The joys of living in a "guitar neutral" climate

[Glennwillow]

The west coast seems to be good in terms of relative humidity. I don't worry where I am except for a few really cold periods in the winter.

- Glenn

[Monty Christo]

Originally Posted by raysachs

This move was/is intended to be our last move. We wanted to spend our remaining years (we're both early/mid 60s) in places where we could see both of our daughters in relaxed settings, ie, live close enough to them where we can spend a good amount of casual time together rather than fly in

I could have written that myself. My wife and I are in the midst of making this very same decision. My son will likely never live in our part of the country again, and moving closer will eliminate stressful flights, long road trips, and intense weeklong visits.

Originally Posted by raysachs

I'm glad we did it now rather than trying to when we're 10 years older.

Yep -- at 63, there's still time for one more big adventure.

Congratulations on finding happiness in Oregon. Your music room looks like an awesome space to generate creativity!

[rmp]

I have to say, I don't really worry about it, it's just the "way it is" in where the folk from New England areas dwell.

/"The other Ray"

[Sadie-f]

That's a beautiful Acoustic Remedy case you've got there Ray! I went with their lowest cost option, pyramid shape, I guess ash wood :-). I'm loving the stained glass decoration you have hanging on the string swing, I am gonna steal this idea, ty!

I see you're not taking any chances with .. looks like 6 Boveda packs :-). .. mine is setup with 4, every few weeks I recharge over distilled water in a sealed glass container, 1 pair at a time. This spring is shaping up a lot like last summer in New England, we've seen far too many days with inside humidity down in the 30s. If it drops to 30 for more than 12 hours, I move my OM-28 into a humidified case.

This has me almost missing winter, when I can set the humidifier for 45%, til as needed and the guitars on walls / stand just stay well tuned.

[Lillis]

Well I have a large dehumidifier here in south Florida that takes about three gallons of water out of the air a day. Keeps the humidity perfect though. Much better than when I lived in Indiana.

[mcduffnw]

Once again congrats and welcome to Oregon!!!

You live in a wonderful area down at the end of the Willamette Valley...and with Bend a few hours drive to your due east, and Florence and the Oregon Coast a few hours to your due west, you are sitting in a terrific "sweet spot"

Your music room/office is great looking, and ever so much more tidy than I fear I could ever pull off.

Have a great life down there and enjoy the guitar wonders of a very stable climate where you can have, and leave, your muses out at your fingertips all the live long day.

Now we have to get all of our Willamette Valley AGF family together somewhere between you and me for fabulous guitar summit.


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Lillis

Well I have a large dehumidifier here in south Florida that takes about three gallons of water out of the air a day. Keeps the humidity perfect though. Much better than when I lived in Indiana.

I keep a good size dehumidifier in North Carolina and I’d say I use it about half the time down there - in the winter…

-Ray

[Scolaguitar]

We moved from the Phoenix area to Oregon 12 years ago and when I took in a guitar for a set up it had the dangling sponge humidifier in the sound hole. At the place where I took it, they kind of laughed and said how they hadn't seen one of those in ages and I don't think I've ever seen these type of devices for sale in the music stores around here.

Our basement has a dehumidifier running most of the time but that's nothing to do with the guitars upstairs.

[Rosewood99]

I live in the south east coast, and have never had to put my guitars in their cases for the last 12 years. A couple of weeks a year I have to run a room humidifier, I and also a couple of weeks and year I have to run a dehumidifier.

[jricc]

Ray, that's great you and your guitars have acclimated to your new home and environment! Love that guitar room/studio, it's so bright and open looking.
Congrats on your your soon to be 2nd grandchild too!

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by rmp

"The other Ray"

I thought I was the other Ray…

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by jricc

Congrats on your your soon to be 2nd grandchild too!

Thanks! It’s not public knowledge yet, but I figure nobody here knows the my extended family folks who haven’t been told yet. But my wife and I are REAL happy and excited!

-Ray

[TedBPhx]

There’s a luthier here in Phoenix that at one time offered instruments made from locally grown and seasoned woods and claimed they’re acclimatized. No need for the constant humidity concerns.

Not sure I believe that would work. The guitar maybe acclimatized but I enjoy the heater in winter and need the AC in summer. They were priced as one would expect from a knowledgeable experienced luthier but I haven’t seen the ads in awhile.

[docwatsonfan]

Originally Posted by TedBPhx

There’s a luthier here in Phoenix that at one time offered instruments made from locally grown and seasoned woods and claimed they’re acclimatized. No need for the constant humidity concerns.

Not sure I believe that would work. The guitar maybe acclimatized but I enjoy the heater in winter and need the AC in summer. They were priced as one would expect from a knowledgeable experienced luthier but I haven’t seen the ads in awhile.

I think I know who that luthier is
this from his website.....

Our wood is acquired from only the most reputable suppliers and then acclimated in Arizona for quite some time before use. Obviously we build a dry country guitar, thus we don’t encounter the problems of shrinkage, and warping that other eastern manufacturers experience when their instruments are brought out west. This supports an age-old luthier’s truism: you’d rather bring a dry guitar into a moist environment than a moist guitar into a dry environment.

OP congrats on the move and new environment!
ps: my brother lives in Springfield!

[kevinplarson]

Question - and I know a hard one to answer - but what would be the threshold of too low or too high that would get you concerned? 30 and 60 maybe or what? I know Martin says 45-55 range. I just wonder if I’m too worried about it.