its stand for the day. My tech says ... because of its history ... that will not be enough and it will dry out again. even in a humidified room. Thanks kindly .... Jackson.
Excellent video. I'm glad you shared the detailed, emotional, costly (financially and historically) story with us. I live in Alaska. If I shared my guitar stories with you, your mind would be blown. I'm the 0.001% that has gotten away with breaking the rules. That said, I strongly encourage you to follow Jeremy's advice or that of Martin. Electric guitars go through the same process.
Currently, my guitars are stored in the same room. There is a heating vent not far from them. I put a plastic bowl over part of the vent. I fill the bowl with water to about 2/3 full. I check the water level regularly. The heat helps put the humidity in the air and so far no problems in winter.
At a different home, I tried the in-case-humidity techniques. For me, they didn't work.
Oh, here in Alaska, on Basses particularly, the necks need adjusting after we go from winter into spring. Actually here, spring is summer. There is no spring. - Chris
this is so important. Thank you.
Never leave your guitar(s) in a hot or cold car (acoustics or electrics). You risk damaging them of having them stolen. When I was gigging during cold weather, my acoustic guitar was the first thing taken inside. After it warmed up for a while, I'd lift the case lid and let it slowly come to room temperature. It must have served me well. It's 47 years old and still kicking.
Hi, I retired my 39 year old acoustic today... replaced it with a brand new one (after five long years of waiting...). I though my acoustic died just from old age but only after now, looking into how to take care of my new baby, started to realize that it probably got too much humidity, causing the top to lift to the point where the action became unplayable... So, I've started the process of trying to 'dry out' my old love, while enjoying my new lady! What 47 year old girl are you playing?
@@antonvanreenen1784 Hi Anton! I'm playing a Martin D-35 I bought new, at Chuck Levin's, many years ago.
Great video. I have a 2009 HD-28V I bought earlier this year and noticed string buzzing starting in October. I live in So Cal so weather is not so severe. I suspected weather related neck issues, so its good to get this confirmed. Also, I had never heard of Stringjoy - what an awesome find! I've been on a string hunt for months, trying every string I can find. The strings I really want are no longer made, D'Angelico. Excited to try Stringjoy as soon as I get through the 2 sets of Martins I just got yesterday from Sweetwater. You have a new subscriber, great job Jeremy!
Wow that guitar sounds incredible !!
Hey Jeremy, off all the 100's guitar TH-cams I've watched you are the first I see to make use of B-roll... awesome dude!!! Your B-roll is rocking and just add so much 'colour' to the experience of following your content. The 'still' of the tuners with the reflection of you with the camera is a dead giveaway that you have another passion also... I love it! Keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to digging through more of your content!
Better is one day in His courts, I believe was played in E. Good memories. Donte bowe just released an album “old church basement”. Love it
thanks Jeremy, very informative video you made. Indeed i have problem with my guitar action all the time, in my country malaysia, its average indoor humidity is around 70%. I think i might need to get a dehumidifier.
Your awesome man!
Awesome show lots of knowledge. Thanks man
This is a pretty good, calming video on how to slick your guitar up.
The only thing I would add is that people may wanna occasionally check their truss rod nut to make sure its not "freezing up". A tiny oxide layer can really make the first turn daunting if you don't know how to wiggle it loose.
In East TN - My basement has a vent open to the main floor, so it generally maintains a temp within 2 degrees of the main floor, so about 66 F in the winter to 75 F in the summer. Winter I don't run the dehumidifier so it stays in the 30s% in humidity, but I only keep electrics in the basement anyway on wall hangers, acoustic stays upstairs in its well padded gig bag. Summer I have to empty the dehumidifier every day or two to keep it in the 45 to 55% range.
'' So, if you have more guitars than you can see regularly, you probably have to many guitars.''
I keep my Martin 00018 mostly in her case in Fall, the humidity is really high here in The Netherlands in this time of the year.
I use the D'Addario humidipacks to regulate the humidity in the case itself, with a Hygrometer which gives me a alarm the there is something wrong with the humidity and temperature in the case. The humidipacks have a limited lifespan, but that's okay to me.(which reminds me to get me some new ones.) Off-course the guitar gets still a belly with these humidity levels between 65% and 70% but the case works like a protection-shield for the guitar.
Although, I do have I winter and a summer-saddle for both my acoustic guitars. I try to play on a daily base on my Martin, so I can check her out, make sure everything is okay. And of course enjoy the sound of that small OM-beast (she sound's almost as big as a D18).
