So how humid does it have to be?

[Minte]

what the hell is a greenie weenie? I know I certain regret googling it....

Its my first real wood acoustic, so Im looking for some reassurance that its not going to split wide open the next time I open the case, its a my nightmare right now basically

Yea, Googling that might have been an eye opener!

 

[Laggspike]

All I know is that my guitar screams like hell when it rains outside

 

[GitFiddle]

Herco case humidifiers.

They are better than diy sponge jobs because they dissipate moisture more evenly and slowly.

And they're cheap.

I would never put a humidifying device inside a guitar. I have seen guitars ruined by leaks (Oasis in particular). Sure maybe it only happens one in a thousand times, but I prefer none in a thousand times safety!

Do these just sit in the pocket inside the case? Will that still let the moisture circulate?

 

[Freddy G]

Do these just sit in the pocket inside the case? Will that still let the moisture circulate?

Yes just as long as the case is closed, it distributes moisture throughout the inside of the case. I've tested this with a digital hygrometer that has a min and max history setting.

 

[GitFiddle]

Yes just as long as the case is closed, it distributes moisture throughout the inside of the case. I've tested this with a digital hygrometer that has a min and max history setting.

Thanks Freddy. I have a '70 D18 that spends a lot of time in the case. Would probably benefit from one of these.

 

[Bill Hicklin]

I have a Gibson J-185 that I bought while living near the beach.

I bought it in 2005, I think. I moved to the high desert in 2008.

This year I noticed long cracks in the lacquer had begun to form.

So yeah, dry climates will effect your guitar. If you don't want this happening, I'd suggest an aftermarket humidifier.

That's my advice on a lacquer-finished guitar. I've seen several poly-finished guitars up here, and I've yet to see any checking or cracks on them.

But with acoustics it's not just the finish humidity can affect. Shrinkage can belly the top, screw up the action and in extreme cases make a neck reset necessary

 

[Freddy G]

But with acoustics it's not just the finish humidity can affect. Shrinkage can belly the top, screw up the action and in extreme cases make a neck reset necessary

Truth!

 

[Bytor1958]

I use these.

 

[Meatwad]

During the really dry winter months, I use both the Planet Waves soundhole humidifiers, and homemade soap dish humidifiers.

My place is pretty drafty, and I have all electric heat. You'd be surprised how quick that combination sucks the water right outta those things.
I don't go as far as monitoring with a gauge, but so far after many cold dry winters, no cracks.

I don't worry about my electrics so much, but on my old Strat, I'd notice that fret sprout became pretty prominent in the winter. That's probably a bigger concern for Gibsons with fretboard binding, as I have seen the binding split where the frets are.

ETA: The best thing to do with those Planet Waves units is to throw away the wimpy little sponges that come with them and jam a big piece of an O-Cel-O sponge in it's place. They hold way more water, so you don't have to fill them as often.

 

[Brians Evil Twin]

Taylor says 45%. That is the standard I use. I also live in the high desert and it can be a PITA to maintain sometimes!

In PA, the summers are humid, easily 50% so I do nothing.

In the winter it can get down to 20% or less so I have a floor humidifier running constantly in addition to a whole-house HVAC humdidifier.

I try to keep it above 40%, that's the commonly accepted wisdom.

I have several acoustics, some hollow bodies, a few semis, and a bunch of solids.

So far, so good.

 

[Fritz]

40% to 50% using a good quality digital hygrometer.
I lean toward 50%.
Better over than under.

 

[Bill Hicklin]

I think regions with high seasonal variation are tougher on guitars than places that are arid year-round. While 30% or so is probably fine for a git that spends its life in Nevada, because it's never exposed to a lot more than that, here on the east coast the natural humidity can run from well under 20 in winter to 100 in summer, and in the house the heating and air conditioning add cycles to the cycles (e.g. damp springs with open windows followed by the AC going on until late September)