Well … here’s a thing I know because I’m old. Some of the problem with damage occurring to guitars because of changing humidity is directly caused by the builder. Guitar companies use to allow their wood to cure much longer before a build. It was often cured in natural conditions as well. This allowed wood to be more stable before a build and obviously more stable after as well. Now you are dealing with builders who need to get them built and out the door. So guitars built by major companies in the last 20 or so years are prone to a period of vulnerability that older guitars were not. Building with unstable wood makes for unstable guitars. Nowadays you need to be much more concerned with the guitars humidity levels in the first ten years. Cheaper guitars with satin finish are prone to changes but so are the gloss, gloss finish just might slow it down a little bit.
I installed a whole house humidifier in my home. It’s fairly easy to install for someone who is somewhat handy. It’s so much more convenient than sound hole humidifiers and ones that you have to constantly fill with water. I keep all my guitars out on stands and never once had an issue. It’s also almost eliminated the need to get my guitars set up with season changes. I highly recommend one if you own your own home.
I am living in central germany. I have a humidifier with built in sensor and automatic mode ... which i basically don´t need. I almost always have between 45 and 55% of humidity. In the summer or when I hung up my laundry it´s ofc more humid in my room. If you are not living in a very dry or very humid environment, then don´t worry. And please don´t start with locking your guitar up in it´s case with a humidipack. That can lead to damage from a too humid environment. Driftwood guitars made a video about this: A guy freaked out and got scared about his guitar beeing to dry, locked it up with a humidipack and boom ... guitar blew up from the humidity and had to be repaired. Please just stop guys, stop making people scared about humidity. Have an eye on it. If your humidity levels are fine, then let it be. Don´t lock up your guitars. Just have ´em on the wall or on the guitar stand, ready to play. The guitar needs to live and needs to be played.
Thanks for your comment, We aren't saying you should lock up your guitar and never touch it. But keeping an eye on the humidity levels, like you are doing, is something that is overlooked often and could seriously damage a guitar in extreme humid or dry conditions.
My 1968 gibson southern jumbo has been hanging on the wall here in northern Illinois for years through winter and summer- humid and dry and it’s still perfect- maybe wood was cured better back then
@carygray9831 It was also stored much longer. Nowadays logistics are tough. No margins for letting wood age for years on end. No money to buy the best wood. Regulation on certain trees (rosewood). No time to build a guitar perfectly. Gibson and Martin are not the brands they once were and for high quality low cost guitars I would search in Asia (Yamaha, Ibanez) or if u can spend the money look at Boutique shop guitar brands (Atkins, Bourgeois, Pre War Guitars. A martin d-45 costs 10.000 dollars, Gibsons Flagship models are almost the same. For that money you can get an Atkins guitar, and cheap ibanez for the campfire, a yamaha transacoustic and donate the rest to people in need.
@@tz7813Depending on your heating system, it can get very dry in your house, especially during winter. From personal experience, when I lived in the Netherlands in a house with radiators, humidity during the winter was usually fine. In Austria in a house with mostly floor heating humidity during winter averages at around 34% and I can really notice the effects on a solid wood acoustic. Unless you're lucky enough to live in a situation where this never becomes an issue, keeping your guitar in a good humidity range, at least the majority of the time is simply good advice if you have an instrument that is special to you. That's my personal experience, at least.
A friend of mine tours with various bands like Simple Minds, Echo and the Bunnymen and Rod Stewart told me they were touring America and crossing a desert with the acoustics in the luggage hold and when they stopped the desert heat had warped the acoustics.
Here in central Europe, typical non-Winter RH is 50%. Currently in Winter, I see an indoor reading of 27% with room temp of 20,5C. For me the best solution during non-Summer is to keep a guitar wrapped inside of a plastic bag. Any brief playing during Winter time will not deplete much moisture stored in the wood if put back inside the bag after I am done playing.
Best to avoid rather than fix humidity problems, I think. The D'Addario Humidipak maintains acts as both a humidifier and a de-humidifier to maintain the correct humidity. The only drawback is that it only works in a small enclosed environment - like a guitar case. So if you want to hang your collection of beautiful guitars on the wall so that you and all your visitors can enjoy the lovely sight, you'd need to look at the machines shown in this video to keep the whole room at the right humidity. But if you don't mind having your guitar in its case most of the time you're not playing it, the Humidipak should avert all humidity problems. PS I'm not paid by anyone to say nice things about the Humidipak!
I use that same thing since my guitar is only out of the case when I'm playing it. As a long-haul driver, it works well. I also bought the "TaylorSense" to replace the original battery box that came in the 814ce, it monitors the humidity and battery level and is tethered to your cellphone.
Thanks to Milo and his colleagues, I found out that the humidity in my room is perfect (46-55 %). At first it seemed that it was 70%, but when I purchased a Humidity pack and a new digital hygrometer to solve the problem, I found out that the old hygrometer didn't show the correct value. Thanks TFOA !
