Woods for very hot and humid situations

[Jamiejoon]

Hi all, I have a question for luthiers and others of you who have investigated this:

On occasion I travel to hot places with ultra-high humidity, and like most of you I pretty much always want to have a guitar with me.

Everyone talks about mahogany as a safe choice, but are there other back and side woods that would work as well? And how about tops? Would cedar work better or worse than spruce? I assume redwood would not work quite as well, no?

I always bring humidipaks, keep the guitar in its case when not played, etc, but after a few days in a really humid place - the Amazon, for example - the humidity conquers all.

I would appreciate your thoughts.

Jamie

[IndianHillMike]

My understanding is that torrefication can help reduce movement from humidity but I don't have any hard data to back that up. It also might be worth considering laminating the back and sides, stiffening up the neck (carbon fiber, for example), and using a less hydroscopic wood (ie. not ebony) for the fingerboard.

[SuperB23]

As far as I know wood doesn't do well in that situation no matter the species. Brands like CA, Rainsong and Emerald exist because of this. I have a Rainsong WS1000 that I use in situations like what you are describing. Maybe someone more in the know will prove me wrong but I thought most wood species contract and expand when there is drastic levels of moisture or no moisture in the air.

[Tim McKnight]

Not only are wood choices important but even more so the cut of the woods. Accurately quartersawn wood will always have far less tangential swelling and shrinkage issues than rift and quartersawn woods. Builders that seal the inside of their guitars will also slow, but never completely stop, the atmospheric affects on wood movement.

Bobby makes an excellent suggestion that carbon fiber guitars may be your best bet for your particular situation.

[Mark Hatcher]

I’d suggest Honduran Mahogany, Indian Rosewood, Myrtle and Granadilla woods for back and side as they are less affected by heat and humidity. Stay away from Gaboon Black Ebony fretboards.
Western Red Cedar is one of the least affected top woods.

As been said already well quartered wood is important.
A decent insulated case doesn’t hurt either.

Good Luck!

[Bruce Sexauer]

Not mentioned that I see, but equally important if you go with wood: smaller (narrower) is better. An all H. mahogany 00 is my general call for guitars that are kept on boats. A single 0 is better yet, but bigger folk can find them a bit like a fresh cherry pit between the fingers.

[FrankCousins]

Originally Posted by Jamiejoon

but after a few days in a really humid place - the Amazon, for example

I am sort of thinking this is like:

''you built a time machine out of a Delorean?

''you took an expensive guitar up the Amazon?"


Go small body all mahogany - top and all - or a Tele and a small amp

[Jamiejoon]

Thanks everyone for your responses so far. I need to be more open-minded about composite guitars...I just really prefer the idea of a wood guitar, especially if I am in a pristine place. I don't expect that to make sense to most people.

Yes, I brought an Indian Rosewood Petros to the Peruvian Amazon - twice. Also Honduras, Panama, and the Yucatan. It survived. I don't think it makes sense to keep tempting fate, however.

I am leaning all-mahogany 00, pending other ideas from the group.

[The Bard Rocks]

Port Orford Cedar, in my understanding, probably the best top wood for these kind of situations.

[j. Kinnaird]

I think an all Spanish cedar guitar body and neck with a western red cedar top would be quite stable, very pretty, sound great, and in a visesnut case you would have to tether it to prevent it from becoming airborne. It would be a very friendly traveling companion

[Jamiejoon]

Originally Posted by j. Kinnaird

I think an all Spanish cedar guitar body and neck with a western red cedar top would be quite stable, very pretty, sound great, and in a visesnut case you would have to tether it to prevent it from becoming airborne. It would be a very friendly traveling companion

OH! Now that is a lovely suggestion, John.

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by Jamiejoon

OH! Now that is a lovely suggestion, John.

Look at this Spanish Cedar that Kinnaird west just finished up. If it can look like this and withstand the elements, I see no reason to look further!!!!

[Jamiejoon]

Yes indeed, Tom. I love Spanish cedar. And the Kinnaird brothers.

[MarkLee]

I think what you're looking for is the woods with the least volumetric shrinkage, which will be the most stable over a range of humidity. Redwood has the best stability in this regard, followed by cedar. That attribute is why they're common in outdoor decking.

Laminates would also be a contender for high stability in humidity, so a solid redwood or cedar top and laminated back and sides would be a great option.

[gitarro]

Jamie, you may want want try all-carbon fiber guitars like emerald or rainsong guitars for absolutely worry free travelling even into the middle of the amazon rainforest...

Or if an all solid wood guitar is a must, then perhaps a design that disassembles the guitar and removes it from being g under tension when not in use and when it is in its hard case would be also good. The outstanding examples here being the Brunner travel guitar that is made by a solo luthier in Switzerland or the voyage air guitars that are made by a factory according to a design by Harvey leach.

I have had a Brunner OG for mire than 10 years and though I inadvertently damaged the top due to my own lack of care, it's jeen a convenient and surprisingly good sounding guitar to the extent that my previous guitar teacher was interested in acquiring one after playing mine.