Guitar Care: It's the Humidity

Guitar: "It's not the heat, it's the humidity!"

Now that fall is here, (or just about), we have to start thinking about the care & feeding of our acoustics a bit more.  The best place to keep control over temperature & humidity is still the guitar case.  I prefer the molded thermoplastic cases that came with my Martin Guitars and keep a hygrometer / thermometer inside each one.  Gigbags are great but they are porous and will not maintain optimal humidity and temperature conditions very well.  You need to get serious about storing and monitoring your instruments during times of excessive wetness as well as drier days that come with the fall.  PHOTO: Planet Waves Hygrometer

Now I've been guilty in the past of "over-feeding" my Martin acoustics as top guitar technician, Dave Doll can attest.  I was using the older Humidi-Pak by Planet Waves without a monitoring system inside the case.  As I could not tell what the levels were, the guitars became over humidified and difficult to play, (think REALLY high action).  The Humidi-Pak claims to regulate the humidity, adding/subtracting moisture so you stay roughly between 45-55%.  It's been very rainy the past few weeks and I have to say that the humidity in the case only went up to 59% so I'll call that a success. All the same, I think it's a mistake to leave any humidifying gadget inside your guitar or case without periodically checking to see how the guitar's levels are interacting with the environment.

Another way of dealing with low humidity levels is to simply humidify your ambient environment and store your guitars in a climate controlled room or area.  Your recording studio should definitely be under climate control especially for the benefit of your most precious instrument, your voice.  I like to keep at least one guitar out on the stand for easy access so it's great when the whole studio is properly keep at the right moisture level. PHOTO: Air O Swiss Travel Humidifier

The BEST Guitar polish...
I don't like to polish my guitars that often and I've been told to let the wood breathe for a full year on a new guitar.  Part of keeping the wood moisturized is to use a good guitar polish.  Everyone has their favorite mixtures and elixirs but Virtuoso Instrument Cleaner and Polish are some of the best I've ever used.  The most impressive results will come if you clean and polish your guitar before they get embedded with grime and dirt.  Still the Virtuoso cleaner does a very good job of even dealing with poor, neglected instruments.  I like Martin's Polishing Cloths and try to wipe my guitars down after every use.  Since they all have a light coat of Virtuoso Polish at this point, that;a quite easy and those forearm smudges are a thing of the past. 

The Wrap
Keep in mind that when you buy a new quality acoustic guitar from a reputable dealer, it will be kept in a climate controlled area such as what you see here at Russo's Music Center.  Once the guitar leaves that perfect environment, it begins to dry out.  The sound of that perfectly conditioned guitar is most likely what led you to buy it, right?  You can keep that first spark alive by properly humidifying your instrument at home or in the studio.

This Martin Sustainable Series Guitar is kept in the store at 45-55% humidity.

Best Guitar Gear for 2010!

CARE & FEEDING

One of the best things that you can do for your guitar is to keep it clean and properly humidified. This falls under the category of care & feeding. I've sought out and tested the best products for the job and have come up with this list for our Best Guitar Gear for 2010!

Guitar Polish

Keep in mind that if you have a new acoustic guitar, it is best to wait about a year or so for the wood's pores to fully open up before adding any polish. Then after that start with a cleaner followed by a good, non-waxy guitar polish. I've found Virtuoso Premium Cleaner & Polish to be perfect for my Martin guitars especially. The cleaner does an excellent job of removing any heavy compounds while the polish leaves a remarkable shine, making the surface smudge-resistant. I use the Planet Waves Microfiber Polishing Cloth because it is very gentle but does a thorough job of deep cleaning my guitar without scratching or whorls.

String & Fretboard Cleaner

Your strings and fretboard need specific products for their cleaning and care. I use GHS Fast Fret as it makes sliding along the fretboard much easier and prolongs the life and tone of my uncoated strings. Simple to apply, I rub the applicator across my new strings, wipe 'em down and forget about it.


Humidity Monitoring

Keeping tabs on your guitar's humidity within the case has never been easier. I have an Oasis Hygrometer in each of my Martin Guitar cases. It clips easily onto the storage compartment of my hardshell cases. It also tells me the temperature. Ideally you want to keep the humidity between 45-55%. If the humidity falls below 45% in the case, simply place the New & Improved Humidipak Gel Pak system between the strings into the sound hole for about a week. Once the proper moisture level is reached, keep a check on the humidity and use when needed. Check out our top picks by hovering over the photos below!

Best Guitar Gear for 2010's - Care & Feeding Recommendations:

Be sure to check out our Best Guitar Gear for 2010's Player's Pack!