Jeremy. You mentioned string action and how it’s measured. How many times have you seen sellers who use a lot of guitar jargon on Reverb for example and then show their ignorance by showing a close up of them holding a quarter vertically in the space between the eleventh and twelve frets. I know we used to place two quarters horizontally over the twelfth fret as a loose gauge of the action? Is that correct? Is your Gibson 45 2016 actually built in that year or are you referring to the model 2016? Finally, do you perform guitar repairs in addition to being a hunter? I enjoy your videos. Especially the hunting stories. I know so-called “Barn Finds” are popular topics for antique people and car folks so do or have you had similar finds? One more? How much startup money do you need or recommend to begin a business like being a guitar hunter?
Thank you. It was very helpful.
Fantastic presentation.
Same thing happened to a friend of mine. It was in the trunk of a car. Brought it inside opened it up and bam. This was a es335 that used to belong to Arthur Smith.
Kills me.
I was told the 13 to 56 strings would distort the top of the guitar and would cause it to need a neck reset much sooner.
New sub here and I'm a new owner of a J-45 Gibson and I'm freaking out about taking care of it. I check the humidity daily on my nest thermostat and I have humidity controlling packs. I live in Los Angeles 👀 this video helped a lot
The finish on my old Martin D18 is all crazed everywhere from being frozen in Alaska, but it sure does sound beautiful. I love it like an wrinkled old friend.
That's amazing! I love it.
I have the opposite situation.
Our temperature swings from 120°f to 20°f. Humidity usually around 10%.
Don't sweat mean comments. It means they're watching your videos.
in florida its the opposite....in the warmer months when people run AC all day, guitars dry out badly. In winter with heat on, relative humidity stays around 45%. Took me two summers to realize this. So in summer I use soundhole humidifiers and hygrometers, just like I did in winters up north.. Instead of adjusting the guitar I make sure it has enough to drink.
Great realistic vid. Thank you brother very much appreciated.
Best thing i ever did was get a whole house humidifier. It didn’t cost much and now I can keep my guitars out all the time all year round. It installs right into your furnace and really makes life easier, particularly if you have multiple guitars. Theoretically this is a set and forget solution, but just in case, I monitor my humidity with a little Bluetooth temp/humidity sensor that sends me phone notifications if something is out of range.
I would add, with respect to the truss rod adjustment, that one should measure the relief at the 7th fret using a simple, cheap feeler gauge. I generally use a 0.012 gauge for this measurement. Capo the first fret and with one hand, press the 6th string down at the fret where the string meet the body. Use the other hand to measure with the gauge. This way I know my relief is set the way I like it and don't have to rely on sighting down the neck to 'measure'. When I do guitar maintenance this is generally the first measurement and adjustment that I will make. After this comes action measurement and perhaps, adjustment.
Absolutely. I had a chunk of this video explaining that but it made it too long. StewMac has so much content of it too. Thanks for watching, Keith!
Thanks Jeremy. I feel like more people should know about this! Awesome content as always
I had an old Harmony acoustic that I was given by a couple at my church that moved away. It was quite beat up but it worked. I didn’t have space in my bedroom (i was 15 at the time), so I put it in my basement. But I forgot a simple thing: my basement is so humid, it almost felt like the air was literally wet. So it sat down there for a good while, and when I pulled it out, and the neck was a ski slope. And of course, like most Harmony style guitars, it had no truss rod. I gave it to friend who had the money to get it fixed. Now, I have vowed to buy another one someday, and treat it right, to make up for the terrible thing that happened to it because some idiot teenager put it in a bad place.
Great video man. Happy holidays to you and your family. I actually like some finishing checking on vintage guitars, but not so much on new guitars. The only time I have to worry about humidity in California is during the Summer months when it drops to around 20-30%. The rest of the year it stays around 40-50%. I keep humidipaks in my cases year round and this upcoming year am going to finally invest in a room humidifier for my guitar room for those Summer months.
That j_45 i love it good for Rock in roll got alot of base punch to it
Great informative video. Love "over the hills & far away" something about that arrangement just sounds cool.
That's a besutiful Gibson you have there.
Keep up the fine job and stay safe !!
A truly sad story. I had the same thing happen to me in 1976 with my first Martin D35. Only my guitar was kept in my bedroom in an old cold house. I have a great ideal for a guitar case. But I'm not sure how to build it. Can anyone help me? I want to build a guitar case that will keep my guitar at the perfect temperature and humidity at all times. This can be done. You can have a small motor and blower built into the case. Then plug the case into a wall outlet. Or hook it to a small battery of some type. Can anyone help me build this? It's my ideal. So don't take it and run. lol.
