Do any of you guys "Not" worry about humidity on your guitars?

[marc515]

I'm interested in getting a Collings Baby, but due to sheer laziness, I know I will not properly monitor the humidity.

I'm thinking the Baby, due to it's small size won't need to be monitored as closely as a larger guitar like a dreadnaught?

So I'm just wondering if any of you guys just use your guitars and don't bother monitoring the humidity too closely?

Appreciate your insight.

Thank you,
m

[bsman]

I'm fortunate, in that where I live (Silicon Valley) has a climate in which relative humidity does not swing wildly. Plus, since during the winter we generally only have the heat on for a few hours a day, the inside humidity isn't an issue. I've gotten pretty lazy about this and never humidify, but if we move, it's definitely something I will have to take into consideration!

[Nymuso]

I didn't used to. Until the binding started falling off the neck.

[Dirk Hofman]

I don't, but it's an artifact of where I live. Few worries in coastal northern California.

[musicman1951]

No, I worry about it plenty. I live in NY, where the humidity ranges from 25% (in my heated house) to about 12,000% on those unbearable summer days.

[Gitarre]

The beauty of the Emerald I own. Just hangs there ready to use anytime.

Otherwise, I use the simple sponge in the plastic case hanging from the strings to humidify. Works great. Doesn't take a lot of effort.

[jim1960]

Buying an expensive guitar and not humidifying it when necessary makes about as much sense as buying a new car and never changing the oil. If you know you'll never humidify it, do yourself a favor and buy a carbon fiber guitar instead.

[Jambi]

I don't have a tool that tells me relative humidity, I just take a planet waves humidifier and make sure it's damp when I'm not playing.

[jseth]

Generally, I don't have a lot of concern for the humidity levels... I can hear when my guitars are either wetter or drier...

I live in central/western Oregon, so low humidity rarely kicks in... and the normal humidity is between 50% and 70%.

Now, I have lived in areas where I had to humidify my guitar - Vermont, in the winter, with only wood heat...

A great litmus test is, if YOU feel dry, then your guitar does too... so if my skin starts drying out and cracking, I pull out the soundhole humidifier and moisten the little plastic dishes w/ sponge up at the headstock.

Most of the time, my guitars are all out in the room of my little home, where I can get my hands on them at any time.

My guitars are all hand-made, from 1979, 1983 and 2011, respectively. I am a professional guitarist/singer/songwriter. I am NOT a wealthy person, so keeping my equipment, tools (and the objects of my extreme affection!) in great working order is paramount.

Until I came to this site, nearly 10 years ago, I NEVER knew nor cared what the %rh was. Many folks on this site are "overly concerned" with all the minutia of their guitars, and humidity levels are right up there at the top of the list.

If you truly don't wish to "deal" with any sort of humidity concerns, then it seems your options are, a) get cheap guitars that are "expendable", or b) get a carbon-fiber guitar...

You don't have to be obsessed with the humidity levels to actually take good care of a fine instrument... a modicum of sense and diligence will do the trick.

[Jim in TC]

I know folks who have little or no worry about fine guitars and humidity, and have generally gotten away with it. I was once in that camp, with a D-18, and got away with it. But I wouldn't anymore, and have gone over to carbon fiber so I don't have to think about it.

In these forums I have read quite a few "got away with it" stories and plenty of "this is what the damage looks like" stories.

So it depends on your risk tolerance - you might get away with it (but maybe not).

Depends on your climate - tend to run in the 40-60% humidity year round (including inside humidity)? Or if not, do you run a humidifier (and de-hum) in the house when it strays very far from that range?

[thegazza]

No problems in the part of UK I live in. I don't envy some of the people on this forum that appear to have constant battles with humidity in their own country.

Gazza

[upsidedown]

Like others who've commented, I live on the California coast, so humidity is less an issue for my guitars. However, I still worry about it!

[robey]

Originally Posted by marc515

Appreciate your insight.

Thank you,
m

I run a large humidifier to keep the downstairs of the house from drying out from the wood stove and when the AC is running. I keep my guitars in their cases when not playing them. I've been doing it this way for 25 years. I live in southern Ohio. I've never had a problem.

End of story.

[brianmay]

Similar to theGazza, I live in UK.

Both my Martins sit on stands, one downstairs in the lounge and the other in my bedroom. Thus they get played a lot.

[juspickin]

With my Martin & Taylor Guitars I worry, as I live in Utah where it's dry-on my Ovation and 12-string Hohner, not so much-