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  #46  
Old 02-14-2021, 07:56 PM
Watt Watt is offline
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Lived for many years in New England. This year the weather in the DC area has been New Englandish, but with less snow. I have an Aircare whole house humidifier along with four room humidifiers working at all times. Fortunately my daughters, who have their own guitars, tend to three of them. The house remains at 40 to 50 %. We keep most of the guitars - at least 12 - out with minimal issues.
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  #47  
Old 02-14-2021, 08:08 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Living in Minnesota, the cold winter and indoor heating does drop the humidity level to just a bit below 30% right now.

For me, the solution is rather simple. I keep my wood guitars in their cases from when the humidity drops below about 35% until it gets back up there again in the spring. I am finding that every two weeks or so, I need to soak the sponges again, so it isn't too much work, and that is the only time I see my wood guitars during the winter.

This weather is what carbon fiber guitars were made for. I have the McPherson Sable and Touring and pre-Peavey Cargo. None of these require any concern about humidity and they are all fine guitars.

When the humidity consistently comes back up to the mid 30% range and higher, I can bring out my wood guitars again, and it is just like having a new guitar day.

I have never had problems with my wood guitars, no cracking, bellying, or bridge lifting. So my system seems to work well enough.

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  #48  
Old 02-14-2021, 08:18 PM
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Originally Posted by llew View Post
Well my one visit to Chicago (a long four day anniversary weekend some years ago) was great! Even in August we had to go to the Northface store and buy a couple fleece pull overs. I guess they don't call it the windy city for nothing? But it's a great town...food, drink, sports, entertainment, it's all there. And I'm really not a "city boy". But I had a blast and hope to go back one day...but not in the winter? The one thing about Chicago that really stood out to me was the people. Very warm and welcoming...a lot like southerners. That and the city was very clean. Very little if any trash anywhere. Oh yeah...and the neighborhood at the corner of Oak & Rush Streets. I spent a week there one afternoon!
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Originally Posted by paulzoom View Post
30 years ago I went to Chicago to visit an old girlfriend. Left Savannah Georgia, and it was 71°. Arrived in Chicago and it was 5°. If not for the cold Chicago could be the perfect city. I’m convinced the cold is why Chicago is one of the best bar cities.
Chicago is a great town. It has so much culture, diversity, and the people are great. It is very “Midwestern” despite its size.

Paul...it is a great bar city, and food city. Come winter, eating and drinking are considered competitive sports. Too cold to do much else!
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  #49  
Old 02-14-2021, 08:42 PM
Northernpaw Northernpaw is offline
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Well it has been -35 ish for the last 7-10 days, Fahrenheit or Celsius are essentially the same at this temperature.
Keeping 40% is next to impossible. I keep my guitars in their cases and each has an Oasis+ for extra humidity. I need to refill at least once a week.
Yup cold but the sun is shining and nice to be in squeaky snow as long as the wind is not around.
The good news is with cold weather and Covid lockdown, what choice do you have, you just get to play more than ever!
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  #50  
Old 02-14-2021, 09:16 PM
mattwood mattwood is offline
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Originally Posted by jpricewood View Post
Give me hurricanes and tornadoes any day over a week of this.
I've been through both and I can guarantee you that this little winter blast that's going to last all of a week pales in comparison to two you mentioned.
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  #51  
Old 02-14-2021, 09:28 PM
Dbone Dbone is offline
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Carbon fiber, that’s how I do it. I mostly play it in the winter, and basically only play wood in the summer.

I am struggling a bit to get the humidity level in my case that I would like to see. My instrument is not in any danger, but it should be a bit higher.
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  #52  
Old 02-14-2021, 09:56 PM
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Its a bit of a pita. I don't have a house or room humidifier. I keep my guitars cased with sound hole humidifiers and check the state of the sponges. In the warmer and more humid months I try to keep as many out as possible, but when the a/c is running constantly at times back in their cases they go.
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  #53  
Old 02-14-2021, 10:19 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
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Wear more clothes, spend the time you save from lawn mowing in pushing snow around, plan your trips out a bit more carefully, keep the wood pile replenished. Home climate control stays about the same as anywhere else, what we spend on heat we make up by not having air conditioners. And summers are great.