I’ve played guitar since 1974 I own seven guitars. Five of them are acoustics and two of them are electrics. One is a hollowed body Gretsch and the other is a squire Stratocaster. But I’ve never had any problems with my acoustics. I don’t hang them on the wall. I put them in the case that’s where my guitars stay in the case. Never had any problems with the wood or with any changes within my guitars at all where I live there is hardly no humidity. It’s always dry in Southern California. To me if you take care of your guitars and don’t leave them out and keep them in a case they are just fine to me. This is a commercial for selling goods to help your guitar stay in shape. I’ve been playing guitar longer than you have been alive. I understand the instrument very well, so I don’t believe in all of this garbage that you have to buy this and buy that just take care of your instruments use lemon oil to protect the neck and the body basically keep your guitars polished and the wood moist and you won’t have any problems at all. Have a great day, but I think this is a bunch of ridiculous bull crap just and add to get you to buy something. Hope you have a great day but your skiing don’t work on me.😖😡👎👎🤷♂️💩
Hi Mark, First of all, thank you for your comment. The intention behind this video is not to lure viewers into purchasing our products. In fact, there are no product links in the video description. Our goal is to educate and raise awareness about the potential damage that humidity changes can cause to a guitar if not properly managed. Storing your guitar in a case, as you're doing, is an excellent method to protect it from sudden shifts in humidity. Hope this clarifies some things for you. Thanks for watching this video and all the best!
Eastern WA here. Humidity issues are very real here. Winter dryness is the issue for me. I bought two wall hanging cases from Acoustic Remedy. Expensive as hell but they work well and are very beautiful & easy access as I play every day. I use D'Addario packs with them. I have 3 very high quality acoustic guitars and getting them fixed is not a good option.
Oh, so THAT was why my first guitar cracked during winter. Thank you, I didn't even think about that. The new place is too moist, with around 65, and the wood at the outer walls moulding happily away, and the guitar starting to bulge, but running a dehumidifier day in and out for one occasional hobby-instrument is more expensive than my guitar was.
@@DoctorMandible Not in my region. Summer is bone dry, Winter is moist, what once was snow, comes as rain these days. In summer it didn't rain for months, the third year in which we were close to wildfires in central europe, nearby woods actually caught fire after a lighning-stroke, but were luckily extinguished ere it could get out of hand.
This is one of the reasons why as a beginner guitarist and Ukulele player, I replaced my main wooden Guitar, Baritone Uke, and Tenor Uke with carbon fiber ones from Klos Guitars. They are out on a stand 24/7 and are the best travel instruments because they are sturdier and much more damage resistant than wood and you don't have to worry about humidity or warping with carbon fiber plus they sound absolutely amazing and just as good as a wooden guitar in the $4,000 range. I am currently saving up for a carbon fiber guitar from Emerald Guitars as they are the most incredible looking acoustic guitars I have ever seen. The only wooden guitars I currently have left are a Taylor GS Mini and a Pepe Romero Signature parlor sized classical guitar. I have them stored in their cases all the time with a humidifier packet inside.
While humidity does definitely affect acoustic guitars, the REAL enemy is high temperature. I've had MANY vintage archtop guitars from the '40's & '50's that lived their entire lives (so far) without humidity control, and they are just fine. My wife and I are professional musicians, and have been on the road in a travel trailer, and now stationary in the pacific Northwest. Our instruments stand all their time in a unheated/cooled vault in our truck, with no humidity control, and after 8 years, our guitars do have checking in the nitro & French polish (yes they are expensive guitars, but checking actually IMPROVES the sound), but absolutely no structural problems whatsoever. The most important thing one can do is DO NOT let your guitars get hot, NEVER let it sit in direct sunlight, and never allow them to heat & cool rapidly (when you guitar is cold or warm, leave it in the case for a bit if bringing it indoors or a warmer or cooler place, and then open the case & allow it to farther acclimate before taking it out & playing it!!
yea, I live in dry Idaho, Ive never had a problem once in 30 years, with my vintage gear. I never humdify, 120yo mandolin and fragile 50yo flamenco guitars etc. . But I dont travel, I only buy local and only if the instruments have not been humidified and are already dried out. And I prefer old cedar tops already split/cracked/repaired,
Thanks so much. I’m buying a humidity monitor as a first step-to see if I have a problem in my guitar room. I’ll be looking at solutions for increasing or decreasing humidity as the seasons change in NC. I’m guess that currently ( a very cold December) I probably have a dry air problem, but a monitoring device will help me judge that best. Thanks again.
When the supply of quality Timbers was plentiful, the Timbers were left to season, and when sold been seasoned the timber wouldn’t twist and warp, but now with the cheaper Timbers and the greed for money, guitars are been built with green timber, when I say green, i mean unseasoned and that’s were the problems start …
I was taught to put a humidifier and humidistat in every stringed instrument case I ever have. It makes it less important to keep the entire house between 45-60% and is an easy way to keep your instruments happy. Arion humiidifiers are less than 20 USD per unit and last forever. All you have to do is refill with tap water when the gel beads start to dry out every 30-60-90 days. It all depends on where they are stored and how dry it's been. Cheers.
Also, most guitar cases leak at rates many times the absorption rate of the guitar. It's like not having a case. A garbage bag is a much better humidity barrier than most cases. Aluminum cases with gaskets are great.
I not only keep either a humidifier or dehumidifier going, depending on the readings on multiple hygrometers I keep around. I keep most of my guitars in the case and for those I have a Boveda 49% humidity control pack in each one. Depending on the need, it either adds humidity, or absorbs it and it's all in one gel pack.
I think it’s interesting that if you are a hunter, the most important piece of equipment is your rifle scope, and not the rifle. The scopes are crazy expensive. For a classical stringed musician, the cost of a bow is crazy expensive. They people don’t bat an eye. A guitar player will complain about the cost of a humidifier, or a humidor. If you have spent 5,000$ on a guitar, spend 1,000 $ on a humidor. They work well. Personally, I have a small room where I have my collection and I have a humidifier. Great information.
