The talk on the gear page about cracks, hydration and repair made me look a little more closely at my top. Grain is becoming more pronounced, so I'm a little concerned about drying out. For those of you that hydrate your guitars with the damp sponge in a "holy" zip-lock in the case, where in the case do you put it? Behind the headstock, behind the neck joint, it the hatch, or in the sound hole itself?

David

Over time, I have become a HUGE proponent of humidifying the room in which your guitars are stored. You can buy a nice room humidifier for $30-50 (Walmart) and a nice hygrometer for $15-30 (Radio Shack) and you're set. Don't mess around with guessing. The only way to know is to measure and the only way to insure that the entire guitar is humidified properly is to humidify the room.

I have to go along with Brett. Humidifying the whole room is a better idea. It's easier to control and it takes care of the other guitars at the same time. It's also better for you to breath the humidified air. I live in a very dry climate, so I have a large Sears humidifier in my music room, along with a hygrometer to know where the humidity is.

The humidity here (Sydney) today is 80%. It seems about a typical summer day so I'm guessing the humidity here would range from about 60% through to high 80% in summer and I doubt that it would fall lower than 40% in winter (but I havn't checked the official data). My question, if I may tack it onto this thread is: Do I need to worry at all about my guitar drying out or do I need to worry about high humidity? I have never bothered with hydrating my guitars and I have not had any problems.... yet. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Further to this topic, I was told by a luthier once that nitro cellulose finish "evaporates" over time and sinks into the grain of the wood, thereby making the grain more pronounced. So, I'm wondering if the pronounced grain effect is an indicator of a dry top or is it as I described above? Any comment?
Oh, and by the way, I don't have air conditioning.

Good morning gents

Top cracks & humidity is a hot topic right now as you no from the main forum page , & I am new to watching humidity .
I am also a proponent of warm mist & Radio Shack hygrometer, monitoring 42% to 50% RH ( even with + or - consideration )
I have noticed some pronounced grain , slight fret buzz capoed , & string height seems to be a hair lower than when I
purchased my new D-1A this summer ( Ohio )also I notice lower bout braces & top tension on the wings of the bridge , so
I fill up my 1 gallon humidifier about 4 times a day in my music room ( 5:30 AM to 11:00 PM ), I have found running up & down the stairs to have some benefit as well .
I inspect the top for cracks daily as I am now very aware of the potential , I think I am doing every thing I can to
protect my Collings , ( short of high science humidity monitors ) would like to know some experienced opinions regarding my efforts .
The last couple of years I had a couple Larrivees traditional models that I had similar observations & used in case
humidifiers , butt I do not think they were as effective as the room unit ( still had same benefit up & down stairs )
I noticed that as we went back into the spring months grain , braces , string height returned back to normal.
I would like to here from anyone making sinilar efforts , & observstions .
Thank you
Fred
P.S. the Holmes humidifier has been the easiest to descale mineral deposits , I had a brand with a lot of extras &
was never able to remove scale from heating unit completly ( akward location & not coated )

quote:

also I notice lower bout braces & top tension on the wings of the bridge , so

Can you clarify what is meant by this? I'm not sure what you are referring to the braces.

Hello Randy
what am refering to is I see faint outline of
braces through the top ( lower bout )
and a X patern at the wings of the bridge
under string tension ( not sure if that is visable without strings )at the bridge
hopethat clears it up
Fred

My 2 cents...

As guitarists we just have to watch this. Yet that said, some do not and that is OK as I would not want to seem dictatorial.

I can say that I have experienced cracks.

I believe I have to be diligent and thoughtful, and not go to extreems or I will get a twitch.

I have guitars I want to keep. I made the decision long ago, that I will keep my music room around 50% RH all year long -- and I do. I bought the equipment to care of my instruments.

Fasthand, I feel like you are doing what you can reasonably expect to do.

David, if I use a portable humidifier, I use one in the sound hole and make DARN sure it is not "wet". I only view this issue as a temporary need depending on the weather and the time needed away from my music room.

I am always constantly prudent of, and aware of the relative humidity and the weather, and the environment any time my guitars leave the sanctuary of my controlled environment. I'm not a performing artist, but I have made decisions not to even take my guitar out of the case if where I was playing was bad for my guitar. I don't play in the hot sun, nor in the rain, or when it is too cold.

If I were a professional artist, I'd have a Rainsong Composit for that.

I always wonder how they make those music videos where the guitars get soaking wet, they just gotta be props, wouldn't you hope?

Later Gators,
Mac

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