We have been in the habit of talking a mid-winter vacation to a warmer climate - only not this year.

Guitars are nestled in their cases with the humidifiers watered up good. I play them whenever I want. Even in summer, i rarely leave more than one out, so the biggest deal with that is in the winter i can't admire then when i walk by.
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  #54  
Old 02-14-2021, 10:48 PM
Tempotantrum Tempotantrum is offline
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it was -10 below actual temp this morning and temps have been similar for several days. Once the furnace starts running for the season, I locate all the solid wood instruments in one room and run a good humidifier constantly (mandolins, guitars and an upright bass). The room holds 42-45% RH very consistently. I may take an instrument out and play it for a while in another room, but back they go to the music room after playing. This goes on for 4-5 months out of the year. You get used to it and I have never had any low humidity issues.
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  #55  
Old 02-14-2021, 10:54 PM
RussL30 RussL30 is offline
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Being a Mississippian I usually enjoy winter weather since it’s hot, humid and miserable most of the year. The single digits we’re going to see tomorrow definitely worry me a little bit though. I’m just praying our pipes don’t burst and hope we don’t lose power. We do have some gas logs and and gas stove if worst comes to worst. Fortunately my wife and I are both off tomorrow and she’s off Tuesday and my school will go to virtual Tuesday if we can’t run the buses which I don’t think there’s any way we’ll be able to.

I normally leave my guitars on the wall and don’t run a humidifier because it’s plenty humid here all year and the central cooling/ heating keeps it a pretty consistent humidity. I’ve never had a problem doing this. I packed them all up in the cases today and put them in my sons bedroom where we do run a humidifier for him. Hopefully they’ll be ok. This is only the second time in my 33 years I’ve experienced single digit temps.
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  #56  
Old 02-15-2021, 01:33 AM
Scotso Scotso is offline
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And here's the "good" news. My Dallas based son is saying the gas and electric utilities are warning of bills due to the weather could be over 2x normal as the price of natural gas coming off the pipelines for heating or for production of electricity is up 100xl given the weather

Last edited by Scotso; 02-15-2021 at 02:56 AM.
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  #57  
Old 02-15-2021, 06:56 AM
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We enjoy four seasons of living in the mountains but are aware it isn't for everyone. Humidifiers and woodstoves are a part of life here, as A.C. is a part of life elsewhere. I have lived in FL, NJ, TX, MO, MT, IA, CA and liked everywhere for different reasons.
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  #58  
Old 02-15-2021, 07:05 AM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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Originally Posted by jpricewood View Post
Well, I'm glad you all are happy up north, but I may consider moving from Fort Worth to Fort Myers, FL to be with the rest of my family after this winter is over.

We are supposed to see -4F on Tuesday. I've never seen negative digits in my life! Not to mention, I'm a biologist who specializes in reptiles and fish. This weather is terrible for reptiles and fish.
-4F in Texas? Wow!

It's been a cold week here but the temps are warming up. Unfortunately, the storm we're getting tomorrow will start with some light snow, and then ice pellets followed by a few hours of freezing rain. That's going to take down some powerlines.
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  #59  
Old 02-15-2021, 07:11 AM
gr81dorn gr81dorn is offline
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If it’s a contest, I believe where I am was probably the coldest place on earth the past few days and is generally considered the coldest part of American annually. The HIGH yesterday was -9, it got down to -31 and the windchills close to -50. We haven’t had above zero in a week. Up here in north central MN, we just call it February :-)
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  #60  
Old 02-15-2021, 07:14 AM
llew llew is offline
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Living on the southeast coast we rarely see snow or ice but it gets cold here. (for us at least?) The bigger issue is hurricanes from June 1 to November 30 each year and this time of year (off season) when winter storms move across the country we get a ton of rain which contributes to river flooding. Guess you gotta pick your poison?
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