I've used a large home humidifier for the last 15 years....that, and an an accurate set of humidity gauges...I like to have my acoustics in the stands rdy to pick up when the urge hits :)
It is also very important, not to leave your acoustic instrument in your car on winter days. Winter days (and nights) are very dry. It may cause your top to sink and/or to crack.
I once left a vintage guild in a hot car by accident and it melted the glue to the point where the heal cap fell off. Extreme temperatures either way are never good for a guitar.
In my experience, the real structural damage happens from high, not low humidity. I’ve had joints swell open from moisture. Never had any structural damage from low humidity. That said, totally agree vintage guitars seem indifferent to humidity. My Taylor 514, too, doesn’t seem to mind the 35%-85% humidity range of where I live, never use a humidifier of any sort, but might consider a dehumidifier based on the damage caused to one of my arch tops. But honestly, I can’t be bothered and my 60’s gibsons are indifferent to humidity.
My 1919 Gibson L-4 is not. Archtop instruments will always react to fluctuation in air humidity. A too moist environment will raise the bridge and the pitch of the entire instrument (and the string tension). A full tone higher is no exception. A too dry environment will make the top sink, which will lower the pitch. It is important, not tune the guitar up. The top needs room to swell up again, so it's better to decrease the string tension and to increase the air humidity. Give it a few days. Then you can tune to normal pitch..
@ 1919. That’s vintage for sure. My two 60’s gibsons are an es330 and an es175. In the temp/humidity range of coastal New England and nyc, they don’t seem to change much at all. Nor do my solid body fender guitars. The only guitar I’ve ever had that was adversely affected by humidity was a Samick JZ4 arch top. That guitar spent a few days floating (inside its case) in about s feet of flood water in a basement. That’s extreme humidity! The damage that occurred was a split in the finish at the neck/body join seam. I thought the guitar was ruined, but after about a year of drying out it went back to exactly as it was before other than the seam in the finish where the join area expanded. Anyway, I’m sure your experiences are as you describe, but so are mine. For the guitars I own, in the region I live, humidity seems to largely be a non issue.
During winter humidity indoor WILL drop to about 20% dut to the heating. If room ventilation function normal, increasing humidity to 45 is almost impossible. Only chance is a guitar case with humidifyer. But a solid well built guitar can handle low humidity, even 20%.
This is an excellent video about storage. Let's talk about taking a guitar from one spot to another. Years ago, I carried my acoustic from the airconditioned bedroom into the hot humid summer outdoors for some shade tree picking. Nothing cracked but the bridge flew off like a shot. Yes, it was straightforward, clean re-glue but what a feeling that was.
How about oiling the fret board…using caster oil. I used it on my acoustic. Let it soak in for about 30 min then dried. That should help the neck from drying out…yes? I’m in the desert.
I use small sponges. I cut the sponge in half, put the wet sponge inside a perforated Ziplock bag, put the bag with sponge inside, into the sound hole. To make sure the entire bag does not fall into the sound hole, I use clothesline clip to attach the outer part of the Ziplock bag to the strings. I use two humidifiers to keep the music room at 45 to 55 percent humidity. Got to keep that girls wet in winter.
Every time when I see a guitar without snares on it, because of working on it for example, I wonder if that does or doesn't do any harm to that guitar. The neck use to be under a big amount of tension for I guess a maybe 60 kilograms.
My Ovation is 32 years old and has been directly blasted by airconditioners, heaters, sat by the open window in winter, night after night after sitting in a hot room most of the day. ( after a while I just didn't care I guess ) Amazingly never had a single issue. On the flip side I have a Fender P bass that spent all of its time in a case in a climate controlled room and when I opened the case after a few months of not using it, it had 2 cracks in the body. Go figure.
An old made in USA Applause AA-14 is even stronger. Neck: aluminium with plastic. Body: carbon fibre. I'm not sure whether the top is solid or laminated.
@@gingerbeer914 Mine is a custom balladier, not sure what's inside the neck, but it seems to be wood on the outside and the top is some kind of wood.. I think it cost around$700 in '92 so not a cheap one, but nothing super expensive
An Ovation Balladeer has a deep bowl made of carbon fibre, just like the helicopter rotor blades that Kaman made. My ex-brother-in-law has a Balladeer. I've got a Legend, like Jim Croce had. They look very much alike, except for the gold and ebony. I bought the 1970s Applause AA-14, because of the history. I play it outside in the summer.
Hi. So 2 of the most popular Luthiers on TH-cam claim that you shouldn't be putting your wooden acoustic guitar in Humidity that high. Some of these newer instruments makers are using the Torrified baking process. You don't want to keep them in higher humidity as they are contructed to sound best at very low humidity. I never put mine in a room over 35% humidity as thats what the house naturally stays at, and have never had an issue. I'm not saying your wrong, but I think it depends on the way the wood was pretreated.
Thanks for your comment Glennie! Some guitars could definitely handle a lower humidity. But too dry can also damage the guitar so we use the percentages mentioned in the video in our store to be sure no guitars suffers any damage.
Don't get me wrong its always a good idea to take care of your guitar but everything it has a shelf life, ware & tare is part of the process and is also is what gives things there character including temperature changes, additionally if your traveling with your instrument its very difficult to follow all those do & donts....
