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  #1  
Old 06-30-2018, 06:15 PM
thechariot1x thechariot1x is offline
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Default How much time in heat and humidity is too much?

So I live in South Florida currently and it gets very hot and humid here (like 80s temp and 75% humidity right now and its 815 and dark. So I would like to be able to sit on my porch playing my guitar, but I am wondering if that will harm it if I do it for limited amounts of time (like maybe an hour tops and not every day). Or should I just completely steer clear of such heat and humidity?
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Old 06-30-2018, 06:45 PM
gr81dorn gr81dorn is offline
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You’re fine...

If dried properly, the wood can handle exposure for pretty long spells, other than extreme extremes, so you can do that for hours with no worries. The worries would be the normal storage conditions and the environment for the long spells of sitting idle. When Wood is dried it’s done so extremely slowly and methodically to condition the wood to be at the ideal MC for its end use. That means so long as it’s returned to that environment, even after lengthy spells of exposure to conditions outside of that, it will settle back to its ideal state for the most part. I wouldn’t let it sleep out overnight or get rained on, but you’re not exposing it to anything dangerous in my opinion. I would wipe off sweat and condensation when I’m done just to be safe of the finish and appearance stuff. Made to be played...even in the swamp!
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Old 06-30-2018, 07:58 PM
Athens Athens is offline
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Default Heat and humidity

Rule of thumb is if you're uncomfortable so is your guitar.
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Old 06-30-2018, 08:03 PM
The Bard Rocks The Bard Rocks is offline
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Default heat and humidity

Enjoy your guitar. But put it back in the case when you are done playing and pay attention to conditions inside the case - that's where it spends most of it's time (if you are like me) and in the case you have conditions that are controllable.
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Old 06-30-2018, 10:11 PM
Simon Fay Simon Fay is offline
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Wood soaks up humidity very quickly - it takes much longer for it it dry out. Honestly, I wouldn't stay out much longer than 30 minutes.
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Old 06-30-2018, 10:17 PM
Kthomas Kthomas is offline
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Default How much time in heat and humidity is too much?

That was a pretty wide range of responses. I have the same question and would appreciate a more definitive answer. Thank you.
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Old 06-30-2018, 10:25 PM
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Basalt Beach Basalt Beach is offline
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I have lived and played guitar in Tampa for quite some time. Our patio faces east, so I can enjoy sitting out back in the shade in the evening. I have taken our guitars out back for an hour, sometimes two during the summer months for many years. We may even do it up to 3 or 4 times in a given week. We keep the house air conditioned at 76 during the day and 72 at night and the guitars out on stands. We have not had any issues.
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Old 06-30-2018, 10:43 PM
gr81dorn gr81dorn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Basalt Beach View Post
We keep the house air conditioned at 76 during the day and 72 at night and the guitars out on stands. We have not had any issues.
Perfectly illustrates my point - it was built to live in a certain environment, but can handle exposure to others so long as it gets to settle back down to its intended environment.
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Old 07-01-2018, 12:15 AM
archerscreek archerscreek is offline
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I’ve played outside in 80+ for an hour+ with no issues other than the neck feeling a little sticky and occasionally finding a spider on the case when I’m done.
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Old 07-01-2018, 12:38 AM
Simon Fay Simon Fay is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kthomas View Post
That was a pretty wide range of responses. I have the same question and would appreciate a more definitive answer. Thank you.
The definitive answer is that as soon as the geometry of the guitar begins to swell is when you want to remove the guitar from that environment. There are construction variables that prohibit a definitive timeframe for all guitars. Cheaper laminate guitars will be much more humidity resistant than a guitar with a thin top and back.

I build guitars for a living and here is an example of how sensitive these woods are to humidity. I can take a top and place it in a humid environment - and within 10 minutes, the plate will cup. 30 minutes and the top can cup severely. The guitar is going to be braced and will have a finish on it - this will definitely slow down the process but when it comes to high humidity, the guitar will react fairly quickly. The guitar takes much longer to dry out than it does to become overly humidified. The woods do return to normal but the structure and glue joints can be stressed. High humidity is usually much less damaging - dry humidity levels can result in cracks. But high humidity can cause neck angle issues and finish issues fairly easily.

For the instruments I build, I would suggest not exposing the guitar to high humidity for much longer than 30 minutes. Factory guitars use thicker soundboard construction and would probably be fine around the 1 hr mark. Bottomline, I just wouldn't expose a high quality guitar to extreme RH environments. In Florida, it is often 80% RH outdoors in the summer, I would get a cheap laminate guitar for playing outdoors instead. My personal guitar is a cheap Jasmine laminate and I don't worry about taking it outside for any length of time.
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Old 07-01-2018, 04:32 AM
HFox HFox is offline
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^^^^^ What he said !!
During the winter/dry season we play outside for hours...no problem.
During the rainy/summer season the Remuda rides in an indoor arena.
I live in S.W. Fl. on the Gulf Coast.
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Old 07-01-2018, 10:09 PM
Kthomas Kthomas is offline
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Thank you for your respond, Simon Fay. I’ll keep my Martin indoors and will give me a reason to keep my old laminate in service.
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Old 07-02-2018, 05:59 AM
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Methos1979 Methos1979 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kthomas View Post
That was a pretty wide range of responses. I have the same question and would appreciate a more definitive answer. Thank you.
The only definitive answer is to buy a carbon fiber guitar. I only take my Martin out in nice weather. The Emerald X20 can and does get taken out into any and all hostile environments with no fear of, well, anything!
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Old 07-02-2018, 06:46 AM
1Charlie 1Charlie is offline
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I wonder how all of the vintage, pre-air conditioning Martins, Gibsons and Guilds out there made it through those years of heat/humidity and cold/dry cycles without completely falling apart?

Answer: they are tougher than they look. Having said that, I definitely humidify mine in the winter and AC them in the summer. But I also play outside quite often to no ill effect.
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  #15  
Old 07-02-2018, 08:18 AM
Steadfastly Steadfastly is offline
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It will hurt you first, so stay as cool and hydrated as possible.
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