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How much humidity and temperature affect the guitar?

2018-01-06 11:50:02
Sound Acoustic Guitar Maintenance Your instrument maintenance can have a dramatic effect on the appearance and sound life of your instrument. The method of maintenance from summer to winter in each region is different, whether you are in Shanghai, Beijing, Europe or other local. Solid acoustic guitar is made from a few pieces of thin wood (about 3mm or so), because the wood is very thin and has a large surface area so it absorbs moisture quickly and easily

Winter Maintenance: Winter your guitar is in real danger. Winter damage to the guitar is extremely low relative humidity. Such as humidity less than 40% relative humidity at 24 ° C (75 ° F). Exposure to less than 40% humidity for some time will certainly damage your guitar. Damage caused by drying is more severe than dampness and usually requires immediate repair by a qualified technician. The surest way to determine relative humidity is your hand dryer. However, it can be complicated to operate. Hygrometers (available in many hardware stores) give you a rough estimate of the humidity, albeit often inaccurately, and still not as good as the humidity around the guitar.

Another problem encountered in the winter is that the bridge from low humidity is pulled up and is more common in steel string guitars. Panel contraction is the main reason, the bridge lines can not be synchronized with the panel lines shrink, so the bridge and the panel separate, and tilt.

For your guitar safety, winter your home humidity should be controlled at about 45% relative humidity at 22 ° C. If it is low, the problem will appear. Put the guitar in the box and use a humidifier to keep it cool, if possible. In those extreme cold and low humidity, these humidifiers should be checked daily. The humidifier contains a small amount of water and may run out in the first 8 hours or so. Note: Do not over-use humidifier, or you have to face the problem of high humidity.

If you play the guitar often, the oil secreted by your fingers is enough to keep the fingerboard open. To extend the life of your guitar strings, simply wipe your strings with a soft cloth after playing. When changing strings, you can wipe the fingerboard with No. 000 steel wool either in summer or winter (make sure you have protected the panel paint from damage) to remove grease, smudges and dust. Steel wool can also play the role of polished goods and fingerboard, can make the performance feel smooth and comfortable.

Keep in mind the following rules: When wood loses moisture, it shrinks. When wood absorbs moisture, it expands. Use the following comparison chart to see how the guitar changes during a humidity change: Relative Humidity% Short Term Exposure (1-3 days) Long Term Exposure (3+) 90% - 100% Extremely High Humidity Range The body begins to swell and the sound quality Fall, playing feel worse, the back of the sound beam may be due to the expansion of wood degumming, chord in a short time will become high. All bonded parts begin to loosen. The sound beams of the panel and the back plate will be loosened, the bridge will be pulled off the panel, and the guitar panel will bulge around the bridge. As you can see, the influence of humidity on the guitar is very large, it is necessary to take countermeasures.

Note: Many believe that expensive guitars are not affected by fluctuations in relative humidity. In fact, high-end guitars are more moisture sensitive than regular guitars. A high-level guitar uses thinner wood and paint, which is more susceptible to weather changes than plywood guitars.