True, wear and tear are a part of owning an acoustic guitar, but we have had vintage Martins from the 1800s that still play and sound amazing. If you take good care of your guitars they will be able to serve you your entire life, and even longer!
Why do you say the air is drier in winter? Generally there is more moisture in the air over winter. Just checked the average humidity statistics where I live and summer gets down to 38% and winter goes up to 60%. So wouldn't the most risky time be summer?
The humidity level differs a lot across different climates. If you know what humidity levels you have to deal with every season, then you can act accordingly.
Good timing, because I am dealing with this now. Its a early 82 martin D28 that has been hot rodded a bit., and its been played hard a lot . It has been refretted up to the 9th fret with oversize nickle frets,had the ebony fretboard milled down thinner and the nut replaced and properly set, a little highon purpose way back in the begining,. and also had the bridge replaced with a prewar bridge, and set up with a high action for aggressive bluegrass playing, style like Doc Watson flatpicking. The guitar is still very playable, great response, intonation, and tone, the action is rather high and it is starting to belly some below the bridge. It needs to be reset, but that is a big pain to unglue the tone block under the bridge, but that is the worst aspect of this service and lower the action to a normal hight. Do you have a particular luthier you would recommend somewhere around Boise Idaho??Sorry , but the Netherlands is just too far, and things get stolen in the mail... In the meantime I will play with the humidity.. This is a pretty good guitar just the way it is, but after all these years it needs service.
Ok … I am interested in buying a guitar from an old friend that has been neglected, and has several cracks… a couple are aggressive and large… it is a Martin…. Newer…. How should these be addressed, do I send it to Martin , or hire a Luthier local… thank you
come hang out in East Tennessee Southwest Virginia or Western Carolina in August pick an old time tune or sing a bluegrass gospel that’s when the fiddles guitars and banjos sound the best. We’ve been doing this for decades, centuries. You are not wrong, but neither are the instruments.
These guys sound like they are Dutch? Why the hell do they need to worry about humidity? Sounds like another money spinner!!!!😂 I live in Indonesia. Humidity is always crazy here and it’s pointless trying to fight it. As soon as you play out anywhere, it’s like sitting in a sauna!😂 Even though quality woods are cheap here, most people avoid solid wood guitars and buy part/fully/laminate instruments. They are much more stable in the body but the neck joint glue will need re-set once in a while as they separate over time. The whole trans-acoustic thing is huge here as it provides more resonance/tone effect to a laminate body that needs to be stiffer and built like a tank! Anyway, as a European I notice that theres more players here, and they play way more. They don’t care about gear so much as nature/climate eats EVERYTHING here eventually!😂
Well … here’s a thing I know because I’m old. Some of the problem with damage occurring to guitars because of changing humidity is directly caused by the builder. Guitar companies use to allow their wood to cure much longer before a build. It was often cured in natural conditions as well. This allowed wood to be more stable before a build and obviously more stable after as well. Now you are dealing with builders who need to get them built and out the door. So guitars built by major companies in the last 20 or so years are prone to a period of vulnerability that older guitars were not. Building with unstable wood makes for unstable guitars. Nowadays you need to be much more concerned with the guitars humidity levels in the first ten years. Cheaper guitars with satin finish are prone to changes but so are the gloss, gloss finish just might slow it down a little bit.
Not correct.
@@wesleyhudson2028 Evidence?
@@wesleyhudson2028 That's it? "Not correct."? Builders ARE allowing enough time for wood to stabilize before constructing guitars?
@@kenhoward3512 ok. I guess you can argue about anything on the internet
@@kenhoward3512Not correct, in that this phenomenon is also observable in older guitars. Your premise is 🗑
I have a cheap Yamaha dreadnaught, 19 years old and never had any problem.
Never lost tuning even. Very dry in the winter, very humid summers.
I have a Yamaha F301 of 50 yo and no problems at all too under same various conditions.
Never lost tuning? So, you never play it.
Plywood is more stable than solid wood.
I've had my FG700S for nearly eight years. It's been through hell and back yet still plays like it's brand new.
@@harrydelange1821- I own three Yamahas. FG700S, FG830, and a recently purchased 3/4 scale classical guitar. Yamahas are built like tanks.
I installed a whole house humidifier in my home. It’s fairly easy to install for someone who is somewhat handy. It’s so much more convenient than sound hole humidifiers and ones that you have to constantly fill with water. I keep all my guitars out on stands and never once had an issue. It’s also almost eliminated the need to get my guitars set up with season changes. I highly recommend one if you own your own home.
Nah
I could happily listen to the guy in the blue shirt playing that bit for the rest of my days. Simply beautiful……
That's very awesome 😎
I am living in central germany. I have a humidifier with built in sensor and automatic mode ... which i basically don´t need. I almost always have between 45 and 55% of humidity. In the summer or when I hung up my laundry it´s ofc more humid in my room.
If you are not living in a very dry or very humid environment, then don´t worry. And please don´t start with locking your guitar up in it´s case with a humidipack. That can lead to damage from a too humid environment. Driftwood guitars made a video about this: A guy freaked out and got scared about his guitar beeing to dry, locked it up with a humidipack and boom ... guitar blew up from the humidity and had to be repaired. Please just stop guys, stop making people scared about humidity. Have an eye on it. If your humidity levels are fine, then let it be.
Don´t lock up your guitars. Just have ´em on the wall or on the guitar stand, ready to play. The guitar needs to live and needs to be played.
