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Dear
Friend,
Here is a chart I have made for your reference. If you
become familiar with these numbers and are conscientious
about proper humidity for your instrument, your guitar will
remain in pristine condition through many, many years.
The figures below represent RH (Relative Humidity):
100%;
You shouldn’t really be playing your new guitar out in the
rain
95%;
This is dangerous for your instrument; glue joints are
compromising right now and the thin wood plates are highly
stressed and buckling due to their swollen condition
90%;
This is far too humid for your instrument; the action of the
strings is very high; maybe it’s time for some air
conditioning for both of you? Bad things are possibly going
to start happening to your instrument
85%;
Too humid; your wood plates are beginning to swell with the
moisture; this isn’t good
80%;
A little too humid I think (plus, aren’t you getting
uncomfortable?); soundboard movement is starting to affect
the action (making it higher over the frets)
75%;
Probably getting too humid; if it keeps up you may actually
notice the soundboard movement; sort of OK for awhile
70%;
OK for awhile but don’t let the guitar get too warm; more
wood movement with the soundboard bellying out somewhat
perhaps
65%;
A little too humid; there might be a small bit of wood
movement but don’t panic
60%;
Still sort of OK
55%;
Not too bad
50%;
OK
45%;
PERFECT
40%;
OK
35%;
Time to think about humidifying your guitar; the soundboard
is starting to sink in; probably will be OK for a few days
so don’t panic (yet!)
30%;
It is really time for humidifying your guitar, (a few days
might be ok); action starting to get low; maybe you can
start to feel the ends of the frets beyond the edge of the
fretboard (which has shrunk back due to moisture loss);
install the Planet Waves Guitar Humidifier when you are not
playing the instrument
25%;
Time to be really concerned; time is not on your side; take
corrective action now; use the Planet Waves Guitar
Humidifier and put the guitar in the case until the dry
conditions are over; cracks are planning their assault;
frets are hanging over the edge of the fretboard now
20%;
Danger Will Robinson!!! You are living on the edge now; huge
stresses are building up in the plates of your expensive
instrument and; cracks may start to appear at any moment;
the soundboard is sunk in and you have string buzzes
15%;
Give me a call and we can discuss a time slot for your
repair
10%;
Now we need more time to fix all those cracks and glue the
thing back together
5%;
It’s over!
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