I've no AC so I'm on a humidity temperature roller coaster here in the summer. I notice the guitar seems to go out of sorts as the weather changes -- falling or rising humidity and or temperature, moreso than just heavy humidity. It seems to need to get into a stable state, reach equilibrium to whatever the weather is heading toward. So not just a matter of hard to tune until it adjusts, or being sodden. More like it gets a little sick and shrinks into itself, even when the humidity and temp are heading in the right direction. The wood needs stability of environment as much as the right kind of air and temp.
I've experienced the same thing for as long as I've played guitar. Some days it's like a well oiled machine and others it's like it can't get out of it's own way. I just figured my ears were having an 'off' day.
Here's something I found that might be of interest: http://coneryguitars.com/Home.html
"BONUS: These guitars are constructed in the low ambient humidity of Boulder and are quite happy living in Colorado – no added humidification is necessary.
One of my guitars now lives in Georgia and seems quite content there as well. Much better to be built at low humidity and move to more moisture than vice versa."
Makes you wonder why more guitars aren't built in the very arid parts of the country doesn't it?
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Interesting. I guess there is no law they have to be built at 42% 75 or abouts. Dryness is the real killer. I wonder how one would do here in southwestern Ontario in the summer when we get rainforest humidity sometimes.
At about the 8 minute mark TJ Thompson touches on this subject. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6muU3E7WIg
Quote from: hadden on July 15, 2011, 01:09:23 PM
Interesting. I guess there is no law they have to be built at 42% 75 or abouts. Dryness is the real killer.
No and some will build certain parts of the guitar at lower humidity. For instance, you can bake the top in a convection oven to get it really dry right before gluing the bracing to the top; this also helps impart an arch into the top. Then you might complete the soundbox around 35% then attach the neck with everything at 42-47%.
Nice clip Jeremy, thanks. Having a little more room for error makes sense. I kind of wish the whole thing was just TJ talking.
AND...I have discovered this is even more amplified on my harp guitar! Between the two different appendages, a slight change--whether going up or down in RH--makes for a tuning tweek of about a 1/2 step (although I also ponder if it being so newly built--still thinking it is a tree--has something to do w/it). With all of my guitars here in S. Mi., when those humid fronts come through, might as well wait it out or expect less than perfect tuning across the board.