Thanks for your comment,
We aren't saying you should lock up your guitar and never touch it. But keeping an eye on the humidity levels, like you are doing, is something that is overlooked often and could seriously damage a guitar in extreme humid or dry conditions.
Totally agree. These guys sound like they are Dutch? Why the hell do they need to worry about humidity? Sounds like another money spinner!!!!😂
My 1968 gibson southern jumbo has been hanging on the wall here in northern Illinois for years through winter and summer- humid and dry and it’s still perfect- maybe wood was cured better back then
@carygray9831 It was also stored much longer. Nowadays logistics are tough. No margins for letting wood age for years on end. No money to buy the best wood. Regulation on certain trees (rosewood). No time to build a guitar perfectly. Gibson and Martin are not the brands they once were and for high quality low cost guitars I would search in Asia (Yamaha, Ibanez) or if u can spend the money look at Boutique shop guitar brands (Atkins, Bourgeois, Pre War Guitars. A martin d-45 costs 10.000 dollars, Gibsons Flagship models are almost the same. For that money you can get an Atkins guitar, and cheap ibanez for the campfire, a yamaha transacoustic and donate the rest to people in need.
@@tz7813Depending on your heating system, it can get very dry in your house, especially during winter. From personal experience, when I lived in the Netherlands in a house with radiators, humidity during the winter was usually fine. In Austria in a house with mostly floor heating humidity during winter averages at around 34% and I can really notice the effects on a solid wood acoustic. Unless you're lucky enough to live in a situation where this never becomes an issue, keeping your guitar in a good humidity range, at least the majority of the time is simply good advice if you have an instrument that is special to you. That's my personal experience, at least.
A friend of mine tours with various bands like Simple Minds, Echo and the Bunnymen and Rod Stewart told me they were touring America and crossing a desert with the acoustics in the luggage hold and when they stopped the desert heat had warped the acoustics.
Here in central Europe, typical non-Winter RH is 50%. Currently in Winter, I see an indoor reading of 27% with room temp of 20,5C. For me the best solution during non-Summer is to keep a guitar wrapped inside of a plastic bag. Any brief playing during Winter time will not deplete much moisture stored in the wood if put back inside the bag after I am done playing.
Great solution!
Best to avoid rather than fix humidity problems, I think. The D'Addario Humidipak maintains acts as both a humidifier and a de-humidifier to maintain the correct humidity. The only drawback is that it only works in a small enclosed environment - like a guitar case. So if you want to hang your collection of beautiful guitars on the wall so that you and all your visitors can enjoy the lovely sight, you'd need to look at the machines shown in this video to keep the whole room at the right humidity. But if you don't mind having your guitar in its case most of the time you're not playing it, the Humidipak should avert all humidity problems. PS I'm not paid by anyone to say nice things about the Humidipak!
Excellent Point, I don't understand what the video failed to cover Humidipaks. They are very effective and easy to use.
I use that same thing since my guitar is only out of the case when I'm playing it. As a long-haul driver, it works well.
I also bought the "TaylorSense" to replace the original battery box that came in the 814ce, it monitors the humidity and battery level and is tethered to your cellphone.
Thanks to Milo and his colleagues, I found out that the humidity in my room is perfect (46-55 %). At first it seemed that it was 70%, but when I purchased a Humidity pack and a new digital hygrometer to solve the problem, I found out that the old hygrometer didn't show the correct value. Thanks TFOA !
I’ve played guitar since 1974 I own seven guitars. Five of them are acoustics and two of them are electrics. One is a hollowed body Gretsch and the other is a squire Stratocaster. But I’ve never had any problems with my acoustics. I don’t hang them on the wall. I put them in the case that’s where my guitars stay in the case. Never had any problems with the wood or with any changes within my guitars at all where I live there is hardly no humidity. It’s always dry in Southern California. To me if you take care of your guitars and don’t leave them out and keep them in a case they are just fine to me. This is a commercial for selling goods to help your guitar stay in shape. I’ve been playing guitar longer than you have been alive. I understand the instrument very well, so I don’t believe in all of this garbage that you have to buy this and buy that just take care of your instruments use lemon oil to protect the neck and the body basically keep your guitars polished and the wood moist and you won’t have any problems at all. Have a great day, but I think this is a bunch of ridiculous bull crap just and add to get you to buy something. Hope you have a great day but your skiing don’t work on me.😖😡👎👎🤷♂️💩
Hi Mark,
First of all, thank you for your comment. The intention behind this video is not to lure viewers into purchasing our products. In fact, there are no product links in the video description. Our goal is to educate and raise awareness about the potential damage that humidity changes can cause to a guitar if not properly managed. Storing your guitar in a case, as you're doing, is an excellent method to protect it from sudden shifts in humidity.
Hope this clarifies some things for you.
Thanks for watching this video and all the best!
Eastern WA here. Humidity issues are very real here. Winter dryness is the issue for me. I bought two wall hanging cases from Acoustic Remedy. Expensive as hell but they work well and are very beautiful & easy access as I play every day. I use D'Addario packs with them. I have 3 very high quality acoustic guitars and getting them fixed is not a good option.
That sounds like a great solution!
Western Montana, same problems. Im running two sound hole packs in the winter because its so dry here. So far no problems. Dan
It’s the frequent and abrupt changes that damage wood guitars.
The stores have to keep the same as guitar factories.