Good advice! I've had a few guitars that were pretty dried out when I got them.
I played a J45 at guitar center that was so dry the action was, horribly low and buzzy.
My HD28v also crackled like that, KEPT IN MY HOUSE, with our temp fluxs here... But it looks cool!! And sounds amazing. So I kinda like the relic effect. That said, dryness has split a few of my other guitar tops... it kills me!!
Your channel is just amazing, Jeremy. I love your content and the whole vibe.
I enjoyed this video, useful information in context :)
Love your video man! They always leave something to think of. Also love your basement. Wish I had some place like that 🙂
I've had a lot of mostly acoustic guitars crack, right where the neck joint meets the body. And it always happens from the humidity change. Usually when I go from low humidity too high? I'm okay. When I go from high humidity too low humidity quickly? That's when I have cracks occurring.I've compensated for them problems by keeping everything I have in a controlled environment. Very nice HVAC system installed. Propane heatertank buried in the backyard with a digital thermostat on the wall set on a timer. I noticed any changes in the way things feel I immediately do something with the thermostat. If a guitar is built really well, usually it's okay. But if I'm not careful cheaper guitars will crack quick. Even electric ones like Paul Reed Smiths are prone to cracking if your environment isn't properly set up.thank God for my 1974 Yamaha acoustic because that thing has been through the war and back and there's not a crack on it...lol
Took me ages to get Over the hill & far away right there's that little bit that trips me up, i expect you know which couple of chords i'm on about? That bit on the second lick right at the beginning of the song. Got it now though. I play in a tribute band 'Dire Rush spy plane' can you guess who we cover lol? I have a selection of Acoustics because as i'm sure you know there are somethings other guitars can sound like whilst the others fall by the way. I have a 64 Gibson J160E, i love it, it was my fathers and i'm emotionaly attached to it. However say if i was going to use it to play The Mans to strong there's only the Ovation i can get to sound right it seems to have a more Banjo type sound than the 160e. Were all Jeremy's hunting for them guitars and for every reason you said. I love Guitars.
I can’t imagine getting so upset about lacquer checking. Many people pay good money to fake such a thing with coolant or a razor blade. Imo, this is why player guitars should never be seen as “investments” where their eventual value is always at stake. Just enjoy them for what they are and if the guitar develops wear and you eventually decide to sell it, the loss of value is simply the price you paid to enjoy playing the instrument for however long you owned it.
Also, side note: my experience is that vintage guitars are far more resistant to changes in temp and humidity.
Well said! This guy was a country player and always word a pressed suit and cowboy hat, his style was not relic, but it was clean and tidy.
i always hear about this happening in the US. I'm from the tropics so i've never seen thatbas an issue
That J is a bright little thing...very cool sounding guitar. Nice.
What this guy is saying is true if you live in the east. If you live out west like in the rockies don't follow this advice. Maintaining humidity is very important in dryer climates. I recently moved from Pennsylvania to Idaho. I never worried about humidity in PA and my guitar was fine. Since living in Idaho it's been a whole other animal. I play multiple times a week and I could hear and feel my guitar getting worse month to month. I am currently in the process of bringing the wood back to its intended moisture level.
Thanks! I've never lived out west and I'm glad you gave your perspective
Ok. The ending was pretty funny. Over the hills…….one of my first songs I learned back in the early 80s.
Playing 20 years in Australia and have never had a single issue like this mostly pretty humid where I am.
Thanks for the video, it was very helpful. I have a 000-15m I bought about 9 months ago in January and I have had to get it setup twice already, I’m hoping it settles in soon.
Just so y’all know humidifiers are just glorified sponges. So if you’re running on a budget a regular kitchen sponge will do.
From Leo: Before so many things were on the market, we used to hang perforated baggies with a sponge on the strings.
I have a D18 and it seems pretty stable if I follow the guidelines. However, I have an ESP E-II Horizon III that moves quite a bit. So bad that it was fretting out after one evening in the basement. No more basement for that guitar. I dislike relief on my necks. Flat is where it's at for me. I do all my own adjustments, been doing so since the early 80's.
I keep my guitars in a humid basement but I have a dehumidifier which seems to help
Weird. I never had any issues with humidity changing my guitar... Until once. My Maton Messiah got sharp fret ends during winter and the high E string couldn't ring out anymore as it hit a fret somewhere around the 14th fret. This was a few months after I had a setup including fret dress done! The setup is so, so damn sensitive that I noticed the humidity change
Great content
Great channel and great info!!!
