How did they humidify in the 20s, 30s, 40, 50s, 60s etc... - Page 4

rob2966 · #46 02-19-2018, 12:38 PM

When I was a kid (about 40 years ago) I recall that my Dad always had a case humidifer for his classical guitar (we lived in the Arctic, very dry). It was one of those perforated hose types (like the Dampit humidifier). So obviously by the early 70's protecting acoustics from low RH was well understood.

Later
Rob

AcousticDreams · #47 02-19-2018, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwellsy

I think old timers understood humidity quit well. they had a different vocabulary about it. But, they figured out how to stay comfortable. And if they were comfortable their instruments were comfortable.

They didn't have AC or forced air heat sucking the moisture out, and every picture of a wood stove had a water kettle on it.

A lot of great comments and information on this post...really enjoying it. For the very early days...I think that this comment about not having AC or forced heat made a great difference...and maybe the most important is that wood stoves always had a Tea pot on them. Forgetting about the guitars health...people just did not like feeling too dry. Made the skin itchy. And the tea pot put moisture into the air. You will see this in many old time movies as well.

rokdog49 · #48 02-19-2018, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

A lot of great comments and information on this post...really enjoying it. For the very early days...I think that this comment about not having AC or forced heat made a great difference...and maybe the most important is that wood stoves always had a Tea pot on them. Forgetting about the guitars health...people just did not like feeling too dry. Made the skin itchy. And the tea pot put moisture into the air. You will see this in many old time movies as well.

Not just old time America, you can still see this all over America where wood-burning stoves are the prime source of heat or even supplemental.
My son burns wood all winter and has a pot of water on the stove always.

AHill · #49 02-19-2018, 01:36 PM

Well, Gibson was certainly thinking about humidity as early as 1909. Turn to page 32 (last page) in the 1909 Gibson Catalog, where they recommend their guitars are protected from extremes in temperature and humidity. They don't tell you how to protect your instrument from those extremes - only just to avoid them.

http://acousticmusic.wpengine.com/wp...-Catalog-B.pdf

Goodallboy · #50 02-19-2018, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZLiberty

It's almost impossible to find a 20 or 30 year guitar around here without numerous top crack repairs. (or unrepaired cracks) Actually I see lots of 3-4 year old guitars with top cracks.

I'm going with "they didn't think about it" and the guitars "were NOT fine".

This isn't my experience, it's not "almost impossible" to find a guitar of that quality, at least in the Southeast U.S..

I easily found my friend a '67 Martin D-18S that was in exceptional condition. It takes some searching, but it's not almost impossible.

rokdog49 · #51 02-19-2018, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

This isn't my experience, it's not "almost impossible" to find a guitar of that quality, at least in the Southeast U.S..

I easily found my friend a '67 Martin D-18S that was in exceptional condition. It takes some searching, but it's not almost impossible.

I think he meant "around here" as in Arizona...understandable.

gfspencer · #52 02-19-2018, 05:25 PM

I bought my first Martin (D-21) in 1962. I didn't know anything about humidification until sometime around 2000. My guitars were fine.

JohnW63 · #53 02-19-2018, 05:54 PM

I suspect part of the reason SOME people have had no issues and others have seen plenty of them is WHERE THEY LIVE.

I read posts about RH here and how nervous people are when they get in the 30s for RH. Or how people post "this is all over blown" and they live where the RH has a yearly average of 50%. Of course your guitar will be fine when it's not that dry where you live. I just checked my gauge right now. It says, " LL " which I refer to as Ludicrously Low. In real numbers, it's under 20%. I need to soak and clean my humidifier filters. My Ovation lived for 30+ years with no issues I was aware of in these conditions, but now that I know what to look for, I can see the body has sunk in a bit, behind the bridge. My newer guitars have the action move up or down, depending on the humidity. I like a low action so I can tell when the strings start to buzz when I have a capo on the 7th fret. So, I now humidify. I don't obsess about it, but my goal is to get it UP to the 30 FH range.

The old guitars ? The probably split, just like new ones, and people tossed them, unless they were high end or had sentimental attachment to them. I would love to find out how many of the really old survivors were from naturally higher RH locations that kept them in good shape.

jseth · #54 02-19-2018, 09:49 PM

Well, I haven't been around for the last 100 years (contrary to what some may say!), but I can tell you that, since the 60's I have humidified my acoustic guitars when the rh% was low enough to have the skin on my hands start cracking...

I've used the "small, shallow plastic container with holes poked in the top and a damp sponge inside" method up around the headstock area since back then; I also used a "Damp-It" gizmo (which have been around for 40 years or more) - a piece of absorbant material encased in a long-ish rubber tube with holes poked in it tha hangs down from the strings into the guitar's body...

Nowadays, I use the Planet Waves ones that have a small sponge in them and fit between the strings...

I believe that violinists placed an apple half (or some such) inside their cases to keep humidity appropriate, but I'm not certain.