Oh, so THAT was why my first guitar cracked during winter. Thank you, I didn't even think about that. The new place is too moist, with around 65, and the wood at the outer walls moulding happily away, and the guitar starting to bulge, but running a dehumidifier day in and out for one occasional hobby-instrument is more expensive than my guitar was.
Huh? Winters are dry, summers are wet. Running a dehumidifier in winter in backwards
@@DoctorMandible Not in my region. Summer is bone dry, Winter is moist, what once was snow, comes as rain these days. In summer it didn't rain for months, the third year in which we were close to wildfires in central europe, nearby woods actually caught fire after a lighning-stroke, but were luckily extinguished ere it could get out of hand.
@ TIL, thanks! FWIW, I use Boveda 49% humidity packs in my guitar case, which was recommended by my local guitar shop. So far, so good
This is one of the reasons why as a beginner guitarist and Ukulele player, I replaced my main wooden Guitar, Baritone Uke, and Tenor Uke with carbon fiber ones from Klos Guitars. They are out on a stand 24/7 and are the best travel instruments because they are sturdier and much more damage resistant than wood and you don't have to worry about humidity or warping with carbon fiber plus they sound absolutely amazing and just as good as a wooden guitar in the $4,000 range. I am currently saving up for a carbon fiber guitar from Emerald Guitars as they are the most incredible looking acoustic guitars I have ever seen. The only wooden guitars I currently have left are a Taylor GS Mini and a Pepe Romero Signature parlor sized classical guitar. I have them stored in their cases all the time with a humidifier packet inside.
While humidity does definitely affect acoustic guitars, the REAL enemy is high temperature.
I've had MANY vintage archtop guitars from the '40's & '50's that lived their entire lives (so far) without humidity control, and they are just fine.
My wife and I are professional musicians, and have been on the road in a travel trailer, and now stationary in the pacific Northwest. Our instruments stand all their time in a unheated/cooled vault in our truck, with no humidity control, and after 8 years, our guitars do have checking in the nitro & French polish (yes they are expensive guitars, but checking actually IMPROVES the sound), but absolutely no structural problems whatsoever.
The most important thing one can do is DO NOT let your guitars get hot, NEVER let it sit in direct sunlight, and never allow them to heat & cool rapidly (when you guitar is cold or warm, leave it in the case for a bit if bringing it indoors or a warmer or cooler place, and then open the case & allow it to farther acclimate before taking it out & playing it!!
Thanks for your comment!
yea, I live in dry Idaho, Ive never had a problem once in 30 years, with my vintage gear. I never humdify, 120yo mandolin and fragile 50yo flamenco guitars etc. . But I dont travel, I only buy local and only if the instruments have not been humidified and are already dried out. And I prefer old cedar tops already split/cracked/repaired,
@@P.B.andJam Going to Weiser Fiddle Festival?? Maybe we'll see you there?
Thanks so much. I’m buying a humidity monitor as a first step-to see if I have a problem in my guitar room. I’ll be looking at solutions for increasing or decreasing humidity as the seasons change in NC. I’m guess that currently ( a very cold December) I probably have a dry air problem, but a monitoring device will help me judge that best. Thanks again.
Thank you for the learning. Vilen dank.
🫶🏼🫶🏼
Very useful and informative video thanks!
Great video and awesome guitar shop! Thank you
Very good video guys!
Thank you!
excellent guys, well done!
Thanks!
Thanks for this video.
You're very welcome!
When the supply of quality Timbers was plentiful, the Timbers were left to season, and when sold been seasoned the timber wouldn’t twist and warp, but now with the cheaper Timbers and the greed for money, guitars are been built with green timber, when I say green, i mean unseasoned and that’s were the problems start …
Thanks for your comment Trevor!
Most are kiln drying the wood.
I was taught to put a humidifier and humidistat in every stringed instrument case I ever have. It makes it less important to keep the entire house between 45-60% and is an easy way to keep your instruments happy. Arion humiidifiers are less than 20 USD per unit and last forever. All you have to do is refill with tap water when the gel beads start to dry out every 30-60-90 days. It all depends on where they are stored and how dry it's been. Cheers.
Thanks for your comment!
Great stuff, thanks guys 👍
Also, most guitar cases leak at rates many times the absorption rate of the guitar. It's like not having a case. A garbage bag is a much better humidity barrier than most cases. Aluminum cases with gaskets are great.
I not only keep either a humidifier or dehumidifier going, depending on the readings on multiple hygrometers I keep around.
I keep most of my guitars in the case and for those I have a Boveda 49% humidity control pack in each one.
Depending on the need, it either adds humidity, or absorbs it and it's all in one gel pack.
Live in super dry western Colorado... running humidifiers 24/7 to try to keep it around 40. The outside relative humidity here is in the teens😒
Good job taking care of your guitar!
Great video
Fabulous and informative video. Very helpful guys.👍
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. Thanks!
Thanks for the tips.
Please write hunidity in > % and < % and also write in both Farenheit and Celsius degrees. please.
Thaks again. 😊
You're welcome!
I think it’s interesting that if you are a hunter, the most important piece of equipment is your rifle scope, and not the rifle. The scopes are crazy expensive. For a classical stringed musician, the cost of a bow is crazy expensive. They people don’t bat an eye. A guitar player will complain about the cost of a humidifier, or a humidor. If you have spent 5,000$ on a guitar, spend 1,000 $ on a humidor. They work well. Personally, I have a small room where I have my collection and I have a humidifier. Great information.
