Protecting your guitar through the winter months
I have owned a guitar for many years, and have been only vaguely aware of the need to protect one's guitar from the dry indoor heat during the winter months. Simple question: During the winter, how critical is it to keep your guitar in a case when not using it, and is a humidifier really necessary? Thanks in advance to my more knowledgable friends and fellow students.
- neverfoundthetime
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We need a humidifier here in winter Jay just for us, I'm sure it's really helping my 2 Takamines too!! Wood is a "live" material. I have seen a guitar split because of being in ultra dry winter indoor conditions.
I use a sound-hole humidifier and keep my guitar in its case, just to be on the safe side. We have forced-air heat in our place which runs practically from November to May. It gets crazy dry in our house, so it makes sense that a wood guitar could dry out if left out all winter. My humidifier was not expensive ($20).
- neverfoundthetime
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- Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
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Dave, you're just winding us up! Glad YOU have sunshineI live in Israel -- we don't have a winter...problem solved!
Hallo Jay.
For the two years i play guitar,i have them in a case.
This is for me the first time that my Yamaha guitar is not in his case.
I can pick it up when i will play.
But when i pick up my normal live,she is then in site her case,
Greetz Anton :laugh:
For the two years i play guitar,i have them in a case.
This is for me the first time that my Yamaha guitar is not in his case.
I can pick it up when i will play.
But when i pick up my normal live,she is then in site her case,
Greetz Anton :laugh:
Once wood has dried out it's cell structure is basically closed. But guitars made in an area of high moisture content then moved to a dry area may continue to dry out slightly.
Since most guitar woods are sawn with a internal moisture content of less than 10%, it is pretty tought to dry them out much more. Conversely, wood that has fully dried won't absorb much moisture either. You can submerge a piece kiln dried lumber for months in a water and the moisture content will change only slightly.
I think where the problem arises is when the woods used in a guitar are different, like the bracing wood or the top and back and have different moisture contents. If they dry differently there might be movement which could lead to problems.
I think in-guitar humidification isn't really necessary but it could help a newer guitar reach equilization at a more controlled rate.
:cheer:
Since most guitar woods are sawn with a internal moisture content of less than 10%, it is pretty tought to dry them out much more. Conversely, wood that has fully dried won't absorb much moisture either. You can submerge a piece kiln dried lumber for months in a water and the moisture content will change only slightly.
I think where the problem arises is when the woods used in a guitar are different, like the bracing wood or the top and back and have different moisture contents. If they dry differently there might be movement which could lead to problems.
I think in-guitar humidification isn't really necessary but it could help a newer guitar reach equilization at a more controlled rate.
:cheer:
BigBear wrote:
You know Bear that actually made perfect sense to me, engineering geek talk is usually including cos and sine and angles and all sorts x= y stuff but that actually made sense. I have never taken any particular steps for protecting my guitars, but I have been dropping hints for an psychrometer or hygrometer for xmas, you get them with mini household weather stations, more for interest sake than need.Once wood has dried out it's cell structure is basically closed. But guitars made in an area of high moisture content then moved to a dry area may continue to dry out slightly.
Since most guitar woods are sawn with a internal moisture content of less than 10%, it is pretty tought to dry them out much more. Conversely, wood that has fully dried won't absorb much moisture either. You can submerge a piece kiln dried lumber for months in a water and the moisture content will change only slightly.
I think where the problem arises is when the woods used in a guitar are different, like the bracing wood or the top and back and have different moisture contents. If they dry differently there might be movement which could lead to problems.
I think in-guitar humidification isn't really necessary but it could help a newer guitar reach equilization at a more controlled rate.
:cheer: