Studio/room

[TheRecordFable]

If the room/studio I have my instruments in is properly humidified and heated is it ok to leave my instruments out?

I sometimes worry living in Chicago the fall has been cold which leads me to believe the winter will be much of the same.

What are some of the steps you can take to ensure happy instruments?

 

Thank you.

[big bob]

I leave mine out year round but I live in florida so I don't worry about dry air. I do however block the ac/heat in the room they are in..

[pegleg32]

If the room/studio I have my instruments in is properly humidified and heated is it ok to leave my instruments out?

I sometimes worry living in Chicago the fall has been cold which leads me to believe the winter will be much of the same.

What are some of the steps you can take to ensure happy instruments?

 

Thank you.

 

I'm sure there will be better replies than mine, but I doubt if it makes any difference whether the instruments are in or out of the case. They are still going to adjust to the humidity and temp of the room, although they may change at a slower rate when in the case. The instruments that I play everyday are always left out, and unfortunately I don't have humidity control so they definitly change with the seasons. These changes are probably not nearly as large as playing out.

[TheRecordFable]

Yeah I figured just common sense would do the trick but the folks around here are full of great ideas.

I run a tight ship and try to service my gear once a month and never had any real issues but the strings are sometimes cold to the touch, which got me thinking.

[TalismanRich]

Once the furnace starts to run with any regularity, I run a humidifier. Typically it sucks up about 3-4 gallons of water a day.

 

Why not get one for the studio, and run it when you aren't recording. You can get a nice temp/humidity gauge for not too much money at Radio Shack or Home Depot.

 

At my work ( in a lab), when it's cold and the heat is running, it's not uncommon to see 15% relative humidity. That can be especially bad for acoustics where the wood is thinner, but it will also shrink the fretboards pretty nicely.

[TheRecordFable]

I have a cool air mist humidifier which is nice picked it up a Walgreens for 30 bucks.

We have radiator heat in the house which I prefer.

I had a warm one with the filter which made the room feel like the amazon.

I'll have to pick up a humidity gauge from the shack.

[squawken]

I just changed over from a de-humidifier to the humidifier. Just try to keep it steady where ever your humidity is. I think big changes in the humidity should be your primary concern. I try to keep around 50%.

[TheRecordFable]

50% gotcha I would imagine I'm somewhere close.

[Kuz]

I disagree that leaving guitars in the case don't make a difference. For the last two winters I kept my acoustics in the cases and almost never played them.

I pulled one out in Feb (heater still running in OH) and my Luthier said the action was high because the guitar was TOO WET. I need to get two acoustics set up because they were too wet at the end of the winter. I asked him how this could be and he said if you leave them in their cases that the cases are nearly air tight.

 

We have a central humidifier with our heater and I check the humidity regularly. I am not trying to state that guitars need to be left in their cases, but those left in their cases are more protected IMHO.

[Steiner]

I've seen far too many guitars that were case queens. The metals oxidize and pit. I'd contend that in addition to consistent humidity (hi or low), cases and the guitar outgas creating an unfavorable environment for the guitar. Cases have their place around small children and pets but if the space is humidified, void of outside walls or drafts and at a comfortable temperature, they are better off outside the case.

 

Total Sale: $0.02

[skydog52]

I live in Michigan and have a good central humidifier on my furnace. I maintain a

relative humidity of 45% to 50% and have never had a problem with the guitars.

I leave my guitars out of case most of the time now that the kids are grown up.

I find myself playing alot more with them out. You know the old saying, out of

sight out of mind.

[gopeteygo]

We run a humidifier in the winter because we burn wood and run a dehumidifier in the summer. I keep my guitars in the bedroom and keep a combination thermostat/humidistat on the dresser. I keep mine between 40-50%, generally closer to 50. I don't seem to have problems with my gear using this method.

[smurph1]

I disagree that leaving guitars in the case don't make a difference. For the last two winters I kept my acoustics in the cases and almost never played them.

I pulled one out in Feb (heater still running in OH) and my Luthier said the action was high because the guitar was TOO WET. I need to get two acoustics set up because they were too wet at the end of the winter. I asked him how this could be and he said if you leave them in their cases that the cases are nearly air tight.

 

We have a central humidifier with our heater and I check the humidity regularly. I am not trying to state that guitars need to be left in their cases, but those left in their cases are more protected IMHO.

That has been my experience also..Keeping them in the case with a humidifier in each case, keeps my guitars happy..I may still have to do a neck adjustment on the acoustic, but my 140 stays nice and low and easy to play,..It's a smaller environment in the case, and much easier to control humidity wise..My 2 cents

[pro-fusion]

I live on the East Coast (lots of humidity + extremes of hot and cold) with terrible climate control in my cruddy apartment, and what it means is that I adjust the truss rods on my guitars quite frequently, regardless of whether they stay in or out of their cases. It doesn't seem to make any difference for my guitars. I've lived in this apt. for about seven years and never had any necks warp or repairs needed.

 

Acoustics might be a different story, but I don't own one of those...