13s on a j45 that's a no no in my book. I used 13s for years cos I wanted more volume, not understanding what that in turn was doing to my guitar, ended up cracking the bridge plate . I can hear in you're playing the strings crying for relief.
The finish on my old Ovation cracked from the sound hole all the way under the bridge down to the bottom because of the low humidity here in the middle of California. I couldn't adjust the neck until I increased the humidity in the room for a month. Now it's playable but just isn't the same guitar anymore.
Oh man. That's hard. It's also because ovations are braced poorly. More similar to a classical than a steel string.
@@JeremySheppard It’s a old one with the big round back but plays well, it still plays. Just a finish crack, it’s not cracked inside, only on the finish. If it was a nice Martin, I’d be upset. I was upset when it first made that snap sound
Great video!! its pretty reassuring to know that maybe my guitar is just going through a season change for the first time in its life...... at the 12-14th frets i have the most dead notes i have ever heard. i play bluegrass so its not always a problem, but it kinda is ( i find myself almost always thinking about it when im playing lol)
The finish cracking on Bill's guitar was not caused by humidity, but by the temperature changing too quickly (for a guitar with nitro finish). This only happens on guitars with a nitro finish. The finish does not react to changes in temperature as at the same rate as the wood. If your nitro-finished guitar was left in the cold, you need to leave it in the case for several hour after bringing it inside. The case will act as a buffer, allowing the guitar to slowly come up temperature.
Awesome video thanks for sharing. You can mess up a guitar if you are not careful. My brother always said if I'm comfortable my guitar should be ok. He never had problems with one. Was he just lucky? Stay well and safe. I think if a person hardly ever play's his guitar he should buy one made from lamented wood. Seems like they have very little problems. What do you think?
While it is great having some fretboard relief a flat fretboard with a properly filed bridge and nut will play without affecting tone. It’s stated by reputable luthiers that you want a straight or slightly relieved neck. While your opinion is that you want neck relief. In a climate more extreme than where you are sometimes my neck is perfectly straight.
Nice video man! I have a 2018 J-45, such an amazing guitar! I'll never get rid of it! I noticed this winter that I love how it sounds when the humidity is low, just seems to have more punch and crunch! She always sounds wonderful, but right now it's so awesome!
It's always humid here in the tropics so all my saddles are sanded down.
I did the same thing too when I was in the deep south of the USA.
How do you like those string joy strings?
Ive got an old martin 000 with lots of tiny cracks (thanks mahogany) and signicant bellying. Its structurally sound but totally needs a neck reset as a result. That one is very old so its obvious but Ive recent noticed most of my newer acoustics have about the same amount of bellying per year. Im not sure theres any way to avoid it. Guitars do best when theyre strung at the correct tension but even then the tension + repeated year round humidity changes = bellying
Hey Jeremy! I live in Iowa. It's really cold currently. If the room I keep my guitars hanging in drops to 35 to 40 percent humidity during the really cold months, do I need to stick them all in a case and humidify the cases? I hang them up because that keeps me playing them every day. Some of them are expensive. Some are not. It doesn't matter. I just don't want to tuck them away if I don't have to. A very Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Solid Isbell reference...
Any humidifier recommendations?
I'm in Southern California (condolences appreciated). It's been dry dry dry here lately. I had my two Taylors set up a few months back. They are now buzzing like crazy. I have never used a humidifier before. Never seemed to need one till now. Weird. Can't be global warming, can it? Wouldn't it be humid? ha! Anyway, somebody in another video suggested one of those cheap travel soap dishes with holes drilled in them (one side only, and a wrung out sponge in it. Hummm I think I'll buy a real one. Think the buzz with fix itself? My luthier usually sets the action nice and low and they play like butter. Thoughts?
Can you show the restringing detail in more detail?
I run a small humidifier and my guitars are fine.
Finish checking is OK. Live with it. Cracked wood sucks. My 1961 Les Paul jr has checking all over. No chance I'm refinishing it.
I heard you say hydrometer...but you mean hygrometer...A hydrometer is used to measure buoyancy of water....where a hygrometer is used to monitor humidity in air or gas. I will shut up now.🤐
I only know this difference because I make wine. 😎
I was looking for a good acoustic for the last 6 months did a lot of research. I was looking for a guitar with a 1.8 " nut width, so considered everything from a Collings 0002H to an Eastman E20P and then even an old martin. Finally, I settled for a new Seagull SWS Maritime, what do you think? Also, we live in Toronto Canada and we have central heating and cooling throughout the year. The humidity is a constant 63%. Is that OK? Thanks for your help.
