Larrivee vs Martin

Moe_Zambeek · December 2016

My house is usually 50 ish though can get too low in winter and creep up towards 60 in summer. My last flat used to get up to 70%+ because the flat had a slight damp problem. I ran a mains dehumidifier while I was there, though that was a temporary and costly fix.

Do you have adequate ventilation and heating in the room in question @thomasross20 ? I'm guessing it's a modern Livi residence so should not be damp.

thomasross20 · December 2016

I hope there hasn't been any sort of damage to my guitars. The bridge plate screws have definitely lost their shine but I think that's normal after a few years.

Thanks, guys - will see how it changes with the noddy dehumidifier in the room.

Lewy · December 2016

thomasross20 said:

OK, to note - all the guitars are on their cases all the time.

Which is ok as long as the humidity inside there isn't 64-70% too....stick your hygro inside a case for a while and see what it reads.

thomasross20 · December 2016

Crikey, it's a large device... I could maybe shove it in the side pocket of the PRS case as a test.
I'll do that, actually.
Little worried now!

Lewy · December 2016

thomasross20 said:

Crikey, it's a large device... I could maybe shove it in the side pocket of the PRS case as a test.
I'll do that, actually.
Little worried now!

Sorry - I thought you had a little hygrometer. Must have imagined I read that!

thomasross20 · December 2016

Maybe I'll buy a little one.
Is there a decent dehumidifier you guys might recommend?

Lewy · December 2016

I use a little Caliber III. Inexpensive and accurate enough for my purposes.

thomasross20 · December 2016

Hey that's pretty cool!

ICBM · December 2016

Don't bother - if the room humidity is constant at 64-70% then the inside of the cases will be too, after a matter of hours at most. They aren't airtight, or even close to it for PRS cases.

thomasross20 · December 2016

@ICBM what's the worst that can happen to the electrics?
I've got a noddy dehumidifier in the room now but I've not got big hopes.

ICBM · December 2016

thomasross20 said:

@ICBM what's the worst that can happen to the electrics?

Not much, other than rusty strings, hardware and frets. The necks might move a bit, but you should be able to fix that with the truss rods. In really extreme cases you can get finish cracking, but I doubt PRS finishes are thick and hard enough for that to happen - it mainly affects things with super-hard polyester.

In my experience/opinion excess humidity can also make guitars - including electrics - sound dull too, but I'm not sure how quantifiable that is.

thomasross20 · December 2016

Well, the humidity has thus far dropped from 71 to 69 % but it's only been a little while.
The room is adjacent to the bathroom which can get quite moist!
Will give it some time and see if the number drops some more.

ICBM · December 2016

thomasross20 said:

Well, the humidity has thus far dropped from 71 to 69 % but it's only been a little while.
The room is adjacent to the bathroom which can get quite moist!

Do you have an extractor fan for the bathroom? If not, it would be a good idea to fit one, either a fast one which comes on with the lights and a time delay when they're turned off, or a slow one which runs continuously. The last thing you want is steam from the bathroom filling up the rest of the house.

thomasross20 · December 2016

We do have an extractor, yeah

Another factor to consider is that the hygrometer itself is guff.
I left it near a hot running tap for 30s and it went from 68% to 76% (with a lag). I need to figure out how to calibrate it.

richardhomer · December 2016

ICBM said:

Don't bother - if the room humidity is constant at 64-70% then the inside of the cases will be too, after a matter of hours at most. They aren't airtight, or even close to it for PRS cases.

Spot on - the case may prevent rapid changes but it is not hermetically sealed.

Two things tend to happen to guitars which are too wet 1) The top bellies more than it is supposed to, which will raise the action. 2) They tend to sound 'dead'.

It might be worth considering a proper dehumidifier.

thomasross20 · December 2016

Recommendations for a proper one (one that can regulate?) much appreciated! I'll look later when I get back.

ToneControl · December 2016

70% is a very high humidity level inside a house
tell me more about the room
is it a loft-room?
Does it go through cycles of cold and heat during the day?
Upstairs?
Any damp walls?

If it's been that humid when it's been frosty outside, and the heating's on, I'd say you might have penetrating damp, I can't see the odd blast from a bathroom keeping the RH that high

Do you dry clothes in or near it?

thomasross20 · December 2016

Well I don't know about that room but we had somebody check our kitchen not long back and that was fine.
Might be a dodgy hygrometer - I might buy another or calibrate first.
It's just a normal room, heating on twice a day. Radiator at the other side.
Hygrometer and guitars are beside the window which does get a touch of condensation.
No damp to speak of.

ToneControl · December 2016

where have you located the hygrometer?
put it in a similar place to the guitars

e.g. mine hang on the wall, so I put one on a book shelf at the same height on an inner wall, and one on a desk 3 feet off the ground near the guitars hanging on the outer wall

If you put the meter near the floor or ceiling, or a windowsill or hang it on the wall, you won't get an accurate reading

thomasross20 · December 2016

It's right beside the guitars, which are right next to the window

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Larrivee vs Martin

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