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Old 07-04-2011, 09:38 AM
wood nacho wood nacho is offline
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Default How long does it take a guitar to 'dry out'?

Hi

I have a Breedlove OM Revival series and that is in need of a new saddle. I installed a UST but didn't sand the saddle down to a perfectly flat bottom so the string to string volume is way off. So, I've found someone who can make me a new custom bone saddle. The problem is that my guitar for the past month or so has spent it's days in the humidity range of 60-80%, I just got a dehumidifier the other day and now it is 'drying out'. I do not want to have the saddle made up until the guitar the woods have shrunk so that the saddle will be setup for a guitar in the correct humidity range.

How long does it take for a guitar to adjust to the correct humidity?

Thanks.
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Old 07-04-2011, 09:47 AM
vintageom vintageom is offline
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Default over humidification

I agree with your decision to let the guitar normalize and become stable before doing the task you describe. It will be with you for hopefully many great years and needs to be done right.

I am not an expert on guessing the amount of time for your guitar to "dry out" to the proper humidity range, but luthiers are, and also Taylor has done lots of articles on the subject and I believe a DVD on the topic which could help. I would call them and they would direct you to the resource best equipped to handle your inquiry.


Good luck.
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Old 07-04-2011, 09:54 AM
Joseph Hanna Joseph Hanna is offline
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My Breedlove Revival 000R is the single most humidity sensitive guitar I've ever encountered. Last summer (after realizing how sensitive it was) it took me well into the fall before the ring finally returned, that despite attempts to keep the ac on even when outside temperatures didn't call for ac.

I have however found the Planet Waves Humidipak really, really works as long as your case is a tight fit closed. The best de-humidifier I found to date and it may indeed speed up the drying process.
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Old 07-04-2011, 01:56 PM
fingerstyle2 fingerstyle2 is offline
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I don't think it should take more than a few days if it is exposed directly to the dehumidified air (i.e., it's out on a stand in a room with a dehumidifier running and not closed up in its case).

I recall a study that was done for 20th Century Guitar magazine many years ago in which they subjected a solid wood acoustic to high, then low humidity. They used a wood moisture content meter to gauge the extent and speed with which the wood was gaining, then losing, moisture. I recall that it took not much more than a day for a guitar to substantially dry out after being exposed to high humidity.

David
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