Do I need to worry about humidity with electrics?

[jonfields45]

Just a few small points...

None of the finishes used on guitars are hermetic. They will all allow water to pass and ultimately allow the wood to track the ambient humidity.

Maple necks of Fender design are typically flat sawn which orients the radial fibers front to back. This is good for keeping it from splintering when you pull out a fret. I believe Leo Fender's original reason, besides it being cheaper, was to keep it from being too stiff. He wanted it to pull forward under string tension for adjustment with a truss rod. However flat sawn is bad for stability against shrinkage causing fret sprout.

I think if you visit most Guitar Centers in the winter you can find plenty of Fender maple necks with fret sprout.

[superbitterdave]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

Just a few small points...

None of the finishes used on guitars are hermetic. They will all allow water to pass and ultimately allow the wood to track the ambient humidity.

Maple necks of Fender design are typically flat sawn which orients the radial fibers front to back. This is good for keeping it from splintering when you pull out a fret. I believe Leo Fender's original reason, besides it being cheaper, was to keep it from being too stiff. He wanted it to pull forward under string tension for adjustment with a truss rod. However flat sawn is bad for stability against shrinkage causing fret sprout.

I think if you visit most Guitar Centers in the winter you can find plenty of Fender maple necks with fret sprout.

Thanks Jon

Something to keep an eye out for!

Cheers

Dave

[rmp]

I'm changing my answer...


YES they will be effected.

My studio hygrometer was reading about 61 % RH for the last week or 2

so that seems safe right? so I left a few of my electrics out on hangers.

My strat last night was fretting out everywhere. Checked the neck and there was for sure a back bow.

This neck on this guitar when kept in the case, NEVER moves, EVER.

It's a 10 year old USA Made Standard.

I checked my USA made SG standard, don't ya know, BACKBOW. another guitar with a very stable neck that just about never needs a tweek.

I checked the setup on all the others,, they looked ok..

BUT-- Back in the cases they all went.

[jonfields45]

One more thought...

For guitars with single rod truss rods in a wooden channel (Fender, Gibson, Taylor, PRS, but not most imported guitars or Martins) I like to adjust the truss rod during the summer at highest humidity. At worst in the winter the action is a little higher (for an acoustic maybe offset by the top flattening) but for sure you won't back bow in the summer.

Back bow can be more troublesome than buzzing notes. For guitars where the truss rod channel is curved, the wood is a relatively less stiff species, and the neck long and thin, the neck can twist. A classic case would be a Gibson SG.

[superbitterdave]

Originally Posted by rmp

I'm changing my answer...


YES they will be effected.

My studio hygrometer was reading about 61 % RH for the last week or 2

so that seems safe right? so I left a few of my electrics out on hangers.

My strat last night was fretting out everywhere. Checked the neck and there was for sure a back bow.

This neck on this guitar when kept in the case, NEVER moves, EVER.

It's a 10 year old USA Made Standard.

I checked my USA made SG standard, don't ya know, BACKBOW. another guitar with a very stable neck that just about never needs a tweek.

I checked the setup on all the others,, they looked ok..

BUT-- Back in the cases they all went.

Yikes. Thanks for the update!

Dave

[superbitterdave]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

One more thought...

For guitars with single rod truss rods in a wooden channel (Fender, Gibson, Taylor, PRS, but not most imported guitars or Martins) I like to adjust the truss rod during the summer at highest humidity. At worst in the winter the action is a little higher (for an acoustic maybe offset by the top flattening) but for sure you won't back bow in the summer.

Back bow can be more troublesome than buzzing notes. For guitars where the truss rod channel is curved, the wood is a relatively less stiff species, and the neck long and thin, the neck can twist. A classic case would be a Gibson SG.

Got it!

Thanks

Dave

[FoxHound4690]

Originally Posted by superbitterdave

I monitor humidity in my house and try to keep my acoustics healthy.

I’m thinking about putting a guitar hanger in the garage (where I keep my electric bass). Then I started thinking, ‘maybe I should put in two hangers’. Then, ‘and buy a fun electric’.

I don’t really have room in the house for another guitar, and the garage will get hot and dry in the summer. But if it’s an electric, do I need to worry that much? Regardless,
I’m not thinking of spending more than a few hundred, so I’m not worried about retaining investment value.

Dave

If it's a poly finish, you have nothing to worry about, Poly is pretty much bomb proof.... if it's a nitro finish i'd be careful about leaving it out as nitro will crack alot easier, but if u dont mind the look of lacquer checking it wont matter too much.