Thanks Justin, well said!
I've used a large home humidifier for the last 15 years....that, and an an accurate set of humidity gauges...I like to have my acoustics in the stands rdy to pick up when the urge hits :)
Great to hear Jim!
It is also very important, not to leave your acoustic instrument in your car on winter days.
Winter days (and nights) are very dry.
It may cause your top to sink and/or to crack.
I once left a vintage guild in a hot car by accident and it melted the glue to the point where the heal cap fell off. Extreme temperatures either way are never good for a guitar.
Best I can do in northern Canada is about 30% in the winter. So I keep my guitars in their cases with Oasis in my case and a Keyser in the sound hole.
Great solution!
In my experience, the real structural damage happens from high, not low humidity. I’ve had joints swell open from moisture. Never had any structural damage from low humidity. That said, totally agree vintage guitars seem indifferent to humidity. My Taylor 514, too, doesn’t seem to mind the 35%-85% humidity range of where I live, never use a humidifier of any sort, but might consider a dehumidifier based on the damage caused to one of my arch tops. But honestly, I can’t be bothered and my 60’s gibsons are indifferent to humidity.
My 1919 Gibson L-4 is not.
Archtop instruments will always react to fluctuation in air humidity.
A too moist environment will raise the bridge and the pitch of the entire instrument (and the string tension). A full tone higher is no exception.
A too dry environment will make the top sink, which will lower the pitch.
It is important, not tune the guitar up.
The top needs room to swell up again, so it's better to decrease the string tension and to increase the air humidity. Give it a few days. Then you can tune to normal pitch..
@ 1919. That’s vintage for sure. My two 60’s gibsons are an es330 and an es175. In the temp/humidity range of coastal New England and nyc, they don’t seem to change much at all. Nor do my solid body fender guitars. The only guitar I’ve ever had that was adversely affected by humidity was a Samick JZ4 arch top. That guitar spent a few days floating (inside its case) in about s feet of flood water in a basement. That’s extreme humidity! The damage that occurred was a split in the finish at the neck/body join seam. I thought the guitar was ruined, but after about a year of drying out it went back to exactly as it was before other than the seam in the finish where the join area expanded.
Anyway, I’m sure your experiences are as you describe, but so are mine. For the guitars I own, in the region I live, humidity seems to largely be a non issue.
During winter humidity indoor WILL drop to about 20% dut to the heating. If room ventilation function normal, increasing humidity to 45 is almost impossible. Only chance is a guitar case with humidifyer. But a solid well built guitar can handle low humidity, even 20%.
As long as you're conscious about the humidity level! 😉
Whole house humidifer in America, but that's on a "forced air" system.
This is an excellent video about storage.
Let's talk about taking a guitar from one spot to another.
Years ago, I carried my acoustic from the airconditioned bedroom into the hot humid summer outdoors for some shade tree picking.
Nothing cracked but the bridge flew off like a shot.
Yes, it was straightforward, clean re-glue but what a feeling that was.
46% air humidity is ideal for both, your instruments and hygiene.
They tell me sanitary is a good thing… 😆
D'darrio gel packs rock. I had major work done due to humidity issues. Luthier repaired it and insisted on the gel packs
They're great!
They do rock! I have them for my ‘54 Martin D-18 locked inside my Calton case!
Thanks!
How about oiling the fret board…using caster oil. I used it on my acoustic. Let it soak in for about 30 min then dried. That should help the neck from drying out…yes? I’m in the desert.
Yes oiling the fret board will definitely prevent it from drying out!
Heaters and A/C units suck the life out of a guitar, especially mahogany, weakening joints and angles, as the wood dries out.
I use small sponges. I cut the sponge in half, put the wet sponge inside a perforated Ziplock bag, put the bag with sponge inside, into the sound hole. To make sure the entire bag does not fall into the sound hole, I use clothesline clip to attach the outer part of the Ziplock bag to the strings. I use two humidifiers to keep the music room at 45 to 55 percent humidity. Got to keep that girls wet in winter.
Thanks for your comment!
Back east its dry in the winter. West coast is the opposite.
Good to know!
Every time when I see a guitar without snares on it, because of working on it for example, I wonder if that does or doesn't do any harm to that guitar. The neck use to be under a big amount of tension for I guess a maybe 60 kilograms.
My old Epiphone started to belly up below the bridge. A Bridge Doctor from StewMac fixed that.
Nice!
Send all your expensive Martin guitars to the UK, to me, I'll save them!! We have a relative stable humidity environment!
Sounds like a great idea... 😉
What's the song played at the begining around 12-29 seconds? Great video as always!
It reminds me of a Crosby Stills nash and Young song but can't put my finger on it
It does sound like CSNY! However, this is just Leif improvising ;)
Not sure but I heard early violin makers recommended small Apple core was put into violins for storage.
That's super interesting!
Would have to watch for mice, around here anyways.
I have no problem with my classical guitar its over 40yrs old been run in well
Good to hear!
What do you suggest if you live in a coastal community where it's always very humid during the summer?
You should probably look into a dehumidifier in that case!
My Ovation is 32 years old and has been directly blasted by airconditioners, heaters, sat by the open window in winter, night after night after sitting in a hot room most of the day. ( after a while I just didn't care I guess ) Amazingly never had a single issue.
On the flip side I have a Fender P bass that spent all of its time in a case in a climate controlled room and when I opened the case after a few months of not using it, it had 2 cracks in the body. Go figure.
