Is humidity bad for electric guitars?

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

Does humidity affect electric 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 I need to worry about humidity electric guitar?

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.

Is a guitar safe from humidity in a case?

We all love to show off our guitars and have them on display, but the safest place to store your guitar is really in the case. If you won't be doing any strumming in the near future, a hardshell case will protect your guitar from rapid humidity changes.

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.

Ideal Humidity

How do I protect my electric guitar from humidity?

In areas with extreme or year round high humidity, place several silica gel or bamboo charcoal packs in the guitar case and change them every few months. Use a room de-humidifier where you store your guitar. It's also wise to monitor the humidity levels with a digital hygrometer.

Is 35% humidity OK for guitars?

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.

Do guitars need dehumidifiers?

In the winter seasons, the dry climate requires guitars to be humidified, and when it starts getting humid during the summer, they need to be dehumidified. Guitars want to be as close to 40-50% humidity as possible. That's the environment they were manufactured in.

Is 40 humidity OK for guitars?

The ideal humidity range for an acoustic guitar is 45-55 percent, but 40-60 percent is generally acceptable.

Are humidifiers bad for guitars?

Tons of companies sell humidifiers that you can pop in your case, or even your guitar's sound hole. These devices will slowly release moisture to keep your guitar humidified. And, to be fair, conditions that are too dry are definitely bad for your guitar—especially an acoustic instrument.

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 humidity is too low for guitars?

The bottom line regarding dryness is that if your guitar is not kept within a comfortable range of 45-55 percent relative humidity, it will be in danger of cracking. We strongly recommend the use of a guitar humidifier, along with a digital hygrometer to accurately measure the humidity level where you store the guitar.

What temperature is bad for a guitar?

Steer clear of extreme temperatures of less than 32 Fahrenheit (0 Celsius) or more than 95 Fahrenheit (35 Celsius). Use your heating or air conditioning systems to maintain an acceptable temperature in your guitar room, but keep your guitars a good distance away from the units themselves!

How do you tell if guitar is over humidified?

Signs a Professional Repairperson Will Look For:

A pro will use visual sighting as well as a straightedge to diagnose over humidification. Over humidified guitars can have an improper neck angle, improper bridge angle, or unusually swollen (arched) top and/or back.

What is ideal humidity for guitars?

This is a physical characteristic of wood. Fifty percent relative humidity is considered optimum for effective preservation of wooden objects like guitars. If the humidity in your store stays around 50% relative humidity, you minimize the risk that guitars will become damaged.

How often should you humidify a 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.

What happens if an electric guitar gets wet?

Electric guitars can be damaged if they get wet, especially if their electronic parts are still on. Otherwise, it is not impossible to dry off all the water and save your instrument. Just do it as soon as possible. However, the best advice is to always keep your instrument away from water and humidity.

Should guitars be kept in cases?

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. As obvious as this might seem, if you have multiple guitars, don't stack them one on top of another in their cases.

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.

Is 60% humidity OK for a guitar?

IDEAL HUMIDITY FOR GUITARS FAQ

The experts at Taylor guitars suggest that the ideal humidity level for acoustic guitars is 45-55% relative humidity (RH). Although this may be difficult to get exactly right so a general rule for both acoustic and electric guitars is anywhere between 40-60%.

Can dry air damage a guitar?

What happens when a guitar has dried out? If your guitar dries out, the wood shrinks and the top of your guitar can sink and cause performance issues. Worse yet, the guitar body can crack and glue joints separate, causing severe damage.

Is it OK to lay a guitar flat?

Laying guitar flat is not a good way to store your guitar – it's prone to accidents like stepping or dropping items on your guitar. You are recommended to store your guitar on a stand or case.

Is it OK to store guitars in the basement?

Never store your guitar in the basement during the summer months. Invest in a dehumidifier if you find your home is humid in the summer. Never leave your guitar in a hot area such as in a car during a hot sunny day where temperatures can soar high enough to soften and compromise the glue joints.