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Mailing List >
Humidity and your Guitar
November 24, 2007
Well, the cold weather is finally upon us and just like
anything else, you need to prepare your guitar (or any
other wooden instrument) for the winter. Here is
information about humidity, courtesy of the Martin Guitar
Website (www.martinguitar.com)
Keep your guitar in good health!
-Becky
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"Your guitar is made of thin wood which is easily affected
by temperature and humidity. This combination is the most
important single part of your guitar’s surroundings. Martin
keeps the factory at a constant 45-55 percent humidity and
72-77 degrees Fahrenheit. If either humidity or temperature
get far away from these factory conditions, your guitar is
in danger. A rapid change in temperature or exposure to
cold can cause small cracks in the finish. These are
lacquer checks. We recommend the use of a hygrometer/
thermometer to measure the relative humidity and
temperature surrounding your guitar.
As humidity increases, moisture content of wood goes up
rapidly, causing it to expand and swell. A gradual increase
in humidity won’t generally do permanent damage to your
instrument. When very high humidity is combined with high
temperature, glue joints could possibly become weakened and
may even open slightly. If your guitar is exposed to high
temperature or humidity for any length of time, the glue
under the bridge could weaken causing the bridge to pull
off.
Rapid changes in local humidity are what you want to guard
against. If, for instance, you place your guitar near a
source of dry heat, the humidity around it will drop much
faster than it would naturally, although a sudden dry spell
can have the same effect. If the moisture content of wood
is forced down in a hurry, portions of it shrink faster
than others, causing cracks and open joints. Don’t set your
instrument next to a source of heat or hang it on a wall
where it will dry out. At all costs, avoid hanging your
guitar on an outside wall during winter months. The wall
will be cooler than the inside air. The result is a
conflict between the temperature of the top and back, with
potential damage as a result.
Should the guitar be exposed to freezing temperatures, let
it warm to room temperature while still in its case. This
lets it come up to room temperature more slowly, decreasing
the possibility of wood and finish cracks.
Caution should be taken if you choose to use a humidifier
to combat low humidity. Moisture in direct contact with the
guitar could cause damage, as can the rubber or vinyl parts
of a humidifier.
We recommend storing your guitar in its case when not in
use. Humidity is easier to control in a smaller space.
Don’t bother loosening the strings when putting your guitar
away unless it won’t be used again for several months.
Constantly tightening and loosening strings quickly ruins
their sound.
The Martin hard case supports the neck and body of your
guitar as evenly as possible. It’s important that you don’t
let anything lie under the head (the tuning machine end),
as this could damage the neck and body."
(courtesy of the Martin Guitar Website,
www.martinguitar.com)
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