An old made in USA Applause AA-14 is even stronger. Neck: aluminium with plastic. Body: carbon fibre. I'm not sure whether the top is solid or laminated.
@@gingerbeer914 Mine is a custom balladier, not sure what's inside the neck, but it seems to be wood on the outside and the top is some kind of wood.. I think it cost around$700 in '92 so not a cheap one, but nothing super expensive
An Ovation Balladeer has a deep bowl made of carbon fibre, just like the helicopter rotor blades that Kaman made.
My ex-brother-in-law has a Balladeer.
I've got a Legend, like Jim Croce had. They look very much alike, except for the gold and ebony.
I bought the 1970s Applause AA-14, because of the history. I play it outside in the summer.
@@gingerbeer914 Applause is laminated
90% here pretty much constantly :( i reset the neck about twice a year.
Hi. So 2 of the most popular Luthiers on TH-cam claim that you shouldn't be putting your wooden acoustic guitar in Humidity that high. Some of these newer instruments makers are using the Torrified baking process. You don't want to keep them in higher humidity as they are contructed to sound best at very low humidity. I never put mine in a room over 35% humidity as thats what the house naturally stays at, and have never had an issue. I'm not saying your wrong, but I think it depends on the way the wood was pretreated.
Thanks for your comment Glennie! Some guitars could definitely handle a lower humidity. But too dry can also damage the guitar so we use the percentages mentioned in the video in our store to be sure no guitars suffers any damage.
Don't get me wrong its always a good idea to take care of your guitar but everything it has a shelf life, ware & tare is part of the process and is also is what gives things there character including temperature changes, additionally if your traveling with your instrument its very difficult to follow all those do & donts....
True, wear and tear are a part of owning an acoustic guitar, but we have had vintage Martins from the 1800s that still play and sound amazing. If you take good care of your guitars they will be able to serve you your entire life, and even longer!
Why do you say the air is drier in winter? Generally there is more moisture in the air over winter. Just checked the average humidity statistics where I live and summer gets down to 38% and winter goes up to 60%. So wouldn't the most risky time be summer?
The humidity level differs a lot across different climates. If you know what humidity levels you have to deal with every season, then you can act accordingly.
Good timing, because I am dealing with this now. Its a early 82 martin D28 that has been hot rodded a bit., and its been played hard a lot . It has been refretted up to the 9th fret with oversize nickle frets,had the ebony fretboard milled down thinner and the nut replaced and properly set, a little highon purpose way back in the begining,. and also had the bridge replaced with a prewar bridge, and set up with a high action for aggressive bluegrass playing, style like Doc Watson flatpicking. The guitar is still very playable, great response, intonation,
and tone, the action is rather high and it is starting to belly some below the bridge. It needs to be reset, but that is a big pain to unglue the tone block under the bridge, but that is the worst aspect of this service and lower the action to a normal hight. Do you have a particular luthier you would recommend somewhere around Boise Idaho??Sorry , but the Netherlands is just too far, and things get stolen in the mail... In the meantime I will play with the humidity.. This is a pretty good guitar just the way it is, but after all these years it needs service.
That’s why I don’t buy expensive acoustic guitars Yamaha and orange wood make good guitars for 400.00
They sure do!
Ok … I am interested in buying a guitar from an old friend that has been neglected, and has several cracks… a couple are aggressive and large… it is a Martin…. Newer…. How should these be addressed, do I send it to Martin , or hire a Luthier local… thank you
Hire a local luthier who knows what he's doing.
Do you guys repair center cracks?
My ovasion 12 string has one 😞
We do! Feel free to contact us! You can read more here: www.tfoa.eu/reparaties
if a guitrar is pretty much in tune every time it is picked up, can we take it it's not being overly effected by humidity.
Meten is weten!
Koop een hygrometer.
En investeer in een luchtbevochtiger.
Wacht niet op de eerste barst in je bovenblad!
What song was that being played at the beginning. ?
It's an improvisation from Leif de Leeuw! :)
All of those guitars on your wall and none of them weather resistant? Do they make plastic guitars?
no wooden guitar wil ever be weather resistant.
come hang out in East Tennessee Southwest Virginia or Western Carolina in August pick an old time tune or sing a bluegrass gospel that’s when the fiddles guitars and banjos sound the best. We’ve been doing this for decades, centuries. You are not wrong, but neither are the instruments.
Onder de 47% vocht plant stofmijt zich niet voort, daarom is 46% ideaal.
What did they do in the old days? A nylon and potato,
Could very well be😅
My acoustic guitars sound the best at 40% rh.
Good to know!
These guys sound like they are Dutch? Why the hell do they need to worry about humidity? Sounds like another money spinner!!!!😂 I live in Indonesia. Humidity is always crazy here and it’s pointless trying to fight it. As soon as you play out anywhere, it’s like sitting in a sauna!😂 Even though quality woods are cheap here, most people avoid solid wood guitars and buy part/fully/laminate instruments. They are much more stable in the body but the neck joint glue will need re-set once in a while as they separate over time. The whole trans-acoustic thing is huge here as it provides more resonance/tone effect to a laminate body that needs to be stiffer and built like a tank! Anyway, as a European I notice that theres more players here, and they play way more. They don’t care about gear so much as nature/climate eats EVERYTHING here eventually!😂
The fact that we are dutch doesn't mean we don't want to inform our international customers about humidity. 😉