Dude, where are you in the Shenandoah Valley? I'm from Boston. I've been playing guitar for 25+ yrs. I moved down here to Lexington VA almost 10 yrs ago. I'm between Lexington and Roanoke/Salem all the time for work. I've yet to find a good guitar shop to work on my guitars, but I've found many horrible ones. I'm in dire need of a good shop, and my guitars are too. I can do the basic setup stuff, but I don't feel comfortable doing anything beyond that. I'm willing to travel if need be. Hope you can help.
I really like Kelley's in Roanoke. Danny, the fret Boss, in Staunton is excellent too.
@JeremySheppard omg dude, I've been to Kelly's a million times looking sround and getting work done. Their acoustic/main tech is awesome. Top notch. Brought an old Taylor back to life for me. But I had an electric setup by someome else there and didn't like the outcome. But they're great guys in there. As as far as Fret Boss (Danny), we've actually just spoke the other day. We're gonna schedule an appointment for after Thanksgiving. I've heard good things about him. We'll soon see. Thanks man! Happy holidays! Cheers!
I just bought a new jackson electric guitar should i wait 24 hours before opening it , its being shipped from vegas to arizona
No! Enjoy it! Unless the box is very hot and your house is very cold or vice versa
Useful info. I've been planning to buy my first 'proper' solid-wood acoustic guitar, but I live in the tropics (SE Asia) where the weather is hot and humid year-round. I bought a hygrometer a few days ago and it shows that the humidity usually ranges from around 60-70% RH but it gets up to 80% RH when it rains. Hmm, what to do?
You need a de-humidifier. They take humidity out of the air.
@@glorioskiola Thanks! Yeah, that looks like the way to go. But do you think I need to run it all the time or just once a day?
@@sisdl15 you need to run it all the time.
@@glorioskiola Oh ok thanks, I need to look for one with a big tank then I guess. They sound like they're fairly energy efficient.
How much worry is there about outside shows…say you have a hot high humidity day to play a show outside 2 or 3 hours can it hurt the top or neck that fast?
You're okay doing that. Long exposure is the problem. It's worse to have a super humid or dry studio space where the guitar stays than being exposed to high temps. Avoid abrupt changes in temp though.
@@JeremySheppard thanks man!! Love your channel you are awesome! Ready for a part two of you and J.P.
Oh, my goodness. I so get the “youth group” ringing E-chord experience. Who dun it? *raises hand*
High, Jeremy!
Did you replace your nut-saddle-pins?
Why don't you ever talk about these pieces shaping the sound?
Changing heavy Grover Rotomatics to open tuning machines will open your guitar noticeably, as former weigh 130-150 grams more than the latter.
Not even talking about reduced neck-dive and reduced probability to snap the headstock off. :D
I talk about them in the first video I had with this guitar. These are tusq and add good clarity and brightness. I don’t know about the tuners changing tone, I love nickel grovers.
@@JeremySheppard I've brought up most points about open vs close, but you don't have to trust my word.
Though, I'm sure you've heard of Bryan Kimsey.
He explains the topic in depth:
th-cam.com/video/K-_MSBGCC-g/w-d-xo.html
www.bryankimsey.com/tuners/
I urge you to check it out someday!
I have a d16rgt that has some checking in the finish I bought it that way I saved about a thousand dollars but I'd really love it if it was not so much checking
That’s a good deal but I get it. Is yours a cutaway?
@@JeremySheppard it's a regular dreadnaught I just got a Gibson g45 studio a few months ago it's pretty cool guitar
Dude, oil that bridge too.. it seems so dry
What do you use to clean and condition the fretboard?
Lemon oil.
sounds better with lots of finish cracks
You might be right.
Help! I live in Colorado at 9000 feet.
Humidifiers! Hygrometers! Stay in their case. Make sure humidity is around 40-60 percent. Do you heat with fire?
My old fender grand auditorium cracked at random up in summit county about a month ago. The back is toast; really glad electrics are all ok; I may actually get it fixed with the prices the way they are; should've tossed it in a case with humidity packs.
Buy a laminated guitar unless you want to constantly fight the humidity.
glad i live in the deep south
I did for a long time and loved it.
NEVER refinish a good guitar due to finish cracks - NEVER!!!
or just get a Mcpherson Sable carbon fiber
did u really say "maybe you have to many guitars " ?.......never
A moment of weakness maybe. Haha
E chord....yep.
How similar is your Gibson J-45 to the one Josh Homme plays? Have you ever seen this video of him?
th-cam.com/video/U8kbMCS1yds/w-d-xo.html