Do I need to worry about humidity with electrics?

[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

[perttime]

There's nothing to actually worry about with a solid body electric.
There's a couple of things that might need attention:
- In climates where humidity varies according to seasons, electrics often need seasonal tweaks of the truss rod.
- The wood of a drying neck may shrink while the frets remain the same size, causing "fret sprout". People fix that by refinishing the ends of the frets.

[superbitterdave]

Super helpful. Thanks!

Step 1 - 3 pack of guitar hangers for $15.

Step 2 - GAS!

Cheers,

Dave

[rmp]

So I think as mentioned, fret sprout is always a possible side effect. On a bound neck, you don't want that.

I've found in the winter, when it's really dry, my necks will kind of go out of wack too on my electrics if I leave them on hangers in my studio.

So as a rule, when it's very dry, I'll keep em cased,

this time of year tho in the north east,, not really much to worry about

[Tuch]

Temperature fluctuations-Will/Do affect the electric & acoustic guitar.Central heating/summertime-temp fluctuates.Steel strings...affected etc...The neck[Wood] under constant string tension etc Affects etc.Temp fluctuations affect upon..the neck=All combined and wood flexes accordingly.

[superbitterdave]

Originally Posted by rmp

So I think as mentioned, fret sprout is always a possible side effect. On a bound neck, you don't want that.

I've found in the winter, when it's really dry, my necks will kind of go out of wack too on my electrics if I leave them on hangers in my studio.

So as a rule, when it's very dry, I'll keep em cased,

this time of year tho in the north east,, not really much to worry about

Tha is for the advice!

Cheers

Dave

[superbitterdave]

Originally Posted by Tuch

Temperature fluctuations-Will/Do affect the electric & acoustic guitar.Central heating/summertime-temp fluctuates.Steel strings...affected etc...The neck[Wood] under constant string tension etc Affects etc.Temp fluctuations affect upon..the neck=All combined and wood flexes accordingly.

Understood. Thanks!

Dave

[FrankHudson]

I may have inflicted sounds that could be described as "garage rock" at times, but I've never kept an electric guitar in an unheated garage. Given my northern US climate (110 F. to -25 F -- and very humid to very dry humidity) I'd consider that risky. On the other hand, I have kept things in outbuildings with hardwood handles and painted metal objects and they've lived through the same extremes.*

On the other hand, I've kept a range of electrics out on hangers HVAC covered living spaces for decades. I've seen a couple of cases of fret sprout, and that's about it. My studio space has a wider range of temp/humidity differences as it's not living space. Most guitars in cases there, but several also kept ready to grab.

So, to the OP: does this garage have any HVAC elements at all? What are the extremes of temp and humidity in your climate if it's just a covered space with no HVAC elements?

I know there's a spread of opinions about the utility of having a guitar ready to grab vs. "it only takes a couple of minutes to pull out a case and take the guitar out of that." I'm obviously in the "see guitar, grab guitar, play guitar" side of that. Because of that inclination, the risk to an inexpensive electric guitar wouldn't stop me if I thought I'd play the hanging guitar more.


*Hammers don't have frets. My axe must be a vintage model, it doesn't have a truss rod. My metal objects likely aren't painted with nitro-based paints.

[Dru Edwards]

I find my acoustics are more temperamental with humidity changes than my electrics. Acoustics have thin pieces of wood so they're much more susceptible to changes than electrics.

Before I kept my guitars in a climate controlled room (more than 15 years ago), my Les Paul tuning would go sharp in the summer so I was always had to tune it every day when I played it. No problems though.

[superbitterdave]

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

I may have inflicted sounds that could be described as "garage rock" at times, but I've never kept an electric guitar in an unheated garage. Given my northern US climate (110 F. to -25 F -- and very humid to very dry humidity) I'd consider that risky. On the other hand, I have kept things in outbuildings with hardwood handles and painted metal objects and they've lived through the same extremes.*

On the other hand, I've kept a range of electrics out on hangers HVAC covered living spaces for decades. I've seen a couple of cases of fret sprout, and that's about it. My studio space has a wider range of temp/humidity differences as it's not living space. Most guitars in cases there, but several also kept ready to grab.

So, to the OP: does this garage have any HVAC elements at all? What are the extremes of temp and humidity in your climate if it's just a covered space with no HVAC elements?

I know there's a spread of opinions about the utility of having a guitar ready to grab vs. "it only takes a couple of minutes to pull out a case and take the guitar out of that." I'm obviously in the "see guitar, grab guitar, play guitar" side of that. Because of that inclination, the risk to an inexpensive electric guitar wouldn't stop me if I thought I'd play the hanging guitar more.


*Hammers don't have frets. My axe must be a vintage model, it doesn't have a truss rod. My metal objects likely aren't painted with nitro-based paints.

Thanks Frank!

SF Bay Area of CA, so it gets hot, but not insanely, and humidity tends not to be super extreme, but it does get dry. Large garage with a furnace in it.

I’m in the ‘keep the guitars handy’ camp, so suspect risk is not extreme.

Thanks again!

Cheers,

Dave

[superbitterdave]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

I find my acoustics are more temperamental with humidity changes than my electrics. Acoustics have thin pieces of wood so they're much more susceptible to changes than electrics.

Before I kept my guitars in a climate controlled room (more than 15 years ago), my Les Paul tuning would go sharp in the summer so I was always had to tune it every day when I played it. No problems though.

Good to know, Dru.

I don’t mind tuning here and there so I think I have a plan.

Cheers,

Dave

[s2y]

Might be ok-ish with maple. Rosewood and ebony can shrink. I learned the hard way after improper storage that you can crack an ebony fingerboard.

I control humidity. Guitars stay in tune a LOT longer and I have to do a lot less wrenching. I used to set everything up twice a year. I now get to set it and forget it.

[superbitterdave]

Originally Posted by s2y

Might be ok-ish with maple. Rosewood and ebony can shrink. I learned the hard way after improper storage that you can crack an ebony fingerboard.

I control humidity. Guitars stay in tune a LOT longer and I have to do a lot less wrenching. I used to set everything up twice a year. I now get to set it and forget it.

Funny about maple. My 2 favorite acoustics are maple (Taylor 616ce and a Tak 12 string). So maybe I don’t need to worry so much about those in the house [emoji3].

But thanks for the advice! And since I’ve not bought the electric yet, I’ll take that into account.

Cheers

Dave

[s2y]

Originally Posted by superbitterdave

Funny about maple. My 2 favorite acoustics are maple (Taylor 616ce and a Tak 12 string). So maybe I don’t need to worry so much about those in the house [emoji3].

But thanks for the advice! And since I’ve not bought the electric yet, I’ll take that into account.

Cheers

Dave

I should clarify that MOST electric guitars with a maple neck+fretboard are finished and sealed.

Your acoustics likely still have ebony fretboards. Ebony is hard, but very sensitive to humidity. The braces in your guitar can also shrink and the top to sink.

[superbitterdave]

Originally Posted by s2y

I should clarify that MOST electric guitars with a maple neck+fretboard are finished and sealed.

Your acoustics likely still have ebony fretboards. Ebony is hard, but very sensitive to humidity. The braces in your guitar can also shrink and the top to sink.

Fair point

Thanks!

Dave