Do you need to humidify a guitar with layered back and sides?

[PeteyPower16]

I live in New York State where it gets extremely dry in the cold winter.

I have an all-solid-wood guitar and I use an Oasis humidfying unit to keep it in a reasonable range. I also have a guitar with a solid top and layered back and sides?

Do I need to humidify the solid top guitar with layered back and sides?

Do others have experience with the Oasis system, and are there others that folks prefer and have experience with?

Thanks for your input!

[KevinH]

Bit of a vague question. Even though the humidity may vary wildly outside where you live, the most important thing is what the humidity is where your guitars are stored. And, even though the sides and back are laminated, the solid top, braces, etc will shrink and swell with humidity changes. So I voted yes - although, again, it depends on how large your indoor humidity swings are.

[Ralph124C41]

Originally Posted by PeteyPower16

I live in New York State where it gets extremely dry in the cold winter.

I have an all-solid-wood guitar and I use an Oasis humidfying unit to keep it in a reasonable range. I also have a guitar with a solid top and layered back and sides?

Do I need to humidify the solid top guitar with layered back and sides?

Do others have experience with the Oasis system, and are there others that folks prefer and have experience with?

Thanks for your input!

Like you, I live in New York state.
Like you, I have a guitar with laminated (layered) back and sides and solid top.
Unlike you (I hope) ... I have a guitar with laminated (layered) back and sides and a solid top ... and a ugly top surface crack from a few years ago when I failed to properly humidify my instrument. It has been repaired (the first time for some reason the tech didn't use cleats and it opened up and I had to have it done a second time) but it's too expensive to be refinished so that ugly scar is a reminder to me to take care of my instruments better and not to mess around with Mother Nature.

Sorry, this is my longwinded response to the post: YES you have to take care of your guitar with the laminated/layered back and sides because it has a solid top and that is still prone to damage and the top provides most of the sound of your guitar.

[hermithollow]

The way I laminate backs and sides (sequence matched veneers ) they act like solid wood and will crack like solid wood if they are kept in extremely dry conditions. And the solid spruce tops are also prone to crack in extremely dry conditions.
Laminated backs and sides with cross plys (plywood) can withstand dry conditions better - they just don't act the same as solid wood. When subjected to extreme conditions they tend to "check" over time. However if you have a solid top you still need to be mindful of the conditions it is kept in.

[donlyn]

Do you need to humidify a guitar with layered back and sides?


PeteyPower16,

I live in Boston, where it gets very dry due to indoor heating in the winter. In winter, I also use an Oasis system for each of my guitars and ukuleles, including laminate body instruments. My two laminate body guitars have solid tops, so I figure it can't hurt just in case. Many ukuleles also have laminated bodies and solid tops, and I humidify those too.

So my answer to "do you need to humidify a guitar with layered back and sides?", the answer is 'maybe' or 'unknown', but I do not take such a chance. I figure it can't hurt to play it safe.

And I do not need any personal guitar horror stories like the one related by Ralph124C41.

Don
.

[BillyMays]

Is it thin and is it wood? If so, pay attention to the humidity if you want it to last. Especially since these instruments are under a decent amount of tension.

[scotchnspeed]

Do you mean laminated?

[Ralph124C41]

Originally Posted by donlyn

Do you need to humidify a guitar with layered back and sides?




And I do not need any personal guitar horror stories like the one related by Ralph124C41.

Don
.

I am sorry that offended you. But it happened.

[donlyn]

Ralph124C41,

No worries. I am not offended by your story per se. I think of it as a cautionary tale. But if I contemplated that happening to one of my instruments, I would be horrified.



Don
.

[Mike McLenison]

In the dry southwest (9-15% humidity mostly), I found that a soundhole humidifier alone was inadequate. I had an Epiphone case that was quite long and I keep my Martin in it with a coffee cup full of water as well as a Nomad soundhole humidifier. The coffee cup resides past the headstock with 1/2" clearance. It stays on the floor with the lid closed when not playing. No one else lives with me and no pets so hopefully no accidents. Works well. No more sharp fret ends, lol.

Here's a pic: Cup o'water & Nomad in soundhole

https://justpaste.it/img/small/9e7c5...df11f3c0cf.jpg

[Robin, Wales]

Come and live in a stone house in Wales built in 1820; you won't need to humidify anything!!!!!!!

[Peter Z]

The third choice should be: „it depends“

I have a Martin DM that literally exploded (or imploded, don’t know) because of humidity changes on a trip to Norway.

Then I have a Hagström that doesn’t move tiny bit between 18% to 85% (tested every year).
And my Breedlove moves a bit.

[yaharadelta]

I would say that a solid top should be humidified. Solid wood can expand and contract with changes in humidity, and the fact that the rest of the guitar is a laminate material will have no effect on whether or not the top wants to move across the grain.

[JERZEY]

All guitars made out of wood have humidification standards. Even if its a Chinese 80$ toaster with laminated back and sides.

[Mandobart]

The only instrument I have with a cracked top is my old Applause 6 string with a plastic (lyrachord) body and aluminum neck/fretboard unit. The only wood used in this guitar is in the soundboard and braces.