Question for Martin HPL owners

[l8tstartr]

I'm thinking of buying a guitar to leave out on a stand. Carbon fiber is not in the budget.
I was wondering how HPL guitar owners care for their guitars. Do you leave them out or in the case with humidity control?

[00Buck]

My Martin 00x1, along with all my other guitars, has been hanging on the wall for 5 or 6 years. I don't worry about it. I use a room humidifier during the winter months, but roll with the punches the rest of the year. Unless you live in an extremely dry or extremely humid area, you don't really have to worry about it.

[Fresh1985]

I have a little martin lxm which I leave out on the stand constantly and do absolutely nothing with in terms if humidity control. I think its pretty safe to do so with HPL guitars.

I have owned it for 5 years and havent noticed any negative effects whatsoever.

I have even bashed mine quite heavily several times and there isnt a scratch on it! HPL seems to be a very tough material.

A great choice if you want to leave it out all the time IMHO.

[docwatsonfan]

Originally Posted by l8tstartr

I'm thinking of buying a guitar to leave out on a stand. Carbon fiber is not in the budget.
I was wondering how HPL guitar owners care for their guitars. Do you leave them out or in the case with humidity control?

I live in the Phoenix area

my LX1 is....

right next to a doggy/cat door

so it gets hot / cold air all the time, dry , wet air

mostly dry single digit humidity , average humidity in the house is probably 20 - 25%

I never humidify, and never worry

the guitar hasn't moved in the 5-8 years I've had it , it has a super straight neck, low action, tall saddle, and NO cracks...

back and sides are worry proof...

now my other guitars, that is another story....

always cased, with home made humidifiers, and under the bed, in a dark room!

My 000X1 is 8 years old and has been left in very high humidity spaces for most of that time. It has also seen lots of performances, and not all of them have been in the best of conditions. The guitar has been rained on, kicked off the stand (by accident), and subjected to other forms of abuse that I did not want my other guitars to experience. This is why I bought this guitar. The neck is straight as an arrow, there is no other warping, and the guitar sounds and plays great.

[AZLiberty]

The Martin X series with Spruce tops are more likely to be damaged by low humidity than solid wood instruments.

As humidity drops, the spruce shrinks, and the HPL does not. Seen more of these with cracked tops in AZ than just about anything else.


The Martin X series with the HPL tops on the other hand are pretty impervious to humidity changes. I do think that the spruce topped ones sound considerably better though.

[TBone-Idle]

My HPL back-and-sides Martin LX1 came with a care booklet that advises against hanging it on a wall or keeping it on a stand and it further states that the only place to keep the guitar is in its case. There is no explanation as to why, though.

On saying that, I do keep mine on a stand for prolonged periods with no apparent ill effects.

[Greg Ballantyne]

I don't know where the idea came from that you need some other guitar to keep outside the case. At the same time, I'm not sure where the idea comes from that keeping a guitar in its case is protective from low humidity.

Keep the guitars handy that you want handy. Cases only slow down abrupt changes in humidity - that is it. After 24 hours (or less) the humidity inside the case is the same as it is in the general area. If your guitars are doing OK inside, they'll do just as fine outside. Of course the exception being if there is humidity control inside the case, but a cheap room humidifier along with a cheap digital hygrometer may end up both easier and cheaper than case humidification.

[Davis Webb]

I have owned several, like 5-6 Martin HPLs.

You must humidify them. They are particularly susceptible to humidity, more than other brands, I do not know why. Their build is such that if the humidity is not right, it will take numerous adjustments on your bridge to get it not to buzz.

They need extremely careful humidity control or you will have a lot of aggravation. One got so bad just hanging in a store without control that it needed a neck adjustment at Ring Music, something they rarely suggest for a new guitar.

If you want humidity change resistance, its not going to happen with acoustics. Even my Ovation became unplayable by leaving it close to a radiator for a few weeks! It now buzzes permanently with a bridge lift and its $$ to get it fixed.

Case, humidifier, that's the only way with wood. Or room humidification.

[Davis Webb]

Originally Posted by Greg Ballantyne

a cheap room humidifier along with a cheap digital hygrometer may end up both easier and cheaper than case humidification.

Not really, a case humidifier is $20. A room humidifier that does not need constant new filters at $30 a pop is going to run you $300 or more, the Sears Kenmore is a standard. It is sufficient to get a cheap hygrometer to hang on the wall and keep it over 40%. I find that when it gets to as high as 77% there are no deleterious changes, its that humidity right now in my guitar room and all is well. Low humidity is the bandit and the solution is pretty cheap.

[lowrider]

I've seen a lot of Martin X guitars on craigslist with top cracks so................

[Shades of Blue]

I've also been thinking about getting a "beater" guitar for leaving in a stand and taking to outdoor jams and such. I think a Martin HPL would be a great choice.

Although, my ultimate dream is for a beat up looking vintage Martin, so might as well just use the crap out of my D-18. Ain't gonna get that look from sleeping in the case all day...

[tnez13]

Originally Posted by Greg Ballantyne

Cases only slow down abrupt changes in humidity - that is it. After 24 hours (or less) the humidity inside the case is the same as it is in the general area.

Based on my own experience, I disagree with this statement. I move my solid wood guitar into its case anytime the room humidity drops below 40%. The humidity inside the case will remain 55% or higher regardless of the room humidity using a sound hole sponge and bagged sponge at the head. I use an AirCare humidifier in the room with my guitars. Depending on the tightness of the case and how often you wet the sponges, the humidity in the case can be maintained higher than the room for quite awhile.

For what it's worth, I have an all laminate guitar that is never cased and has endured long stretches in a car while camping with no perceived ill effects. Laminate seems pretty stable regardless of climate.

[beyeond]

Originally Posted by Davis Webb

I have owned several, like 5-6 Martin HPLs.

You must humidify them. They are particularly susceptible to humidity, more than other brands, I do not know why. Their build is such that if the humidity is not right, it will take numerous adjustments on your bridge to get it not to buzz.

They need extremely careful humidity control or you will have a lot of aggravation. One got so bad just hanging in a store without control that it needed a neck adjustment at Ring Music, something they rarely suggest for a new guitar.

If you want humidity change resistance, its not going to happen with acoustics. Even my Ovation became unplayable by leaving it close to a radiator for a few weeks! It now buzzes permanently with a bridge lift and its $$ to get it fixed.

Case, humidifier, that's the only way with wood. Or room humidification.

My Martin HPL dread with spruce top has this problem. I bought it used at Guitar Center, and by the time I got home it was unplayable. I was new toacoustic guitars then and didn't even understand how this was possible. The action on it was incredibly low, which probably contributed, but it somehow went from playing great to full buzz on every string in a matter of an hour.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

HPL Martins with HPL tops should be fine left out, but keep in mind that the neck and braces are still wood.