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  #16  
Old 03-24-2015, 05:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Gmountain View Post
I've lived in Florida for over 30 years. Lots of wood furniture around, but nothing has been damaged.

I'm not saying you guys are wrong, but it seems to me guitars have been around a lot longer than air conditioning and silica gel.

I don't imaging BB king had too much in the way of A/C when he was young, but he seemed to do alright. There were lots of guitars around 100 years ago.
People can do what they want with their guitars, but I see no good reason not to take the simplest of precautions. It's really not that hard. Humidity damage (low or high) is a very real, factual matter. We're dealing with often very thin, lightly braced woods and a top under a lot of tension. Not exactly your average dining room table

It's the same "my grandmother smoked 2 packs a day and lived to be 100" type reasoning I see here. Yeah, maybe it will work out for you too. Me? I'd rather reduce the risks as much as I can.
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  #17  
Old 03-24-2015, 05:38 PM
kurth83 kurth83 is offline
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My taylor is happy in the mid 50`s. I got some swelling when I let mid 60`s go for a few months. Now I have hygrometers, dehumidifiers, and refreshable silica packs.

I prefer the humidifier as a first line of defense. The silica packs are for reversing swelling.
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  #18  
Old 03-24-2015, 06:00 PM
tlite tlite is offline
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Originally Posted by NEGuy View Post
I just relocated to Florida about six months ago, and I can tell you what I have done.

I have two hygrometers, and I soon realized that it was impossible (with only the AC) to get the humidity down to the mid 40s.

It was always in the upper 50s and 60s, and I was getting very definite bellying of the guitar top.

(It would be good if you knew what the measurement should be on the base and treble side of your guitar so you can know what kind of “convexity” you have now in relation to what it should be.)

Anyway, I did get a Frigidaire dehumidifier, but the principal way that I moderate the guitar’s humidity level is by using silica packs in the guitar case.

I have a hygrometer in there, and I keep the humidity level between 35 and 50%.

(My guitar was built at about 35% humidity.)

As the humidity level in the case progressively rises from 35 to 50%, I replace the silica packs with “fresh” ones.

I think this is the best place to purchase them:

http://www.silicagelpackets.com/sili...ets-dry-packs/

He sends them sealed in a larger plastic bag.

I remember spending about $40, so I think I got 10 of the 56 g silica gel packets (3.79 when you get 10 or more).

My wife picked up some nice small fabric bags at hobby lobby that pull nice and tight, and I have six of them in the guitar case at various places with the silica gel beads that I put in them.

So far, this has worked fine, and I think the amount of silica I purchased will last at least six months.

As you doubtless know, you can "reclaim" the beads by evaporating the absorbed water – if you're so inclined.

Also, be sure to store the extra desiccant in those Ball jars with the rubber seal on top!

Good luck.
.
Great tips - I think I'll go for this route and see how the case humidity holds with the silica.

Also, reassuring to know that most haven't had major issues.

I'm not paranoid about the heat and humidity, but I do want to take precautions to make sure my guitars don't belly up or lose too much tone. The gel packs and hygrometer monitoring seems a good cheap way to get the job done.

This forum is such a terrific resource! Really appreciate everybody chiming in with advice from Florida and other warm locales.
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  #19  
Old 03-25-2015, 10:24 AM
earri earri is offline
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I live in south (east) Florida. I keep 2-3 of my guitars out on stands in the house with ac. The others I keep in their cases with humidipaks. I have a hydrometer; the RH ranges from about 42% to 52% in my house. My guitars sound great. I had a luthier tell me the adage that if its comfortable for you its comfortable for your guitar. Generally I think that's true, unless of course you are the rare person who is comfortable in your house with humidity below 30% or over 60% for long stretches of time. I think if you invest in a hyrdrometer to monitor the RH in your house and Humidipaks to set it right in your case, you'll be fine, at a minimum of costs
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  #20  
Old 03-25-2015, 11:51 AM
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Originally Posted by earri View Post
I live in south (east) Florida. I keep 2-3 of my guitars out on stands in the house with ac. The others I keep in their cases with humidipaks. I have a hydrometer; the RH ranges from about 42% to 52% in my house. My guitars sound great. I had a luthier tell me the adage that if its comfortable for you its comfortable for your guitar. Generally I think that's true, unless of course you are the rare person who is comfortable in your house with humidity below 30% or over 60% for long stretches of time. I think if you invest in a hyrdrometer to monitor the RH in your house and Humidipaks to set it right in your case, you'll be fine, at a minimum of costs
I'm not sure if it's rare, but if it is, then I've got it I've had my place go down to the low 30s RH in Winter and the high 60s RH in summer, and would not know the difference were it not for my hygrometer (which has been calibrated, so I know it's accurate).
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guitar care, guitar maintenance, humidity

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