Are guitar humidifiers necessary?

A little care can save your instrument from fret buzz, top sinking, warping and cracking. One—of many—common questions that new acoustic guitar owners ask is, “Do I need a humidifier to keep my guitar safe?” Basically, the answer is yes, you do.

How often do you need to humidify your guitar?

If your humidity is consistently in the 35 to 45 per- cent range, re-wet the Dampit every 10 to 14 days. Working musicians who routinely perform in dry regions and winter climates should keep their soundhole humidifier moist all the time, and use a second humidifier as previously mentioned.

Is dry air bad for guitars?

The danger of storing your guitar on a stand is that not only can it take an unwanted tumble, but you also risk exposure to dry air and direct heat from radiators, heating ventilation, and fireplaces.

Is 40% humidity too low for guitar?

What Should Your Humidity Level Be? Most experts and instrument manufacturers agree that an ideal relative humidity range of 40-50% is best for storing instruments. Anything less could cause wood to: Shrink, lowering the top and strings, which causes even more stress and eventually cracking.

Do electric guitars need humidifiers?

The Simple Answer. In most cases, no. Electric guitars usually do not need humidifiers. This is because - unlike acoustic guitars - most electric guitars have what's called a solid body, meaning it's a solid chunk of wood that's too thick to be susceptible to the same problems we run into with acoustic guitars.

Guitar Humidifiers - Do You Need One?

How do you tell if your guitar is too dry?

Is 35% humidity too low for guitar?

What is the best humidity level for my guitar? Most experts say 40-50 percent. At this level, a guitar will sound and play its best. A great way to control humidity is to use a humidifier.

Is too much humidity bad for guitars?

The ideal humidity range for your guitar is 45-55% relative humidity (RH). Extended exposure to high humidity can lead to guitar damage.

Is 55% humidity OK for guitars?

Start with a Digital Hygrometer

A hygrometer will give you an accurate reading of the humidity level of the environment in which you store your guitar, which will help you monitor it. The ideal humidity range for an acoustic guitar is 45-55 percent, but 40-60 percent is generally acceptable.

How long does it take for humidity to damage guitar?

Depending on the deviation from ideal RH, permanent damage could take months or years to occur. If instead the guitar is hung from a wall near a heating vent, then 2 - 4 months of a cold winter could cause permanent damage. Woods used for acoustic guitar backs and sides are usually cured at about 50% relative humidity.

Do I need to humidify my guitar in summer?

If you live in a dry climate, like the American Rocky Mountain region or even our home in Southern California, you'll want to keep your guitar in its case (unless you have a fully climate-controlled room) and use a case humidifier like the D'Addario system mentioned above.

Do laminate guitars need humidifiers?

Laminate guitars are much more forgiving of low humidity than solid wood guitars. Solid wood guitars need to be humidified to approx 50% give or take about 10%. Laminate guitars should be kept at 50% too but they can safely drop to 35% without any real risk of damage.

Can you humidify a guitar in a gig bag?

You can humidify a gig bag, but the results will vary depending on the type and quality of the gig bag. Generally, this is not as effective as using a case humidifier in a hard-shell guitar case. A gig bag is not as airtight as a hard case, and the moisture is not evenly distributed throughout the gig bag.

At what humidity do guitars crack?

Acoustic guitar dehydration

The most common cause of a crack in the top or back of an acoustic guitar is dehydration. Dehydration begins at about 35% humidity, and the lower it goes, the more dangerous it can be.

Does a guitar case protect from humidity?

There are two main kinds of guitar cases: gig bags and hard cases. Gig bags are light to carry and provide a good amount of protection. They do not, however, protect against temperature changes very well. Hard cases, on the other hand, provide excellent protection against temperature, humidity, and physical damage.

What happens if you don't humidify your guitar?

As those levels rise and fall, the guitar's neck and body can fluctuate in size, potentially resulting in fret sprout, fret buzz, a loose bridge, bad action, top sinking, warping, cracking, etc.

Should you keep guitar in case?

Cases Closed

Generally speaking, the safest way to store a guitar is in its case—ideally, a good-quality hardshell, as opposed to a gig bag or ill-fitting chipboard case.

How long does it take to rehydrate an acoustic guitar?

Insert the humidifier(s) in the body of the guitar, put the guitar back in the case, and close the lid. It usually takes three days to see results, but you can check the guitar daily for improvement.

How do I keep my guitar from drying out?

Does humidity affect solid body guitars?

In short, yes. When the moisture content in the air is too low, the wood in your guitar will dry out, causing both superficial and structural cracks. Conversely, if the humidity is too high, the wood will absorb too much moisture and expand. This affects the guitar's playability and tone, and can loosen glued joints.

Do laminate guitars improve with age?

Answer: It'll sound better as it ages; it doesn't matter what anyone says. The top isn't laminated, and it ages. An all-solid guitar will age better because of the backs and sides aging, but your guitar will improve.

Is it OK to hang your guitar on the wall?

Hanging a guitar on the wall is not recommended. While hanging a guitar on the wall is unlikely to cause damage in and of itself, it's not nearly as safe as storing your guitar in its hard shell case.

What temperature is too hot for a guitar?

The extreme temperature ranges to which any guitar should be exposed is roughly 32-95 degrees Fahrenheit.